myata

About two millennia back, Romans were first to discover how a virtue of democracy is degraded and decayed by the routine; apathy and boredom. Nothing else to expect; no will or desire to think; just give me everything I want or I'll push the red button. Or, I'll push it anyways if only out of spite and boredom. After that they had Commodus, Caligula and Neron suffered and cried many times over. But it was so long ago.. and looks like it's here again. A dictator unleashed a brutal war. Terrorists started another. Economy unstable and volatile. No, you have to fix it magically. If not, here, the red button! Populists promise miraculous gifts and solutions out of an empty finger (takes only a minute to check, but why - no, I'd rather press this button - because I can, right?). What if some sweet and pleasant surprises can be sucked out of there? Never happened? But what if we try again! "Bread and circuses" effect. Names and parties aren't even that important. Because when an average citizen is prepared to hang the responsibility and reason at the front door, no mysteries or feats will be able to rescue the democracy. Democracy is not a paper, declarations not even the institutions. It is a habitat of free, intelligent and responsible citizens. In a vacuum of thought and responsibility, nothing is left to keep it alive. There will be no miracles here. After a period of relative prosperity - a bit shorter than Roman, the world appears to be ready to embrace a new age of chaos. No, we cannot learn.

Wow, such an epiphany. So does that wisdom apply to any invasion and a bloody dictator behind it? Let's see. Have you tried replacing "Gaza" up there with "Russia"? How did it work for you?!

Putin is a head of a criminal gang, on a state level that is involved in mass murder; destruction; attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure; rape including gang; violation of every existing and imaginable law and convention. This is a fact. Then, in the words of someone you know very well, Putin is 'genius'. Now we will try to understand, and pare open your moral position and integrity. Can you support someone who called a serial killer and raper, 'genius'? Can you say, "well I understand why he (the killer) did that"? Can you have it both ways: condemning serial killers if and when you don't like them, and understanding them when they are cute and genuis?

Means, "no only exact change is accepted" (21st century, honk honk) yes?

This is exactly how this country will end up (or already)? No clue what the world in this century is like, how it works and not even interested, honest! Things are just great as they were at the dawn of the Confederation. They were made perfect from the start and no change will be needed like ever.. wait wasn't it a dinosaur?

There's no connection, right. Why would a functional democracy be related to flawlessly running modern and comfortable transit for the citizens, not just 24/7 limos for public bureaucrats? Wait, what world was that, again?

Wow! Hear that? Sounds like a truly advanced democratic system in this century.. like who else could have thought of that, and that way? Yes we can anything (up to and beyond plain incredible) if we put our minds and hands to it. What's next, by the way?

Just wait for the whole of Gaza moving here. Such a paradise of mutual respect and eternal harmony we just can't wait to become.

Right, such a minuscule trifle. Who cares about such nuggets, there are way more important and glorious things in the (bureaucrat's) mind. We have hordes of bureaucrats on three (at least) levels devising us grandiose plans, passing bills taking parts in the circus show period.. wait, for what, with what visible effect for the people? Wasn't that what the whole thing was about, in some times old and well forgotten?

Terrible. No, cannot be excused or explained. By the way Russia shelled a train station full of civilians and razed multiple settlements to the ground. Terrorist is as terrorist does. It's the act that defines a terrorist, not beliefs, causes, ideas, ethnic background, etc. There's no: understanding; explaining and exonerating a terrorist. Simple as that.

Believe it or not, only a couple of years back there was no way in the national capital airport to purchase a transit ticket with a credit card. No way: one had to use the airport exchange at a robber-rate how else; or beg the assistance booth for loose change (but what if you arrived with a late flight?). A true story. How many bureaucrats had to take the taxi to go to international meetings and conferences in all that time, paid for from our pockets? Can you guess the order of magnitude of the budget? Not a single one noticed anything untoward. I took time to leave feedback after one such experience, so maybe thanks to me you're enjoying your flawless transit now? Next to every small town in Europe including the Eastern part had contactless payment back then or at least card-operated ticket machines. Now we have it too, only a decade or so later. Hurray, the progress!

It's the same country, no?

Political system in this country is self-absorbed and bordering on dysfunctional. Compare: London Heathrow airport, two decades back: buses to terminal and the city; quite a mess; long commute to the city. Now: automated entry check for UK+ countries, virtually no wait. A rapid train line to the city and a subway line integrated into London transit. Result: easy unobstructed travel from the plane to the center. Canada, national capital (and pretty much everywhere) two decades back vs. now: virtually no change. Why? Who cares? Who will notice? Go back to your sleep Joe, we'll handle it all for ya.

Yes. This is obvious and has been from about day one. Can a functional democracy exist without responsibility, accountability and transparency of the governments? I think it's obvious to an average six year old who would care to think for a minute.

Nope. In a working democracy, of course. Looks like right there's the difference.

Another non-answer. What is our problem? Have we forgot how to think? Do you pay your rent from "nominal GDP"? Maybe buying your groceries, etc? Does it make you happy, the cute number? One cannot get to the airport by public transit at certain times, in a G7 capital. Not in 1989, now. OMF.

The final phase of a democracy lifecycle. The government passes whatever it likes. The citizens who became voiceless populace don't care to notice because they couldn't do anything anyways. No idea what the word means and what it was about in the first place.

That's exactly it, isn't it? They don't really need us anywhere near their decision making processes, only once in so many years for a formal stamp of legitimacy, half asleep. Can any good news come this way? It sure been a while, waiting. Did you know this is a joke I heard often in the third world semi-democracies. A funny coincidence..

No wait, even before that: when you are planning to do something, even a small thing, you think right? Why are you doing it; is there a reason to do it? what could happen? could it go wrong, etc. Why would we have those things right above the shoulders if we never need them, except maybe for haircuts and shouting at the game? So why did we want to begin a massive, unique in the sane (and therefore developed) world immigration program? There had a reason, some reason one would think.. or not really eh?

Please note the OP: no one else is bringing them at such a breathtaking pace. So it's not a given, not some kind of self-obvious truth. Why is that? What is special here and what are the reasons? Who explained?

Lets hear it then! Can we? Bringing a half of a country in a single generation is a bold and creative experiment - no one else is the (sane) world is doing that. Why it has to be this and no other ways? Who explained it, and proved? Where can we find that out? In what backroom records, etc?

G7 National capital. Night transit, lightrail closed. The night bus arrives at 4.42, the last connection to the airport leaves at 4.40. Enjoy. %#$? How? Why why even a simplest, trivial thing in this century of information must take some serious volume of bureaucratic thinking (you can almost hear the gears screeching), and other way?

But this happened over the decades. I'm interested in a real, meaningful answer: what is the rationale? Who thought about that? And who has decided and why? Surely this continued under governments of all strides and stripes. Why though? What is the rationale and who/what is driving it?

Of course not! How slow one has to be to not see the difference: qualification is earned is six years of dedicated study and some more, internship. While a paper can be obtained in a matter of hours. Especially in some remote places that have astounding capacity to produce qualified professionals (on paper at least) that we here don't. Who fails to get it? How? Wow. All the mysterious things you encounter in this world.

Exists on paper. Paper is not the reality. Yes, it may have remote, little or no relevance to the reality: just as seen. The reality is not the paper; it's what you see and experience. Some understand that. And some, fail to grasp the difference.