The Birth of a Party

lookout123 · 08-17-2004, 05:19 PM

This is kind of bleed over from another thread, but there is no point in completely hijacking that thread so i decided to start it here.

So first of all - would you be willing to abandon your current party for a new one? If so, what should be the basic tenets of our existence?

I believe that we could greatly improve the political game of the US by changing the very nature of the election cycle. Instead of having different terms of office with long and bitter battles for reelection we should change a few things.
We are forming a new party which will have the following four changes as the central theme for the party's activities:

1) All national offices (house, senate, president) should be limited to one, six year term
2) Elections should be held every November with a portion of the positions up for grabs at any given time
3) Lobby groups and 527's are abolished immediately (any lobbiest found in DC will be shot on site. any office holder found to have met with them is immediately dismissed
4) A flat tax on any earnings over $25,000 annually, no loopholes or deductions. percentage to be determined

Those are the basic tenets of the Party. What other planks should we have in our platform?

Big vs small gov't
isolationist, expansionist, world cop?

lookout123 · 08-17-2004, 05:45 PM

I guess I should point ou that i support the one, six year term because i think most politicians want to leave a positive legacy but end up spinning their wheels trying to get reelected. If they didn't have to worry about that then it would motivate them to work hard to accomplish their goals in the only term they get.

I would say that they can run for the same office after their term is over and they have gone through another 6 year cycle.
Also they can run for a different office but must sit out one year, that way they cannot take time away from their duties to worry about the next election. remember there will be elections for different offices every year.

example:

2005 - elected to house
2011 - leave office
2012 - run for senate and get elected
2018 - leave office
2019 - run for house or presidency

TheSnake · 08-17-2004, 06:21 PM

I've only ever been registered as an independent and am voting for Badnarik this election because I believe in many of the platforms of the candidate. In 2000, I supported John McCain. I believe him to be an independent, logical thinker.

I think some of your ideas are good, although it's hard to know how things would work in practice.
1) one term - there would be a lot of turnover in government, which could both be good and bad.
4) I am all for a flat tax.

TheSnake · 08-17-2004, 06:22 PM

By the way, what is the name of the new party?

SteveDallas · 08-17-2004, 06:30 PM

No offense, but big woop. As an educated person who keeps up with political news more than the average person, I don't see that it matters a lick what party I'm a member of, except to determine which primary (if any) I vote in. As an average joe on the street, whichever party's ideas I may identify with, why does it matter to me what party I'm a "member" of? And what makes you think your effort will be any more successful than those of previous "third parties" of recent memory?

I personally think political parties have done more harm than good. So I may be more inclined to dismiss the idea out of hand.

TheSnake · 08-17-2004, 06:58 PM

I guess I should rephrase what I said: "I wanted to John McCain to win"
I didn't actually vote for him in the primary's because I'm not a registered Republican

Trilby · 08-17-2004, 07:24 PM

I don't vote-- there are no Wiccan candidates.

lookout123 · 08-17-2004, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

I don't vote

*falls over grabbing chest*

holy crap brianna - we need to fix this situation immediately. they may all be slightly different versions of the central asshat theme, but you still need to vote.

Griff · 08-17-2004, 08:34 PM

I never got to choose beer before... I like voting much more now.

lookout123 · 08-17-2004, 08:44 PM

ok folks - thanks for voting, but let's see if we can turn my quickly sinking thread around. i know we aren't forming a new party - hell i'm a pretty die hard independent myself. the point was to see what kind of party we would create if we had the option.

if we were to create a new party what would be the important features or touchstones of the party?
you are all free to throw out suggestions.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-17-2004, 09:10 PM

Quote:

I guess I should point ou that i support the one, six year term because i think most politicians want to leave a positive legacy but end up spinning their wheels trying to get reelected. If they didn't have to worry about that then it would motivate them to work hard to accomplish their goals in the only term they get.

Or use the entire six years to steal as much as possible and take care of people that might employ them in the future, seeing as they can't get retreaded anyway.

Happy Monkey · 08-17-2004, 09:13 PM

A corporation is not a person.

lookout123 · 08-17-2004, 09:43 PM

if they were assured of only one term would the real crooks really be drawn to these positions still?

Kitsune · 08-17-2004, 10:40 PM

Oh, oh, oh, I'm confused about selection #7 -- what happens if my Kommissar isn't in town?

You're in his eye
And you'll know why
The more you live
The faster you will die

wolf · 08-18-2004, 01:26 AM

I'll go for the beer.

Makes for a far better party.

I think we tried to start a new political party here once before. The Aloyicious Party, IIRC. Named after one of the guy's dogs.

View Poll Results: Would you leave your party for a new one?
Yes, sign me up today!	5	17.86%
No, I'm proud to be a democrat	4	14.29%
No, I'm proud to be a republican	0	0%
No, I'm with Radar and will die a Libertarian	3	10.71%
No, I live green	0	0%
No, I will always remain an independent	9	32.14%
No, I don't think my Kommissar would approve	0	0%
Party? I'm with whoever has the most beer.	7	25.00%
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll

08-17-2004, 05:19 PM	#1
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	The Birth of a Party This is kind of bleed over from another thread, but there is no point in completely hijacking that thread so i decided to start it here. So first of all - would you be willing to abandon your current party for a new one? If so, what should be the basic tenets of our existence? I believe that we could greatly improve the political game of the US by changing the very nature of the election cycle. Instead of having different terms of office with long and bitter battles for reelection we should change a few things. We are forming a new party which will have the following four changes as the central theme for the party's activities: 1) All national offices (house, senate, president) should be limited to one, six year term 2) Elections should be held every November with a portion of the positions up for grabs at any given time 3) Lobby groups and 527's are abolished immediately (any lobbiest found in DC will be shot on site. any office holder found to have met with them is immediately dismissed 4) A flat tax on any earnings over $25,000 annually, no loopholes or deductions. percentage to be determined Those are the basic tenets of the Party. What other planks should we have in our platform? Big vs small gov't isolationist, expansionist, world cop? __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-17-2004, 05:45 PM	#2
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	I guess I should point ou that i support the one, six year term because i think most politicians want to leave a positive legacy but end up spinning their wheels trying to get reelected. If they didn't have to worry about that then it would motivate them to work hard to accomplish their goals in the only term they get. I would say that they can run for the same office after their term is over and they have gone through another 6 year cycle. Also they can run for a different office but must sit out one year, that way they cannot take time away from their duties to worry about the next election. remember there will be elections for different offices every year. example: 2005 - elected to house 2011 - leave office 2012 - run for senate and get elected 2018 - leave office 2019 - run for house or presidency __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-17-2004, 08:34 PM	#9
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I never got to choose beer before... I like voting much more now. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

08-17-2004, 08:44 PM	#10
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	ok folks - thanks for voting, but let's see if we can turn my quickly sinking thread around. i know we aren't forming a new party - hell i'm a pretty die hard independent myself. the point was to see what kind of party we would create if we had the option. if we were to create a new party what would be the important features or touchstones of the party? you are all free to throw out suggestions. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-17-2004, 06:21 PM	#3
TheSnake Resident President Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 83	I've only ever been registered as an independent and am voting for Badnarik this election because I believe in many of the platforms of the candidate. In 2000, I supported John McCain. I believe him to be an independent, logical thinker. I think some of your ideas are good, although it's hard to know how things would work in practice. 1) one term - there would be a lot of turnover in government, which could both be good and bad. 4) I am all for a flat tax.

08-17-2004, 06:22 PM	#4
TheSnake Resident President Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 83	By the way, what is the name of the new party?

08-17-2004, 06:30 PM	#5
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	No offense, but big woop. As an educated person who keeps up with political news more than the average person, I don't see that it matters a lick what party I'm a member of, except to determine which primary (if any) I vote in. As an average joe on the street, whichever party's ideas I may identify with, why does it matter to me what party I'm a "member" of? And what makes you think your effort will be any more successful than those of previous "third parties" of recent memory? I personally think political parties have done more harm than good. So I may be more inclined to dismiss the idea out of hand.

08-17-2004, 06:58 PM	#6
TheSnake Resident President Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 83	I guess I should rephrase what I said: "I wanted to John McCain to win" I didn't actually vote for him in the primary's because I'm not a registered Republican

08-17-2004, 07:24 PM	#7
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I don't vote-- there are no Wiccan candidates.

08-17-2004, 09:13 PM	#12
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	A corporation is not a person. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

08-17-2004, 09:43 PM	#13
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	if they were assured of only one term would the real crooks really be drawn to these positions still? __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

08-17-2004, 10:40 PM	#14
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Oh, oh, oh, I'm confused about selection #7 -- what happens if my Kommissar isn't in town? You're in his eye And you'll know why The more you live The faster you will die

08-18-2004, 01:26 AM	#15
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I'll go for the beer. Makes for a far better party. I think we tried to start a new political party here once before. The Aloyicious Party, IIRC. Named after one of the guy's dogs. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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