Politics make me Cranky

[Riya]

I was just informed that I am not allowed to watch/listen to anything political anymore, because I get cranky.

<rant>
This was after listening to about five minutes worth of the debate tonight for my state's senate race. Both of the canidates are running massive smear campains (It's really bad, the latest ads have even been attacking the voters!!!, calling anyone who supports canidate x a radical). One of the questions asked referenced these campaigns and asked the canidates if they were proud of them. Both the canidates made total asshats of themselves and said of course they were proud of thier campains and that they had wonderful campainers and advertisers. I don't want to vote for either of them. Which leaves the libertarians, who won't win an election in this state simple because they have very little advertising money and the average voter is much too lazy to get off his/her hiney and do some research. I'm begining to understand why the majority of Americans don't vote, but I don't want to fall into a state of apathy.

Theoretically, we are supposed to be sending our best and brightest to lead this country. Why can't I think of a single politician that I can respect?
When did politics become about the advertising buget and who could put the best spin on everything?
</rant>

[Red Kittie Kat]

I can understand... I get cranky too ;)

So I actually try not to watch too much of it anymore... it's all garbage, lies... you name it.

[urstwile]

Riya, I can totally relate. It's all spin and smear nowadays. Whenever I watch any debates, Sam rolls up a bunch of socks and keeps them next to me on the couch for when I get overcome with fits of rage at the b.s. that's coming out of most of their mouths.

What to do? It's a tricky question. I personally believe we should all do our best to support third parties in their quest for smaller offices. That's the way I think that eventually (perhaps not even in my lifetime, but one can dream) a third party could come into some type of poltical power as well. But I'm probably just dreamin'. :rolleyes: But right now, what we have going on, with just the two, it ain't workin' very well, at least that's my opinion. Both sides are just out to make the other side look as bad as possible, and this doesn't serve the voter.

I will still vote though. I have some homework to do before the next election.

[budafist]

Personal freedom topics make me very cranky.

I'm in another forum where I'm getting a bit worked up. Let's just say Fireams, Burqa and abortions.

[urstwile]

:eek: Yikes, that sounds pretty bad Buda.

It occurs to me that there's no such thing as true dialogue anymore. It's all about baiting the "other side" whichever one that might be.

[The_Black_Knight]

What to do? It's a tricky question. I personally believe we should all do our best to support third parties in their quest for smaller offices. That's the way I think that eventually (perhaps not even in my lifetime, but one can dream) a third party could come into some type of poltical power as well. But I'm probably just dreamin'. :rolleyes: But right now, what we have going on, with just the two, it ain't workin' very well, at least that's my opinion. Both sides are just out to make the other side look as bad as possible, and this doesn't serve the voter.I've started voting for ANYONE other than the two main parties. Independent, Libertarian, heck, even the Marijuana party, I don't care.

That's my message to the Democrat and the Republican candidates: a dope smoker in office is a better choice than either of YOU.

I still vote, I just can't support any of the "mainstream" candidates. I'm tired of choosing between the "lesser of two evils."

There are some places that have a "none of the above" option when you vote. If the majority of votes come in as "none of the above," then another election is held with different candidates. I think this is an excellent idea that should be used in all elections everywhere, for all levels of government.

[Logo-Mechanix]

I've started voting for ANYONE other than the two main parties. Independent, Libertarian, heck, even the Marijuana party, I don't care.

That's my message to the Democrat and the Republican candidates: a dope smoker in office is a better choice than either of YOU.

I still vote, I just can't support any of the "mainstream" candidates. I'm tired of choosing between the "lesser of two evils."

There are some places that have a "none of the above" option when you vote. If the majority of votes come in as "none of the above," then another election is held with different candidates. I think this is an excellent idea that should be used in all elections everywhere, for all levels of government.

None of the above, thats a great idea. You voted for the NJ Weedman, thats funny that guy is wacky, he got arrested once for lighting up on the statehouse steps. Hey, he might be just what we need.

[The_Black_Knight]

None of the above, thats a great idea. You voted for the NJ Weedman, thats funny that guy is wacky, he got arrested once for lighting up on the statehouse steps. Hey, he might be just what we need.Actually, in that race I voted Libertarian, but voting for the weed man would have had the same effect. In retrospect, I should have voted for the Legalize Marijuana candidate. I would love to have people ask, "So, who did you vote for?" and be able to reply, "The Weed Man."

[kerrysmagicshirt]

it really narks me off when people say 'i'm not voting cause i don't like either of them'

we have three main parties here conservative, labour and liberal democrats. the first two are the main contenders and Lib dem haven't been in power for eons. but when people 'i don't like either of them' they generally mean conservatiove and labour. so i always say - 'well then vote lib dem' and guarentee every time they say 'well nobody votes for them so it'll be a wasted vote'

so by that rational voting for the underdog is wasting a good vote - but not voting at all is OK. shit people are stupid. Winds me right up eeejits.

[The_Black_Knight]

we have three main parties here conservative, labour and liberal democrats. the first two are the main contenders and Lib dem haven't been in power for eons. but when people 'i don't like either of them' they generally mean conservatiove and labour. so i always say - 'well then vote lib dem' and guarentee every time they say 'well nobody votes for them so it'll be a wasted vote'

so by that rational voting for the underdog is wasting a good vote - but not voting at all is OK. shit people are stupid. Winds me right up eeejits.Yeah, I love the whole, "You're throwing your vote away!" argument.

How is voting for somebody that I don't want to be in office not throwing my vote away anyway? What kind of choice is that?

[Mynock]

I don't like to watch the news, it makes baby Mynock cry.

[LeftBrain Artist]

I love the pictures of "the other guy" that get put on TV. They make me giggle.

[Logo-Mechanix]

Some of that smear stuffmakes me laugh too. I mean they are all a bunch of lying crooks or otherwise they would not be good politicians

[Kool]

I loved that line from the ad for that new Robin Williams movie. I'm paraphrasing here, "Politicians like diapers should be changed often, and for the same reason" LOL.

[Logo-Mechanix]

I like when he says "I did not have sexual relations with that women, I wanted to but I didn't" That movie might be funny.

[Riya]

Yeah, that Robin Williams movie should be hilarious.


Black Knight, and Kerrymagicshirt that is exactly what I was trying to say last night, but I was too pissed off to be articulate.

I'm tired of the whole lesser of two evils bit, especially in a situation where there shouldn't be any evil.

[CamarotaDesign]

I don't like to watch the news, it makes baby Mynock cry.

Dude, I used to read and watch the news everyday, and boy what a waste of time. I know everything is screwed up right now, dont need the specifics to just make me more depressed about it.

I think we need some sort of news station or paper like "The Good News"
that only reports positive news. That would be a nice change.

[LeftBrain Artist]

Yeah, the whole two party system depends on convincing the masses that a vote outside the two parties is wasted. Which they have been able to do. In essence it's a self fulfulling prophecy. Normally in the past, the platform the third party runs on usually resonates only with voters of one of the two primary parties, in America thats usually the more liberal democrats. When that third party does indeed cater to a small sector of only one of the primary parties - the primary party it resonates with will suffer at the polls - and the votes are considered wasted because there is little chance the third party, or the hamstrung primary party will win.

This has happened in the past, and people love to point to this phenomenon and say "see, this is why you shouldn't throw away your vote on a third party", and they are correct - partially.

In the two party system, a line is drawn in the sand, and you are either on one side or the other after the line has been established.

Corporations control and finance the elections of government officials, who in turn rewrite the law in favor of the corporations. More often than not, government officials are former (or current) high ranking corporate officials. To say there are some conflicts of interest in our system is an understatement. If there's one thing corporations know about, its the power of changing the perceptions of society through mass exposure to repeated messages. In the past it was called propaganda, today we call it successful advertising. Neither of the primary parties have the best interests of the American public in mind, although they would like us to believe otherwise. The primary goal of members of both parties is not to govern our country, but to get re-elected. The values on the face of each party are different, one appealing to professionals and the rich, while the other appeals to the working class and the poor. But beneath these facades, these groups of politicians are remarkably similar, and corrupt. It is the illusory dual facade of this single party system that has deluded Americans into believing that they have a choice - a belief which may have been true at one point but has ceased to be so.

How many people vote for one party or another because they are "the lesser of two evils"? I would say an overwhelming majority of Americans have felt that way more often than not. They control us with fear. Fear of wasting our vote - a fear they have planted in our minds and nurtured over the years to the point where no one will vote for a third party candidate, even a viable one who would appeal to the majority of America, because the majority is too afraid of wasting their vote and let the "opposition" party win.

Its like a prime time football game, with all the slick advertising and a stadium full of people. Only two teams can play. What if we wanted to introduce a third team in the middle of the game? Sure some nutcase might run out there stark naked, but security will take him out faster than you can blink. That's the extent of our third party system right now, the one nutcase who rushes the field, the lone fan that catches the ball that would have fallen just inside the field - screwing up the game for everyone else. But our country isn't a game, and the 40-60,00 people in the stands shouldn't be afraid to rush the 100-200 people in the field when they prove themselves to be incompetent morons intent on screwing us over.

[MD]

I'm in another forum where I'm getting a bit worked up. Let's just say Fireams, Burqa and abortions.

An internet user has been found guilty of what police said was Britain's first "web-rage" attack.

Paul Gibbons, 47, tracked down John Jones using details obtained online after the pair exchanged insults in an internet chatroom, a court heard.

He travelled 70 miles to Mr Jones' home in Clacton, Essex, and beat him up with a pickaxe handle in December 2005.

Gibbons, of Southwark, south London, admitted unlawful wounding and will be sentenced on 7 November.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6059726.stm)

FANTASTIC POST LBA

[Mynock]

Dude, I used to read and watch the news everyday, and boy what a waste of time. I know everything is screwed up right now, dont need the specifics to just make me more depressed about it.

I think we need some sort of news station or paper like "The Good News"
that only reports positive news. That would be a nice change.Good idea, but then you would never find out what happend to your A's squad in the post-season.

[budafist]

Thing about discussing these things is that most people have an opinion, and no debating about it will change their minds. What's the point of talking about it then?

[CamarotaDesign]

Good idea, but then you would never find out what happend to your A's squad in the post-season.

assuming I missed the games...... I didnt need to know what happened this time... I turned into an alcoholic friday saturday and sunday.

[urstwile]

People should "not make a difference" by coming out and voting for a third party instead. If more people came to the voting booths and did that, at the very least, that would appear in the post-election statistics, and might encourage other people to vote, and vote third party, if they saw that a large percentage of people were also not voting for donkeys or elephants either.

I remember being told in 2000 by many that I helped Bush win the election by voting for Nader. It's attitudes like that that discourage people from voting independent (except for me, that is :D ).

[CamarotaDesign]

I voted for nader in 2000 as well, and felt proud to do it, I voted for Kerry in 2004 and was not.

[Riya]

Very well said, LBA

[EC]

Thing about discussing these things is that most people have an opinion, and no debating about it will change their minds. What's the point of talking about it then?

Debate and discussion is the cornerstone of democracy. Which ain't perfect, but it's the best we got. Apathy sucks.

[EC]

People should "not make a difference" by coming out and voting for a third party instead. If more people came to the voting booths and did that, at the very least, that would appear in the post-election statistics, and might encourage other people to vote, and vote third party, if they saw that a large percentage of people were also not voting for donkeys or elephants either.

I remember being told in 2000 by many that I helped Bush win the election by voting for Nader. It's attitudes like that that discourage people from voting independent (except for me, that is :D ).

The only problem is, our system of government is bi-partisan, not multi-party. I agree that multi-party systems are better, but it's just not what we have. It's unfortunate, but our reality is something like "vote the lesser of two evils or your vote doesn't count." So gotta face reality or George Bush gets elected ok?

The key to better government, imo, is to remove the money from it. If we stop allowing corporations and special interests to fund campaigns and influence congressmen... imagine.

[urstwile]

Hmm, I can't disagree with the reality EC, but my main point is that if we keep accepting it as something that can't be changed, then it never will change.

I guess I'm idealistic enough to say that it can be changed. Perhaps not in my lifetime, or even yours (I'm a lot older than you are), but eventually. In the meantime, I think people should use their vote as they choose, but they should definitely use it, rather than staying at home and not contributing to the political mix at all.

I think so many people stay away from voting precisely because they don't feel that it can make a difference. What a difference it would make if those who felt that it was futile actually came out and voted for the people they wanted, rather than voting to keep a different candidate out of office.

[EC]

not voting is not acceptable, no excuse for that. if you say you love freedom, guess what freedom means? it means you have the right to vote. If you don't, get that ribbon off your minivan, dude.

period the end.

[urstwile]

Very well put. :)

[Riya]

The key to better government, imo, is to remove the money from it. If we stop allowing corporations and special interests to fund campaigns and influence congressmen... imagine.

Wouldn't that be nice?
The problem is, short of a complete government overthrow, I don't see it happening.

[Mynock]

assuming I missed the games...... I didnt need to know what happened this time... I turned into an alcoholic friday saturday and sunday.You would have missed the games, because they would not appear on our "good news only" station.

Wouldn't that be nice?
The problem is, short of a complete government overthrow, I don't see it happening.I smell a coup!

not voting is not acceptable, no excuse for that. if you say you love freedom, guess what freedom means? it means you have the right to vote. If you don't, get that ribbon off your minivan, dude.

period the end.What if there is a Pimp My Ride marathon on MTV on election night?

[Drorain]

i vote. i vote national, i vote state, and i vote local. Every day there is a ballot out, i will vote, my friends and family always whine about this or that, support this one or that one. But amazingly I'm the only one out of all of us that votes each and every election. And you guys know my political swing, but I will never ignore this right.

[Logo-Mechanix]

I also vote every time, I wish more people would and if you don't, quit your bitchin'.

[CamarotaDesign]

hey you know whats funny, after I said I want to see something with positive news, I watched a show on PBS last night called "Global Tribe" about this girl who travels around loking for positive changes in the world. It was pretty cool, glad I saw it. Also before that was Moyers on America episode talking about the FCC allowing large corporations to control radio market and how local communities were setting up low power FM stations to combat the large syndicated bullshit programming that these companies put out. Good stuff.

[Mynock]

Gotta love PBS especially when you have two and only like 10 other channels.

[CamarotaDesign]

same here, PBS is definately the best of my 5 stations