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1500 questions
32
votes
1 answer
Were there any U.S. Presidents that were very unpopular when elected?
I've read in a few news sources that whoever wins the current 2016 presidential election will already have generally low (below 45%) favorability among the general U.S. population, even among people that might have voted for the candidate.
Are there…
Scribblemacher
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32
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7 answers
Why is "Equal Pay for Equal Work" regulation controversial?
I was going to ask this question when I heard Hillary Clinton said in the first presidential debate that: "Trump has said women don't deserve equal pay unless they do as good a job as men." I thought she misspoken or I misunderstood, so I didn't ask…
chaohuang
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32
votes
2 answers
What does European Union "freedom of movement" mean, and how much can individual countries restrict intra-EU immigration?
In recent years, France has embarked on a controversial program of expelling Roma people. The controversy is partly about the allegation that France expels people based on ethnic rather than legal criteria. Wikipedia describes both sides of the…
gerrit
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31
votes
7 answers
Why was Donald Trump so popular as a candidate in early 2016?
In the 2016 US presidential election, Donald Trump is (as of the 20th of January 2016) leading the Republican opinion polls, with almost twice the number of points as runner-up Ted Cruz.
What makes him so popular?
user7090
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31
votes
16 answers
Direct voting on every issue (referendum) - new political system
First of all, I am not a politician. I am just a computer scientist. I asked this question because I do not think that I have adequate knowledge of various political systems.
Background: Over the recent months of observing different campaigns for…
Node.JS
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31
votes
9 answers
How do I know that my vote was counted?
Can American citizens verify that their vote was tallied correctly in the public/published results that determine an election?
More generally, do there exist any systems that can simultaneously guarantee anonymity while still providing some…
user6374
31
votes
2 answers
Will we know after the election how many people are denied a vote because of the new ID rules?
In the UK on Thursday 4 May 2023, local elections are taking place across England. To vote at a polling station, you will need to bring photo ID. This is a new law introduced by the current government. It may be worth noting that the current…
User65535
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31
votes
3 answers
Why is the punishment for dowry crimes so severe in comparison to other forms of extortion?
Dowry (where the parents of the bride pay the parents of the groom), in India has a minimum sentence of 5 years even for non aggressive and non-coerced dowry. This is in comparison to other violent forms of extortion, which don't have a minimum…
user45449
31
votes
3 answers
Why would voting for a US House Speaker candidate from a majority party be "taboo" and punishable if you're a member of a minority party?
If I'm a US House representative and a member of the numerical minority party, and the majority party is struggling to get consensus on a candidate for House Speaker that I find particularly unpalatable, unsuitable, unproductive or even…
uhoh
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31
votes
4 answers
Why is the U.S. foreign ministry called the "State Department"?
What is the reasoning behind the somewhat odd and awkward naming of the U.S. Foreign Ministry as "State Department"? I get the department being the American equivalent of ministry but in what way does the word "state" relate to foreign affairs. …
amphibient
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4 answers
What drives the appeal and nostalgia of Margaret Thatcher within UK Conservative Party?
In light of the ongoing UK Conservative leadership race, a lot has been said about the legacy of Margaret Thatcher.
In particular, one of the candidates Liz Truss often invokes the image of Thatcher to appeal to party members. This suggests that…
QuantumWalnut
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31
votes
4 answers
What makes it hard for Southeast Asian countries (including India) to replace China and become new "world factory"?
Many people argue that it is hard for Western countries to pose economic sanctions on China by banning all (or most) imports from China, due to China's huge role in the world supply chain. I wonder what makes it hard for Southeast Asian countries…
No One
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31
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7 answers
Why doesn't the US send airplanes to Ukraine, when the Soviets sent MiGs to North Vietnam?
During the Vietnam War, the Soviets sent hundreds of MiGs to North Vietnam. Now, Americans say they cannot send airplanes to Ukraine lest it lead to escalation.
Why wasn't the Soviet assistance to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War a form of…
A Dedic
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31
votes
2 answers
How are the Polish, Czech and Slovenian PMs going to travel to Kyiv without getting harmed?
Czech, Polish, Slovenian PMs visiting Kyiv to meet Zelenskiy
How do the Czech/Polish/Slovenian PMs know their transport isn't going to be attacked? They are after all going through a war zone.
Only thing I can see is that they are going to liaise…
Allure
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31
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2 answers
What is the difference between parliamentary and presidential governments?
What are the main differences between the parliamentary system of government versus the presidential system? For example, Germany's parliamentary system versus Mexico's presidential system. I'm particularly interested in the pros and cons of each.
Alberto Bonsanto
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