Understanding US elections

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

Cambridge,

 

Maybe you can explain what "devolution" is in the UK and how a Scotland MP can vote on taxes in England and vis versa.

 

And what the heck is a "Council"?

[packsaddle 753]

Cambridgeskip, that almost perfectly described my lack of understanding of the game. I just love that dry sense of humor.

Thankfully, Moggie may just have caused the light bulb to begin shining in my mind. All of a sudden some of the things I've been watching are beginning to make a sort of gaming sense. I wonder how this game came to be in the first place?

Another thing I've noticed is that Cricket doesn't seem to have the associated spectator violence that soccer has. Even if they support different teams, my friends seem to be passionately jovial about all of it.

Or has my clodhopper mind missed something else?

[Trevorum 24]

I remember seeing a cladogram of field games. Baseball and cricket were most closely related and derived from a common ancestor (akin to chimps and humans). Soccer and football, basketball and hockey were related but more distantly. Like humans watching chimps, we baseball players recognize cricket behaviors (hitting the ball, base running), but we don't understand at all why they do those things when they do them.

 

[Cambridgeskip 658]

Packsaddle - forgive me, I couldn't help myself! That description of cricket is quite famous! Incidentally the whole football related violence thing is mostly a thing of the past. There are still a handfull of clubs that still have a reputation (Milwall, Stoke City, Cardiff City, Burnley, Leeds United) but the vast majority of clubs have very peacefull if somewhat noisy and passionate fans.

 

Now then devolution.... This basically reflects the fact that the UK is made up of 4 nations but one of those nations (ie England) is dominant. We have a population of around 61 million of which around 50 million are English. Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all want an element of independence so they have their own assemblies that deal with certain devolved issues such as education and health but stay within the UK for things like defence, currency and foreign affairs. Scotland has more powers than Wales or Northern Ireland in that they can, within certain criteria, raise their own taxes (but thus far have stuck with the rates that apply elsewhere). There is due to be a referendum on Scottish independence in the next couple of years. The smart money is on them staying within the UK but that is up to the good people of Scotland. Worth remembering that if they did break away most of the North Sea oil would fall within Scottish territorial waters.

 

And yes there is the issue of Scottish MPs in Westminster voting on matters that do not affect Scotland. What is known as the West Lothian Question. I don't think they should, and indeed some Scottish MPs don't as a matter of principle but some still do. It's all part of our rather bizarre constitution. It doesn't happen the other way round as English MPs only sit in Westminster and that does not make laws that affect only Scotland, only the whole of the UK or just England.

 

A council.... this is basically local government and comes in a varierty of forms. Most places have two layers, where I live Cambridge City Council deal with things like planning permission, social housing, some benefits, street lighting, minor roads, waste disposal. The larger Cambridgeshire County Council deals with things like major roads, fire brigade, social services (child protection etc) and most importantly schools. In more urban areas there tend to "unitary authorities" which essentially do both. All layers are directly elected on a first past the post system, just like parliament. The nature of local polictics though means that generally the different parties work together with a bit more cooperation that at national level.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

Cambridgeskip,

 

Thank you. Yes I have been following the SNP referendum thing a bit but got confused.

 

I know more about London than the rest of the UK and the whole London governance thing has always been much of a mash-up I never could figure out the town-council-district thing in the rest of the UK.

 

 

[CalicoPenn 729]

The only time there is violence at a cricket match is when the snack ladies fail to cut the crusts off the cucumber sandwiches and serve the tea cold.

 

 

[packsaddle 753]

Does anyone actually LIKE cucumber sandwiches?

[Moggie 12]

Cucumber sandwiches, mmmmm with just a little add salt or a nice slice of ham.

 

Cheers

 

Moggie

[OldGreyEagle 5]

So, you UK guys, I have a sister in law who lives Prestwick, Scotland. What kind of place is that? Do they go in for intricate Burns Suppers?

[packsaddle 753]

"just a little add salt or a nice slice of ham."

You'd fit in perfectly here in the South.

salt and grease = Southern allspice.

[Trevorum 24]

the only thing better than salt & grease is CRISPY salty grease.

[Moggie 12]

Prestwick, sorry my only deals have been with HMS GANNET, RNAS PRESTWICK. Couldn't say much else about the town.

 

Sorry

 

Gareth

[Pint 23]

I was in Ireland a couple of years ago, and after a few drinks in the local the converastion turned to politics ( of a sort) one of the locals said that "politicians are like babies nappies ( daipers) they need to be changed for the same reasons after a while"

[Cambridgeskip 658]

Cucumber sandwiches? On a hot day with a gin and tonic they are a little taste of heaven. Preferably followed by a slice of lemon drizzle cake while watching cricket. Wonderful!

 

Prestwick..... most people have no reason to go there unless flying in or out of "Glasgow" Prestwick airport (It's actually a former Royal Navy airbase in the middle of nowhere and is rumoured to be closer to Carisle than Glasgow) so can't really comment. Sorry!

[Mr. Boyce 13]

Hey Cambridge guy: for me, US elections are an unpleasant thing. BOTH parties tend to favor extremists (I think it's fair to say Obama is a Democrat extremist) in the nomination process. BOTH have tended to want to use the "outsider" theme to promote their man: i.e., "My boy's not part of this mess, but he knows how to clean it up."

 

I would like to see more moderates, more guys who have earned their gray hair by doing practical politics. . . rather than just be ideologues of the left or right. We need some breathing space from all the ideological tripe and hatred.