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This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

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Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#31

Post by classicsnoot »

rayiner wrote: post #11
classicsnoot wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every point you have made here is subjective.

No, it's not. The animations add no information that isn't conveyed by the graph already--it just creates a delay before you can see the information. And changing the behavior of core functionality like the keyboard/pointer will confuse people, and on this page there is nothing to be gained in return.

I too hate when i don't get to use my computer as i see fit, but you have to admit that every point you have mad, previous to the comment i am responding to now, has been made from a personal, preferential point of view. I am not saying i do not agree with; i am saying its just, like, your opinion man.

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#33

Post by rayiner »

classicsnoot wrote: post #31
rayiner wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it's not. The animations add no information that isn't conveyed by the graph already--it just creates a delay before you can see the information. And changing the behavior of core functionality like the keyboard/pointer will confuse people, and on this page there is nothing to be gained in return.

I too hate when i don't get to use my computer as i see fit, but you have to admit that every point you have mad, previous to the comment i am responding to now, has been made from a personal, preferential point of view. I am not saying i do not agree with; i am saying its just, like, your opinion man.

You can make objective conclusions about subjective preferences. Most users do not want to wait to see information being presented to them. Nor do most users want to deal with websites that randomly change how their computer works. The distribution of subjective preferences can make design decisions objectively bad.

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#35

Post by fiatmoney »

amelius wrote: post #22

The gun laws are missing from these graphs. How fast would America change its mind about them?

From its nadir in ~1994 with the federal Assault Weapons Ban, you've seen that ban expired, numerous states liberalize their rights to bear arms (either concealed, or since 2009 or so openly), and the Supreme Court rule in Heller that the 2nd amendment is a protection of an individual right. 4 or so states have bucked that trend, but the overall trend in the past 20 years is, if not fast, directionally clear.

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#37

Post by sanderjd »

bigpeopleareold wrote: post #16
twoodfin wrote: post #9

The case comes amid a wave of gay marriage legalization... This phrase, and the title, mask the fact that in the majority of states same-sex marriage legalization came from court cases, not through legislation or referenda[1]. "America", broadly construed, is quickly changing its mind, too, but this "wave" is more a product of judicial thought than public opinion. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in…

That is, unless the author considers "America changing its mind" and "judicial thought" to be the same thing. I immediately picked up on this as well, the common theme being what federal and state courts thinks.

This is really one of the most interesting questions in our system. I tend to be in favor of this sort of judicial action, but it's always in the back of my head that I'm only in favor of it because so far it has all gone my way. It is frightening to think that someday I'll find myself on the frustrating side of an issue where only a truly heroic amount of legislation can overrule the opinions of a few tens of legal minds.

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#38

Post by serve_yay »

"In any event, the sloppy and fatuous nature of American good will can never be relied upon to deal with hard problems. These have been dealt with, when they have been dealt with at all, out of necessity — and in political terms, anyway, necessity means concessions made in order to stay on top." - Daniel Baldwin

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#39

Post by saturdaysaint »

joshuaheard wrote: post #27

Abortion and gay marriage were changed in the courts, so I don't know if that counts as America changing its mind. That being said, I would posit that any increase in the rate of America changing its mind is due to the increase in the rate of information exchange due to advances in communication technology.

Right, few of these "mind changes" are really analogous in terms of how they were enacted. Voter referendums are much more responsive to public opinion (ie something like "America") than legislatures, let alone the higher bar of constitutional change.

Re: This Is How Fast America Changes Its Mind

#40

Post by sanderjd »

intopieces wrote: post #36

The problem with the analysis re: Marijuana is that it appears to leave out the anti-drug treaties we've signed with other UN members. As I understand it, federal legalization is a nonstarter w/r/t that agreement.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding has always been that the US has been the one pushing for those treaties. If that is the case, it seems possible that if anti-Marijuana policy loses support here, its support in the UN won't be so strong.
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