Politics Thread (sort of)

This is a thread for the discussion of politics.

I'll start by commenting that Lord Grathula's policies regarding the treatment of freed Morthurians are not only completely abhorrent, but actually counterproductive to Grathula's stated goals. Putting their food on frisbees and forcing them to fetch them in order to eat is both humiliating and needlessly expensive; Torvalia needs the frisbees for defense, and lost frisbees are therefore far more costly to replace than plates. Not to mention the fact that few of the frisbees are properly cleaned, resulting in sicker Morthurians and putting a higher burden on the health care system.

You can say what you like about Grathula's treatment of Morthurians, but I still support him, if only because he extends the right to bear arms to a mandate. Why, the very idea of not having a frisbee in everyone's house disgusts me!

Besides, if the frisbees aren't cleaned well, that's the Morthurians' own fault. They knew what they were getting into, and they could emigrate if they really cared.

I don't see how you can blame joke parties like the Fiscal Frugality Faction from springing up.

Not when they can counter with such deliciously parodical policies like the right to bare arms to a man-date. I mean, I know it's a joke party, but there's something to be said about a societal relaxation of our dress-codes in public. I can barely type with these stupid wrist-gauntlets on.

I honestly lost all respect for the most of the Represenators after it came out that they spent most of their meetings playing pool. Is this really the way our country's decisions should be decided? And after they passed the Moose Conservation Act, well, that just seems like a waste of tax dollars. How are we supposed to live through the mild-to-uncomfortable winters without moose hides to keep us warm?

But dogs like frisbees! Sure, the Morthurians are perfectly civilized and well-adjusted into our society, some even going so far as to call them the modern man's best friend, but it's closed-minded and species-ist of you to assume that they have all the same needs as us human folk.

I honestly lost all respect for the most of the Represenators after it came out that they spent most of their meetings playing pool. Is this really the way our country's decisions should be decided? And after they passed the Moose Conservation Act, well, that just seems like a waste of tax dollars. How are we supposed to live through the mild-to-uncomfortable winters without moose hides to keep us warm?

Like I said, this is why I vote for FFF. If they're gonna waste tax money, they may as well spend it on the something really out-there stupid like the Moose Conversation Act. Have you ever heard a moose talk? Me neither.

Like I said, this is why I vote for FFF. If they're gonna waste tax money, they may as well spend it on the something really out-there stupid like the Moose Conversation Act. Have you ever heard a moose talk? Me neither.

So, what, now they can't vote?

Species-ists, the lot of you!

Like I said, this is why I vote for FFF. If they're gonna waste tax money, they may as well spend it on the something really out-there stupid like the Moose Conversation Act. Have you ever heard a moose talk? Me neither.

So, what, now they can't vote?

Species-ists, the lot of you!

Invoking Godbot's Law

Instant loss of argument

Besides, if the frisbees aren't cleaned well, that's the Morthurians' own fault. They knew what they were getting into, and they could emigrate if they really cared.

At the pitiful level of wages they receive? And they're refugees! They should be treated better than this.

I can agree that it's an improvement over Madeupistan's inhumane policies, but that still doesn't mean it's acceptable. Lord Grathula can clearly afford to provide better housing and social services for them, but he refuses to. Not to mention that the Morthurian refugees are, on the whole, better educated than native Torvalians; Torvalia's economy was on the brink of collapse before the mass migration expanded their skilled labor force.

At a minimum, he should repeal the ban on Morthurians running for seats in Parliament. I don't see how they can be properly represented if they don't have the option of representing themselves.

If the Morthurians are receiving poor wages despite their education, that's hardly the government's fault. It's the fault of individual employers and their own bigotry, and the fact is that Lord Grathula-- even if he wanted to-- couldn't instate affirmative action on such a massive level as to overcome this. And offering government positions is simply implausible, unless we either went to war with Shnvegnya or simply invented a new department out of whole cloth.

Are you being willfully ignorant? The minimum wage in Torvalia is "one coconut", and the poverty line is set so low that many workers have to pay at least three-fourths of a coconut to the government with every paycheck.

Changing either of these facts - or even both - would greatly reduce the injustice, and is well within Lord Grathula's power. Yet he simply chooses to do nothing.

So tell me, then, Fogel. Why is it that the Lasturdins manage to eke out a perfectly viable living despite frequently working for less than minimum wage?! Perhaps the Morthurians could simply eat grass instead, like ordinary people. If they want the luxury of coconuts, they have to save, whether it's their religion or not.

You know perfectly well about all the tax loopholes benefiting the Lasturdins. After taxes, they're left with seven-eighths of a coconut! That's before we even get into the housing subsidies they're eligible for that are specifically designed to exclude Morthurians.

Okay, well.

In light of Lord Grathula's recent assassination, I feel I should note that while I opposed many of his policies, I do believe that the general direction he was taking the nation in was a significant improvement.

I do not believe this assassination was in any way justified, nor do I support the stated aims of the "Sons of Torvalia" terrorist organization that has claimed responsibility for his death.

But I do not see how bombarding Morthurian settlements with lasers from orbit is in any way a justifiable response to this assassination, especially considering the cost of assembling the satellites. Frankly, this looks like nothing more a giveaway to corporate interests and an appeal to anti-Morthurian sentiment so that Acting Lord Pluebenath can gain their support as he tries to turn his temporary position into a permanent one.

Fogel, it's quite obvious that the Morthurians are the source of the Sons of Torvalia. They did not act prior to this attack-- well, excepting their failed attempts to cover the subway in Marshmallow Fluff two years back-- which clearly means the new mastermind is a Morthurian.

That said, I distrust Acting Lord Pluebenath. If you ask me, he's a hypocrite and only toeing the party line in an effort to get re-elected. Personally, I'm seriously considering voting for Candidate Frebbleglang. At least he's honest.

We elected our first Rainbow President.

Just saying.

How's everyone doing after those elections, huh? I heard the Morthurians were rioting for weeks on end. I saw so many news clips with "Who Let the Dogs Out" played over them even the FFF knew it was done to death.

RIP Frebblebang. That Presidential Standoff, which quickly escalated into a Presidential Shootout, did not end well for you.

I'll miss Frebblebang. He was definitely the most competent out of the final three surviving candidates.

Frebbleglang was just pathetic. I can't believe he had a reputation for being "honest" when he was clearly hiding something. I'll admit, I was shocked to find out that "something" was leading the Sons of Torvalia, even I expected better from him. While I don't take joy in deaths, I do have to admit it was entertaining that he was shot by his own assassin, who couldn't remember which candidate he was supposed to shoot.

Oh, and surprise surprise - the assassin wasn't a Morthurian. In fact, there was only one Morthurian in the entire organization - and he'd disguised himself as a Ralgrion to infiltrate and uncover as many members as he could. Not to mention sabotaging the major attack they'd planned during the election.

In any case, I'm reasonably optimistic about the newly sworn-in President Frebbledang. I don't like the fact that most of his campaign money came from corporate donors, but based on his record as a Represenator, it seems more likely that he'll reward them with government contracts than with favorable legislation. Besides, given the fact that one-third of his Ministers are Morthurians, he'll have little choice but to confront the worst offenses unless he wants to weather the embarrassment of a significant portion of his Cabinet resigning at once.

We'll have to wait and see, but frankly, this was a better result than I expected.

I miss when Mothra wasn't President of the United States.

Those were simpler times.