CingularDuality

ROFLMAO!!!!!! @ Phantomlord!!!!!

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TacticalGamer TX LAN/BBQ Veteran:

Wolfie

I love a good political debate but I don't think I am going to get one from Phantomlord :?

Wolfie

Banning smoking in public places can only be done by an ordinance passed by the city council that was elected by the townspeople. Also when something like this occurs, the council holds town meetings so that the public can voice their opinions on the ordinance that is being consider for approval. If a majority of the townspeople voice their opinion that they don't want the ban, then the council will usually not pass the ban (unless the council feels there are significant reasons to go against what the public wants - safety , health, racial issues, etc). Even then, if the public still disagrees with the ban, the next election they can vote in people that will remove the ban.

Of course, if nobody shows up to the town meetings to voice their opinions, then the council can not act upon the public's opinion and have to make a judgement call themselves.

As for the public not wanting it, a simple search on google brought up alot of information about people in the Austin area wanting the ban. Not sure if it is the majority (and really don't care to do that much research) but it seems that the issue is a closely divided issue which counters what you were claiming that the public doesn't want the bans.

This doesn't make any sense :?

CingularDuality

Let me shed a bit more light on the congressional redistricting issue here in Texas, as well:
The Democrats here are so pissed that the Republicans have the majority... They were actually willing to leave the state, even during a special session, in order to prevent the Texas Congress from being able to accomplish anything. Texas Rangers were actually on call to arrest them the minute they stepped foot back in Texas... Crazy politics here... I'm not too fond of Republicans, but these Texas Democrats are truly waco...

Oh, and I forgot the actual date, but I remember reading somewhere that this is the first Republican led redistricting effort in half a century... The Democrats are always the ones that have called for redistricting when they're in power...

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fr1j0l3

long story short:

Get your ass out and vote, and THEN hold them accountable.

party-line blame is beating a dead horse.

MatDL

i know why the democrats say the economy is messed up, its because the federal government is not taking 100% of your paycheck each week and thats what they want.

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Geisha

Newspapers don't want to "prove" anything. They just want to make money. If that means printing a bunch of inflammatory editorials just to sell papers, then they'll back the underdog every time.

As for Texas politics, I used to live there. I grew up in Wichita Falls. My parents still live there. WF has had the no-smoking ban almost as long as northern California (hallelujah). Believe me, smokers in New York or Chicago or Canada have a LOT more to bitch about since it gets so much colder outside in the "designated" areas.

I have a much bigger beef with over-zealous minority protection (read: Affirmative Action) than I do with any particular party platform. {When my sister went to high school, they were allowed to choose between the high school closest to their houses or one of the other two "magnate" schools AS LONG AS THEY WERE BRINGING THE "RACIAL" PERCENTAGES CLOSER TO BALANCE. That's discrimination - a mirror image thereof, but discrimination nonetheless}

I want things balanced between Rep/Dem with as many moderate/reasonable independents as possible. They more the reps argue the less they can screw up - it's my opinion that the government that governs least governs best, at least with our system. And things that are really, really important should in theory get passed anyway.

Daxx

I'm not any political party. Closest thing to that for me would be Druid.

As this thread illustrates, it seems to be more trouble than its worth. But then I'm also a Lazy Bastard (TM).

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Spectre

Only too true my friend...too true. Senator Joe Biden in a speech last year, stated that Norway would be a good model for our American democracy, as the people enjoy top notch healthcare and very little crime.


Thats great and all, except Norway has a 47% tax rate, plus one of the largest socialist partys in all of Europe. :shock: :shock: :shock:

The true nature of Democrats is revealed time and time again...however people never seem to notice, because Dems only talk about taxing the "rich." Well, when Clinton passed the tax-reform act of 1996, it was the single highest tax increase on the "rich" this century.

Any guesses what "rich" was quantified as??? Those who make $23,000 or more per year.

(9% hike for Americans making $23,000 and above anually, typical "tax and spend" policy. I suppose when I left the Marines as an E-4 in 2000 I was pretty near rich!)

I could go on and on about this...yet the facts still hold true. The Dems have embraced such liberal / radical ideals, they have moved away from the center of American Politics. Being that this is the case, they then cater to the ignorant and / or radical groups in our nation. They do this by promoting "vote your paycheck" type attitudes in the African-American population, by pushing forward with "homosexual rights" (Read: special rights for the morally bankrupt) and by creating class division (By always talking about how the "rich" get this and the "rich" get that).

The reason the nation has been swinging further and further into the right is because people are starting to wake up and see the Dems for who they really are:

A spineless group of morally corrupt individuals struggling to gain power by any means, even if it means manipulating the American people or just outright lying to them.

While I am a Republican I tend to be more Libertarian, because i am pro-choice and for extensive personal freedoms.

USN_Squid

hmmm, me thinks thou doth protest too much....

The redistricting is REQUIRED by your Texas constitution to reflect the actual voting habits of the constituents. The Dems are trying to block it (by running to another state no less) because they don't want to lose the power they have now.

And your saying Newspapers are a reliable source to prove that ALL minorities disagree with ALL politicians???? I assume you meant they disagree with what Republicans are doing, but still, Newspapers prove anything?

I'm not familiar with your local fight over smoking, but in my area and others, it's been the Republicans that are fighting those bans and I'd be shocked to see a role reversal in any dispute over freedoms, even it's smoking.

Lastly, no way in hell the Republicans are trying to take away your gun rights and the Dems are fighting them on it. Please show us some sources for that one......

PhantomLord

The smoking ordinance was NEVER passed by townspeople here in austin. The senator Gonzalo Barrientos is an old hard assed republican. He did not listen to the townspeople. HE and the other house reps passed the smoking ban on their own. There was never a vote about it. They passed it without hesitation even though he grew up smoking from the age of 16 till he was 45 and he thinks its the best for EVERY one in the city to not be exposed to second hand smoke. And the redistricting is bullcrap. To actually know what they hell texans mean by the map being crap take a look at it then you will understand. Take a look at it before you open your mouth. And to the economy..i completely agree with eternal in the So You want to debate thread. I 100% agree that bush does = evil. Why the heck do you give awaymoney to other nations that dont even deserve it?. We have a crisis here in the USA that needs to be dealt with. The next country we will attack will be North Korea and thats when i will feel like kicking some ones ass over. Soon the whole world will be against the USA due to "President" Bush's bullcrap antics and wanting to be top dog.

Watch your language, please.

Wolfie

You know something? You just proved to me that you have no idea what you are talking about

http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist14/dist14.htm

If you knew what you were talking about, you would know that Senator Barrientos is a DEMOCRAT

Thank you and please try again :P

Spectre

Damn...someone just got PWNED again!!!

SENATOR Gonzalo Barrientos = DEMOCRAT!!!!! LOL!!!!

PhantomLord

Well my mistake...that aint him...i was thinking of the wrong person. It was the Austin Mayor Will Wynn that passed it.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/wynn.htm

Wolfie

*sigh* I hate to do this again (actually this is starting to get fun :P ) but I think you need to get your facts straight again....

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2003/10/27/daily34.html

This is starting to get a little sad. Normally it is someone living in Austin pointing out errors that someone says about Austin that lives elsewhere. This is bad when someone in Kentucky is pointing out errors to someone living in Austin about things happening in Austin.