American presidential politics. A play thing for billionaires.

[untermensche]

You've said this absurdity many times now.

Yes, because you've refused to answer a very simple question.

It's a horrible reading of what I've written, not a question.

Billionaires should not have a louder voice than anybody else or more influence than anybody else.

And today they have practically the only voice and almost all the influence.

You are crying about the poor billionaires as they are driving us over a cliff.

 

[Ford]

Billionaires should not have a louder voice than anybody else or more influence than anybody else.

So if someone with a net worth of a billion dollars wants to run for public office, you have no problem with that?

 

[untermensche]

Billionaires should not have a louder voice than anybody else or more influence than anybody else.

So if someone with a net worth of a billion dollars wants to run for public office, you have no problem with that?

Where does this question come from?

It is a complete non sequitur from anything I'm talking about.

What in needed is the removal of money from elections, not any people.

 

[zorq]

Sorry Ford, but untermensche clarified his position quite well when he said that he wants billionaires or people indebted billionaires to have no greater greater chance at winning elections.

A proposition to prohibit billionaires would certainly reduce their chances of winning elections to the point that their chances are not "greater." But support for such a proposition is not a valid inference from untermensch's statement.

Maybe you need untermensche to explicitly say that he does not support banning billionaires, but I think his position is clear.

In the US today, money buys elections and that is undemocratic. Something needs to change to level the playing field.

 

[Ford]

Maybe you need untermensche to explicitly say that he does not support banning billionaires,

That would be helpful.

 

[untermensche]

The protector of the abused rights of billionaires.

 

[Ford]

The protector of the abused rights of billionaires.

The person unable to answer a simple, straightforward question.

 

[untermensche]

The protector of the abused rights of billionaires.

The person unable to answer a simple, straightforward question.

As has been pointed out to you.

I have never said anybody should be excluded. Just money.

 

[Ford]

The person unable to answer a simple, straightforward question.

As has been pointed out to you.

I have never said anybody should be excluded. Just money.

I said:

In a functioning democracy, a person's net worth should neither disqualify them for elected office, nor guarantee them elected office.

Rather than agree with this statement, you called me...let me quote you:

The protector of the abused rights of billionaires.

Really?


I ask a question, you launch an insult.

 

[untermensche]

You have badgered me with a bad reading of a criticism of the incredible influence money has on presidential elections.

I have restrained myself.

 

[dismal]

Wait, I have an idea.

Every four years we could have this day where ordinary every day people can go and vote for the candidate they prefer to be president. (Since we will be setting up a new leader, let's call it Erection Day.)

If the people are passionately against people who take money from billionaires they can vote against all the candidates who take money from billionaires. No one will ever take money from billionaires again!

Problem solved!

 

[untermensche]

Wait, I have an idea.

Every four years we could have this day where ordinary every day people can go and vote for the candidate they prefer to be president. (Since we will be setting up a new leader, let's call it Erection Day.)

If the people are passionately against people who take money from billionaires they can vote against all the candidates who take money from billionaires. No one will ever take money from billionaires again!

Problem solved!

How about we have a real democracy where leaders emerge from the people and are beholden to them?

As opposed to a phony charade controlled almost entirely by extreme wealth.

Except for Bernie, that odd bird not beholden to billionaires.

 

[coloradoatheist]

Wait, I have an idea.

Every four years we could have this day where ordinary every day people can go and vote for the candidate they prefer to be president. (Since we will be setting up a new leader, let's call it Erection Day.)

If the people are passionately against people who take money from billionaires they can vote against all the candidates who take money from billionaires. No one will ever take money from billionaires again!

Problem solved!

How about we have a real democracy where leaders emerge from the people and are beholden to them?

As opposed to a phony charade controlled almost entirely by extreme wealth.

Except for Bernie, that odd bird not beholden to billionaires.

Actually the system was designed that way so that all the power was at local and state levels where people could do that, but now that the national government takes in trillions and spends trillions the focus is at that level. How about getting back to the role where the only role of the national government is limited defense?

 

[untermensche]

How about we have a real democracy where leaders emerge from the people and are beholden to them?

As opposed to a phony charade controlled almost entirely by extreme wealth.

Except for Bernie, that odd bird not beholden to billionaires.

Actually the system was designed that way so that all the power was at local and state levels where people could do that, but now that the national government takes in trillions and spends trillions the focus is at that level. How about getting back to the role where the only role of the national government is limited defense?

The system was set up so as John Jay, the signer of the DOI and writer of some of the Federalist Papers, said those that owned the country should control it.

By this constitution [NY State 1777] the right of suffrage was, in several instances, restricted to freeholders; it being a favourite maxim with Mr. Jay, that those who own the country ought to govern it.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Jay

 

[dismal]

Wait, I have an idea.

Every four years we could have this day where ordinary every day people can go and vote for the candidate they prefer to be president. (Since we will be setting up a new leader, let's call it Erection Day.)

If the people are passionately against people who take money from billionaires they can vote against all the candidates who take money from billionaires. No one will ever take money from billionaires again!

Problem solved!

How about we have a real democracy where leaders emerge from the people and are beholden to them?

As opposed to a phony charade controlled almost entirely by extreme wealth.

Except for Bernie, that odd bird not beholden to billionaires.

I feel like I checked the "real democracy" box with the part where ordinary every day citizens get to vote for the leader they prefer.

Your issue seems to be entirely that you don't really like who and how the ordinary every day citizens choose. That's not very democratic.

 

[untermensche]

How about we have a real democracy where leaders emerge from the people and are beholden to them?

As opposed to a phony charade controlled almost entirely by extreme wealth.

Except for Bernie, that odd bird not beholden to billionaires.

I feel like I checked the "real democracy" box with the part where ordinary every day citizens get to vote for the leader they prefer.

Your issue seems to be entirely that you don't really like who and how the ordinary every day citizens choose. That's not very democratic.

Today they don't vote for who they prefer.

They mostly vote for the people the billionaires have selected.

 

[dismal]

I feel like I checked the "real democracy" box with the part where ordinary every day citizens get to vote for the leader they prefer.

Your issue seems to be entirely that you don't really like who and how the ordinary every day citizens choose. That's not very democratic.

Today they don't vote for who they prefer.

They mostly vote for the people the billionaires have selected.

It's my understanding that not only is the President chosen in elections, the candidates for President are also usually chosen in elections.

If the people wanted George Pataki versus Martin O'Malley they have it within their power to make happen.

I have not heard stories of Billionaires blocking the entrances to polling places to prevent this.

 

[untermensche]

Today they don't vote for who they prefer.

They mostly vote for the people the billionaires have selected.

It's my understanding that not only is the President chosen in elections, the candidates for President are also usually chosen in elections.

If the people wanted George Pataki versus Martin O'Malley they have it within their power to make happen.

I have not heard stories of Billionaires blocking the entrances to polling places to prevent this.

You can play brain dead all day, it is your nature.

But the only thing that explains a complete moron like Marco Rubio running for president is because he has the backing of several billionaires.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

It's my understanding that not only is the President chosen in elections, the candidates for President are also usually chosen in elections.

If the people wanted George Pataki versus Martin O'Malley they have it within their power to make happen.

I have not heard stories of Billionaires blocking the entrances to polling places to prevent this.

You can play brain dead all day, it is your nature.

But the only thing that explains a complete moron like Marco Rubio running for president is because he has the backing of several billionaires.

Or that there's a segment of the population which likes what he has to say.

There are also several billionaires backing Jeb Bush, but because there's not a segment of the population which likes what he has to say, his campaign is dead.

 

[untermensche]

You can play brain dead all day, it is your nature.

But the only thing that explains a complete moron like Marco Rubio running for president is because he has the backing of several billionaires.

Or that there's a segment of the population which likes what he has to say.

There are also several billionaires backing Jeb Bush, but because there's not a segment of the population which likes what he has to say, his campaign is dead.

Bullshit!!

There is no segment that can distinguish what he says from any other far right wing Republican.

He is special in no way, except he has rich people backing him.

And I never said the billionaires always back a winner. But without a billionaire you're unlikely to be in the race, unless you happen to be a billionaire yourself.