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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Does Brexit referendum is Legally binding? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 29 Jun 2016, 9:05 am
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Replies: 25
Views: 868
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| So, referendums held in the UK don't actually matter, and it's up to the politicians to decide? Then yes, that's not democracy and freedom, no matter what legislation says, nor what elected officials say. A referendum is the ultimate say of the people, as is skips the individual opinions of a handf... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: The Truth AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH: 2016 Election |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 29 Jun 2016, 8:51 am
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Replies: 1,814
Views: 42,901
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| That pretty much covers it. I don't believe that a VP choice does much for any candidate. You don't think that Palin was at least partly responsible for McCain's utter failure in 2008? You're probably correct that a great VP candidate won't put you over the top, but I think a bad choice can serious... |
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Forum: News and Current Events Topic: Bill C-14, Assisted Dying |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 3:06 pm
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Replies: 13
Views: 564
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Noca wrote: For once in history the Senate is actually doing its job.
You might bear in mind that the reason that Canadian women have unfettered access to abortion is because the Senate defeated bill C-43 in 1989. |
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Forum: News and Current Events Topic: Scotland seeks independent entry to the European Union |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 3:01 pm
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Replies: 101
Views: 3,221
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| Here's the problem: Scotland cannot claim successor status in the EU in the event of Brexit, because British membership becomes a nullity and there is nothing to succeed to. Accordingly, Scotland would have to seek admission as a new member, which means that it would have to accede to the Euro. But ... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Does Anyone Else Here Despise Hillary Clinton? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 2:53 pm
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Replies: 25
Views: 1,104
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| She's not progressive, she's in the pocket of Wall Street and big business. And she voted to invade Iraq. Have you got some evidence to back that up those first two assertions, or are you just repeating Republican and Sanders talking points? As for the invasion of Iraq, some context is helpful. Her... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Does Brexit referendum is Legally binding? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 2:38 pm
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Replies: 25
Views: 868
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| Referendum is a referendum no matter the outcome (as long as it's done properly; I'm guessing this one was with its high turn out and no real evidence of fraud). So, the government has to make it legal for it to be a free and democratic country. Your argument is a political one, not a legal one. Th... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Does Anyone Else Here Despise Hillary Clinton? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 11:13 am
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Replies: 25
Views: 1,104
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| For almost 25 years, Hillary Clinton has been the target of a concerted effort on the part of Republicans to demonize her. And here she is, 25 years later, and no one has found anything to demonstrate wrongdoing on her part. Even the latest allegations are (ahem) Trumped up attempts to make criminal... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Does Brexit referendum is Legally binding? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 10:57 am
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Replies: 25
Views: 868
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| With respect to the instant question, the answer is clear. Nothing in the legislation providing for the referendum speaks to the result being binding. In the absence of legislation, there is nothing to diminish the supremacy of Parliament. There are, however, a couple of more interesting questions. ... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Always bet on the Brits -BREXIT is happening |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2016, 10:14 am
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Replies: 137
Views: 4,697
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| ... aaaaaaaaand the Credit rating of the UK just got downgraded by Standard & Poor's. http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/27/investing/uk-credit-downgrade-aaa-brexit/index.html?adkey=bn A downgrade was expected, but the UK lost two notches (from AAA to AA+ to AA), and S & P has a negative outlook,... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Declaration of Independence |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 24 Jun 2016, 9:21 pm
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Replies: 37
Views: 1,150
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| The UK is probably fine on this front. A great deal of this is due to the fact that they have a large financial sector, and so while they have a large external debt, they also hold a great deal of foreign debt as well. Look at Luxembourg--their external debt is >3000% of GDP, something like 25 time... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Declaration of Independence |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 24 Jun 2016, 3:51 pm
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Replies: 37
Views: 1,150
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| The UK is probably fine on this front. A great deal of this is due to the fact that they have a large financial sector, and so while they have a large external debt, they also hold a great deal of foreign debt as well. Look at Luxembourg--their external debt is >3000% of GDP, something like 25 times... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Declaration of Independence |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 24 Jun 2016, 2:06 pm
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Replies: 37
Views: 1,150
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| So, you think the UK can't "lower trade barriers" (whatever that means)? The British gov. is incompetent? Fools? They can't figure it out? Do you know when the British Government last negotiated an international trade agreement? There are precisely ZERO trade negotiators in the employ of ... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Always bet on the Brits -BREXIT is happening |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 24 Jun 2016, 11:59 am
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Replies: 137
Views: 4,697
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| Well, with the PM's resignation, it looks like there's two primary scenarios. If the Parliamentary party backs Boris or Michael, then Article 50 and the negotiations begin. I expect the EU opening offer to be, "EFTA. Take it or leave it." And given that EFTA means continuing to pay the bil... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: privilege exists or not? |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 10 Sep 2015, 2:52 pm
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Replies: 51
Views: 1,785
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| While it's a poetic metaphor, social privilege doesn't lend itself to rigid analysis. But there is absolutely no question in my mind that privilege exists. Imagine that every person in your country were ranked on whatever scale you choose. Wealth is easy to understand--so you have a line up of the r... |
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Forum: Politics, Philosophy, and Religion Topic: Being PC: Asian vs. Oriental |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 10 Sep 2015, 2:42 pm
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Replies: 14
Views: 635
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| Oriental is a European (specifically Portugese) word to describe things "Eastern". As such, using the word Oriental can be interpreted by some as colonialist. Asian is geographically focussed, but given that the term includes a wide range of ethnicities from Israel all the way to Siberia, ... |
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Forum: News and Current Events Topic: Sense of Impending Doom 9/11 |
| visagrunt |
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Posted: 10 Sep 2015, 2:36 pm
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Replies: 12
Views: 594
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| If Wikipedia teaches us anything it is that each an every day of the calendar year has its own share of joys and horrors. I don't spend the days before August 6 worrying about a Nuclear Attack. I don't spend the days before December 26 worrying about a Tsunami. I don't spend the days before June 30 ... |
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