8 ms·

Patent trolls would be OK if they couldn’t go after small companies. What’s worse is they prioritize small companies. In fact, buying patents and then suing mak

Patent trolls would be OK if they couldn’t go after small companies. What’s worse is they prioritize small companies. In fact, buying patents and then suing makes IP from fundamentally valuable. I am generally OK with that, but not when it discourages startup ecosystems which are a huge source of real innovation. What I’d love to see would be the democrat party to refocus their policies to shift towards small business against large corporations. Re-invent the American Dream. This could tie in well with the green new deal. Rather than talk about jobs, talk about the tens of thousands of small businesses.

leesalminen 8y ago
I don’t think the Democrat party will be going anywhere but to the extreme left of socialist ideals for the next few election cycles. Conversely, the Republicans will continue moving further to the right with extreme capitalist ideals. I’ve pondered if Newton’s laws of physics applies to our 2 party political system. There seems to be an equal yet opposite reaction (see Trump and AOC). I think we need a 3rd party in our country. Maybe it could be coined “the middle party”?
- nestorD 8y ago
  Not equal apparently : https://youtu.be/mICxKmCjF-4 https://youtu.be/mICxKmCjF-4
  - leesalminen 8y ago
    A title of “Admit it. The Republicans have broken politics” and being published by Vox fills me with confidence that this will be an unbiased report based solely in fact. Definitely. This is clearly an opinion and not news nor fact. The real fact is that Republicans are American, just like Democrats. We are all responsible for breaking our country. Every. Single. One. Of. Us.
    - jessaustin 8y ago
      Republicans and Democrats most of all. If voters would stop voting for them, we'd have better people in office.
      - r00fus 8y ago
        We have a first past the post plurality voting system. In this system the stable state is 2 parties. Any more create a spoiler effect [1]. Fix that and 3rd parties would bloom. Any wishing for 3rd party+ saving the people without a change to the rules is fantasy. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoiler_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoiler_effect
      - leesalminen 8y ago
        This is the most rational thing I’ve read on this thread. Agree 1000%.
    - close04 8y ago
      > We are all responsible for breaking our country. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. That's not how it works. Unless all Americans are responsible for an American barn catching fire because the American owner tossed an American cigarette butt inside. No, politics get ruined by politicians. And politicians are put there by some of the people. Not all of the people. I know you'd like to lessen the burden on your shoulders and try to spread the blame also towards the people who voted against them. But if you voted for the current crop of politicians ruling your country you (and all others casting the same vote) are directly responsible for the state it's in. Being ashamed of that and diverting the blame just implies you accept you voted for the wrong people.
      - leesalminen 8y ago
        So what you’re saying is that all problems in our country are caused by the current administration and that democrats have never done anything detrimental to the country? It would seem to me that you’re the one assigning blame away from yourself. I blame all of us equally for allowing us to get to where we are today. I’m equally unimpressed with this administration as the last.
- mikeash 8y ago
  Note that “Democrat Party” is a slur created by Republicans. The name of the party is the Democratic Party.
  - leesalminen 8y ago
    Never knew that. Wikipedia does confirm that Democratic Party members dislike the term. Still though, a slur? Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me. Grow up.
    - mikeash 8y ago
      “Slur” is a matter of intent by the user. It fits.
      - leesalminen 8y ago
        Right, because I just said I had never heard of anyone being offended by the term that is frequently used on broadcast television. Perhaps we should contact the FCC and let them know epithets and slurs are being used on TV with alarming frequency?
        mikeash 8y ago
        The meaning of the word has nothing to do with successfully offending the target, and I’m pretty sure the FCC doesn’t have any general rule against slurs. And yes, it sees a lot of use. A testament to the effectiveness of the Republican propaganda machine.
      - fwip 8y ago
        No, it doesn't. Saying that somebody is "a rude boy" doesn't make "rude" a slur.
        mikeash 8y ago
        “an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo” Pretty sure it does!
- justanother 8y ago
  Socialist? I've never seen the Democratic Party advocate seizure of the means of production by workers. Medicare expansion or state-funded education is by comparison more properly called "social democracy" or even "state capitalism."

leesalminen 8y ago

I don’t think the Democrat party will be going anywhere but to the extreme left of socialist ideals for the next few election cycles. Conversely, the Republicans will continue moving further to the right with extreme capitalist ideals. I’ve pondered if Newton’s laws of physics applies to our 2 party political system. There seems to be an equal yet opposite reaction (see Trump and AOC). I think we need a 3rd party in our country. Maybe it could be coined “the middle party”?

nestorD 8y ago
Not equal apparently : https://youtu.be/mICxKmCjF-4 https://youtu.be/mICxKmCjF-4
- leesalminen 8y ago
  A title of “Admit it. The Republicans have broken politics” and being published by Vox fills me with confidence that this will be an unbiased report based solely in fact. Definitely. This is clearly an opinion and not news nor fact. The real fact is that Republicans are American, just like Democrats. We are all responsible for breaking our country. Every. Single. One. Of. Us.
  - jessaustin 8y ago
    Republicans and Democrats most of all. If voters would stop voting for them, we'd have better people in office.
    - r00fus 8y ago
      We have a first past the post plurality voting system. In this system the stable state is 2 parties. Any more create a spoiler effect [1]. Fix that and 3rd parties would bloom. Any wishing for 3rd party+ saving the people without a change to the rules is fantasy. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoiler_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoiler_effect
    - leesalminen 8y ago
      This is the most rational thing I’ve read on this thread. Agree 1000%.
  - close04 8y ago
    > We are all responsible for breaking our country. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. That's not how it works. Unless all Americans are responsible for an American barn catching fire because the American owner tossed an American cigarette butt inside. No, politics get ruined by politicians. And politicians are put there by some of the people. Not all of the people. I know you'd like to lessen the burden on your shoulders and try to spread the blame also towards the people who voted against them. But if you voted for the current crop of politicians ruling your country you (and all others casting the same vote) are directly responsible for the state it's in. Being ashamed of that and diverting the blame just implies you accept you voted for the wrong people.
    - leesalminen 8y ago
      So what you’re saying is that all problems in our country are caused by the current administration and that democrats have never done anything detrimental to the country? It would seem to me that you’re the one assigning blame away from yourself. I blame all of us equally for allowing us to get to where we are today. I’m equally unimpressed with this administration as the last.
mikeash 8y ago
Note that “Democrat Party” is a slur created by Republicans. The name of the party is the Democratic Party.
- leesalminen 8y ago
  Never knew that. Wikipedia does confirm that Democratic Party members dislike the term. Still though, a slur? Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me. Grow up.
  - mikeash 8y ago
    “Slur” is a matter of intent by the user. It fits.
    - leesalminen 8y ago
      Right, because I just said I had never heard of anyone being offended by the term that is frequently used on broadcast television. Perhaps we should contact the FCC and let them know epithets and slurs are being used on TV with alarming frequency?
      - mikeash 8y ago
        The meaning of the word has nothing to do with successfully offending the target, and I’m pretty sure the FCC doesn’t have any general rule against slurs. And yes, it sees a lot of use. A testament to the effectiveness of the Republican propaganda machine.
    - fwip 8y ago
      No, it doesn't. Saying that somebody is "a rude boy" doesn't make "rude" a slur.
      - mikeash 8y ago
        “an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo” Pretty sure it does!
justanother 8y ago
Socialist? I've never seen the Democratic Party advocate seizure of the means of production by workers. Medicare expansion or state-funded education is by comparison more properly called "social democracy" or even "state capitalism."