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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:21 pm 
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http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/ ... -president

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The question, “If I were President I’d…” implies that if you swap out one leader, put in another, then all will be well with America—as though our leaders are the cause of all ailments.

That must be why we’ve created a tradition of rampant attacks on our politicians. Are they too conservative for you? Too liberal? Too religious? Too atheist? Too gay? Too anti-gay? Too rich? Too dumb? Too smart? Too ethnic? Too philanderous? Curious behavior, given that we elect 88% of Congress every two years.

A second tradition-in-progress is the expectation that everyone else in our culturally pluralistic land should hold exactly your own outlook, on all issues.

When you’re scientifically literate, the world looks different to you. It’s a particular way of questioning what you see and hear. When empowered by this state of mind, objective realities matter. These are the truths of the world that exist outside of whatever your belief system tells you.

One objective reality is that our government doesn’t work, not because we have dysfunctional politicians, but because we have dysfunctional voters. As a scientist and educator, my goal, then, is not to become President and lead a dysfunctional electorate, but to enlighten the electorate so they might choose the right leaders in the first place.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:33 pm 
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if he were to become pres, his state of the union address would be the most educational ever


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 12:39 pm 
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He starts out sort-of criticizing the idea that if you swap out leaders, things will be better. He ends by stating his strategy for ensuring we swap out our current leaders with the right leaders.

He starts by implying criticism with the expectation that everyone holds the same outlook. He then goes on to say how he's going to educate the voters so they share his outlook.

Overall, he has a point - we get the leaders we ask for (tolerate?).


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 12:43 pm 
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I don't think voting works too well. It'll be more evident when China advances ahead of us in many ways. Their leadership is full of ex-engineers.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:07 pm 
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Lex Luthor wrote:
I don't think voting works too well. It'll be more evident when China advances ahead of us in many ways. Their leadership is full of ex-engineers.

Self discipline rarely has as favorable a result as external discipline, from the perspective of the observer invested in the results. As an individual, the reverse is more likely to be the truth.

So, I'd say your results vary based on which end of the equation you most closely identify with.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:41 pm 
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Taskiss,

I'm not sure what you are trying to say. Maybe you could rephrase?

In any case I like how China is run more like a company, encouraging strong people to rise internally through hard work and merit. I think it's a preferable system. Obama only got to be president because he is awesome at campaigning, not actual work, and unsurprisingly is doing a mediocre or poor job as president.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:27 pm 
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Lex Luthor wrote:
Taskiss,

I'm not sure what you are trying to say. Maybe you could rephrase?

Lex, how do you think you're doing? Compare that with how others here on this site think you're doing.

Now, who would you like to be in charge of you - you, or others here on this site?

Such is the difference between a self deterministic (voting) society or a society run by a Communistic committee.

Personally, I'd choose to chart my own course.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:02 pm 
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Lex Luthor wrote:
In any case I like how China is run more like a company, encouraging strong people to rise internally through hard work and merit.

that's what they want people to believe. it's not even close. the only reason it's not blatantly obvious how corrupt they are is due to how much practice they have at saving face and disassociating themselves with anyone dumb enough to get caught


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