Monday, October 14, 2013

Parliamentary System better than Presidential by Louis Evan Palmer



One of the frequent observations during the Watergate scandal was that if the United States had been a parliamentary democracy, the whole thing would have been resolved quickly via losing a vote of confidence followed by an election.

The same observation holds true now during the current American budget-related crisis (which is
more of a manufactured crisis than a real one). If the U.S. was a parliamentary democracy, it would
not have even been an issue as the party in power decides what the budget is and has primacy
in setting out economic policy. This unnecessary bargaining between the so-called executive and legislative functions would be done away with.

The set dates that have come with a presidential system also contribute to the dysfunction.
It devolves into constant fund-raising and it sets up the potential targets for any and all adversaries.
In effect, you know what your "target" will doing during the set terms. The North Vietnamese geared many of their ultimately successful efforts around presidential elections.

There are clearly Pros and Cons for both systems but the flaws of the presidential system are
deeper and more dangerous. They may, in fact, drag the whole world into an abyss.

Parliamentary System better than Presidential, Louis Evan Palmer, The Way It Can Be
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Support his art, ideas and worldview, Order books by Louis Evan Palmer: the novel "Oaklane Woods"; short stories "Tales Told to a Tree"; poems "40 Poem Fragments". Order via Kindle link at right of screen Copyright 2013 Louis Evan Palmer He lives in Ontario Canada. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications.

Sunday, October 06, 2013

Econo Man by Louis Evan Palmer

It's a construct of the age of capital - a person devoid of characteristics unrelated to the production of goods and services. People as units of work, cogs in a mechanical process, numbers in a formula. It has existed through history whenever there was a monumental project, but not in theory, only in practice for a special project; typically, a type of public building or conveyance.

However, as these things are wont, it had mutated into a theoretical construct where feelings of  responsibility on the part of the owner are circumscribed by the tight bounds of the work itself. Nothing
beyond. Nothing substantive or heartfelt about communities, families or the future. Dribs and drabs of public relations, a list of varying lengths of checkboxes.

We now labour in the shadow of the "corporate person" as manifest by the pirate-like figures who
populate the executive suites. "Econo Man" struts or drudges his short time here and there, trying to stay afloat on the managerial trends that surge in and out. The real persons are lashed and prodded
by debt and its surrogates while the "corporate person" wiggles out of the normal obligations incumbent on a regular person. Enjoying the benefits, escaping the costs of accountability if big enough.

Since "econo man" is essentially the middle class, to preserve and improve society, we must protect and
encourage the middle class. This means less "bigness" - especially in governments, corporations and unions.
 
The Way It Can Be, Louis Evan Palmer, Econo Man
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Support his art, ideas and worldview, Order books by Louis Evan Palmer: the novel "Oaklane Woods"; short stories "Tales Told to a Tree"; poems "40 Poem Fragments". Order via Kindle link at right of screen Copyright 2012 Louis Evan Palmer He lives in Ontario Canada. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications.