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Journal Red Warrior's Journal: Who says civics is dead? 19

Journal by Red Warrior

Had a conversation with my son this morning, that went along these lines:

Son: [whatever request]
Me: No
S: Why?
M: Because I'm the dad and I said so.
S: Well, I'm the Congress and I vote 2/3. Override!

This discussion was created by Red Warrior (637634) for no Foes, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Who says civics is dead? More

Who says civics is dead?

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  • did you then explain veto power ?
    • He already knows about veto power.
      Hence the 2/3 qualification.
      He was attempting to override my veto. :-)

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by sparky4 ( 695739 ) *
        I thought that they needed more than that, but I am using a rather neglected memory storage system.

        My parents always said that ' they who pay the bills make the rules ', a variation on the purse string comment.
  • 1) Your son and my son should never meet... it could be bad.
    2) Now is a good time to teach ellemism #1 "Voilence can solve all conflicts"
  • What was it I learned in high school US history?

    Oh yeah... He who controls the purse strings makes the rules.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Degrees ( 220395 )
      So you are saying RW now gets to explain "unfunded mandates" to his son?

      That might prompt the kid to start a 501(c)(3), hitting up patrons at the library....

    • "The Golden Rule," is as follows:

      "Whoever has the Gold, makes the Rules."

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by naoursla ( 99850 )
        Yes, but there was some other rule of government about "purse strings". It is the reason Congress cannot vote to decrease the salary of the SCOTUS justices. It is also how the Federal Government was able to mandate a 55 mpg speed limit across states.
  • Make him watch C-SPAN for hours on end.

    Unless he's like me, and actually likes watching Congress calling quorum endlessly.
    • There are rewards for diligent C-SPAN watchers. I was watching Book TV one fateful Saturday night at midnight when the infamous Bill O'Reilly vs. Al Franken cat fight broke out.
  • Back when I was a sophomore and had to take some breadth classes. I chose political science. The teacher was a great guy, even if my political office.

    He was talking and someone raised their hand and interrupted. He said "I've got the floor, and I'm not yielding it until I'm done. Just like a filibuster."

    I piped up "I move for cloture [wikipedia.org]!"

    That actually got him to stop what he was saying. He shook his head and said something along the lines that he was glad I was learning.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • I WAS tempted. But, alas, no.
        'tis an important life lesson to know what is open for negotiation and what is not. :-)

        He's also had some tough lessons in the unitary executive. (You can't play mom against dad.)
        • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • The Stepkids tried this with me when I first got with my wife.

            "I thought I told you you couldn't do that."
            "Mom said it was OK."
            "Hhhmm. Did you tell her what I had said?"
            "Well..."
            "Why don't you go and ask her again and tell what I said."
            "Never mind."

            Happened all of like twice, because my wife was onboard with it, too.

  • He knows civics in the US. Did you explain that the familial government is a dictatorship and dissentors have been known to go missing into the bedroom-gulags for hours without dinner?
    • :-)

      Indeed. (Except that I don't do the without dinner thing.)

      Of course, the trick is that the dictator CAN be convinced with solid argument. Rare, but it does happen.
      (EX: "That gives me diarrhea [when it actually does], can we have pizza instead?")

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