Brin Imagines a Better Politics

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Michael Froomkin

David Brin writes excellent science fiction, and now he’s branched out in to fantasy — political fanatsy: Why the Candidates Should (But Won’t) Stipulate.

I just wish they’d stipulate some basic facts and statistics so we could have real debates about policies based on consistent, real-dollar numbers. But that makes scary ads a lot harder.

Meanwhile, I look forward to Brin’s suggestions as to how we apply Uplift to the radical elements that have taken over the GOP.

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5 Responses to Brin Imagines a Better Politics

  1. Jewish Marksman says:
    September 28, 2012 at 11:20 pm

    “Meanwhile, I look forward to Brin’s suggestions as to how we apply Uplift to the radical elements that have taken over the GOP.”

    Ditto for the masses of Democratic voters who are too stupid to figure out how to obtain a photo ID.

    • Michael Froomkin says:
      September 29, 2012 at 9:29 am

      Why don’t you acquire some facts before repeating that tired canard?

      Witnesses recall hurdles to get Pennsylvania voter ID

      A dozen witnesses testified on Thursday about the hours-long waits, multiple trips and misinformation they experienced in getting the voter ID cards required under a Pennsylvania law that a judge will soon decide whether to block.

      On the second day of hearings called by Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson, a parade of witnesses, including one in a wheelchair and another who walks with a cane, spoke about the hurdles they faced to get the cards before the November 6 presidential election.

      …

      In court on Thursday, Doris Clark, 68, who uses a cane and doesn’t drive, testified about her confusing and frustrating quest for ID. She recalled hours-long waits and government mistakes that forced her to make three trips to PennDOT, the state agency that issues the IDs, and two trips to the U.S. Social Security Administration, one source of the necessary documents to secure the ID.

      On her third visit a PennDOT worker turned her down because her maiden name is on her birth certificate but her married name is on her Social Security documents.

      “I’m handicapped. I’ve done all that I can do and I can’t vote,” she testified about her reaction to the rejection.

      Eventually, she got her card.

      Other voters, including one in a wheelchair, said they too overcame enormous challenges to get their voter ID cards.

      …

      Frustration and resentment was evident on Thursday across the state at a Philadelphia PennDOT office that was packed with about 200 people seeking voter ID cards, most of them African American.

      • Jewish Marksman says:
        September 29, 2012 at 12:29 pm

        Wow! A whopping 12 people too dumb to figure out how to get an ID, so we should simply allow anyone with a heartbeat to vote in a US election, including all the illegal immigrants!

        But hey, can’t stand in the way of Obama’s “free stuff for all!” agenda.

      • Jewish Marksman says:
        September 29, 2012 at 8:56 pm

        Yeah and when I was a kid I walked 20 miles in the snow every day to get to school. Whatever. They can quit whining, go get their ID and vote.

        Then they can elect new officials who will fire everyone at their DMV and outsource it to a private outfit that won’t offer extravagant pensions for such incompetence.

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