I just spent a day watching C-SPAN...

**morteduzionism** · June 19, 2007, 09:54 AM

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by NaptownKnight

I mean it would take a few days worth of debating to come up with some kind of plan to solve our current problems, but no politician has the balls to propose anything because he may loose the money support for his re-election bid. [/quote]

I agree. I don't blame politicians I blame the voters. If voters/people weren't so...flaky more substantial things could get done.

Is it hard to imagine that one of the parents of a player on that softball team wouldn't wage political jihad against a politician simply because he DIDN'T propose this legislation?

Too much of the public only see their own interests or the immediate interests of their community/special interest group. i.e. Anti-abortion people who seem like they'd vote for Satan himself as long as he promised to pick judges who'd overturn Roe v Wade.

Politicians (Reps/Senators) aren't elected with the good of the "country" in mind they're elected to serve the interests of their districts/state...

**Erik** · June 19, 2007, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Chaigidel

yes I do like all the guffaws and boos that happen in british meetings

Parliament is the only place on Earth where the Brits feel no need to behave civilized.
Quite funny to watch once in a while, but if I had to do that for a job I'd go mad.

I watch the live footage from the Dutch parliament sometimes.
There is no shouting, but the actual debates are quite interesting sometimes.

There are some silly/useless debates in Dutch parliament sometimes.
For example: a couple of weeks ago there was a whole debate about a television game show where candidates, who all suffered from a kidney disease, could win a kidney from a cancer patient who had less than two years to live.
Some MP's were stupid enough to propose the show should be banned because it was extremely bad taste. (something that isn't even possible without changing the law, because we have no censorship in my country)
The show turned out to be a hoax, making the politicians who called for the ban look even more stupid than they are.

But I'd say at least 80% of the debates are about real issues.

**therussian** · June 19, 2007, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Rhinosaur

On topic: Yeah, someone compared government to the making of sausages. It's almost a fair comparison, except that there's more pigs in government than sausage factories. There's a method to the madness though, and some good gets done, so It's one of those things we all have to deal with.

Otto von Bismarck

"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made."

**Feliks** · June 19, 2007, 06:00 PM

I remember watching the British Parliament stand up and yell "Yo Blair" when the Prime Minister walked in, a very nice jab at Bush and Blair, if a bit out of place.

**Hunter Makoy** · June 19, 2007, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Erik

Parliament is the only place on Earth where the Brits feel no need to behave civilized.
Quite funny to watch once in a while, but if I had to do that for a job I'd go mad.

I watch the live footage from the Dutch parliament sometimes.
There is no shouting, but the actual debates are quite interesting sometimes.

There are some silly/useless debates in Dutch parliament sometimes.
For example: a couple of weeks ago there was a whole debate about a television game show where candidates, who all suffered from a kidney disease, could win a kidney from a cancer patient who had less than two years to live.
Some MP's were stupid enough to propose the show should be banned because it was extremely bad taste. (something that isn't even possible without changing the law, because we have no censorship in my country)
The show turned out to be a hoax, making the politicians who called for the ban look even more stupid than they are.

But I'd say at least 80% of the debates are about real issues.

well the show was in bad taste, taste, thats not the sort of thing that should be televised. and when the show turns out to be a hoax, it makes the people who created the show look more stupid and like even lower forms of life, not the politicians that stood up against it.

**LSJ** · June 19, 2007, 08:42 PM

Everytime I watch CPAC I see actual debates going on in parliament. They are discussing bills and pointing out problems and solutions to things related to the government.
Odd in comparison with what you said the people on C-SPAN were "discussing". Maybe the Congress is just full of sucky politicians right now. Or is it like that often?

**AlokaParyetra** · June 20, 2007, 08:56 AM

If you want to see real entertainment, watch the Indian parliament. A few years ago, i saw a clip of all the representatives beating each other with microphone stands on house floor.