May 4, 2019

The fifth estate, the fifth column

The fifth estate, the fifth column

Terms often used in politics and war (the politics of war?) (the war of politics?).

They are not the same but do have some equivalence and you will often see one used for the other.

Not to worry….. the far left and the far right both consider the other side to be the “fifth ______”.

========================

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Estate

Fifth Estate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about grouping in society with non-mainstream viewpoints. For other uses, see Fifth Estate (disambiguation).

The Fifth Estate is a socio-cultural reference to groupings of outlier viewpoints in contemporary society, and is most associated with bloggers, journalists publishing in non-mainstream media outlets, and the social media or "social license". The "Fifth" Estate extends the sequence of the three classical Estates of the Realm and the preceding Fourth Estate, essentially the mainstream press. The use of "fifth estate" dates to the 1960s counterculture, and in particular the influential The Fifth Estate, an underground newspaper first published in Detroit in 1965. Web-based technologies have enhanced the scope and power of the Fifth Estate far beyond the modest and boutique[1] conditions of its beginnings.

Nimmo and Combs assert that political pundits constitute a Fifth Estate.[2] Media researcher Stephen D. Cooper argues that bloggers are the Fifth Estate.[3] William Dutton has argued that the Fifth Estate is not simply the blogging community, nor an extension of the media, but 'networked individuals' enabled by the Internet, e.g. social media, in ways that can hold the other estates accountable.[4]

Making reference to the medieval concept of

"three estates of the realm" (clergy, nobility, and commoners)

and to a more recently developed model of "four estates", which encompasses the media,

Nayef Al-Rodhan introduces the weblogs (blogs) as a "fifth estate of the realm". Blogs have potential and real influence on contemporary policy-making, especially in the context of elections, reporting from conflict zones, and raising dissent over corporate or legislative policies. Based on these observations, Al-Rodhan suggests moving beyond traditional thinking that limits the “estates of the realm” to governmental action and proposes a broader perspective in which civilians or anyone with access to a computer and the Internet can contribute to the global political change and security.[5]

==================================

"fifth column" -

https://www.cato.org/blog/what-fifth-column-anyway

But the piece raised another question for me: “What’s a ‘Fifth Column,’ anyway?” The expression has been around forever, but what does it really mean?

Ahead of the Siege of Madrid in the Spanish Civil War, a general under Francisco Franco claimed that he would take the city with the four columns of troops under his command and a “fifth column” of nationalist sympathizers inside the city.

The city never fell to the nationalists, but fear of this “fifth column” caused the Republican government under Francisco Caballero to abandon Madrid for Valencia and it led to a massacre of nationalist prisoners in Madrid during the ensuing battle.

So a “fifth column” is not so much an insidious group of spies or traitors as it is the threat of such a group which causes the incumbent power to miscalculate and overreact. That doesn’t clear up what Kouri is trying to get across, but it does have the air of unintended
confession."

…

April 9, 2019

Biden and shoulders? Remember Dubya creeping out Angela Merkel? She recoiled in disgust.

Biden and shoulders? Remember Dubya creeping out Angela Merkel?

She recoiled in disgust.

(Posted it in the wrong forum earlier)

April 9, 2019

Biden and shoulders? Remember Dubya creeping out Angela Merkel?

Biden and shoulders? Remember Dubya creeping out Angela Merkel?

She recoiled in disgust.

March 24, 2019

Barr summary? Need more investigations. As many as the republicans did for Benghazi and emails.

Barr summary? Need more investigations.

As many as the republicans did for Benghazi and emails.

D'ya think Snowflake Trump could handle 11 hours in one stretch?

March 14, 2019

737 Max vs Ford Pinto gas tanks?

737 Max vs Ford Pinto gas tanks?

After a financial analysis, Ford decided it was cheaper to pay off the lawsuits than change the gas tank design.

?cb=1375094208

March 3, 2019

Different ways of voting - Updated

Different ways of voting. Updated from a previous version.

Inputs requested.

----------------------------

Plain old majority wins.

Might require a runoff.

=====================

Duverger's Law and the Two-Party System Explained

This can actually help a third party.

====================

How does ranked choice voting work?

http://www.rcvmaine.com/how_does_ranked_choice_voting_work

=================================

Fusion voting - the practice, rarely used in other states, which allows candidates to appear on multiple ballot lines under the endorsement of multiple parties.

As deployed in New York, fusion voting typically means minor parties endorsing a major-party candidate. Think about the Working Families Party endorsing Democrat Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last year and the Conservative Party backing Republican Marc Molinaro.

https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/cuomo-jacobs-democratic-party-1.27929485
======================

How Does the Electoral College Work?

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/how-does-the-electoral-college-work.html

For Presidential elections, we do not actually vote for the candidate.

We are voting for an elector who has ‘committed’ to voting for the candidate.

Funny thing…. The Electoral College elector is not legally bound to vote for his supposed candidate.

Some low population states actually have more proportionate voting strength than bigger states.

Candidates/parties know this and concentrate their efforts for those particular Electoral College votes.

It is possible to lose an election and actually get more popular votes than the ‘winner’.

Many people are trying to get rid of the EC.

=========================
What is a causus? ... mini party primaries to determine convention delegates

A caucus is an open meeting, at which voters who are registered with the party discuss and debate presidential candidates. When they’re finished talking, they vote for the delegates who will back their favored candidate at the national convention.

On a state’s caucus day, these meetings are held all over the state, divided into precincts. At the end of the day… a number of delegates will emerge from each precinct who will go on to the national convention. The number of delegates from each state’s caucus are decided differently depending on the party.

Unlike primaries, which are run by state governments, caucuses are run by political parties.

https://informationstation.org/video/what-is-a-caucus/

======================

Parties of some states can select, for state/national office holders, whether they want a

1. Primary. .. open/semi/closed, all voters (or all voters of that party/unaffiliated) can vote for their choice.

2. Convention… Party representatives from around the state/country select their choice.

==================

Which method of voting do the people/candidates prefer?

The one that they feel gives them the best advantage.

Sometimes there are some pretty good internal squabbles trying to decide which to use.

.............. edited to add:

Absentee ballots - especially good for overseas military who cannot be there in person. And other voters who must be gone.
Some hijinks have occured with absentee ballots, such as improper handling, voided because of 'mistakes', and outright tossing out wholesale because the count would not have changed the result or sometimes, politically, because they 'might' change the results.
With great rationalization, of course.

====================

Early voting - convenient for folks who might have difficulty getting to the polls at a single designated time only.
Again, subject to political hijinks if the folks in power feel threatened that it might help the other side.

========================

February 21, 2019

Different ways of voting.

Different ways of voting.

====================================

Plain old majority wins.

Might require a runoff.

=====================

Duverger's Law and the Two-Party System Explained

This can actually help a third party.

====================

How does ranked choice voting work?

http://www.rcvmaine.com/how_does_ranked_choice_voting_work

=================================

How Does the Electoral College Work?

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/how-does-the-electoral-college-work.html

For Presidential elections, we do not actually vote for the candidate.

We are voting for an elector who has ‘committed’ to voting for the candidate.

Funny thing…. The Electoral College elector is not legally bound to vote for his supposed candidate.

Some low population states actually have more proportionate voting strength than bigger states.

Candidates/parties know this and concentrate their efforts for those particular Electoral College votes.

It is possible to lose an election and actually get more popular votes than the ‘winner’.

======================

Some parties of states can select, for state office holders, whether they want a

1. Primary. .. all voters (or all voters of that party) can vote for their choice.

2. Convention… Representatives from around the state/country select their choice.

==================

Which method of voting do the people/candidates prefer?

The one that they feel gives them the best advantage.

...

February 17, 2019

First priority of the 'national emergency' - order steel from his Russian steel pals.

First priority of the 'national emergency' - order steel from his Russian steel pals.

Not plans.
Not construction contracts.

Spend the money first for steel.

All that taxpayer money in sight.

Then get more money for the little details like actual construction.

February 7, 2019

When did Rick Perry resign for 'Ni--erhead' Rock?

When did Rick Perry resign for 'Ni--erhead' Rock?

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=rick+perry+nigger+rock

January 25, 2019

GOP Congresswoman needs her paycheck during shutdown 2013

https://foxync.com/3072905/congresswoman-from-nc-said-she-needs-her-paycheck-wont-turn-down-check-during-shutdown/

(from an earlier shutdown 2013)

As you may have heard, some North Carolina congressional lawmakers have chosen to reject their paychecks during the government shutdown. But not GOP Rep. Renee Ellmers. And she offers an explanation as to why.

“The thing of it is, I need my paycheck. That is the bottom line,” Ellmers told WTVD, the Raleigh ABC station Wednesday.
.