FLORIDA! FLORIDA! FLORIDA!

[paulcs]

Again, if I'm not mistaken, Texas has a weak governor system. I doubt there is much the Governor and President-apparent could do to greatly improve or screw up Texas's economy. Real power in the state is held by Texas's very famous Legislature.

Texas's economy seems to me to being in perpetual "boom or bust" mode, and this is tied directly into OPEC's oil pricing. I'm pretty sure the Governor didn't have much too do with escalating oil prices.

As for education, the expressions "fastest growing" and "most improved" always sound an alarm in my head. Inevitably, the person or people making the claim are saying, "look at me. I'm the biggest midget." They damn themselves with faint praise.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[This message has been edited by paulcs (edited 10 November 2000).]

[paulcs]

True. It's difficult to compare a parlimentary democracy with a republican system like the US's or even France's. The US and France have a elected Chief of State with broad powers. The UK and Canada have a herediary monarch as Chief of State: Elizabeth II, Queen of England (and Elector of Hanover )

The UK, Canada, and France have Heads of Government, Prime Ministers. If I'm not mistaken, Canada's Head of Government is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, so he is not directly elected by the general population either. The Prime Minister forms a cabinet, and much of the day to day business of government is managed by the cabinet and bureaucracy. This is the case in many, if not most, parlimentary systems. (France has a strong, elected President, so their system has elements similar to the US's and traditional parlimentary systems.)

To complicate matters further, I believe members of Canada's Senate are appointed by the Governor General who, I believe, is appointed by the British monarch and Elector of Hanover.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[DentyCracker]

Hehehehehe
ROTFLMAO
This is too f**kin' funny man
Personally I want Bush to win, I just do not trust Al Gore, never have, and dislike Tipper. Either way nothing's in it for me except perhaps personal satisfaction. The relationship between our countries will not substantially change. I'll still be black and non Cuban and will get the same treatment when I apply for a non-immigrant Visa to enter the states (which I am doing next month only because my company wants to send me up on specialized CompaQ and HP training). It is interesting to see people bitch about something after the horse is put the gates. I have seen pictures of the offending ballot and I would not admit to anybody that I was confused by that It looks pretty straightforward to me and if one is confused by that then one shouldn't be voting anyway.

[paulcs]

They were used here in California, in San Diego in 1990, and they had a debacle of sorts.

You'd think the arrow would be a tip off.

Their are a lot of old people in that part of Florida, so I can understand some of it. But I've seen a few interviews with women in their forties and fifties who made the same mistake. Presumably, they're not the brightest people on the planet.

Florida's law about ballots are pretty specific. The ballots in question are clearly illegal. Whether or not that constitutes legal cause to do over the balloting is up to Florida.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Himself]

Yeah, there's lot's of crap still on the books, the reality is that the Queen of England is about as relevant as a bag of Tostitos when it comes to Canadian politics, or anything else for that matter. That kind of stuff is only kept around because it's a tradition, a part of the cultural heritage, a connection with the past, like 100 year old buildings that are preserved. It does no harm keeping it there on the one hand and it would piss off some senior citizens on the other if a politician were to try to get rid of it. If the Canadian Alliance Party get in, they might take a crack at stuff like that. For all intents of purposes, the head of state is the PM, that's it. The Governor General, the Senate, Queen, powerless fluff, like a hat on a traditional Mounty uniform.

If you want a region that was really screwed up by the UK in the past, read up on Newfoundland history some time.