use Perl

• Circus (Score:1)

  by jamiemccarthy (664)

  Philosophy aside, what has happened here is that once again, a handful of extremely wealthy Republicans have made us a laughingstock to the rest of the world. We have Gary Coleman on the ballot to lead the fifth largest economy in the world.

  And what's funny is that if the vote were held today, Arnold would win and he has no more experience than Gary.
  • Re:Circus (Score:2)

    by pudge (1)

    The people of California decided they wanted it to work this way. You call it a circus, which it may be, but it is, in fact, what the people of California chose when they created the recall, and when they used it in the past. Calling it a circus and saying it makes us look like a laughingstock -- whether true or not -- are completely irrelevant and uninteresting assertions to me.
    
    Saying it is a "handful of extremely wealthy Republicans" ... it seems like you are trying to paint it as some fringe element c
    • Re:Circus (Score:2)

      by TorgoX (1933)

      The people of California decided they wanted it to work this way.

      I am a people of California, and I was not asked!

      The proceduralist perspective comes down to: dead people who you don't know set it up this way for you and unless you follow the other process the dead peopleset up for changing it, then it will stay this way and therefore all is as it should be.

      Well, no; if something is ridiculously broken, then pointing out that every step followed the letter of The Law (or, in Californian, The Lah) does
      • Re:Circus (Score:2)

        by pudge (1) on 2003.08.10 21:18 (#22975) Homepage Journal

        I am a people of California, and I was not asked!
        
        Sucks to be you. Especially living in Alaska!
        
        The proceduralist perspective comes down to: dead people who you don't know set it up this way for you and unless you follow the other process the dead peopleset up for changing it, then it will stay this way and therefore all is as it should be.
        
        Yes, that is exactly right, and good.
        
        Well, no; if something is ridiculously broken, then pointing out that every step followed the letter of The Law (or, in Californian, The Lah) does little good other than to demonstrate the eternal inanity of merely following the letter of the law.
        
        Well, no; if something is in your opinion broken, then you work to change it. Simply complaining that, in your opinion, it is broken does little good other than to demonstrate that you lack ability to actually get something done.
        
        And it's not like this is old law that hasn't been used in California. This is not some anachronism, some procedure brought out of the cobwebs to see light for the first time in many years. It is something everyone who knows California politics has known about for a long time, and something they have all had ample opportunity to try to change long before now. I participated in a successful recall election in California, about 10 years ago, and recalls are almost constantly being threatened against unpopular politicians.
        
        If people didn't like it, they could have worked to change the law. Complaining about it being ridiculously broken now is uninteresting. And because I want to make sure this news story's Sports Analogy Quota is met: you can't change the rules halfway through the game.
        
        Also, normally when people use the phrase "the letter of the law" they are trying to contrast it to the spirit, or the intent, of the law. But in this case, I don't see how that is useful, as the letter and the intent of the law are being followed. To keep on the safe side of our Quota: the recall is to California politics as the instant replay is to football. It is a part of the game, it is something everyone knows about; but it is not always used, and is not integral to the game itself. But just because it is not always used doesn't mean using it is following the letter of the rules, but not the spirit; it is both. If you don't like the instant replay you can try to get rid of it, but for now, it is there, and you use it if you feel it is appropriate.
        

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