SaltSong

joined 1 month ago
[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 1 points 5 days ago (4 children)

This depend very much on how you define "fair," and how it is used in context.

So, I would say a system that only let's white male landowners vote is not "fair" because only an elite group gets to vote. But if their votes are counted properly, and their decision upheld, the election is "fair," and it's a democracy.

On the other hand, a system that lets everyone over 18 vote is arguably "fair." But if the votes are not counted correctly, and the results are false, then the election is not "fair," and you don't have a democracy.

To further the thought, I suppose that if the voting populating is a small enough percentage of the general populating, then it is not a democracy, rather than just a bad democracy. Not sure where that line is, though.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 15 points 5 days ago (6 children)

Vimes had once discussed the Ephebian idea of ‘democracy’ with Carrot, and had been rather interested in the idea that everyone had a vote until he found out that while he, Vimes, would have a vote, there was no way in the rules that anyone could prevent Nobby Nobbs from having one as well. Vimes could see the flaw there straight away.

-Terry Pratchett, The Fifth Elephant

He had such a way with words, he did.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website -1 points 5 days ago

Yea. If we counted popular vote, rather than EC, that would not qualify him for president.

I'm not actually sure what happens if no candidate gets a majority.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

It's not a good democracy, no. The fact that Trump is not following the rules suggests that it isn't a democracy at all, since we are voting for stick figures, not leaders. But he was elected fair and square, at least until we find evidence otherwise.

And again, "democracy" doesn't mean "good," or "fair" or "virtuous." We are none of those things right now, weather we are a democracy or not.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 1 points 5 days ago

I'm prepared to argue that fake voting doesn't count.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 18 points 6 days ago (13 children)

we count ancient Greece as a democracy, don't we?

Last I checked, democracy didn't mean "fair," it ment that the leaders were voted into power.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm not suggesting that America before Trump was a paragon of virtue. But our corrupt leaders and wealthy oligarchs made America powerful to serve their own ends.

Trump is not serving the ends of American oligarchs. He's serving the ends of Russian oligarchs.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 19 points 6 days ago (4 children)

I think that if space itself is what is rotating, then speed of light limit does not apply. But if it's everything in the universe orbiting, as it were, a central point, then it would.

But if it is space itself rotating, then that would suggest some objective frame of reference outside the universe. Wouldn't it?

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 4 points 6 days ago

That's a good metric.

I note that you have wisely refrained from asking if a device will make it easier. I do not want any such device at this time, thank you.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Is it unsettling? I'd find out more expected, myself. Everything is data mining me, and selling the information. Way of the world.

I don't like it, but it's not unsettling.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 2 points 6 days ago

It's not a one-size fits all, that's for sure. But I have no subscriptions to anything, and I wouldn't describe anything I do with "work flow."

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 1 points 1 week ago (3 children)

it’s absolutely insane to conclude that Russia controls western governments.

Maybe not governments in general, but Trump and his party specifically, doesn't seem too insane.

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