Governmental systems

[Citizen James]

A life of luxury vs. your ideals.  Would you rather:

Live in a totalitarian state as a member of the ruling elite - you have some minor influence on policy, but you get nice perks - a mansion with servants, a regular supply of quality food, a high degree of personal safety from the hoi paloi thanks to the ruthless secret police, a thirty hour a week desk job with good pay, and no taxes.

or

A democratic republic as a member of the middle class - your vote counts as much as anyone elses, you have a house in the suburbs (or whereever you want to live) with a mortage to match.  Society is fairly safe, though you still have to be careful at times.  You have a full time (40 hr/week) job which pays decently but sometimes requires overtime (1-2 hours half the time 5-10 hours once every other month), from which you pay about a third in taxes, and a fifth in other withholding fees (SSI, SDI, FICA, etc.)

[2952-0-0]

The freer one, by far.

[Jake]

Totalitarian as one of the elite

[A18]

The second, but the less democratic that republic, the better.

[Gabu]

The second, but the less democratic that republic, the better.

Wouldn't the least democratic be the first option?

[A18]

The second, but the less democratic that republic, the better.

Wouldn't the least democratic be the first option?

No, the people should vote, but there should be a Bill of Rights, an independent judiciary (but not corrupt, like our current one), a balanced budget amendment, a three-fifths majority rule for raising taxes, a constitutional ban on direct taxes, etc.

[Frodo]

Totalitarian as one of the elite

at least you're honest.

[Erc]

The totalitarian state.   Hey, I'm just being honest here.

Assuming, of course, that corruption isn't too endemic and that there isn't the danger of messy revolution.  Because then I'd be the first up against the wall, which is not a good thing...not that it'd be much different if revolution came to Massachusetts, of course.

[Democratic Hawk]

I voted Option 2 - but stable democratic monarchy is more appropriate as far as I go

Dave

[Alcon]

I'm going to be completely honest: I've never really been that interested in being rich. All I want is a decent middle class (maybe upper middle class) life with a stable job. I don't need six swimming pools. That just seems like overcomplication.

[Richard]

A life of luxury vs. your ideals.  Would you rather:

Live in a totalitarian state as a member of the ruling elite - you have some minor influence on policy, but you get nice perks - a mansion with servants, a regular supply of quality food, a high degree of personal safety from the hoi paloi thanks to the ruthless secret police, a thirty hour a week desk job with good pay, and no taxes.

Assuming it is my kind of totalitarian state where virtually no one pays taxes, only a few levies and duties, free trade, lots of personal freedoms, etc.

[ragnar]

The totalitarian state.   Hey, I'm just being honest here.

Assuming, of course, that corruption isn't too endemic and that there isn't the danger of messy revolution.  Because then I'd be the first up against the wall, which is not a good thing...not that it'd be much different if revolution came to Massachusetts, of course.

there is always the danger of a messy revolution.

[Jake]

Totalitarian as one of the elite

at least you're honest.

If everyone was honest, 95% would become the dictator. It's human nature to want absolute control, no need to deny it. While people may say "I don't need six swimming pools", they do want that power that comes with being the most powerful person in the nation.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'm going to be completely honest: I've never really been that interested in being rich. All I want is a decent middle class (maybe upper middle class) life with a stable job. I don't need six swimming pools. That just seems like overcomplication.

why is it whenever I say this people say I'm crazy? Are people going to call you crazy now?

[dazzleman]

I'm going to be completely honest: I've never really been that interested in being rich. All I want is a decent middle class (maybe upper middle class) life with a stable job. I don't need six swimming pools. That just seems like overcomplication.

why is it whenever I say this people say I'm crazy? Are people going to call you crazy now?

You don't say this.  You want the life of a poor person, not a middle class person.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I never said that I want to be homeless or live off food shelters and welfare, etc.

[A18]

Totalitarian as one of the elite

at least you're honest.

If everyone was honest, 95% would become the dictator. It's human nature to want absolute control, no need to deny it. While people may say "I don't need six swimming pools", they do want that power that comes with being the most powerful person in the nation.

No, I really don't want to be a corrupt despot. Maybe that's just me.

[David S]

I'm going to be completely honest: I've never really been that interested in being rich. All I want is a decent middle class (maybe upper middle class) life with a stable job. I don't need six swimming pools. That just seems like overcomplication.

why is it whenever I say this people say I'm crazy? Are people going to call you crazy now?

You want to be poor to lower middle class.
Alcon wants to be middle class or upper middle class. He may find the thing that keeps him from reaching upper middle class is the income tax.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You people are missing the point, I don't "want" to be anything, I just don't see what I would do with income over $30k. That'd be almost 3x as much as I make now, and as fun as it'd be, I can't spend 2/3 of my income on extra records and lapdances. The only things I can see someone buying with so much income is garbage like designer clothes, expensive autos and suburban housing.