Reform or Eliminate the Electoral College

[ryanosaur]

What we need is for people to stop being so effing violent and indifferent to the lives of others.

On this we can agree!

 

[highfigh]

On this we can agree!

If that's the case, why don't the freaking politicians say and try to do something about this?

 

[GO-NAD!]

Which are more important? As long as the right exists, it shouldn't be infringed and the ones that came later are probably at less risk because they aren't costing so many people their lives.

But the 2nd isn't about being an offender. OTOH, it's not about being a hobbyist/obsessive jag, cultist or conspiracy theorist/'I wanna play Army', either. That said, if they abolish the 2nd, we're done- law-abiding people will have no recourse unless they know how to make weapons that work extremely well and don't immediately make them into criminals. There are enough ways to be lethal with household products that self-defense is possible, it's just more difficult at long-range without special equipment.

The more important problem, IMO, is the lack of self-control, disregard for existing laws, absolute lack of concern for the rights of others to live or maintain possession of their personal property and the attitude that they deserve to take from others or that they have a right to rob/commit acts of violence on people. Whether these thefts are fraud, strong-arm, armed, white collar, whatever- I don't care. Everyone justifies their behavior in order to quiet whatever is left of their conscience and personally, I'm sick of it.

Oh, how about the 4th to the 8th just for starters. I should point out that repealing the 2nd would not, by default, result in a ban on private firearm ownership. I believe the US may be unique on the planet with the right to bear arms. But, you're far from unique regarding private ownership. Again, the 2nd amendment is in no danger.

 

[GO-NAD!]

If that's the case, why don't the freaking politicians say and try to do something about this?

What would you have them say and/or do?

 

[highfigh]

Oh, how about the 4th to the 8th just for starters. I should point out that repealing the 2nd would not, by default, result in a ban on private firearm ownership. I believe the US may be unique on the planet with the right to bear arms. But, you're far from unique regarding private ownership. Again, the 2nd amendment is in no danger.

Listen to what Harris and Biden (among others) have said, not what you read.

Banning guns won't help to fix the human behavior problems that we have.

The 8th is important, but I think the 6th is more important and again, it's closer to the top for a reason. Among its guarantees, speedy trial, right to a proper defense and the right to face one's accuser are pretty important, IMO. IMO, if the government wants to take everything from us, all they need to do is declare Martial Law and the Constitution is moot, so we might as well be able to attempt a halfway decent defense.

WRT the 8th, as Wiki shows, it's typically mentioned when debating the death penalty but if someone kills/mutilates.tortures someone (or many people), what is a suitable penalty?

We may not be unique WRT private ownership, but we don't have the requirements, either. Personally, I want people, EVERYONE, to be required to train. I want parents to do a better job of raising their kids and for people to speak up if someone talks about killing or shooting people. As much as people like to say that last one doesn't happen, I would suggest listening to a police scanner app to hear how often it actually DOES occur.

 

[Swerd]

Over the weekend, I read that the NRA filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

There are numerous other legal & money issues hounding the NRA. I won’t get into them here because I really don’t want this thread to deviate from electoral college reform or elimination. Take the NRA discussion to another thread.

 

[ryanosaur]

Take the NRA discussion to another thread.

Wanna start placing bets on how fast that one gets shut down?

 

[highfigh]

What would you have them say and/or do?

They need to grow a set and tell people to do their damn job as parents, to stop being idiots and to get their education so they don't need to resort to criminal behavior and to support themselves. The problem, in part, is that committing crimes is exciting- car thieves say it frequently and usually show no remorse after killing people in car chases. I watched a YouTube video of a DB who was being chased and he T-boned another car while going more than 80 MPH on city streets. He got out of the car, went to the passenger side (maybe to grab something) and walked away without ever moving toward the other car to see if the driver and any passengers were OK. Didn't give a rat's ass. Walked away like he was going to the store.

Let's fix THAT.

The problem with telling people they're being bad/idiots/doing a crap job as parents is those people will never vote for the politicians who have the tones to be honest. Remember when Romney said t hat 47% of American workers don't pay taxes? It was true but now, it's a higher percentage. People were outraged, but it was true. Imagine if someone said what I think they should- the Mayor of Milwaukee has been damn near silent about just about everything in the last year- totally useless, IMO. The basic duty of government is to keep people safe and in Milwaukee, Chicago and other cities, safety is a pipe dream.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Listen to what Harris and Biden (among others) have said, not what you read.

Banning guns won't help to fix the human behavior problems that we have.

The 8th is important, but I think the 6th is more important and again, it's closer to the top for a reason. Among its guarantees, speedy trial, right to a proper defense and the right to face one's accuser are pretty important, IMO. IMO, if the government wants to take everything from us, all they need to do is declare Martial Law and the Constitution is moot, so we might as well be able to attempt a halfway decent defense.

WRT the 8th, as Wiki shows, it's typically mentioned when debating the death penalty but if someone kills/mutilates.tortures someone (or many people), what is a suitable penalty?

We may not be unique WRT private ownership, but we don't have the requirements, either. Personally, I want people, EVERYONE, to be required to train. I want parents to do a better job of raising their kids and for people to speak up if someone talks about killing or shooting people. As much as people like to say that last one doesn't happen, I would suggest listening to a police scanner app to hear how often it actually DOES occur.

I don't have a problem with this:

The Democratic convention highlighted gun violence. Here’s what Biden plans to do about it.

Biden has a plan to take on the NRA again. But it’s unclear if Democrats will prioritize the issue.

www.vox.com

 

[GO-NAD!]

They need to grow a set and tell people to do their damn job as parents, to stop being idiots and to get their education ...

If that's all it would take, I'm sure it would have been said and done by now.

 

[highfigh]

If that's all it would take, I'm sure it would have been said and done by now.

It will never happen until they decide that doing what's best for the country (or whatever level of gov't they're in) is more important than their vote totals and staying in office for freaking decades. They pay foreign governments to play nice but if Congress had kept 20% of the money paid over the last 50 years, everyone would have a college degree, a good job and everything they need (unless they're physically and/or mentally unable). I'm not sure you know how bad things are here.

 

[highfigh]

I don't have a problem with this:

The Democratic convention highlighted gun violence. Here’s what Biden plans to do about it.

Biden has a plan to take on the NRA again. But it’s unclear if Democrats will prioritize the issue.

www.vox.com

What he said during the campaign is one thing, what he has said at other times is where the issues lie. I'm far less concerned with AR-style guns and fully auto firearms are already heavily restricted & it's very expensive to have access, legally. Far more handguns are used because they're cheap, easy to hide, easy to steal (it would be much harder if people would secure them) and as long as someone doesn't drive like an idiot, a van filled with stolen guns can be sent across the US and they are, usually by gangs.

Criminality is the real problem- as many have said, "If a table covered by guns is in the middle of a roomful of law abiding people, there's no problem".

 

[lp85253]

From Wiki-
"....the ERA seemed destined for ratification until Phyllis Schlafly mobilized conservative women in opposition. These women argued that the ERA would disadvantage housewives, cause women to be drafted into the military and to lose protections such as alimony, and eliminate the tendency for mothers to obtain custody over their children in divorce cases."

As if mothers are ALWAYS the best for the kids......

Seems like "I want to be treated equal, unless I might be required to do things I don't want or lose something I already have".

I know women who have lost their kids and had to pay support to their ex-husbands.....women enlist, so the draft, which we haven't had since Vietnam, is a moot point unless the SHTF and even then, I'm not sure an army will be the best way to fight- it should be done by remote control to avoid the radiation, if Iran and NK get their way.

The amendment seemed to be ahead of it's own worth... Many of the " rights" ( alimony, military) have since been changed in favor of modern, current sensibility....

 

[GO-NAD!]

I'm not sure you know how bad things are here.

I just hope it isn't as dystopian as the picture you paint.

 

[highfigh]

I just hope it isn't as dystopian as the picture you paint.

Well, it's not like the opening scene from Terminator II for sure, but there's a lot of stupid crap going on. and it's at all levels.

 

[John Parks]

Well, it's not like the opening scene from Terminator II for sure, but there's a lot of stupid crap going on. and it's at all levels.

Just lacking a certain something...

Ah - there it is!

 

[highfigh]

Just lacking a certain something...



Ah - there it is!

I don't know who you think is responsible for the National Guard being there, but the request didn't come from the White House-

From the link, "Pentagon approves DC mayor's request to deploy National Guard for upcoming demonstrations"

Pentagon approves DC mayor's request to deploy National Guard for upcoming demonstrations | CNN Politics

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Monday approved a request from the mayor of Washington to deploy DC National Guard forces to the city to support local authorities during pro-Trump demonstrations scheduled in the city this week, a defense official told CNN.

www.cnn.com

Also, from the DC Mayor, "No DCNG personnel shall be armed during this mission, and at no time, will DCNG personnel or assets be engaged in domestic surveillance, searches, or seizures of US persons," Bowser, a Democrat, wrote in the letter.

 

[John Parks]

Not saying either way, just showing images... Here is an interesting take:

Washington's inauguration is normally a ball - now it's a 'ghost town with soldiers'

Central Washington is an armed fortress, fenced off with razor wire and surrounded by 25,000 National Guard troops ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, a stark contrast to previous inaugurations, when the United States capital erupted in days of...

www.reuters.com

 

[highfigh]

Not saying either way, just showing images... Here is an interesting take:

Washington's inauguration is normally a ball - now it's a 'ghost town with soldiers'

Central Washington is an armed fortress, fenced off with razor wire and surrounded by 25,000 National Guard troops ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, a stark contrast to previous inaugurations, when the United States capital erupted in days of...

www.reuters.com

With Covid, it would be a ghost town, anyway. The only reason for the soldiers is the idiots who think it's OK to invade.

 

[panteragstk]

I can't be the only one thinking "why have an inauguration in public anyway?"