From: Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 95 13:29:05 PDT
To: Rich Salz <rsalz@osf.org>
Subject: Re:  Three strikes you're out!  for politicians... yeah we wish!
Message-ID: <199507252027.QAA08468@panix.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 04:52 PM 7/22/95 -0400, Rich Salz wrote:
>Better yet do it the way Comedy Central wanted to:
>	Three strikes your out and term limits.  You can run for re-election
>	but if you lose you get shot.
>

Or even better -- Gilbert and Sullivan's solution in "Utopia, Ltd."  Despotism Tempered by Dynamite.  Utopia, Ltd -- the South Sea Paradise that organized itself as a joint stock company -- was originally governed by an absolute despot whose despotism was kept in check by the existence of a Public Exploder.  The Public Exploder's job was to blow the King up if he began to oppress the people.  The exercise of his office was kept in check because if he blew up the King, he had to replace him.

http://diamond.idbsu.edu/GaS/utopia/

DCF

"Calynx:  Yes.  After many unhappy experiments in the direction of an ideal Republic, it was found that what may be described as a Despotism tempered by Dynamite provides, on the whole, the most satisfactory description of ruler--an autocrat who dares not abuse his autocratic power."