Nixon in A Head in the Polls

[on:]

Watched this episode recently and started thinking:
Why in this episode is Nixon not allowed to run for President and have to bring up a legal loophole? (the whole nobody thing?)

The US constitution may say that nobody may be elected president more than twice but Nixon was running for President of Earth and so he should've been able to run. This just never made sense to me....I mean Nixon wasn't President of Earth twice before was he?   

[Reply #1 on:]

I think there are least three explanations:

The US evolved into a World Government.  Somehow, unlikely, the US took control of everything on Earth.  And thus its constitution was basis for the Earth constitution, and as a result former presidents of the US are also considered presidents of Earth.

Nixon had already been president of Earth.  Prior to the series' time period, Nixon have spend at least two terms during the thousand years the show doesn't cover as president of Earth.

All former world leaders are inclined to the terms for Earth.  Despite being a new government, the Earth government is a combination of all Earthican governments, and as a result the two term rule apply to all leaders of former Earthican countries.

[Reply #2 on:]

Hm, I never thought of that. The US is part of Earth so I guess the law could be that if you've been elected presidant twice whether it's for the US or Earth you've still been presidant twice. (but then again Earth's constitution may be different)

[Reply #3 on:]

I think there are least three explanations:

The US evolved into a World Government.  Somehow, unlikely, the US took control of everything on Earth.  And thus its constitution was basis for the Earth constitution, and as a result former presidents of the US are also considered presidents of Earth.

The series as a whole does seem rather US-centric, they've only ever visited a couple of other countries, it makes you wonder whether the country of France is also dead as well as the language.

Nixon had already been president of Earth.  Prior to the series' time period, Nixon have spend at least two terms during the thousand years the show doesn't cover as president of Earth.

But where would he have got the body from that time?

All former world leaders are inclined to the terms for Earth.  Despite being a new government, the Earth government is a combination of all Earthican governments, and as a result the two term rule apply to all leaders of former Earthican countries.

So a former British prime minister's head wouldn't be allowed to run for president?
Hang on, has any non-American famous person been shown as a head in a jar?

[Reply #4 on:]

I think there are least three explanations:

The US evolved into a World Government.  Somehow, unlikely, the US took control of everything on Earth.  And thus its constitution was basis for the Earth constitution, and as a result former presidents of the US are also considered presidents of Earth.

The series as a whole does seem rather US-centric, they've only ever visited a couple of other countries, it makes you wonder whether the country of France is also dead as well as the language.

The UN still exists as apparent in "When Aliens Attack" and "Anthology of Interest II".  And several other countries are known to exist, as apparent in "Bend Her".

Nixon had already been president of Earth.  Prior to the series' time period, Nixon have spend at least two terms during the thousand years the show doesn't cover as president of Earth.

But where would he have got the body from that time?

Who knows?  Some other robot?

All former world leaders are inclined to the terms for Earth.  Despite being a new government, the Earth government is a combination of all Earthican governments, and as a result the two term rule apply to all leaders of former Earthican countries.

So a former British prime minister's head wouldn't be allowed to run for president?
Hang on, has any non-American famous person been shown as a head in a jar?

Does Charles de Gaulle count?

[Reply #5 on:]

The UN still exists as apparent in "When Aliens Attack" and "Anthology of Interest II".  And several other countries are known to exist, as apparent in "Bend Her".

Oh yeah....I forgot about that.
Jamaica, Barbados, Nation of Joe and the Group of French National Stereotypes all exist as well.

Does Charles de Gaulle count?

Yes...Yes he does

[Reply #6 on:]

The series as a whole does seem rather US-centric, they've only ever visited a couple of other countries, it makes you wonder whether the country of France is also dead as well as the language.

The Crew goes to Paris to look for Project Satan and Pazuzu and his son apparently live there. They also went to Japan for Al Gore's conference.

[Reply #7 on:]

Well Svip pretty much took everything I was going to say and then defended every counterpoint so just ask him for my opinion from now on.

[Reply #8 on:]

.

[Reply #9 on:]

So a former British prime minister's head wouldn't be allowed to run for president?
Hang on, has any non-American famous person been shown as a head in a jar?

Does Charles de Gaulle count?

And Stephen Hawking, of course.

Think that's it, though.

[Reply #10 on:]

Huh, I never knew Stephen Hawking was British.

[Reply #11 on:]

Huh, I never knew Stephen Hawking was British.

You too are US-centric.

BAM!

Cambridge, bitches.  Representing.

[Reply #12 on:]

It's just hard to tell with his accent.

Play me off, ringo.

[Reply #13 on:]

He has to be British. Why else the obsession with Black Holes? He's looking for somewhere less oppressive than Britain.

[Reply #14 on:]

It's just hard to tell with his accent.

Stephan Hawking's speech synthesizer has an accent?
Imagine Truman Capote's!

[Reply #15 on:]

It's just hard to tell with his accent.

Stephan Hawking's speech synthesizer has an accent?
Imagine Truman Capote's!

I am appalled by SpaceCase's suddenly lack of ability to catch comedy.

The Ringo comment was apparently a fruitless attempt to make it bleeding obvious.

[Reply #16 on:]

Actually, his speech synthesizer is supposed to have an American accent. It's a very obsolete model that he kept despite advances in the technology because he'd come to identify it as his own voice.

[Reply #17 on:]

I am appalled by SpaceCase's suddenly lack of ability to catch comedy.

I am appalled by Svip's sudden lack of ability to catch irony. 

[Reply #18 on:]

Pavarroti was also in a jar.

[Reply #19 on:]

Huh, I never knew Stephen Hawking was British.

Neither do the American right wing yahoos!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6017878/Stephen-Hawking-I-would-not-be-alive-without-the-NHS.html

[Reply #20 on:]

How could I forget Stephen Hawking? "I didnt know I could do that"

So basically everything I said apart from the Nixon thing was wrong....
Speaking of Nixon....he was elected in 3001 right....and ITWGY was set in 3009, so his 8 years should be up. Does this mean we will get a new president? Maybe a plot point?

[Reply #21 on:]

I am appalled by Svip's sudden lack of ability to catch irony. 

I'm confused... isn't irony supposed to be funny?

So basically everything I said apart from the Nixon thing was wrong....
Speaking of Nixon....he was elected in 3001 right....and ITWGY was set in 3009, so his 8 years should be up. Does this mean we will get a new president? Maybe a plot point?

I have been thinking the same thing.  This need being addressed in the coming season.  And I think it will.

[Reply #22 on:]

   I'm confused... isn't irony supposed to be funny?

No, humor is supposed to be funny. Irony just has to be, well, ironic.
Note the word "usually" (underlined below). "Usually" <—> "not always" <—> "doesn't have to be".

Main Entry: irony
Function: noun
…
2 a : the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
   b : a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony
   c : an ironic expression or utterance
…

[Reply #23 on:]

No, humor is supposed to be funny. Irony just has to be, well, ironic.
Note the word "usually" (underlined below). "Usually" <—> "not always" <—> "doesn't have to be".

Main Entry: irony
Function: noun
…
2 a : the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning
   b : a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony
   c : an ironic expression or utterance
…

Unfortunately, the context of PEEL requires irony to be funny.  This is not your average linguistic forum.

[Reply #24 on:]

I'm confused... isn't irony supposed to be funny?

No, it's like goldy or bronzy.

[Reply #25 on:]

I thought I was ironic, but it turns out I was just cryptic.

[Reply #26 on:]

   Unfortunately, the context of PEEL requires irony to be funny.  This is not your average linguistic forum.

Well, if you didn't keep pandering to the lowest common denominator all the time…