Politics of the Free - It’s because Democrats, stupid. - The Bear and Badger

Vela

hunk wrote:

Pfft firearms... AR15 's are childsplay. What we need is more nuclear weapons! Every country should have their own nuclear arsenal. It's the only way to stay safe in a nuclear world! It's the arms bearing right of any nation! Why should only the US, Russia, China, Korea and the EU have nuke capabilities? Why not the Philipines, Senegal, Kazachstan, Tahiti or Swizerland? Nukes for everyone I say. Only a good guy with nukes can beat a bad guy with nukes...

We need more mineshafts.

acemuzzy

There are some good NRA quotes at the moment. Eg, on the idea of stopping 18 year olds owning assault rifles, "the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard in my life". Which, ironically, is maybe the stupidest fucking thing I've heard in my life...

djchump

Not old enough to drink? But old enough to own assault rifles. K, murica.

hunk

Guns don't kill peoples, vid'yagames kill peoples!

JonB

djchump wrote:

Not old enough to drink? But old enough to own assault rifles. K, murica.

Well that's good - at least they won't be using it drunk.

GooberTheHat

Trump recorded behind closed doors saying how great it is that China has a president for life, and that maybe America should try that.

RedDave2

GooberTheHat wrote:

Trump recorded behind closed doors saying how great it is that China has a president for life, and that maybe America should try that.

Any link for that? Isn't that what most of the gun nuts are against - totalitarian government?

GooberTheHat

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/03/politics/trump-maralago-remarks/index.html

acemuzzy

I think he meant it sarcastically? But still...

davyK

Hopefully.

Power corrupts. We have seen it recent times in our country. Around 7 years seems to be the limit. Look at Blair and Thatcher.

The yanks have it right. Two terms.

I think I remember reading something about CEOs losing their effectiveness after that time too - not sure though - might have been drunk. Steve Jobs was probably the exception - but then he had his design wizard alongside him.

hunk

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/04/shock-system-liberal-democracy-populism

Interesting read.
This is also why I think world history and politics should be mandatory in secondary school.

Brooks

They aren't?

hunk

It isn't in the Netherlands sadly and the resulting ignorance when it comes to how the political system works is... Alarming.

Not sure what the situation is In the UK but can't imagine it being much better.

RedDave2

How the political system (and indeed the whole governmental apparatus) was a mystery to me during secondary school. I think it's changed but it is something which should be seen as essential to anyone who is going to vote.

Stopharage

Politics, the legal system system, human rights etc are all taught in Secondary Schools. This is part of the Citizenship curriculum which is statutory in England. It's my main subject and I helped write the curriculum and level descriptors.

"Students explore the idea of representative, parliamentary democracy in the UK including the voting and electoral system, the roles and responsibilities of MPs and how government is organised and kept in check. They will also consider the role of parliament in making and shaping law; the government’s role in managing public money; and how power is organised across the constituent parts of the UK.In particular they consider power in relation to the ways in which citizens, governments and the media exercise power and influence in a range of local to global situations. They contrast representative democracy in the UK with a non-democratic political system and the limits this places on the rights and freedoms of citizens."

Brooks

So it's your fault the kids are in fact alright.

Bollockoff

How long has that been statutory Stoph? I finished GCSEs around 2006 and none of that was part of our schooling. I feel cheated.

Tempy

I concur

RedDave2

Bollockoff wrote:

How long has that been statutory Stoph? I finished GCSEs around 2006 and none of that was part of our schooling. I feel cheated.

I think its been brought into Irish schools as well but was a notable omission from my teaching. I dont even know what a government is.

Stopharage

Bollockoff wrote:

How long has that been statutory Stoph? I finished GCSEs around 2006 and none of that was part of our schooling. I feel cheated.

Statutory in England from 2003. Most schools fudge it by trying to cover the content in tutor time, assemblies etc. Tends to be taught properly in big metropolitan areas.

The new spec (2016 onwards) includes loads more politics and more focus on politics overseas, as well as looking at dictatorships, oligarchies etc.

On the new spec the key questions explored are:
● How have communities developed in the UK?

● What is identity?
● What are democratic values and where do they come from?
● How does local democracy work?
● Who runs the country?
● How does Parliament work?
● How is power shared between Westminster and the devolved administrations?
● How does government manage public money?
● What is the law for and how does it affect us?
● How does the justice system work?
● Is crime increasing in society?
● What power and influence can citizens have?
● What role and influence should the media have?
● Does the UK have power and influence in the wider world?

It's pretty interesting stuff.

RedDave2

Great to see that's being taught.

[Deleted User]

Trade war lols. Twitter should seriously think about blowing itself up. It'd be funny if they banned him.

hunk

Stopharage wrote:

How long has that been statutory Stoph? I finished GCSEs around 2006 and none of that was part of our schooling. I feel cheated.

Statutory in England from 2003. Most schools fudge it by trying to cover the content in tutor time, assemblies etc. Tends to be taught properly in big metropolitan areas. The new spec (2016 onwards) includes loads more politics and more focus on politics overseas, as well as looking at dictatorships, oligarchies etc. On the new spec the key questions explored are: ● How have communities developed in the UK? ● What is identity? ● What are democratic values and where do they come from? ● How does local democracy work? ● Who runs the country? ● How does Parliament work? ● How is power shared between Westminster and the devolved administrations? ● How does government manage public money? ● What is the law for and how does it affect us? ● How does the justice system work? ● Is crime increasing in society? ● What power and influence can citizens have? ● What role and influence should the media have? ● Does the UK have power and influence in the wider world? It's pretty interesting stuff.

That is excellent actually.
As the article I posted states this should also be put in historical context. How did we get to our current system?
What other variations/alternatives are there besides democracy? What are the strong points of the system? What are the weak points? Can our current system be improved/toppled? Etc, etc..

Yossarian

What is the most effective way to fell a government in order to change how society is structured?

hunk

Facebook powered Referen...
Wait, that's a trick question, no?

Diluted Dante

Asking for a friend Yoss?

Stopharage

Yossarian wrote:

What is the most effective way to fell a government in order to change how society is structured?

Don’t worry. Even though that’s not in the curriculum it’s broached..

Yossarian

In today’s home economics class, we’ll be making cocktails.

*Pulls out a can of petrol and some rags*

Brooks

Fuck 'em up, the youth.

Skerret

They fuck you up, your elected representatives. They don't mean to, but they do.

Howdy, Stranger!

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