Announcing the AbovePolitics.com 2007 Elections for President of the United States!

FlyersFan, bored are we?

look, this is a game. nothing more or nothing less. Somehow, I REALLY doubt that the winner of this game is going to influence your Country. Are you seriously thinking that Congress will visit ATS, see this game and the policies being said and think "DAMN!! why didn't i think of that?" and introduce a bill based on their views? *rolls eyes*

if you think this game is "insulting and obnoxious" well...why are you posting in this thread?

Come on people calm down please, save the heat for the debating.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Consider my opinions to be the same as a newspaper commentary during a presidential election in America. Guess the foreigners will have to deal with the negative commentaries in the press

We are not seeking to mimic Fox News and nasty rheotric. This is ATS... issues first... unchecked nasty rheotric can have consequences.

Even when running for President, it is best to put oneself Above Politics.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
This is ATS... issues first... unchecked nasty rheotric can have consequences.

I brought up a fair point - how can anyone who doesn't live here, and anyone who doesn't share our spirit, be president? They can't be.

That's not nasty rheotric ... that's AN ISSUE.

If people who are running for faux-president can't handle the truth about the psychology and sociology of Americans and how we think and feel .. and they don't take that into account ... then they certainly can't handle being president.

Originally posted by infinite
FlyersFan, bored are we?

Actually, yes I am.

if you think this game is "insulting and obnoxious" well...why are you posting in this thread?

To tell you that it's insulting and obnoxious and why it is. To challenge you all to answer the issue. (or does your vision - Mr. Future President - not include free speech in America?)

During a presidential campaign those running would have to answer to the American people when they bring these issues up. It's part of the VETTING process. I have brought it up. It's up to THEM (and you if you are running) to explain to me - an American - why the heck I would want a foreigner as my president. Good luck with that.

It is clear that you missed the part where I said that I'd reflect upon your words - that it's 'just a game'. Did you see where I said that?

Here's my response - okay, yes it's a game. I will try not to be irritated at you all playing your game. But you all have to respond to the issues and one of them is this -

WHY would I, as an American, what a foreigner who doesn't even live in this country or understand our culture, to be my president?

I'll leave you all to 'play your game'.

Hey it IS just a game, after all. Lighten up!

Heh, funny how different people react differently to this. While FF has a problem with letting foreigners in the game, my issue with this lies more in that, breaking with tradition, the admins are going to let staff participate. I really believe that will create an unfair advantage, due to sheer longevity here, popularity, and visability on the site.

I also wonder about the issue of the time factor, and how that may affect the board- immersion in a game as time consuming as this will no doubt affect a staff candidate's ability to police the board. This could potentially take incredible amounts of time- especially when people are going to be up to challenging the likes of Vagabond to develop up a platform. Heh, good luck.

I fail to see how terms like "we" and "us" equate to anything. Some of the members may agree with this, obviously others disagree. But terms like "we" and "us" are an assumption that your thoughts and opinions are shared by the rest of the nation. May not be the case. "We" should only speak for ourselves.

In my opinion, the majority of complaints are stemming from the notion that we are basing our own opinions of each member on everything but their own merit. Regardless of my geographical situation, my message has the same merit as anyone else. My rise and fall should be based on the content of my message and nothing more. Time with ATS, status on the site, etc., are all minor details to the bigger picture. I do not see me voting for someone simply because they are a Moderator, and I would not avoid voting for someone simply because they are not registered with the site for any length of time.

I will use intrepid as an example, due to the fact I agree with much of what he has had to say. Remove his avatar, name, status, etc., from the post and leave the post stand for itself. Be interesting to see if the "critics" would actually go for what he has to say.

Judgments, books, covers, you all know the story.

Originally posted by chissler
Time with ATS, status on the site, etc., are all minor details to the bigger picture. I do not see me voting for someone simply because they are a Moderator, and I would not avoid voting for someone simply because they are not registered with the site for any length of time.

Yeah? Aight, well it's gonna be real curious to see some stats when the various candidates start posting their platforms. Face it Chissler, there is going to be plenty of favoritism in this, and predisposition to vote for favored, familiar candidates. To dismiss that as nonsense is well, nonsense.

I will use intrepid as an example, due to the fact I agree with much of what he has had to say.

Interesting that both of you are from Canada. I suppose he was the LAST person that popped into your mind as an example eh?

Yep, uh huh. No predisposition to favoritism here...nope.

I will offer up a potential solution to prefavoritism...

That all candidates be issued a new set of screennames to post under, and that their real identities be hidden, under the threat of disqualification, until the winner is announced. Also that those candidates use those screennames only for that purpose, i.e., that they not post anywhere else on the board so as to potentially divulge their identities....

That would go a long way towards a fair election, in addition to carefully planned presentations and advertising from the admins geared to giving each candidate an absolutely fair chance...

Misconstrue all you wish. All of which is your opinion and nothing more, an opinion you are entitled to. Try not to paint us all with your brush though.

And to be honest, I was going to use The Vagabond as an example. But considering intrepid is a moderator, I felt it was more appropriate to use him as an example. Since you believe that our status on the site is going to determine the outcome.

The notion that I would vote for intrepid solely do to his citizenship, or his status, is nonsense.

Edit:

TA: That is something that had crossed my mind at one point as well. It is an interesting thought.

Although I do firmly believe that either path we choose to take, the results would not differ.

[edit on 14-1-2007 by chissler]

Originally posted by chissler
Although I do firmly believe that either path we choose to take, the results would not differ.

Great. Then how bout we err on the side of caution, eh?

Why not just make it an election for King of the World?

Originally posted by jsobecky
Why not just make it an election for King of the World?

US President....king of the World....same difference.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
Given the political fallout from President Bush's speech to the nation two days ago, it's now clear that more than ever before, the United States doesn't simply need change, it needs a hero. Someone who can rise above the politics, unite the divided nation, take charge of a tattered foreign policy, rebuild international relations, and restore confidence.

The next president of the US has already been chosen by the elite. It will be Barack Obama. Obama is affliated as a law professor, with the the University of Chicago which was founded in 1890 by American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller.

If you remember, the world trade centers were the brainchild of Chase Manhattan Bank chairman David Rockefeller, founder of the development association, and his brother, New York governor Nelson Rockefeller.

Now it gets even more interesting when we tie Leo Strauss

en.wikipedia.org...

, the founding source of modern day neo-conservatisim and former professor at the Univeristy of Chicago and prodigy of nazi lawyer Carl Schmitt

en.wikipedia.org...

, who legally justified the rise to power of Hitler.

Schmitt helped Strauss obtain a Rockefeller Foundation grant to come to the United States. Strauss and Schmitt collaborated on Schmitt's book, The Concept of the Political and on Strauss's book on Hobbes. Strauss's fawning letters to Schmitt continued long after the Nazis' ascent to power.

www.larouchepub.com...

Now Paul wolfowitz, who also graduated from the university of chicago, was a student of Leo Strauss. Wolfowitz was one of the authors of the war on Iraq.

Paul Wolfowitz is an American academic and political figure. He is currently the President of the World Bank, but may be most famous as a prominent architect of the foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration known as the Bush Doctrine, which resulted in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Wolfowitz chose the University of Chicago over his long-term favorite Harvard, as he wanted the chance to study under Bloom's mentor, Leo Strauss, who was teaching there at the time, and who, according to Mann, he thought "was a unique figure, an irreplaceable asset."

en.wikipedia.org...

I'll be writing further on the subject in another thread.


[edit on 14-1-2007 by In nothing we trust]

Well I've talked to a couple members and I'm currently explaining what I mean by my platform.

I should include that when I say "I am against *program here*" this does not mean that I am for an immediate and direct cut for that program. If I say I am against welfare, that doesnt mean I am for completely cutting off welfare tomorrow. That is not a plan, thats asking for a huge problem causing more conflict in the system. I will state my MEAN of getting us out of such programs later on. Right now I want to focus on what I am for and what I am against. The means to do so is not a black and white issue.

The means to do so will be best accomplished by you fellow members U2U'ing me and letting me know how YOU feel we can solve the problem. What I am for and against is what I will be focusing on. How to solve it I will try to figure out, but that doesn't mean I should be the only person to exclusively figure it out.

If you have an idea to end government involvement for, say, welfare, by all means U2U me with the idea. I will read it and give you feedback either on why I think it is a good or bad idea. I look foward to hearing from YOU.

This seems as though it would be a very interesting "game". Flyer has a point about candidates from other countries not being able to bring something to the table to fit the American culture and voters.

True American also has a point about moderators having "name recognition" going for them and turning it into a popularity contest.

I say that both of these conditions actually happen in our own American election process. Ever notice how politicians change their stance on a issue to fit the part of the country in which they are currently campaigning?

OK! I am a voter! Show me why I should vote for your party and you.

Mahree

hmmm, lets be honest people, yeah ok, whatever. sounds like more politics. lets see, i want my president to FILL THIS BILL. points to be given like money you use to get or use things. it took .25 of a point to buy a pop, or it took 100 points to do my teeth. or it took 1000 points to be transferred to the guy i hit with my car. i want a fair working class. meanning people should be given points for the amount of hours they work on the job that shows there contributes to society. no upper class no lower class just points. not some welfare ticket, or a multi trillionair. also, i want a justice system somewhat like ours but no jails. you do a crime you are punished by sentence of points. you are now sentenced to a work camp until you aquire 150000 points and will be on watch. if said occurrance happens again you are sentenced to death effective emediately. whatever job you have it is based on hours of work of service. even if your job is deadly. you punch in on your card at work and on your card you aquire points of service. i want an equal medical benefit package that is fair to all. meanning," severity of illness", and time/verses illness recovery on a set standard, well i could go on and on to set up a new government standards which cannot be changed overnight. a complete setup has to take time and lots of thought for the people. such a thing to be done would require in depth planning and people to enforce it. if this president can handle all this well im in.

You don't have to be a part of this, right? I can just watch from the sides?

Originally posted by enjoies05
You don't have to be a part of this, right? I can just watch from the sides?

Only those who wish to participate in the actual election have to be a part of it.

You have every right to watch from the sites. I am unsure of how the voting and such will go, but I am sure our administrators will let us know when the time comes.