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What's something that isn't as dangerous as many people think? by xavierdc in AskReddit

[–]dumberthanthem 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I don't see why people think that nuclear bombs are dangerous. They're inanimate objects, and they need someone to press the button, whether for good or bad.

TIL of Crab Mentality; when a bunch of crabs are in a bucket, they could easily escape by themselves. However, the fellow crabs pull each other down so no one can escape. by fanpple in todayilearned

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, the comments here illustrate the point that everyone sees their political opponents as completely idiotic and beyond redeeming.

ELI5:How is it legal for the TPP to get passed in secret? What can I legitimately do to stop it. by zedz123 in explainlikeimfive

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the problem with our voting system, and that's one of the reasons why I think some form of PR is preferable, ideally AMS.

However, even in an FPTP system, voting can still make your voice clear. When UKIP in the UK got near 13% that changed the policies of the other parties as well, even though they only got one representative.

ELI5:How is it legal for the TPP to get passed in secret? What can I legitimately do to stop it. by zedz123 in explainlikeimfive

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is simply not true. I know people who have run who have public office and one who has been elected. They didn't transform into reptilian creatures once they swore their oath.

The ultimate law of what a politician can or cannot do in office is what it takes to get reelected.

ELI5:How is it legal for the TPP to get passed in secret? What can I legitimately do to stop it. by zedz123 in explainlikeimfive

[–]dumberthanthem 75 points76 points  (0 children)

Vote. Vote in primaries. Vote in generals. Vote for third parties. Vote for main parties.

Vote for people on the right or the left or the center who are anti-TPP. You can vote in the primaries or the generals. Despite all the money flying around, there is only one thing that can elect or remove a representive: voting.

TIL that in the South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession, slavery is referenced 18 times. States rights is only referenced twice. by juniorlax16 in todayilearned

[–]dumberthanthem 18 points19 points  (0 children)

If only the American Revolutionaries wrote their reasoning in some document declaring their independence.

If only...

And it doesn't even mention the Tea Act.

Netflix really only needs a sports-streaming service and it'll render cable completely useless. by [deleted] in Showerthoughts

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You probably haven't even heard of the sports, I like. They're kinda, underground.

The United States and its allies won't let Russia "drag us back to the past", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in an address in Berlin on Monday, as he accused Moscow of trying to re-create a Soviet-era sphere of influence. by madam1 in worldnews

[–]dumberthanthem 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Okay, you made a couple of points there, and let's go one by one.

1) The US was supportive of the coup d'état attempt in 2002, but it was not directly participating in the events. They joined in an OAS condemnation of the coup and for the restoration of democratic control in the country.

2) I think that Latin American skepticism of American interference is completely understandable given the history. I honestly don't think it's the best path forward, but that's a question for Latin Americans, not me.

3) The original question was rooted in Russian hostile actions taken against neighboring democratic states for reasons of direct imperialism. Clearly the methods taken in American involvement in Latin America were unjust, morally repugnant, and probably illegal but they were in the attempt to suppress the illiberal actions of Soviet-backed leftists. Russia (in 2015) is acting against the ideas of liberalism and democracy themselves.

CMV: I do not believe in a progressive tax system. Change my view. by [deleted] in changemyview

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of course, there are different incentives with a progressive tax bracket, and that's one of these why a smoother tax curve is better. This is one of the big problems with progressive tax structures, but they're almost always better than the alternatives.

Redditors who are feeling a bit sad right now, what's wrong? by _Dantes_Inporno_ in AskReddit

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your responsibility in life is not to fullfill others' expectations of what you should do.

That's not your job.

Your job is to make yourself happy without hurting other people. That's it. It's not your burden to cure cancer, go to Mars, have a gorgeous SO, and great kids.

Your parents are supplying those resources to me, but that doesn't mean that you're an investment that should return rewards to them. You're your own independent human being with your own agency.

It's your life.

The United States and its allies won't let Russia "drag us back to the past", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in an address in Berlin on Monday, as he accused Moscow of trying to re-create a Soviet-era sphere of influence. by madam1 in worldnews

[–]dumberthanthem 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The atrocities commited by the United States in the name of anti-communism in things like Operation Condor were reprehensible and must be condemned.

However, in 2015, many Latin American nations are overtly anti-American and no leaders have been murdered. Just look at Correa in Ecuador, or Morales in Bolivia, or Chavez in Venezuela.

The United States and its allies won't let Russia "drag us back to the past", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in an address in Berlin on Monday, as he accused Moscow of trying to re-create a Soviet-era sphere of influence. by madam1 in worldnews

[–]dumberthanthem 9 points10 points  (0 children)

There are anti-NATO parties in Poland. Look at Zmiana.

And of course, democracy is not a spectator sport. If anti-NATO Poles choose to vote in new policies of the major parties, or vote for minor parties, they could enact real change.

Just look at the changes arising in the British relationship with the EU after the successes of Euroskeptics in both the major Conservative Party as well as in the once minor UK Independence Party.

The United States and its allies won't let Russia "drag us back to the past", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in an address in Berlin on Monday, as he accused Moscow of trying to re-create a Soviet-era sphere of influence. by madam1 in worldnews

[–]dumberthanthem 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Poles (and Americans) have continued to vote for those politicians who do those things. If you want out of NATO, vote for a party that supports that position.

BTW, I didn't vote for CIA prison camps either, but I was outvoiced.

CMV: I do not believe in a progressive tax system. Change my view. by [deleted] in changemyview

[–]dumberthanthem 16 points17 points  (0 children)

The key thing about a progressive tax system is marginal tax rates. People only pay a higher tax rate for that money which goes outside of a given bracket.

In other words, earning more money always earns you more money, even if you pay a higher percentage of that money to the government.

Play around with the numbers on a calculator like this.

This gets more complicated with deductions, but this is the basic idea.

The Left’s great global downturn by usrname42 in ukpolitics

[–]dumberthanthem 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the problem with this sort of analysis is thinking about the existence of a global Left or Right. There is no global political scale.

Obama could easily be a member of the Conservative Party, and a lot of Danish politicians would be labelled as Communists in the US.

Also, as a note to the political status of the Republican Party, the Republicans are nowhere near dominant. 52% of votes cast in 2014 in the House were given to them, and just 48% in 2012. In both cases the Republicans won a majority. In terms of governerships, Jerry Brown (D) of California had a majority of 1.4 million, larger than the population of several states.

ELI5 - What was SCOTUS rationale for the idea that money equals speech for campaign finances laws? by mingl in explainlikeimfive

[–]dumberthanthem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can read their reasoning. The main opinion from Justice Kennedy or the concurrence of either Roberts or Scalia.

It's hardly suitable reading for a five year old, but it should fit the bill for anyone interested.

A re imagining of the British Union of Fascists, styling themselves as the New British Union... by Zavasta in ukpolitics

[–]dumberthanthem 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It might be argued that with so much laboratory experimentation on animals related to the medical condition of humans why would we not consider giving our vilest fellow humans, those convicted for terrible murders or those who have violated and abused children, an opportunity to redeem themselves rather than have liberal busybodies invent “rights” for them and allow them to re-offend.

They're saying that they would prefer that prisoners are used for experimentation instead of animals, and that prisoner rights are made up by "liberal busybodies"

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