|
Activism Have you ever had one of those days when you are sitting around doing nothing and you think to yourself, "Boy, I'm really in the mood for a good fight." Well, don't get frustrated, get activated. Here are some places where you can read about political activities that are guaranteed to make you want to shout. Web:
Usenet:
American Third Parties The United States has two major political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Although there are other parties, they are of marginal importance, especially in presidential politics. There are two main reasons why. First, in significant ways at the local, state and federal levels, the U.S. has a winner-take-all system in which only the major parties have the size, popularity and money to do well. Second, the U.S. is a large, very powerful country. To be elected President you need to be more than popular; you need to demonstrate that you already have significant power, not only in public office, but within your own party. A candidate from a small party is relatively powerless and, as such, doesn't stand much of a chance. In other words, in the American system, you need power to get more power, and you can't get a large amount of power all at once from nothing. This is not bad. Many other countries, especially those with parliamentary systems, suffer from chronic political indecision because one party cannot sustain a clear majority. Moreover, the nature of the American system makes it extremely unlikely that, even in bad times, a dictator would be able to come out of nowhere and take over. Web:
Conservatism Traditional conservatism is the belief that society should change slowly while maintaining its existing economic and political characteristics. Modern conservatism takes a more activist stance: although conservatives have a strong commitment to free markets, individual rights and less government, they do want society to change, as long as the change is in harmony with their beliefs. At times, this may mean the government legislating morality, spending more money or even restricting personal freedom. Web:
Usenet:
Decriminalizing Prostitution Prostitution refers to the soliciting and acceptance of payment for performing sexual acts. Although prostitution has always been a part of human culture, the first large-scale attempts to ban the practice did not occur until the sixteenth century, when an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases swept through parts of Europe. In 1899, various countries began to cooperate to control prostitution. In 1910, the United States passed the White Slave Traffic Act (usually called the Mann Act) to outlaw the transportation of women across state and international lines for "immoral purposes". Today, most countries outlaw prostitution, although it is legal -- and regulated -- in some European countries and, in the U.S., in parts of Nevada. Some people look on prostitution as an evil that should be banned or at least repressed. Other people (including many prostitutes) would have us consider prostitutes as being legitimate "sex workers", and would decriminalize the practice. Here are some resources that support the latter point of view. Web:
Democrats The Democratic party was founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson. Originally, party members were called "Republicans" or "Democratic-Republicans" but in 1830, the name was shortened to "Democrats". This is the official Web site of the Democratic party and, like the Republican site, there are no huge surprises. You can also read news and articles about the party and what you can do to help, along with partisan analysis criticizing the Republicans. The Usenet group is for the discussion of Democratic views and platforms. Web: Usenet:
Euthanasia Euthanasia refers to the deliberate ending of another person's life out of compassion. There are two types of euthanasia. In a passive sense, euthanasia can be accomplished by refraining from postponing a death from terminal illness, for example, by withholding artificial life support. Active euthanasia painlessly puts someone to death. Passive euthanasia is common. With the consent of family or the patients themselves, doctors often withhold measures that would unnecessarily prolong a life filled with pain and anguish. Active euthanasia is illegal in almost all jurisdictions. Clearly, there are no easy answers when it comes to euthanasia, especially active euthanasia. However, it is important that we discuss these issues. As the population ages, and health care for the aged becomes more and more expensive, you and I are going to be faced with some tough decisions at the end of our lives. Perhaps now is the time to start talking about it. Web:
Usenet:
Gay Rights There's a great deal of change in the world. Gay rights extend into many different areas of life: marriage, domestic partnerships, adoption, child custody, military service, inheritance laws, housing, employment, discrimination, government programs, and so on. Web:
Grassroots Activism Grassroots activism refers to an ad hoc political movement at the local level, as opposed to organizations controlled by a nexus of political activity (such as a party, elected official or governing body). By its nature, grassroots activists are short on money, know-how and facilities. Fortunately, the Net will be glad to help -- with no strings attached. Web:
International Politics Talk and General Discussion Usenet has a number of discussion groups specifically for discussing the politics of particular countries and regions: Britain, Europe, India, Italy, China, Middle East, Tibet and the former Soviet Union. As long as you stay more or less on topic, anything goes. However, please remember that if you are responding to an article written by someone in a foreign country, their first language may not be the same as yours. On the Net, irony and politics do not mix well. The world is a big place, and there is lots of room for two people to disagree and still both be right. Usenet:
Internet Voting We vote a lot more than most people realize, not only in federal elections, but for state, provincial and local elections. Then, there are elections within political parties, unions, professional organizations, clubs, and so on. Actually, people have been voting on the Net for years. For example, within certain parts of the Usenet community, new discussion groups must be put to a vote before they are created, and the people who vote electronically are in many different countries. For government elections, of course, the requirements are strict: the voting must be secure and reliable; the identity of the voters must be kept private; there must be no fraud; the system must be accessible to the general public; and the act of voting must be simple, flexible and cost efficient. Web:
Majordomo Mailing List:
Irish Politics The mailing list is for the discussion of the kinder, gentler side of Irish politics as defined by the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland since 1922. Discussions of Northern Ireland are welcome only if they directly relate to the politics of the Republic. The Web site has a huge list of resources relating to all aspects of Irish politics. Web:
Listserv Mailing List:
Israeli Politics The Israeli government is based on proportional representation. Here is how it works. The national house of representatives (the Knesset) has 120 members. In preparation for an election, each party creates a list of preferred candidates. However, when a person votes, he or she votes for a party, not for a particular person. After the votes are counted, the number of representatives elected to the Knesset is proportional to the percentage of votes that party received. For example, a party receiving 10 percent of the overall votes would send the top 12 candidates from its list to the Knesset. This sounds like a good idea, but it makes for a fractured system, in which no party can ever manage to get a majority on its own. Moreover, small, less popular parties can often wield disproportionate power as their votes are needed to form a coalition. Israel has fewer people than the city of Chicago in an area about the same size as New Jersey. However, in the 1999 election, there were 31 political parties (six of which were major organizations). Is it any wonder Israeli politics is so... interesting? You know, when you think of it, Israel has a lot in common with Chicago and New Jersey. Web:
Liberalism Traditional liberalism embraces change, tolerance of diverse points of view, and ethical and humanitarian concerns. Modern political liberalism has inherited the beliefs and philosophies that arose from the centuries-long struggle for human rights. However, modern liberals go further: they believe that many problems are so important as to require large-scale government intervention to supply services and to ensure the safety, freedom and well-being of individuals. To a liberal, a well-run government provides the framework within which all citizens are able to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (to coin a phrase). Web:
Usenet:
Online Activism The Net helps those who help themselves, so if you want to help, it would be helpful to use the Net to help you help the people who need help, but don't know how to use the Net to help themselves. Does that help? Web:
Political Correctness Political correctness refers to forcing the general public to talk about issues in oblique ways so as to minimize the possibility of offending people. For example, which term is better: African-Americans, Afro-Americans, Blacks, Negroes or Colored people? All of these words were acceptable at one time, but political correctness dictates which one is the "correct" term to use today. Political correctness in moderation assures that the mantle of public opinion is available to protect us from bias and vulgarity. However, taken to an extreme, such rules serve not only to force people to conform to current political fashion, but to provide a convenient way to separate people based on knowing what is and what is not acceptable. Of course, "political correctness" itself is not a new idea: it is merely the politically correct term used to describe what are ever-present problems in human society: snobbishness, ignorance and the struggle for power over our neighbors. Web:
Political Policies In the world of politics, you ain't nobody unless you've got a policy. Anybody can assert an opinion, but not everybody's opinion can be backed up by studies from a think tank. When you come down to it, though, public policy is nothing more than trying to figure out how people should think about something. There are lots of people who spend lots of time trying to figure out what you should be thinking. Maybe you'd like to check up on them. Web:
Political Talk and General Discussion If you like being contentious and opinionated, you'll love these Usenet groups. (Actually, as one of my readers, you are sensible and insightful. It's everyone else who is contentious and opinionated.) These are the Usenet groups specifically designated for political discussion. Anything goes, but as in most areas of the Net, the power lies with the people who are the most intelligent, witty and well-spoken. If you would like more immediate interactive screaming matches, connect to IRC. Usenet:
IRC:
Politicians In most of life, talk is cheap. In politics, talk is essential. Here are the Usenet groups where you can talk about your favorite and not so favorite politicians. To help you know what you are talking about, I have included a Web site where you can find information about more than 13,000 politicians. Talk about convenient! Web:
Usenet:
Politics of Government Organizations As all of us travel together through Modern Life, government organizations are forced to carry their own political baggage. These are the Usenet groups for the discussion of politics as it relates to various government organizations, mostly American: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); general covert operations organizations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the National Security Administration (NSA); and the United Nations. The .misc group is for the discussion of government organizations that do not have their own groups. Usenet:
Presidential Scandals Politics, money and scandal go together like green eggs and ham. Throughout the years, the presidency of the United States has attracted an unfortunate number of high-profile imbroglios: Watergate (1972, Richard Nixon administration: the cover-up of a politically motivated break-in); Teapot Dome (1924, Warren Harding administration: the secret leasing of naval oil reserve lands to private companies); Whiskey Ring (1875, Ulysses S. Grant administration: lost tax revenue on whiskey). Those scandals, of course, are all in the past. True, the U.S. did have a bit of a scandal in the late 90s, what with Bill Clinton, Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky and an impeachment, but Americans have been able to put that behind them and reach closure. The U.S. now has an administration with the highest possible sense of honesty and integrity and, today, the chances of anything even remotely approaching a scandal in the office of the President are so insignificant as to be almost non-existent. Web:
Usenet:
Republicans The United States Republican Party was founded in 1854. The first Republican to be elected President was Abraham Lincoln (in 1860). This is the official Republican Web site, and you pretty much get what you would expect: news releases, background information on various governmental and political topics, and a great deal of pro-Republican, anti-Democrat content. For discussion of Republican views and platforms, you can participate in the Usenet group or mailing list. Web: Usenet:
Listserv Mailing List:
Torture Torture refers to causing severe pain or suffering in order to punish or coerce someone. There has always been torture and, probably, there always will be. However, it is a mark of our growing social maturity that, in today's world, torture is considered, by most people and most governments, to be inhumane and unacceptable. Web:
Treaties If you are having trouble with your neighbor trimming the trees that are actually on your property and you want to take some firm action, I have an idea for you. Go to these Web sites for treaties and other international agreements. Download the treaty of your choice and open the document in your word processing program. Fill in your name and your neighbor's name in the appropriate slots, then trot next door and make him sign it. Not only will he stop trimming your trees, but he might also be morally bound to notify you at the earliest possible moment that there has been a nuclear accident in his house. Web:
United States Political Talk and General Discussion I grew up in Canada, where there was a fair amount of politics. But that was nothing compared to the United States, where political wrangling and commentary is the national obsession (second only to watching highly paid athletes perform on TV). The great thing about American politics is that once you choose a point of view, you have all kinds of beliefs, opinions and avocations to adopt and defend without having to do any original thinking for yourself. Don't get me wrong, American politics is interesting, and there is nothing I like better than a good old political argument. Actually, I'm not even that fussy. I just like to argue, so I'm always ready to take whichever side is opposed to whomever I am talking with. If you also like a good discussion, visit these Usenet groups and argue about the topic of your choice. The .misc group is for discussion of general politics that does not fit in one of the other, more specific groups. Usenet:
World Constitutions These sites have constitutions and basic laws for many countries around the world, including Germany, Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, China, Hungary and the Slovak Republic, as well as the texts of the English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, John at Runnymede, and others. Web:
|
© All contents Copyright 2005, Harley Hahn
Full trademark and copyright information