The Happy News thread

[Kotik]

A priest as president? Isn't that a serious conflict of interest?

Why?

In Germany the President is largely a ceremonial posting - a bit like the queen in England. It's not like America, where the country is ruined, if you happen to elect an idiot *cough* Dubya *cough*

But the German President is seen as 'the moral instance' of the country. Unfortunately two years ago the chancellor decided to abuse the parliament to elect someone, who's her pawn, which didn't go down well with the people, especially as that man turned out to be utterly corrupt and today she was forced to nominate the same man, who's election she prevented two years ago by dubious means. For the first time since world war II the German people have overruled their "elected" government. This is a good day for democracy.

[Distracted]

I suppose I didn't understand the mostly ceremonial role of the president of Germany. Here in the states I seriously doubt it will ever be possible for a priest (or an active member of the clergy of any religious denomination) to be elected president. It's bad enough if the candidate espouses a strong belief in any particular faith. The voters who were not a member of his/her denomination would without a doubt consider a candidate who was a member of the clergy to be biased in favor of the members of his own faith and would not vote for him/her.

Since American presidents hold considerable political power, impartiality (or at least the appearance of it) must be maintained during the initial election process. Obviously, given the track record of more than one American president, once the election is over the president can be as biased as he wishes... at least until it's time to get elected again, at which point any deviation from strictly PC behavior usually comes back to bite him in the hindquarters.

I'm very happy that you're happy with the new German presidential candidate, Kotik, but please refrain from insulting and partisan commentary about previous or current American presidents. Some of us may not agree with your assessment, and political discussion is too potentially divisive. Let's keep things geared toward Star Trek, shall we? That way we'll all get along.

[Alelou]

Well, active clergy are too busy doing what they're doing to handle presidential politics, I would imagine, though the bishops I've met have always struck me as politicians. Jerry Brown studied to be a Jesuit priest for four years before leaving that pursuit to eventually follow his father into politics and the governorship of California and a failed presidential bid, too. Mike Huckabee was in seminary and then worked in Christian broadcasting for years before going into politics and eventually becoming a governor and a failed presidential candidate as well.

Many people would say it's almost impossible for an American presidential candidate to be elected if he DOESN'T espouse a strong belief in some particular faith. In the current race, Obama, Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich all espouse strong beliefs in a particular faith.

I'd say God help an avowed atheist in American politics.

There are those who say we'd have a more successful government if the ceremonial half of the job WAS spun off to a ceremonial head of state so the President could focus on being a purely political animal and stop wasting time with things like the annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn. It's hard to imagine how that could work here, though.

[Distracted]

Heh. Isn't that what the first lady is for?

[Alelou]

Oh, of course. Very much. Vice Presidents, too. But people feel dissed if they only get the VP.

[panyasan]

But the German President is seen as 'the moral instance' of the country. Unfortunately two years ago the chancellor decided to abuse the parliament to elect someone, who's her pawn, which didn't go down well with the people, especially as that man turned out to be utterly corrupt and today she was forced to nominate the same man, who's election she prevented two years ago by dubious means. For the first time since world war II the German people have overruled their "elected" government. This is a good day for democracy.

Congrats! I heard Joachim Gauck is a great man. If you are a pastor and a dissident under the old communist rule of East-Germany, that's says something about sticking to your own principes in difficult times IMHO. It's funny, most European countries have this two-heads state system: a Queen/King/President for the unity (and moral) of the country and a prime minister (the first among his equals) to do the work of politics. (BTW, a couple months ago a reporter of our national television was standing in front of the German parlement and talking about the old German President being in real trouble. When he was talking, two demonstraters walked behind him, showing a sign "The President must go" in German. It cracked the reporter and news-anchor up, not to mention everybody who watched it. )

[Kotik]

I got the job offer from heaven today
A company needs a programmer for operating systems. We had a telephone interview today and just 3 hours later the HR dept. of the customer called me to tell that they 'are keen to meet me'. I get to develop operating systems for microcontrollers and I'm even paid for it. This is like winning the lottery on christmas day

And after the debacle of the cancelled project at Volkswagen, I really needed that

[putaro]

Congrats! That sounds like good fun.

[WarpGirl]

Congrads Kotik

I don't know if anyone would consider this "happy news" but I just posted my first non-scifi fic ever! I'm very very nervous. It's like not having my security blanket. But I'm happy that I took a risk. I've written non-scifi things before I've just never shared them with well... strangers. Not that you guys are strangers in the usual sense of the word. That's what makes the i-net weird.

[Distracted]

Is that the NCIS fix you were working on?

[WarpGirl]

Yes. OMG I got my first review! I'm so wired right now, it's nuts.

[panyasan]

Do you use the same user-name for your NCIS-fic?

[WarpGirl]

No actually! It's a very old account from my SW's days. I go by SilverSentinal21, I just couldn't be bothered changing it. If anyone wants the link PM me and I'd be happy to oblige. I LOVE the country stats thing!!! I got a hit from someone in The Republic of Korea!

[putaro]

I don't know if anyone would consider this "happy news" but I just posted my first non-scifi fic ever!

Yah! If it makes you happy it's "happy news"!

[WarpGirl]

Why thank you kindly sir.