I just tried the demo, and this looks like an interesting game. However, certain “policy issues” seem to be rather shallow in their understanding. For example, the game gives a narrow-minded perspective of stem cell research, ignoring adult stem cell research as a viable (and, indeed, far more successful in real life) practice.
Is adult stem cell research typically supported by religious voters? How do conservatives approach it? The blurb on the issue may be wrong (or more accurately in this case, inadequate) without the simulator’s effects being wrong.
Also, Democracy as a game seems to focus much more on allocation of limited resources to attain goals rather than focusing on fine-grained presentation of any issues.
hey, “adult” stem cell research is not at all as viable as fetus (or whatever) stem cell research. If they were to add adult stem cell research, it would have to cost a lot more than the alternative, and have less effect in the medical field (or wherever the good effect was allocated in the game)
I’m not really informed on the issue. My response assumed the initial poster knew what he/she was talking about, so I answered as best as I could.
You know, it might be interesting to have a seperate policy. “Attitude towards private research into stem cells” - a mandatory, uncancellable policy which can vary from outlawed to encouraged. Say - outlawed, restricted, legalized, encouraged. It wouldn’t cost anything for the government to enforce.
Or one could just add a few more points to the slider, going from “outlawed” to “permitted” to “government funded” (with the first few steps obviously not costing any money, but yielding a much smaller benefit). It seems a little extravagant to have multiple policies for something so minor.
Multiple policies allows a more fine-grained approach and appeals to those who have a nuanced view of political ethics. Now, on the other hand, multiple policies would mean that each policy’s effects should probably be lower, for game balance reasons. I think the impact of stem cell research is currently too strong.
all this talk about stem cells got me thinking, what about cloning? It be interesting/funny if there was ligalized/gov funded human cloning.
indeed, esp with cloning being quite a live issue right now in the UK, with debate in government about human-animal hybrids and all sorts.