2016 elections - because it's never too early

[The Minsky Moment]

Is there any good site I could read about Carson's or Trump's foreign policy stances?

I assume that was intended as wit.     The two candidates collective knowledge, understanding and experience in foreign policy would not fill a Dixie cup.

As for the stances:

Trump - "Just win baby"
Carson - the rapture is imminent.

[Valmy]

I can see the headlines now:

President Carson to Canada: REPENT

[Admiral Yi]

plus, there doesn't seem to be much savings culture there. i'm sure that adds to stress, which turns into drinking.

There, as in among 35-54 year olds?

[crazy canuck]

Is there any good site I could read about Carson's or Trump's foreign policy stances?

I assume that was intended as wit.   

[MadImmortalMan]

It seems to put the increased mortality rates not so much on lifestyle factors, but on drug overdoses, suicides, and liver diseases.  The rates of diabetes on the other hand have been quite constant.

Liver disease, suicides and poisoning suggests a high use of substances as an escape.

Why is that? Honestly I think part of it is that people simply feel too limited in life. That's why hope was such a powerful message for Obama. It's just one word, but it's something lots of people don't have. And not because they can't do stuff, but because there are too many rules and limitations. That's not solely a political problem though.

[crazy canuck]

What rules and limitations do you think exist that prevent people in the United States from feeling too limited in life?

[Eddie Teach]

What rules and limitations do you think exist that prevent people in the United States from feeling too limited in life?

I don't think it's possible to prevent that.

[Valmy]

What rules and limitations do you think exist that prevent people in the United States from feeling too limited in life?

The rules that require them to pay money for things I guess.

[jimmy olsen]

Yeah, I think extremism does lend itself to the American model of government.  There is no such thing as a government losing confidence votes and so there is no incentive to elect members to a government that can actually govern.

That wasn't a problem for 200 years.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, I think extremism does lend itself to the American model of government.  There is no such thing as a government losing confidence votes and so there is no incentive to elect members to a government that can actually govern.

That wasn't a problem for 200 years.

Yeah, things like civil wars and such never plagued your nation 

[crazy canuck]

What rules and limitations do you think exist that prevent people in the United States from feeling too limited in life?

The rules that require them to pay money for things I guess.

Like what?  Seems to me he is making an ideological argument that somehow the US is so restrictive that US citizens have lost hope. 

[MadImmortalMan]

Like what?  Seems to me he is making an ideological argument that somehow the US is so restrictive that US citizens have lost hope.

Not ideological, really.

It's just harder to accomplish things. Housing is incredibly expensive, most jobs require degrees, debt is ubiquitous, it's more difficult to recover from mistakes people make in life (no starting over), wages stay depressed and costs don't, most people can't save money, if they can save they can't get a return on it, can't even set up a lemonade stand without getting six permits, etc.

[viper37]

Ministers are normally drawn from the governing party yes.  But there is no constitutional requirement that only government side MPs be appointed and there have been exceptions.  Having said that I think that it is very much a strength of our system that the cabinet is drawn from elected MPs.  Not sure why you think it is a weakness.  Lastly given the number of MPs who are newly and appointed as ministers your final sentence is, at best, dubious.

Parliamentary comittees are chosen from all parties, but the majority party control the committee.

How often did a law proposed by a majority government was rejected by the parliament in 1st or 2nd reading?  Not every often.

[jimmy olsen]

Yeah, I think extremism does lend itself to the American model of government.  There is no such thing as a government losing confidence votes and so there is no incentive to elect members to a government that can actually govern.

That wasn't a problem for 200 years.

Yeah, things like civil wars and such never plagued your nation 

Fire eaters never tried to shut down the government and default on the debt that I can remember.

[crazy canuck]

Like what?  Seems to me he is making an ideological argument that somehow the US is so restrictive that US citizens have lost hope.

Not ideological, really.

It's just harder to accomplish things. Housing is incredibly expensive, most jobs require degrees, debt is ubiquitous, it's more difficult to recover from mistakes people make in life (no starting over), wages stay depressed and costs don't, most people can't save money, if they can save they can't get a return on it, can't even set up a lemonade stand without getting six permits, etc.

What rules made housing expensive?  I thought you were supporting the argument that interest rates were artificially low in the other thread.  The fact that most jobs now require a degree isn't a rule.  It is what the job market now demands.  I agree that is it difficult to get ahead in the US.  Social mobility in your country is declining.  But I don't think it is because there are too many rules but rather too few.  Deregulation of the financial sector was disastrous, lack of public health care and the rules which govern it (not Obamacare but real single payor public health care) creates terrible inequity. Your income tax system needs better rules so that the wealthy actually pay tax.  There is a lot that could be done to help the despondent but I don't think the prevailing ideology of the US would ever permit it to occur.