Is....Is it safe - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stretch · #1 11-08-2012, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benz Fan

What is the local perspective about the outcome of the election?

It probably won't be very popular with everyone to say this but I think most people seem to be relieved - a bit kind of like better the devil you know...

There's a general feeling that too much money is spent on people getting elected in the US. And at first 6 billion USD seems like a whole load of cash that could have been used to solve some problems (even if it was just used to help out the victims of the most recent US natural disaster - not that most people who donated the cash would want to spend it on that) but if you work it out it comes in at about 20 USD per person who is officially meant to be in the US. The US military spent half that amount on armed forces housing in 2010 apparently (all of this found looking on wikipedia - accuracy unknown!?)...

...still 6 billion USD does seem excessive to people who come from smaller countries - the numbers that get used when talking about the US always seem huge and almost unbelievable to most of us lot over here.

t walgamuth · #2 11-08-2012, 06:17 AM

It's unbelievable to us too.

We really need to figure out a better way to run our elections.

daw_two · #3 11-08-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

It's unbelievable to us too.

We really need to figure out a better way to run our elections.

Just some thoughts:
Term limits.
Candidates declare their intent to run 6 weeks before the election.
Public financing of the campaign with a hard limit --- I'd run for a local office!

tjts1 · #4 11-08-2012, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

...still 6 billion USD does seem excessive to people who come from smaller countries - the numbers that get used when talking about the US always seem huge and almost unbelievable to most of us lot over here.

On the bright side, the party that spent the most money on this election actually lost which is a first for American politics. Karl Rove wasted at least $1 billion of other people's money on this election while promising a sure win for Romney. The Koch brothers spent $100 million just to get Ryan on the ticket. I doubt they'll be making this kind of extravagant donation to Republicans again. Not a bad outcome after the insane "money = speech therefore no limit to campaign finance" ruling from Supreme Court.
From what I've seen thus far, the Republicans are mostly angry and in shock that they lost by such a huge margin. No real talk of reforming the party yet, kicking out the religious zealots or ending the war on women. Lets not even get into their obsession with tea bagging. They'll only win elections again when they decide to grow up and represent America as it exists today rather than the 1950s. Good luck with that.

duxthe1 · #5 11-09-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Not a bad outcome after the insane "money = speech therefore no limit to campaign finance" ruling from Supreme Court.

This times infinity.

Campaign finance limits passed in my state as a constitutional amendment by a pretty good margin, 73% vs 26%. Given the pile of glossy cardboard piled up on my porch it didn't happen soon enough.