The SDMB Mock election.

In My Humble Opinion
1

The SDMB Mock election.

The idea is to solicit members with strong political orientation to accept a nomination and defend their positions. I would also ask strongly in the debate threads, that they are not held accountable for Bush or Clinton.

In the end, it would still be a popularity poll, but hopefully one with some real exchange of policy ideas and not just “I know **Brain Glutton ** is a socialist, so I will dismiss him out of hand” or “I know **Bricker ** is a righty, so that = ‘evil’ and in cahoots with Bush/Cheney”. You can see who two of my hopeful participants would be.

Once we get a slate of candidates that would be willing to define and defend their policies, I would start a series of debates in Great Debates leading to a vote in IMHO. I would hope others would participate in asking questions of the nominees.

I will act as the host (translated, I will start the threads and try to define the debates as we go along and finally run the open ballot election thread). It don’t think we will need a debate moderator, but if needed, maybe one of the moderators will take an interest.

Nominations for various parties: I am hoping they will accept the challenge. The may of course accept but redefine their party.

For the Socialist Party: Brain Glutton

For the Democratic Party: **Elendil’s Heir ** (he has already announced his intentions in the past)

For the Republican Party: Bricker

For the Libertarian Party: Liberal

For the Green Party: Phlosphr

For the Moderate Independent Party: John Mace

For the Conservative Party: Sam Stone

For the Peace Now Party: **Der Trihs ** (Immediately leave Iraq & Afghanistan and also strongly increase the barriers between government and religion)

Rather than have primaries, we can probably come up with a few more parties instead. Here are some suggestions for other Party ideas:
For the Bull Moose Party: (Trust Busting, Hawkish & Greenish)
For the Progressive Party:
America First Party: The party is pro-life, opposes all gun control, seeks to end affirmative action, racial quotas, and illegal and unlimited immigration.
Independence Party of America: just a catch all party
Jefferson Republican Party: supportive of a smaller role for the federal government, of States’ rights issues and limited intervention in foreign matters.Marijuana Party: end the war on drugs and to legalize cannabis.
There is always the Whigs: I have no clue what they would be, but it is an option.
I am PMing or Emailing my hopefuls. Several nominees do not have these features turned on.

Jim

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Who’s representing the Pot Party?

Ack. Marijuana’s buried under TJ. Sorry.

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I checked the post 4 times and I still made a mistake in editing. Damn.

Would you be willing to run or were you just inquiring?

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Just inquiring. I plan on peppering questions at that party’s candidate until he goes running for the bong or his head explodes.

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Is it ok for non-Americans to run?

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Sure, it is only a mock elections and you probably have a larger palette of parties to choose to represent.

I think you still need to run for the US though to really make the debates meaningful.

If you want to try this, post your party and look for the link later this week to the first debate.

Jim

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I meant more is it ok for non-Americans to run with a U.S. party? I wouldn’t mind having a go with the Independence party, they seem somewhat sane.

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From another thread:

I’d be happy to help in any way I can. However, the way you’ve drawn things up, there’s presently no difference between me and Der Trihs. :smiley:

That would likely change over time, though. So since I don’t stand an ice-cycle’s chance in hell of winning and people can have fun with it, why not. I accept your nomination as the (specialized) Libertarian Party candidate.

Here is an abridged version of my party’s platform:

Security
The whole purpose of government should be to secure the rights and property of its citizens. I would therefore work to strengthen all regulatory agencies that protect people from the coercion of others and eliminate those that are themselves coercive. And so I would strengthen police and military protection and courts, while minimizing social and corporate welfare programs.
Economy
The greatest possible economic potential comes from a market that is free from coercion, which is what I mean when I use the term “free-market”. A person should be free to invest as she sees fit, and free to both succeed and fail. I would therefore work toward strengthening regulations against financial fraud and strong-arm tactics of both government and industry while minimizing agencies that interfere arbitrarily in economic enterprise.
Social Security and Medicare
If you’re older than twelve, you know that every presidential candidate since FDR has campaigned on promises to fix social security. I think that after sixty years and two generations, it ought to be clear by now that that can’t happen. I would therefore work to eliminate government interference in people’s retirement plans, other than to make it easier for them to save for it. I would put to a stop the dishonest implications that there is a trust fund established for them somewhere from which they may draw what they’ve put in. I will be honest and let them know that their money was spent long ago, and that their grand children are being billed for it.
Taxes
The founders prohibited a per capitance tax for a reason: it is a disincentive to production. I would work to eliminate the IRS, and to implement in its place a system of tariffs on imported goods. US receipts in 1990 were half what they are today. In 1980, they were only 25% of what they are today. Even so, the budget deficit is a staggering, record breaking amount. Consider those numbers when candidates promise you that they will fix social security. I believe we can eliminate enough waste and pork spending to live comfortably as a nation on a budget more like 1980 and less like today. After all, we require that families live within their means. Why shouldn’t the people who govern them do the same?
Gay Marriage and Privacy Rights
Consenting adults who are peaceful and honest in their dealings ought to be free to pursue their own happiness in their own way without anyone snooping or interfering in their affairs. Government should recognize any contractual commitment between two people fairly and equitably everywhere in the United States. If religions wish to sanctify and define marriages a certain way, that’s fine. But religious declarations should have no bearing on the federal government, and no person should be denied any rights on account of her sexual orientation or whom she marries.
Abortion
The federal government has no business becoming involved in a woman’s right to choose whether she will terminate her pregnancy or in whether a doctor is at fault for determing an abortion’s medical necessity. But because abortion is a matter of conscience for many (including many pro-choicers), the federal government should not be in the business of subsidizing abortions.
Iraq and the Middle East
It is up to Congress to declare war whenever it feels that the interests of the United States are threatened. The president should have authority only as the Commander in Chief of whatever forces she is supplied by Congress against whatever enemy Congress specifies. I would therefore immediately withdraw all American military forces from all foreign soil, and work to trim the defense budget to reflect what is necessary to protect our nation from external threats. I would use special forces for tasks like capturing Osama Bin Laden, a task that I would renew as president.

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you forgot cocktail party.

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And the Surprise Party.

(I know someone here has to recognize the reference)

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Ya want a reference-off, do ya? In that case, I want to be representative for the Standing-At-The-Back-Dressed-Stupidly-And-Looking-Stupid Party.

Actually, this is a pretty neat idea, What Exit?. Looking forward to seeing this play out.

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Thanks Liberal, I hope you can have fun with this and in theory it would cut down on people telling you what you believe in.

Revenant Threshold, you are welcome to run as any party, we only have a small number of national parties in the US anyway and only two that count in the end.

lobstermobster, I know you’re joking, but you are welcome to buid a platform around any party name you like and try to back it up.

ArizonaTeach, I hope it gets some buy in, I think this could be fun and educational.

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I’m in. Be aware though most of the pot smoking, dirt worshipping treehuggers will be at my camp so if you don’t like the smell please cast your ballots from afar. We’ve got 12 grain muffins and Vermont’s finest coffee already brewing…don’t forget to take any trash you bring in, back out with you!

Let me organize my platform: I’ll be back with brownies…*

  • Organic Food always works to win votes. :smiley:
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It’s unclear to me if I would be defending, across-the-board, the actual GOP’s policies, or if I would be running as myself, so to speak, and it makes sense to assign me to the Republicans.

For example, were I a candidate, I would be against the death penalty; this is not a position shared by the national Republican party (nor, sad to say, by the national Democratic party either). Would my “candidacy” here be pro-death-penalty, or neutral, based on that, or might I be vociferously against the death penalty here?

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It appears to me that we are running as ourselves with the ideals of the stated party as guides. Note Liberal’s post.

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The way I read the OP, Brick, we get to define our party however we want. I hope I don’t have to take the position of a statist and run on the actual LP platform.

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You would be running as yourself as a Republican candidate. Few candidates represent every view of their party. I think you would bring a lot to the debate.

Jim

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Since matt_mcl’s got the NDP party down, can I run for the Green Party of Canada?

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I missed something, I did not see matt_mcl’s post.

However, it might be fun having two Green Party candidates. So yours would be Green Party of Canada to differentiate from Phlosphr’s Green Party USA.

Jim

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Mmmmmm. All over this.

You, sir, have got my endorsement. posts Phlosphr sign in yard

Oh, and uh…psst do you need any money? Cuz, I know this guy named Jack Abra–er, I mean Sam…