Change of policy for SST

I have reached the conclusion that the ongoing political process in the US is so important to the fate of all that I cannot maintain a ban on discussion of that process.  I regret the necessity.  pl

Comments

[Lord Curzon]

Beware the Ides of March...

[Charles Michael]

Colonel Lang
You have reached a wise and fair position.

[505th PIR]

Using REASON as the common litmus test, Bernie Sanders is my personal choice. The rest fall short by some distance. I also believe until convinced otherwise, that his candidacy is the only one that can lead a movement that could gain enough traction in Congress to actually have the legislative branch and executive branch work together to effectively govern. Again, using REASON as the arbiter. The Foundinding Fathers thought REASON might want to have a say did they not?

[WILL]

Read a great series of sci fi books at one time. The premise is that an alien race of lizards, ruled by an Emperor, invade and try to conquer the Earth around 1942. Of course the next year 1943, the Germans get routed at Stalingrad and Al-Almaen. So, in fact they save the Germans and are interspersed b/n them and the Soviets. They deprecate democracy and voting. One phrase the Lizards use that sticks in my mind is "snout counting." But is the alternative always worse? (Turtledove)

The Greeks had a theory that governments cycle back and forth between virtuos and corrupt forms.

"According to Polybius, who has the most fully developed version of the cycle, it rotates through the three basic forms of government, democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy and the three degenerate forms of each of these governments ochlocracy, oligarchy, and tyranny. Originally society is in anarchy but the strongest figure emerges and sets up a monarchy. The monarch's descendants, who because of their family's power lack virtue, become despots and the monarchy degenerates into a tyranny. Because of the excesses of the ruler the tyranny is overthrown by the leading citizens of the state who set up an aristocracy. They too quickly forget about virtue and the state becomes an oligarchy. These oligarchs are overthrown by the people who set up a democracy. Democracy soon becomes corrupt and degenerates into mob rule, beginning the cycle anew."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyklos

[Kooshy]

Col. Lang , IMO the right decission thank you

[LeaNder]

You are wonderfully erratic, Colonel, I somewhat seem to like this.

[johnf]

Be'st uz vurriners loud to spoke our thorts?

[turcopolier]

LeAnder

Thank you. I am an extreme INTP. pl

[turcopolier]

johnf

Yes, but learn to spell "furriners" right and the rule against personal invective still applies. pl

[ToivoS]

Good decision. Makes total sense since this site has many excellent analyses of war and peace. One really surprising development in this campaign is that the borg seems to be under major assault by the US voters. It has been true for years that the US is a one party state - the War Party - with two factions the Dems and Repubs.

But now the only clear representative for the borg is Hillary while in the Repub faction their preferred candidates like Bush, Rubio, etc seem to be blown away. Today only Trump and Cruz seem to be in position to win voter support for nomination and both have made some very threatening statements regarding war and peace which have sent the neocons into a frenzy. This is leaving the borg in the position of having to choose its own nominee in a brokered convention.

On the Dem side, Hillary is the likely choice. She is probably the most dangerous of the whole lot. I fear that her lack of intelligence and character defects could, as POTUS, lead to the one crisis nobody wants which is shooting war with Russia.

[Fred]

505th,

I already feel the burn in my wallet from the millennials. Why do they deserve more of my money (that the Bern is going to pass through their hands and into the wallets of collegiate administrators)
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/spring-break-police-lack-control-over-rowdy-college-students/

[doug]

"I am an extreme INTP. pl"

As am I. No interest in being a follower or leader. Both are highly constrained. But I have a strong interest in understanding the different forces at play. I seek information that enhances that understanding. By definition, that is information that is more frequently in some degree of conflict with my current assessments. This is one site that offers varying, but informed, viewpoints and is much appreciated.

[turcopolier]

doug

We are an oppressed minority. I chose to be a soldier and successfully adapted to that life but it was not easy. pl

[Chris Rogers]

The threat of a Hilary Clinton Whitehouse is so great that it is only right and proper to try and highlight all that is wrong with the woman. As such, I'm delighted you have rescinded your ban on political dialogue as it impact the Presidential election this November.

[ISL]

Dear Colonel,

I still fail to see how one can run a successful campaign when under FBI investigation for violation of security, with a likely indictment in the next month or so.

The reasons and penalties for violating classification are clearly explained to everyone and they are read the riot act. For violating security clearance, Hillary has herself labeled folk as treasonous.

I would assume that upon ascending to the presidency, Hillary would be hit with impeachment from Congress, and not the slap on the wrist her husband received.

[kao_hsien_chih]

Colonel,

I think a ban on some forms of commentary, e.g. overt "political trash-talking," is still warranted. Reasoned analyses are much appreciated, at least by me. I trust and defer to your judgment on what constitutes which.

[Old Microbiologist]

Lol, it is a sign of these very interesting times. Good decision but it may become somewhat uncontrollable. Still, it is impossible to avoid with so much going on.

[Old Microbiologist]

Personally, I think the US has run the gamut to its ultimate end. No matter who is elected something is going to give. Marx clearly describes a periodic reset to any capitalistic system and we have delayed that inevitable event. But, for how long. A society with a fiat based currency, so deep in debt the debt can never be repaid, 47% of the citizenry receiving some kind of government support, a massive influx of less than desirable unskilled workers, in a country that adopted free trade agreements which advance the needs of the plutocracy at the cost of the citizens, a nearly complete wealth redistribution from the middle class to the rich, a generation which has been deliberately uneducated to the point of idiocy, yet at the same time adopting for-profit business models for health care, education, and prison, a military largely made up of citizens from the lower 30% of the socioeconomic class trying desparetly to advance out of poverty, and what do you have? Imminent disaster. Given these issues, all of the candidates are poor choices. Only one presidential candidate represents the potential for change, and not necessarily for the good, but change of any kind might be better than doing the same mistakes over and over again hoping for a different outcome, and that is Trump. If all he does is apply a profit/loss decision model to every decision then even that alone would be a vast improvement. This is his real expertise. I also think he is an expert in BS detection which goes a long way to succeeding within the US government.

[Matthew]

Watching people defend Bernie supporters disrupting Trump's rallies is both nauseating and dangerous. I say this as a Bernie supporter.

[rjj]

Only a Cherman vud find zat errrrratic.

[a sociological observation -- nothing personal, of course]

{{here endeth the test}}

[cynic]

Is discussion here capable of influencing the fate of all? Will discussion of that fate ameliorate it's consequences? However, resolution in the face of fate used to be regarded as admirable.

[rjj]

darn it. read right by this.

really did. wasn't copying.

[Harry]

Gracious of you Sir, but personally I don't hold my own opinion in as much regard on this question as that of yourself and other commenters. I will be an avid reader but I doubt I will have much to add.

[505thPIR]

Baah, that scene has been repeating itself for at least 40 years, and before FLA/Texas was the destination, in other places and forms. Surely, you can do much better than this Fred.

[Croesus]

" the borg seems to be under major assault by the US voters."

Well, yes, US voters seem to be in revolt against something, but neither SST nor erstwhile American revolutionaries has to date come to a focused definition of the borg.

Assault upon an adversary who is not clearly in the crosshairs = arming the cataract brigade.