The All-Purpose Political Thread

[Alex]

Sort of. He was forced into admitting (he owned up before a journalist revealed it) he had taken cocaine 20 years ago. Normally I'd say that was a non-event, but at the same time he was campaigning against drugs. Since he is one of the candidates to be the new PM it is calling his (double) standards into account and that any 'normal' person would face prosectution. I've long felt that politicians should be subject to random drug testing and the results made public.

As for brexit... ask me again when the new PM is elected.

Well if i'm  still around.

Say, about britt PMs, how do they go?  Do they get elected by the public?  Do they serve fixed terms or stay in until they get too unpopular or what?

PM's are indirectly elected based on the number of MP's chosen to represent their party in parliament. There is no fixed term for them. As long as people vote for someone they can remain in power. Currently parliament has a fixed length, although that hasn't stopped elections being called early. In my lifetime the careers of the PM's have ended thusly: Thatcher - Resigned (Poll Tax riots and leadership challenge), Major Defeated by Blair (General Election), Blair - Resigned (own choice, but pressured by Brown to quit), Brown - Failed to win an election (but interestingly wasn't outright defeated despite being the most unpopular PM for 100 years, Cameron - Resigned (over Brexit), May - Resigned (over Brexit).

[Trevor]

In South Africa, the leader of the party which wins out at the polls becomes the State President. I believe there has been a President here since the advent of democracy - thankfully - in 1994.

Prior to that, there was a Prime Minister and the largely ceremonial position of State President.

[Svengoolie 3]

Sort of. He was forced into admitting (he owned up before a journalist revealed it) he had taken cocaine 20 years ago. Normally I'd say that was a non-event, but at the same time he was campaigning against drugs. Since he is one of the candidates to be the new PM it is calling his (double) standards into account and that any 'normal' person would face prosectution. I've long felt that politicians should be subject to random drug testing and the results made public.

As for brexit... ask me again when the new PM is elected.

Well if i'm  still around.

Say, about britt PMs, how do they go?  Do they get elected by the public?  Do they serve fixed terms or stay in until they get too unpopular or what?

PM's are indirectly elected based on the number of MP's chosen to represent their party in parliament. There is no fixed term for them. As long as people vote for someone they can remain in power. Currently parliament has a fixed length, although that hasn't stopped elections being called early. In my lifetime the careers of the PM's have ended thusly: Thatcher - Resigned (Poll Tax riots and leadership challenge), Major Defeated by Blair (General Election), Blair - Resigned (own choice, but pressured by Brown to quit), Brown - Failed to win an election (but interestingly wasn't outright defeated despite being the most unpopular PM for 100 years, Cameron - Resigned (over Brexit), May - Resigned (over Brexit).

Thatcher pulled a poll tax? You mean charging peolle to vote? Gotta look tbat up...

[Rev. Powell]

Sort of. He was forced into admitting (he owned up before a journalist revealed it) he had taken cocaine 20 years ago. Normally I'd say that was a non-event, but at the same time he was campaigning against drugs. Since he is one of the candidates to be the new PM it is calling his (double) standards into account and that any 'normal' person would face prosectution. I've long felt that politicians should be subject to random drug testing and the results made public.

As for brexit... ask me again when the new PM is elected.

Well if i'm  still around.

Say, about britt PMs, how do they go?  Do they get elected by the public?  Do they serve fixed terms or stay in until they get too unpopular or what?

PM's are indirectly elected based on the number of MP's chosen to represent their party in parliament. There is no fixed term for them. As long as people vote for someone they can remain in power. Currently parliament has a fixed length, although that hasn't stopped elections being called early. In my lifetime the careers of the PM's have ended thusly: Thatcher - Resigned (Poll Tax riots and leadership challenge), Major Defeated by Blair (General Election), Blair - Resigned (own choice, but pressured by Brown to quit), Brown - Failed to win an election (but interestingly wasn't outright defeated despite being the most unpopular PM for 100 years, Cameron - Resigned (over Brexit), May - Resigned (over Brexit).

Thatcher pulled a poll tax? You mean charging peolle to vote? Gotta look tbat up...

"Poll tax" does not mean charging a fee to vote. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poll_tax_(Great_Britain)

[Svengoolie 3]

Not in the technical sense,  true.  But in parts of america it was used to keep "undesireables" from voting by charging a fee to. In america it generally refers to a way to keep certain peolle (you know what I mean) from voting.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/white-only-1.html

[Rev. Powell]

Not in the technical sense,  true.  But in parts of america it was used to keep "undesireables" from voting by charging a fee to. In america it generally refers to a way to keep certain peolle (you know what I mean) from voting.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/white-only-1.html

Yes, America is the only country that uses that meaning for "poll tax."

[Svengoolie 3]

Ok so my use of the term was not wrong given my upbringing,  I saw that thatcher's poll tax was different and she started riots by shifting the financial burden from the rich to the poor. No wonder  her and Reagan got along...

[Alex]

Takes me back to my first ever political protest. Glad to say I played my part, however small in her downfall.

[Svengoolie 3]

Takes me back to my first ever political protest. Glad to say I played my part, however small in her downfall.

I understand for the cost of her funeral they could have bought a shovel for everyone in Scotland and they would have happily dug a hole deep enough to  deposit her body directly into satan's hands. That's according to someone named Frankie boyle.

Also there we're claims she used part of Scotland as a testing ground for some particularly crual and callous ci servative economic experiments that caused great pain and suffering.

[Alex]

Takes me back to my first ever political protest. Glad to say I played my part, however small in her downfall.

I understand for the cost of her funeral they could have bought a shovel for everyone in Scotland and they would have happily dug a hole deep enough to  deposit her body directly into satan's hands. That's according to someone named Frankie boyle.

Also there we're claims she used part of Scotland as a testing ground for some particularly crual and callous ci servative economic experiments that caused great pain and suffering.

The poll tax was included there.

[Svengoolie 3]

Btw alex,  I heard that Scotland was considering seceding from the UK to remain in the EU. Anything about  that true?

[Alex]

Yes, the governing in party in Scotland is trying to go down that route.

[Svengoolie 3]

Yes, the governing in party in Scotland is trying to go down that route.

Would the UK allow Scotland to pull a "scexit" or go to war to stop them?

Are they calling it scexit yet?

[Alex]

Nope, and I doubt it will ever be called that. The term being used is Indy Ref 2.

[lester1/2jr]

the EU has to figure out how to let these nations be individual nations while being a part of the EU.