Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with politics

What were the liberals wrong about?

AngerBoy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:24:20 -0800

I socialize almost exclusively with friends who are politically liberal, spanning the spectrum from left-of-center progressive to the more radical fringe. Frequently, among ourselves, political conversation drifts inevitably toward variations on this theme:

"The history of our country has always proven liberalism correct and conservatism incorrect. The principles of those on the left have been validated over and over again, while those on the right have been proven wrong by the progress of history."

While I admit that this hypothesis is selfishly pleasing (I'm a liberal too, after all), it seems to me that it can't be completely true. But I don't have a strong enough grasp of American history to prove it wrong. So what am I missing? What have liberals been proven wrong about? Evidence marshaled in support of this argument often includes the following:

Conservatives were wrong about the Civil Rights Act.

Conservatives were wrong about women's suffrage.

Conservatives were wrong about the "Red Scare."

Conservatives were wrong about Vietnam.

Conservatives were wrong about the invasion of Iraq.

...and so on, and so on, and so on.

So what I'd really like to do is be able to come up with a similar list of cases in which history proved that conservatives have gotten a thing or two right as well. What historical facts can prove my point? Should I just start hanging out with more Republicans?

I know you are, but what am I?

wsg — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:26:32 -0800

Is political infighting/divisiveness worse now than ever or was it just as bad or worse previously - back when FDR was pushing through the New Deal, for example?

Technical/legal questions about a site that will parody a trademarked brand

Riki tiki — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:59:14 -0800

I'm thinking of creating a political parody website that may step on some toes and/or trademarks. I have a few technical and legal questions about how best to go about this. So I had an idea for lambasting a prominent political party in the United States. I was shocked to find that a really obvious domain name for that party was available, but it may infringe upon a trademark for that party.

I know YANAL and YANML, but a little guidance as to the prudent first steps here would be appreciated. I would assume (but correct me if I'm wrong) that free-speech protections of satire and parody may protect me from some of the trademark issues. But I also sense that those lines may become fuzzier if I ever appear to draw a profit from the site. Is there anything I can do to reasonably ensure that my site is on firm legal ground without the cost of consulting an actual attorney?

On more of a technical level, does anyone know of a good hosting company that could be relied upon to keep the site running even if they got big scary letters on legal stationery from that political party?

This idea is still in the brainstorming stages, so I'm probably imagining a bigger future for it than will realistically happen... but I'd rather be overprepared than underprepared.

Help key West build a better City website...please!

Mike Mongo — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:55:33 -0800

Do you live somewhere interesting that has a great city government website? [Previously].

It's been a year and and half since this question was similarly posed, and here is my interest: I am partners at a high-gloss web-media design company, and subsequent to my run for mayor of Key West this year much of my time is dedicated to city government and related. Much of the related is web-related.

What I am looking for are examples of city government websites for cities similarly as unique and interesting as Key West, city government sites which present information and resources in ways that combine looking good with accessibility.

Here in Key West, as a semi-trendy travel destination, the island is already well-represented by travel sites and sites focused on "things to do". This is the City of Key West's present website. Our site was constructed by a design operation specializing in government websites, egovstrategies. While it is supposedly adequate, it is less than especially terrific, and far from engaging. After all. this is Key West!

What I am looking for is is a city government website which depicts quality accessible government in a smart and engaging manner. With all this in mind, I call upon the sensible (and aethetically sophisticated) input far-reaching and all-seeing Hivemind: Examples of great websites for other interesting cities?

Who can push me hardest?

aiificionado — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:24:13 -0800

Is there any research that says who or what influences one's political beliefs more than any other? 1) I'm not really looking for anything in particular, just want to know what past research has said influences one's leanings.

I was just thinking about it, and I assume there must be several but my (admittedly quick) search yielded nothing.

Some possible ideas: income, type or possession of employment, religion, family members' views, friends/specific relatives' views, major catastrophes, feelings of faith or fear, what have you.

2) For a bonus, I'd like the widest variety of things or people that can influence you, by how much sway they have.

3) I'm looking primarily for some kind of research or polling, but after that I'd like to hear what MeFites have seen (can you can back it up with examples of people you know?), just out of curiosity.

Which liberals might vote against healthcare?

col_pogo — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:53:23 -0800

Which liberal (or at least pro-healthcare-reform) Democratic senators are leaning towards opposing the current bill? I've been convinced that, as Patrick Nielsen Hayden put it, we should pass the bill anyway. I'd like to know who to write/call in the Senate to make sure that happens. I know that Firedoglake, Kos and some other "netroots" types are agin it, but are any senators actually following their advice? Roland Burris, maybe?

Google hasn't helped me much here: the keywords I choose send to a huge mess of articles.

Please don't pitch in with reasons why we need to oppose the bill. You may be right, but that's not what the question is about.

Soothing advice that I don't need to make any calls and that the bill is definitely going to pass now are, however, quite welcome.

Different politics?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:28:25 -0800

I need input on what I consider to be a different set of politics than currently exists in the world today. Over the past month I've started thinking about taking a position in politics that I consider to be unusual. I haven't found much info about this type of position online, so I'm turning to the hive mind for some help.

Essentially, what I'd like to do is try running for office, but instead of promoting some specific agenda, I'd promote the will of the people. Whatever the majority of the people wanted, I would work to implement. My personal feelings on matters would be put aside and I would only be in office to work towards what the people want. There would of course be a lot of minor details that would have to be worked out (how to give people information about the topics they are voting on, conducting voting, issues that can't be put to a vote [national security, etc] etc) but I don't want advice on that aspect, so please refrain.

What I'm most interested in is the actual position itself from a sky-high big picture view. That is, how successful do you think a person would be if they ran for office and didn't say things like "I'm for X and against Y" but instead said things like "If the majority of the people want X, then I'll work to give them X." What types of obstacles would they face, and would the people of this (or any) country be open to such a different style of politicking?

In my mind, this is different than the approach most politicians take. Most politicians say "I'm against Y and for X" but I've never heard of someone who was willing to set aside his or her personal feelings on matters and simply act as a representative of the people, so I'm extremely interested in hearing what people would think. My personal opinion is that this type of approach could be extremely well received, but I have a looming feeling that I'm being too idealistic and that this type of approach would only work for a very small section of the populace.

(anon because my username is intertwined with my real name, and I don't want people knowing that I'm considering this...yet)

Good books / Documentaries on the Middle East?

happydude123 — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:09:58 -0800

Good books or documentaries about the middle east Hi all,

I am planning to do an independant research project for my political science class on the middle east. I need a topic and a general direction so that I can start researching for a thesis. I was wondering if you guys could recommend any good documentaries, books, or anything that would help me get started. I would like to talk about some aspect of the effects of US presence / policy in the region. Maybe some clash of civilizations, but any suggestions would be helpful

Thanks

It certainly seems bad...

codacorolla — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:17:00 -0800

Aside from an intense dislike of the company, what are some logical reasons to oppose the Comcast-NBC merger? It's going to have to get congressional approval first, and I my gut instinct is against it. I want to contact my congress-person, but I also would like to know more about the issue.

Turkey Day is A-Okay?

Ash3000 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:30:39 -0800

About eight years ago, I read this article on some radical-leaning progressive website, about how the author had come to love Thanksgiving, despite originally viewing it as a celebration of mass murder. This is what I remember about the article:

1. I'm pretty certain I found it on the Z Magazine website (though I haven't been able to find it now.)

2. The author originally took a Howard Zinn-like approach, and felt mixed at best about celebrating a day that had a historical association with genocide.

3. Eventually she started viewing it as an opportunity to reconnect with progressive values of community and true family, and assimilated it into her politics, including (I think) reading a poem or prayer about togetherness at the gathering.

I remember sharing it with several political friends, both conservative and progressive, and all of us finding it touching. Anyone have any idea what I'm thinking of? Wanted to send it to a friend. Thanks!

Too Hot Not To Handle

Ash3000 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:39:33 -0800

A friend, who leans Ron Paul libertarian, was recently trying to convince me that anthropogenic global warming is largely a myth. A central part of his argument was his claiming that there was recently a petition signed by 40,000 independent climate scientists saying that, in his words, "so-called global warming is bullshit." More inside. I'm no climate scientist, but I feel like I have a fairly good layman's grasp on the basics of climate change, and have heard of a few such "petitions" that generally end up being filled with non-scientists, or those on the fringe, or those who are corporate-sponsored - but I'd never heard of this petition.

I asked him to cite what exactly he was referring to, and he said he couldn't remember the sourcing at the moment (it was a loud bar night), but rest assured that the whole idea of a consensus about climate change is part of the push for one-world government.

The one-world-paranoia aside, does anyone know what he might have been referring to? I couldn't find anything googling for the number 40,000, but 30,000 yielded this. Might that be it?

I think he absorbs a fair amount of fringe-right media - can anyone give me the straight dope on the sort of things that are being circulated as "proof against climate change" that this may have been a part of, and what the common refutations are against this specific petition (if you know it), or such petitions generally? Or just a way to use this as an excuse to learn more? I'd like to continue these conversations with him, but I feel like he keeps on citing research that he reads in newsletters and the like.

(Also, while I'm here, he claimed that carbon taxation, especially in its current legislative form in Congress, is a secret tool to constrict all industry, and that Al Gore is just trying to profiteer for his private business. What're the arguments against these specific claims?)

If a bill passes, why does the time of passage matter?

yomimono — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:16:51 -0800

Recently some controversial legislation was passed by my county board. The opposition is using the time it was passed - early in the morning, after hours of public testimony - as a point of criticism. I am at a loss to understand why this is a talking point. Can you help me understand it? The specific legislation is the authorization of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in Dane County, Wisconsin. I was present for all testimony, and many speakers mentioned that the current legislation, if passed, would be enacted in the small hours of the morning. This has also been mentioned in some media coverage of the event and in inane blog and news article comments.

Since the meeting of the county board began at the sane hour of 7:00 PM, and citizen testimony went on for four hours despite the board voting to reduce the time given to each speaker, how can the opposition criticize the legislation on this grounds? It's not as if the legislation was passed in secret - over 350 people attended and either spoke or registered their position on the issue.

If you can arm me with a concise, clear, and non-hostile argument on why this is a non-issue, that's an added bonus.

I've been asked to remove a bumper sticker in order to qualify for a job.

odinsdream — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:46:17 -0800

Corporate policy and bumper stickers. I've been asked to remove a sticker in order to qualify for a job. I'm a systems administrator working for a small company which provides IT staff to larger companies. I'm scheduled to take over for one of our other employees who's moving out of state. The position I'm filling is not new to the client, nor are the job requirements different from my current position. I'm simply moving from one of our clients to another client but providing the same service.

This client has been very excited to hear that I will be staffing for them in place of the current guy.

I stopped by the client's site early one morning to pick up some computer hardware. During the ten minutes my car was in the parking lot someone noticed one of my bumper stickers which reads "W - The Idiot." I created and sold these as a riff on the "W - The President" stickers that were common in my area.

My boss received a call from the owner of the client business stating, in no uncertain terms, that I am not welcome to work there as long as the sticker is on my car. The reason given was the "respect of the Office of President of the United States, regardless of your personal views" canard. The owner just coincidentally happens to be a republican who donates the maximum allowed amounts each year to the party. Total coincidence.

Even if this were a company policy and not the owner's whim, are such things permissible? I've got a few other stickers as well which could potentially offend religious people and bigots. I'm not about to remove them either. By declining to remove the sticker in question, would this client have any legal grounds to terminate their contract with my company?

I've told my boss that I'll take the weekend before getting back to him, though I let him know I am not interested in removing the sticker. He is not asking that I do so, but may not be interested in starting a fight with the client.

I'd like to know if it's legal for a company to have policies that cover things outside of work like this, especially political speech. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

What Does The Word SLACKER Mean To You?

Lipstick Thespian — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:18:39 -0800

Do-Gooder Needs Help With Amusing Slackronym! I am thinking of starting a website that would feature local people in Northern New England who have valuable job skills or passions that are lying dormant because of the economic downturn.

I want to entitle it SLACKER.com or something similar, but am having trouble aligning a SLACKER acronym (slackronym?) with it.

Ideally the Slackronym should embody the following:
- underused, valuable local resources.
- a commitment to making the world a better place through your passions.
- the idea that enormous possibilities are going unnoticed in our communities because no one is hearing about what people can offer.

Any creative, witty or sarcastic help with fitting words into a SLACKER acronym would be great. Bonus points for turning the whole "GET A JOB, ASSHOLE!" rhetoric on its ear that the far-right wingnut Tea Party folks use.

Help me understand America.

lapsangsouchong — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:35:06 -0800

Americans: if you had to represent the USA with only three things, what would they be? I've just moved to the US. For the moment I'm still in decompression mode: the fact that I've crossed the Atlantic hasn't properly sunk in yet. But I'm here, and will be for the next two years.

So--Americans: If you had to choose three things to represent what you take to be the essential parts of US history, culture, society, to help a recent arrival understand the place, what would they be? And why?

Three things for Britain might be a copy of What a carve up! by Jonathan Coe (I've given this to several UK-resident foreign friends: pretty good guide to the country, post-WWII); the way you can never get a decent cup of tea in places that sell you a cup of tea, only places that sell it to you in a pot; and, more positively, the view from the Malvern Hills. Obviously I could come up with loads more, good and bad.

In Damascus, just after arriving for the first of several long stays, I met a chap who was about to go and work as a pastry chef in the Taif Sheraton (Saudi Arabia). The night before his departure he invited me to join him and his friends for a night out eating fatteh (way too heavy for me) followed by a trip to the Midan for pastries ("the best!"). Then we all piled into a car and just drove around the city, which I'd just arrived in for the first time. It was his way of saying goodbye to his hometown, and it was also the most intensely "Syrian" evening I had in all my time there.

And a Canadian once made me watch Strange Brew so that I would understand Canada, though I've often wondered if that was more of a self-hatred thing.

It can be anything. Driving over the Brooklyn Bridge; Sunday morning service at a mega-church in exurban Illinois; or going to a certain Georgia diner on a Wednesday morning, getting a cup of coffee, and just looking out across the street. Please, tell me about it--and tell me why you think it represents America. Positive, negative, or sentimental things are all fine, provided they're thoughtful too.

Last weekend I saw this exhibition of Robert Frank photos, which was a start...

Should I remove my name from a project since I disagree with part of their approach?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:05:22 -0800

This is a question about politicized business relationships and whether I should remain connected with a company that's doing things differently from industry "best practices" as I understand them. I used to work for Company A. They are a teeny tiny startup that is trying to figure out the industry. I worked there for my first six months out of school. I left as their funding faltered and went to work for big, well-established Company B. Company B is well connected and has a winning approach to the industry and the political relationships within it.

We're in a political industry that deals with the public. The public has a number of knee-jerk preconceptions that run counter to what our professionals consider to be the best way to do things. This common view makes it hard to do what needs to get done, so it's the subject of much eye rolling. (Don't worry, we're not a polluter or some corporate oppressor or anything. Our stance actually benefits the less wealthy. The smartest government agency officials and the public interest nonprofit groups side with us. Because of that, the prevailing regulatory trend is making our approach easier.) However, not all businesses take the same approach to this controversial issue. A solid 40% still take the old school stances that are more in line with the general public. In effect, they reinforce the harmful myths and preconceptions.

Recently, Company A hired me to advise them and help put together a publicly available strategic plan. About two weeks in, I was surprised to hear them take the Superstitious Stance, quite strongly.

Since then, I have tried to find different ways to shift them towards the other viewpoint. I'm not sure they see it the way we do, Old School vs. New School. I think they think that in this one unique situation, Old School is best. But the fact is that whenever some community member opposes the New School approach, they phrase it that way.

What I'd most like is for them to either reconsider their stance, or at least not say it in the plainest terms. Over the long run, I think this is better business and better politics. But my suggestions in this area have been sort of politely listened to and then set aside, with the draft remaining as it was. I have explained the facts, the reasons, and that I see this as the prevailing and up-and-coming view in the industry. I also tried setting aside the meta issue and instead just suggesting word edits that would present the same facts and the same calls to action, but in a less superstitious-sounding way. No dice. In the most recent draft, it is still written in the most extreme superstitious form.

I really like this group: they gave me my start, and they are good people, and well-meaning. Maybe in this one small instance, they're right? But after working for half a decade at a bigger, more established, more professional, and more connected group, I have knee-jerk reactions to the superstition (everything from "ignorant," "backwards," and "amateurish," to "over-privileged" and "almost immoral"). I'm to the point of wanting to say "I can't be affiliated with this new document if you're going to take that stance." This battle is all-pervasive in our industry, and all the allies and colleagues I've built over five years are on the non-superstitious side. I will feel embarrassed to be associated with it and am slightly worried about future political blowback (if anyone were to read this tiny document). Best case, people would give me joking hassles, worst case, those who don't know me would assume that my true views are the same as Company A's and not hire me.

What to do now? Part of me wants to stop trying to convince them and just get done with this work as soon as possible and not accept any work that might follow. I could even ask them to make sure my name isn't associated with the superstitious part of the report or the report altogether. On the other hand, am I missing something about being a consultant here? Ultimately, they have final say, and people must understand that, no? When asked, I could make clear that I lost that battle, and then focus the discussion on the parts that we did together that were good. This is a project that would have gone better if I'd had about four times as much time as I had to put into it, so that my influence on it would've been greater, but I did carry out the specific contribution I was asked to do well; I just didn't also manage to influence their political culture the way I had hoped I'd be able to.

I'm also not sure how strong a connection to keep with them over time. If there was the possibility for long-term internal change, it'd be great to stay involved. Right now, "consultant to Company A" is actually on my resume, and I'd like to use it to demonstrate that I am moving into a more managerial phase. Another question is referrals and introductions. As I meet others, sometimes I want to mention what's going on with Company B as an opportunity they might be interested in. But with this superstitious roadblock still in the way, I'm hesitant to refer anyone. But I'd otherwise like to: it's a cool sub-area that they're working on, and they could use the resources.

As you can see, my ability to analyze this situation is not at the level it needs to be at, so any thoughts you have will be much appreciated.

Hey, can I Yelp your faction?

evil holiday magic — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:02:43 -0800

Where to find upcoming protests in Los Angeles? I don't want to delve too deeply into a specific movement at this point (call me a dilettante, though I've been there, and done that), but I'm interested in lending my presence to left wing protests and rallies (anti-privatization, pro-gay marriage, pro-socialized medicine etc.) in Los Angeles.

The ("Anonymous") anti-Scientology protests were organized and scheduled (at least in part) via an online forum. Is there something like this for other subjects, or even a site that compiles many different upcoming political demonstrations according to area?

Pregnant woman needs help controlling her moods

heytch — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:08:24 -0800

Anger management for beginners? Help me deal with pregnancy/hormone related rage at work! I have never been an angry person, and have never had to control my anger and I have never let my emotions "get the better of me". Until now! I am pregnant and am finding it very difficult to deal with annoying or upsetting situations at work.

I work in a very busy office at an educational institution, and am constantly the recipient of bad attitude and demeaning behaviour from my coworkers. For lack of a better description, my workplace has extremely bad karma and energy. That stuff you can't put your finger on. Smiles are rare and snarky emails and comments are common. The only thing everyone agrees on is that everything sucks.

Normally I'm a very zen and positive person, and have managed this job pretty well by turning the other cheek, so to speak. I am generally very good at finding the silver lining. But now that I'm pregnant I'm no longer in posession of this zenness. I get SO ANGRY at my coworkers, and feel that I am very very close to losing it, I want to scream in their faces and tell them where to shove their menial complaints already. I want to slam doors and scowl and swear at them. All of this is the complete opposite to my normal non-knocked up behaviour, and is quite frankly shocking me!

How do I avoid this? How can I manage my strong feelings and subsequent actions when I'm in a mood (and brain chemistry) that's so very unfamiliar to me? Any experiences? Techniques?

Does your (American) city keep transcript records of its city council meetings?

quodlibet — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:38:03 -0800

Does your (American) city keep transcript records of its city council meetings? In the beginnings of a dissertation, any help appreciated as I search out cities to study!

I am looking for American cities (of any size, at this point) that have kept records of their city council meetings where the transcript is logged and available (even if by purchase). I need to be able to identify the person speaking with their words. Videos of the council meetings are not quite good enough for my research requirements (but interesting to know as well). Thanks so much!

Actual Political Brawls?

kylej — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:51:28 -0800

Could you give me an example of a group of average (American) people getting into a fight (an actual brawl) over politics? I need an example to use in a paper, I've tried to find one using google but I keep getting "fights" that aren't actually fights.

Links to news articles are preferable.

Thanks!

Differences in libraries

bad grammar — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:09:13 -0800

Librarians on Metafilter: Do you still find significant regional differences in U.S. school and public library collections? I'm not speaking of obvious differences (e.g., local history and area guides, collections in languages other than English), but demographic, social, and political influences on collection building between, say, urban and rural regions, or the Northeast U.S. vs. the South or West.

I'd expect that the Internet would have a homogenizing effect on library collections. The education of librarians might also have a homogenizing effect.

However, it is traditional that public library collections, dependent on state and local funding, reflect community standards. There are many areas of the U.S. that are less connected, more conservative and more religious.

This also impacts the job search -- can blue-state librarians seek jobs in red states / localities, and vice versa?

At the risk of chatfilter, I'm interested in your actual experiences, not just academic studies. I haven't visited enough public libraries in different states. I live in a blue area of a blue state; the public libraries buy a range of political viewpoints, but political books by people like Hannity, Beck, and Coulter tend to remain on the shelves. I'm aware that it might be different elsewhere.

Is there anything that conservatives think WON'T benefit from the market?

jnnla — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:14:50 -0800

Examples of anything that conservatives DON'T think would benefit from the free market? In the current US healthcare debate, many argue that healthcare should not be subject to free market capitalism, but should instead rely on a single payer system. Conservatives argue that the free market is the best allocator of resources, and is therefore the best way to approach healthcare for Americans.

This is obviously an oversimplification and only one facet of the debate, but it got me to thinking.

Is there anything that exists that conservatives DO NOT THINK would benefit from free market principles?

Are there examples out there of services that conservatives agree should not be subject to the market or do they believe anything and everything should be left to the unregulated free market and driven by market incentives?

I am not well versed in economic theory so please speak to me in terms a child could understand.

Help a 13 y/o get to know the Amercian soldier.

keith0718 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:30:34 -0800

What resources (films, books, websites) can I share with my 13 y/o daughter who has expressed a recent keen admiration and care for the American soldier from the Vietnam War era to the present? I recently took my 13 y/o daughter to see The Hurt Locker, after which she expressed a deeply felt admiration for the American soldier. I told her that not everyone feels the same way; and that, especially after the Vietnam War, soldiers were subject to quite a bit of disrespect when they returned home. She was really interested in his phenomenon and I would like to direct her to some resources (films, books, websites) that help her explore it and empathize with the existential experiences of the American soldier both on the battlefield and at home.

Where do the insiders go?

2bucksplus — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:37:23 -0800

What are the best "inside baseball" political blogs covering the upcoming New York City elections? I used to read the Politicker religiously when it was still part of the Observer and edited by Ben Smith, back when I worked with a campaign in the primary and general elections in 2005.

Are any of these blogs the obvious successor or is there something better?

Local politics that isn't really local

Weebot — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:41:24 -0800

Which municipal district has the largest constituency? I was looking through some of the City Council districts for Los Angeles and New York, and they're pretty large (about a quarter million and 150,000, respectively), and I was wondering if someone would know off the top of their heads which cities and/or counties have extremely large constituencies.

I know that LA County's Board of Supervisors have 2 million people districts which I think may be the biggest non-Senate legislative districts in the country, but I want to know if there are any other large ones.