Countdown to Extinction: The 2016 Presidential Election

[(poco) Sforzando]

Ken wins today's discussion.

I protest. Who was it brought up yaks in the first place?

[snyprrr]

In The Republic, Plato (whose ideal ruler was the philosopher-king) objected to democracy that it assumed each man had equal capacity to cast his own vote (which of course is the defense others make of democracy), and that the least insightful and educated would be on a par with the most thoughtful. He thought that the lower orders would simply be obsessed by their own base desires rather than the good of the society as a whole, and that since all men's desires are in conflict, mob rule and anarchy will result. This leads to a chaotic society in which a superficially strong, charismatic tyrant can take over. (Sound familiar?)

The United States as originally founded was not a pure democracy. Neither slaves nor women could originally vote, and senators were elected by state legislatures rather than popular vote. The system of checks and balances between the three branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) was intended to prevent any branch from assuming too much power. Hope that answers your question.

This Post aroused me.

[Florestan]

You're not dimwitted enough to believe that a straight nationwide popular vote is the way all other elections are conducted

In Romania or France, for instance, the President is elected precisely by a straight nationwide popular vote.

[Ken B]

You're not dimwitted enough to believe that a straight nationwide popular vote is the way all other elections are conducted

In Romania or France, for instance, the President is elected precisely by a straight nationwide popular vote.

Interesting rebuttal Andrei, pointing out you cannot tell the USA from France.

[Florestan]

Interesting rebuttal Andrei, pointing out you cannot tell the USA from France.

Oh, come on, Ken, of course I can. France has much better cuisine than the USA.

Seriously now, I know very well the difference between presidential elections in USA and France, but orfeo seemed to imply that "a straight nationwide popular vote" is nowhere to be found.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Oh, come on, Ken, of course I can. France has much better cuisine than the USA.

Well, that depends. You can get plenty of wretched food in the US, and I don't just mean the fast-food joints. But you can also find quite a bit of honest, creative cooking. On the other hand, though I never had a bad meal on my trips to Italy, I have had some abominable cooking in Paris and other parts of France.

[Karl Henning]

Seriously now, I know very well the difference between presidential elections in USA and France, but orfeo seemed to imply that "a straight nationwide popular vote" is nowhere to be found.

That is not how I read [You cannot] believe that a straight nationwide popular vote is the way all other elections are conducted. Remarking that A. is not true everywhere, is not to claim that A. is true nowhere.

[Florestan]

That is not how I read [You cannot] believe that a straight nationwide popular vote is the way all other elections are conducted. Remarking that A. is not true everywhere, is not to claim that A. is true nowhere.

Yes, rereading his post shows that I misunderstood him. Probably the "not dimwitted enough" part diverted me from the real meaning. 

[Brian]

Well, that depends. You can get plenty of wretched food in the US, and I don't just mean the fast-food joints. But you can also find quite a bit of honest, creative cooking. On the other hand, though I never had a bad meal on my trips to Italy, I have had some abominable cooking in Paris and other parts of France.

I was surprised by how meat-and-potatoes so much of France is. Not to denigrate it - there is truly great cooking in France, from regional specialties to the new "bistronomy" movement of shabby-chic modernism, which I love to death - but that country served me a LOT of meals that were just a hunk of beef and a pile of potatoes.

If Florestan comes to the USA, we'll show him. 

[Florestan]

Guys, you should not take my statement too literally. It was the first irony that came to my mind.

[Ken B]

Well, that depends. You can get plenty of wretched food in the US, and I don't just mean the fast-food joints. But you can also find quite a bit of honest, creative cooking. On the other hand, though I never had a bad meal on my trips to Italy, I have had some abominable cooking in Paris and other parts of France.

And surrounded by Frenchmen too.

[knight66]

In The Republic, Plato (whose ideal ruler was the philosopher-king) objected to democracy that it assumed each man had equal capacity to cast his own vote (which of course is the defense others make of democracy), and that the least insightful and educated would be on a par with the most thoughtful. He thought that the lower orders would simply be obsessed by their own base desires rather than the good of the society as a whole, and that since all men's desires are in conflict, mob rule and anarchy will result. This leads to a chaotic society in which a superficially strong, charismatic tyrant can take over. (Sound familiar?)

The United States as originally founded was not a pure democracy. Neither slaves nor women could originally vote, and senators were elected by state legislatures rather than popular vote. The system of checks and balances between the three branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) was intended to prevent any branch from assuming too much power. Hope that answers your question.

Well, who am I to contradict Plato? However with the knowledge of hindsight, most of the decisions we know of were sane and sensible. One key check and balance was that the voters were not voting to send other people off to war. The men voting were deciding whether to go to war. They were deciding their own fate and were actively linked to it. They kney that voting for war meant that those sitting there of active service age would leave their fields, workshops and families.

Now, we vote all the time for other people to act on our behalf. We vote in a government to decide things and then those remote representatives vote for other people to do things. Surely that way lies more possibility of demagogy. Everything now happens at at least one remove.

Mike

[Spineur]

I was surprised by how meat-and-potatoes so much of France is. Not to denigrate it - there is truly great cooking in France, from regional specialties to the new "bistronomy" movement of shabby-chic modernism, which I love to death - but that country served me a LOT of meals that were just a hunk of beef and a pile of potatoes.

If Florestan comes to the USA, we'll show him. 

If you come to Lyon, I'll take you to
http://lamerebrazier.fr/
and we will eat "une poularde demi-deuil"
A poulet de bresse is fed with white corn and bread leftovers in milk.  This gives a very white meat.  You slide a layer a truffles under the skin giving a marbled black and white look to the chicken, hence the demi-deuil "half-mourning" name of the dish.  It was invented by La mère Brazier, the first "female extraordinaire" chef.
You eat this once, you remember it for the rest of your life...

This is what I sayed to Florestan: you cant define french spirit, but you can experience it.

[Florestan]

This is what I sayed to Florestan: you cant define french spirit, but you can experience it.

Oh, but I really had a good dose of French spirit. I lived in Grenoble for two years during which I travelled extensively in different parts of France.

[snyprrr]

I've had french fries before

[Karl Henning]

Yes, rereading his post shows that I misunderstood him. Probably the "not dimwitted enough" part diverted me from the real meaning. 

Oh, I do understand, indeed.

[Ken B]

As promised, my piece on Trump's Rude Rhetoric

http://kenblogic.blogspot.com/2016/06/trumps-rude-rhetoric.html

[Brian]

If you come to Lyon, I'll take you to
http://lamerebrazier.fr/
and we will eat "une poularde demi-deuil"
A poulet de bresse is fed with white corn and bread leftovers in milk.  This gives a very white meat.  You slide a layer a truffles under the skin giving a marbled black and white look to the chicken, hence the demi-deuil "half-mourning" name of the dish.  It was invented by La mère Brazier, the first "female extraordinaire" chef.
You eat this once, you remember it for the rest of your life...

This is what I sayed to Florestan: you cant define french spirit, but you can experience it.

This looks so delicious.

[knight66]

It's a long time since I visited Lyon. I was singing Berlioz there. We had a couple of days between performances etc and enjoyed the city and the food.

Mike

[knight66]

As promised, my piece on Trump's Rude Rhetoric

http://kenblogic.blogspot.com/2016/06/trumps-rude-rhetoric.html

An interesting piece on the dialogue, (dialog), of the deaf. Whether he is conveying policies or merely slogans, his supporters think he is providing them with the muscle of policy. The macho culture that supports his John Wayne posturing sees apology as weakness as much as deference.

Mike