It's Getting Real In Libya

I think by far the best solution (and one practiced by most Western countries) is just to limit the power of the president. Even the sanest of people will go a bit nuts if they suddenly find themselves with the ability to do literally whatever they want (see: every pop star ever), and I honestly believe that simple fact is more to blame for Gaddaffi etc than any underlying mental problem. In England or America, if the Prime Minister or the President suddenly goes insane, there are scores of steps that have to be taken and hundreds of people that any major decision has to go through before they have any power whatsoever. Likewise, freedom of the media keeps them in check (so no major decadence, no crazy decisions, no rockstar lifestyle).

Zoot wrote:

Some sort of mandatory psychological competency test for elective office, sort of like what we give police officers. Getting a low rating doesn't prohibit you from running and holding office but the results must be posted on a public internet site with instructions on how to interpret them.

Every speech (possibly only major ones defined by some mutually agreed criteria) given by an elected official will be monitored by electronic lie detectors calibrated to deal with the ability of a psychopath to lie convincingly. Data along with a video will be stored at a public internet site so the public can see when the speaker lied and what about.

Psychological testing like that is too easy to be corrupted. Any psychologist or any useless schmuck with a psychology degree (but then, I repeat myself ), could write up any candidate they don't like as insane.

The lie detector idea 1.) Won't work given the level of technology we have now 2.) Is an almost laughably unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

Back to the drawing board, you halfwitted wanna-be philosopher.

Also psychological testing only works if you're already insane. And even then not always.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

The lie detector idea... is an almost laughably unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

Not everywhere is America. Also that's no restriction on free speech, that's accusing someone of lying, which is in itself a form of freedom of speech.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

halfwitted wanna-be philosopher.

I think you just described yourself minus the 1/2 wits. Pathetic.

Seule wrote:

I think by far the best solution (and one practiced by most Western countries) is just to limit the power of the president. Even the sanest of people will go a bit nuts if they suddenly find themselves with the ability to do literally whatever they want (see: every pop star ever), and I honestly believe that simple fact is more to blame for Gaddaffi etc than any underlying mental problem. In England or America, if the Prime Minister or the President suddenly goes insane, there are scores of steps that have to be taken and hundreds of people that any major decision has to go through before they have any power whatsoever. Likewise, freedom of the media keeps them in check (so no major decadence, no crazy decisions, no rockstar lifestyle).

There is disturbing evidence that our congress is close to that edge unless you discount the continuing debt limit crisis and the failure to address other serious financial issues. Actually the media is so corrupted that I don't think it is capable of fulfilling its historical function as the fourth estate. I can't think of anything more insane than a president beginning a 9 year long war for for completely false reasons, yet here we are. An insane leader is sometimes hard to identify if he has a good spin control team.

You can easily fake a lie detector by practicing and remaining calm.

Seule wrote:

Also psychological testing only works if you're already insane. And even then not always.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

The lie detector idea... is an almost laughably unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

Not everywhere is America. Also that's no restriction on free speech, that's accusing someone of lying, which is in itself a form of freedom of speech.

1.) Any place without significant freedom of speech is doomed to be a shit hole regardless
2.) Requiring someone to be wired to a machine to speak in public is a goddamn restriction on free speech.

zootie wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

halfwitted wanna-be philosopher.

I think you just described yourself minus the 1/2 wits. Pathetic.

I award you 4/5 Chris91s.

zootie wrote:

I can't think of anything more insane than a president beginning a 9 year long war for for completely false reasons

Like it or not, We the People bought those reasons. Also, politicians lying doesn't really count as insanity.

In fact, you could argue that banning politicians from lying would make it more likely for a psychopath to be elected - assuming that it's never going to be sunshine and roses, only the people that could beat a lie detector or find another way to get in would pass.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

2.) Requiring someone to be wired to a machine to speak in public is a goddamn restriction on free speech.

we could do without those silly microphones.

Seule wrote:

In fact, you could argue that banning politicians from lying would make it more likely for a psychopath to be elected - assuming that it's never going to be sunshine and roses, only the people that could beat a lie detector or find another way to get in would pass.

And then we get into all the subjectivity of "what is a lie?" Half-truths? Manipulative, selective uses of the truth? Can you blame having bad information that you believed at the time?

And that's not even getting into the fact that you can fool a lie detector by tightening your sphincter (and what an educational episode of Penn&Teller Bullshit that was).

Azzandra wrote:

And that's not even getting into the fact that you can fool a lie detector by tightening your sphincter (and what an educational episode of Penn&Teller Bullshit that was).

Yeah, lie detectors are generally pretty crap. IIRC you pretty much get false positives just by being nervous (you know, like you would be if you were told to do a goddamn lie detector test). One thing I read even said it was more suspicious not to get false positives.

Penguin wrote:

Like it or not, We the People bought those reasons. Also, politicians lying doesn't really count as insanity.

Actually not me. I did some protesting on the streets at least until the shock and awe thing. And sending letters to my representatives including the president telling them how dangerous and stupid an invasion was. And giving a bit of cash to anti-war political campaigns. As far as the other, there are lies and impeachable offenses. Afterward I was calling for impeachment right to the end of the Bush administration. There was sufficient evidence to anyone who could read that Bush, Cheny, and Rumsfield were criminals and possibly traitors. I guess I'm one of the sane 1% in this case.

zootie wrote:

Penguin wrote:

Like it or not, We the People bought those reasons. Also, politicians lying doesn't really count as insanity.

Actually not me. ... I guess I'm one of the sane 1% in this case.

Your last sentence is exactly why the first does not matter.

Penguin wrote:

Your last sentence is exactly why the first does not matter.

LOL And what matters to you pengie? I stand up for reason and common sense as imperfect as my understanding may be. What do you stand for?

Reason and common sense don't have anything to do with what you're talking about. You're denouncing nearly everyone as insane for being deceived by lies. If you think you're the exception, you're lying to yourself.

As for what I stand for...

i want to leave the world a better place than i found it.

zeke wrote:

i want to leave the world a better place than i found it.

Then learn from history.

Lady Anne wrote:

zeke wrote:

i want to leave the world a better place than i found it.

Then learn from history.

History indicates you have no idea what you're talking about. So if I take your advice, I have to ignore you.

Kiff, we have a conundrum.

Penguin wrote:

Reason and common sense don't have anything to do with what you're talking about. You're denouncing nearly everyone as insane for being deceived by lies. If you think you're the exception, you're lying to yourself.

Ah but I am the exception! Reason and common sense have everything to do with what I'm talking about. Sorry you bought the lies.