# Imagine, if you will... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 30, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413 "2000-11-30T19:07:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/21 "2000-12-02T02:03:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Freedom2 \* > > And WTF is that @#$% about pre-democracy past? Probably refers to the fact that only a small minority of people (white male landowners, I believe) were allowed to vote. And, even then, the electoral college was designed to make the vote for President more indirect. ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/22 "2000-12-02T02:04:45Z")
A pathetic thing would to believe that any paticular group of poeple) are despised. America is too big to have universal standards. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/23 "2000-12-02T02:21:19Z")
Hell, it’s not even useful as a cautionary tale about elections. Try adding this to the piece, and see how often it applies in third-world elections. > [@](#): > > Imagine that there will eventually be a binding outcome entirely dependent on pre-existing legal constructs, and both the winning and losing parties will accept that outcome. There is zero chance of a coup, either by the party currently in control of the Presidency or the party controlling the legislature. > > Imagine that all concerned agree that the existing laws apply, and that while there may be a call for tiny Constitutional changes for future elections, not a single person calls for the current Constitution to be usurped for purposes of this election. > > Imagine that during all of this, not a single member of the country’s citizenry worried that the military might take over. The thought of martial law, even for a short “transition” time, does not even occur to the citizenry. The thought doesn’t even occur to the military. They remain on guard, as they always have, and wait for the result along with the civilian populace. > > Imagine that there are no mass strikes, that the ports and airports stay open, and every citizen goes about his or her business. No one even cancels vacation plans. > > Imagine that hundreds or even thousands of press outlets say anything they want without fear of legal retribution. Even if they call the election “stolen,” not a single government agent moves against them, whatever side wins. I tell ya, fellow Americans (and citizens of other free countries), we really won Geography lotto when we were born here. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2000, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/24 "2000-12-02T04:01:26Z")
**Manhattan** : Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/25 "2000-12-04T16:19:44Z")
Andy Rooney actually did the OP as a bit on 60 minutes last night (him on the phone with his pal Eduardo so you only get half the conversation made it rather funnier). I doubt the OP is the least bit authentic. “Yes, the Governor of Florida just happens to be his brother. … Yes, Eduardo, their father was president … well, yeah, but just please don’t call it a dynasty. … Oh, Eduardo! What do you mean what did elder Bush do before he was president! You know darn well he was the head of our secret police the CIA but I don’t see what that has to do with anyth… (etc.)” Funny stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Armageddon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mister\_Armageddon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Armageddon)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/26 "2000-12-04T16:33:26Z")
But I saw this exact same post spammed on Usenet, and it was attributed to a politician from another African country. Try and guess which one…come on, guess! All right, time’s up…he was supposedly from Chad. ::snort:: Anyway, I think we can safely file this one into the total BS category. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/27 "2000-12-04T17:48:10Z")
Nicely Put, Manny. Dang… I don’t see anything left to debate. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/28 "2000-12-04T18:25:31Z")
Andy Rooney made it seem a hell of a lot more funny than blessedwolf did. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413/29 "2000-12-04T18:28:59Z")
And BTW- the idea of a ruling class made some people nervous, but only in terms of the Bush family? How ridiculous. All of these guys, Dem or Republican, went to the same schools, skiied at the same resorts, summered at the same shores. If there is a ruling class, it is those in power in **both** parties. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imagine-if-you-will/43413.md?page=1)