Fortunately It's The Bearpit

[Georgie-Porgie]

On a federal level, we don't normally have referendums.  We voted to send them to congress and they have to earn their keep.  Not duck the issue and ask us to vote on it.  They (elected representatives in both houses) pay a fair amount of attention to 1. poles 2. letter and emails 3. Lobbyists.  But not in the order I mentioned.  And if they had referendums on important stuff, all those lobbyists might be on half pay. 

On a state by state level it varies widely.  Where I grew up in the midwest, there were darn few referendums.  Things worked pretty much on the state level as they did on the federal level.  The state I currently live in has a referendum everytime a bird poo's.  Well, maybe not quite that often, but close.  It is almost a waste of time to send anyone to the capitol since they are going to either 1. Vote to have a referendum or 2. Pass a law and then opponents get enough citizen signatures to vote on overturning said law in a referendum. 

Jeepz

Wow. What a coincidence. That was going to be my exact answer, but Jeepz just beat me to it (see, I am learning something from the gentleman)!

[Georgie-Porgie]

I don't pay too much attention to what polititians say on TV, if that is what you mean by "my country", otherwise, "my government" lets me make up my own mind about Iraq, and everything else.

I haven't been to Iraq, but some old freinds have.

I am a prolific reader and don't only stick to American periodicals, but, just to let you know, their coverage isn't too much different than other countries. Most good newspapers and magazines in the U.S. present excellent articles supporting all different points of view, and they are often reprinted from other major news sources from around the World.

Thats the point though Georgie, I have been there, I also have mates there now and I also get first hand knowledge due to my history with this kind of thing. You get your info, third hand, so how would you know anything?

ITS NOT REALLY A MOVIE - ITS REAL!

There is another point, g-man. I can tell from your old posts that you retired from the military at least 6 years ago, maybe 10. That tells me that you were probably in that area for the first Gulf War, but how much inside knowledge could you get from then that would apply now?

Are you fluent in the Arab language (if that is what is spoken in Iraq)?

Also, you say that you have first-hand knowledge of what is going on in Iraq right now, but how could you? First-hand means that you experienced something yourself. You are in Phuket arguing with me on the Internet every day.

So, you have friends there, I have friends there. You read the newspaper, I read the newspaper. We are about even on that score.

[davidm]

Last referendum in the UK was about the entry into the Euro by the way. And I know other European countries use referendums too.

I thought Labour ducked that one when they realised they hadn't a hope in h3ll of winning. Excuse my memory lapse; when did it take place and what was the result?

[the gentleman]

I don't pay too much attention to what polititians say on TV, if that is what you mean by "my country", otherwise, "my government" lets me make up my own mind about Iraq, and everything else.

I haven't been to Iraq, but some old freinds have.

I am a prolific reader and don't only stick to American periodicals, but, just to let you know, their coverage isn't too much different than other countries. Most good newspapers and magazines in the U.S. present excellent articles supporting all different points of view, and they are often reprinted from other major news sources from around the World.

Thats the point though Georgie, I have been there, I also have mates there now and I also get first hand knowledge due to my history with this kind of thing. You get your info, third hand, so how would you know anything?

ITS NOT REALLY A MOVIE - ITS REAL!

There is another point, g-man. I can tell from your old posts that you retired from the military at least 6 years ago, maybe 10. That tells me that you were probably in that area for the first Gulf War, but how much inside knowledge could you get from then that would apply now?

Are you fluent in the Arab language (if that is what is spoken in Iraq)?

Also, you say that you have first-hand knowledge of what is going on in Iraq right now, but how could you? First-hand means that you experienced something yourself. You are in Phuket arguing with me on the Internet every day.

So, you have friends there, I have friends there. You read the newspaper, I read the newspaper. We are about even on that score.

Georgie, yes it has been a while since I was part of that, but I still have mates, like Basher in Nigeria and others in some more extreme areas, even after all you have researched and posted, you really do not know what I/we did/do, so watch TV and then post what you hear

[Georgie-Porgie]

Come on with the bullsh1t. You are semi-illiterate; You can barely read or write but you really know what is going on in Iraq, in the Whitehouse, and everywhere around the the world? Sure Dummy.

[the gentleman]

with all that job hunting and hoaring in Bangkok Georgie, when do you get time to see the news

[Basher]

Last referendum in the UK was about the entry into the Euro by the way. And I know other European countries use referendums too.

I thought Labour ducked that one when they realised they hadn't a hope in h3ll of winning. Excuse my memory lapse; when did it take place and what was the result?

You know I think you are right it was put off, but I still got the info I was after about US Political system, so no harm, but thanks for putting me straight

Basher