We always hear griping about money in politics and how it influences elections. Why do we never ask ourselves the question why is money important in politics? We have more formal education than Americans 150 years ago had and we can get more information in a minute that they could get a month. So why is spending money to get superficial 30-second ads for Entertainment Tonight and Dancing with the Stars so important?

We hate the job congress does but we keep sending the same rascals there every single year. Our presidential nomination races are a contest of who can reinvent themselves in just the right way to maximize their votes and we buy it and then wonder why we get more of the same when the winners get to the White House. There's very few candidates who are the exact same person as a congressman or governor as they are a candidate. It's getting so blatant that it would be comical if it weren't something as important as a national election.

Is it a mistake the we drill it in people's heads that they need to vote but never bring up that there's an actual responsibility that comes with it? We don't let people convicted of felonies in our very imperfect justice system vote, but to even speak of not letting clueless yahoos (and there are those voting for both major parties BTW) is some egregious assault on democracy?

Sorry for the out-of-the-blue rant, I'm just feeling as apathetic as I ever have about politics. There's no flaw in our laws or constitution or political system. We have exactly the government we deserve if you ask me.

politics defines my apathy over my lifetime....and I'm 50....

it's a joke....

people will always try to pigeon hole a point that 'they' think matters.....none of it does....

it's always about money and how you are allowed to acquire and utilize.....the utilization and tracking of 'cash' should be the biggest concern for many folks right now....

you won't see that being discussed......

not one fkr running on a taxation platform.....

that's just fk'd up....

social media rules!

fk'n A

it reminds me when bolts didn't have a standard for thread pitch....fk'n media faggots.....howard stern got it right early in the game and stuck to his guns...duble-u-eeeeeyannnnnnnnnnnnn-bc

how's he doing now....

(10-22-2015 10:19 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  We always hear griping about money in politics and how it influences elections. Why do we never ask ourselves the question why is money important in politics? We have more formal education than Americans 150 years ago had and we can get more information in a minute that they could get a month. So why is spending money to get superficial 30-second ads for Entertainment Tonight and Dancing with the Stars so important?

We hate the job congress does but we keep sending the same rascals there every single year. Our presidential nomination races are a contest of who can reinvent themselves in just the right way to maximize their votes and we buy it and then wonder why we get more of the same when the winners get to the White House. There's very few candidates who are the exact same person as a congressman or governor as they are a candidate. It's getting so blatant that it would be comical if it weren't something as important as a national election.

Is it a mistake the we drill it in people's heads that they need to vote but never bring up that there's an actual responsibility that comes with it? We don't let people convicted of felonies in our very imperfect justice system vote, but to even speak of not letting clueless yahoos (and there are those voting for both major parties BTW) is some egregious assault on democracy?

Sorry for the out-of-the-blue rant, I'm just feeling as apathetic as I ever have about politics. There's no flaw in our laws or constitution or political system. We have exactly the government we deserve if you ask me.

One of the problems I have with the Democrats effort to make voting as easy as texting. Besides the fraud issue, you are going out of your way so the lazy and uninformed will vote. Which the Democrats believe is greatly to their advantage. Voting is a responsibility, not an entitlement.

Don't recall the link, but the language used in the Lincoln-Douglas debates was at a vastly higher level than the typical debate language used now.

(10-22-2015 10:19 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  So why is spending money to get superficial 30-second ads for Entertainment Tonight and Dancing with the Stars so important?

I wonder this as well, including the overwhelming mailers we all get. There is probably something in this to deep dive into.

I suspect it has to do with a true low-information voter. Not a "Hurf-durf Rethuglicans are all mouth breathing low information voters hurf-durf" but a voter who just doesn't have the time, the interest, nor the werewithall to dig into details.

And it is possible to put together devastating advertising. It's also possible to put together very heart-warming political advertising. Considering the wealth of data and consulting that political campaigns utilize, the number must support digital media ads.

We have entirely too many people in this country that feel entitled to free things. Period. It's as simple as that, and that is the root of most of our problems.

(10-22-2015 12:46 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  We have entirely too many people in this country that feel entitled to free things. Period. It's as simple as that, and that is the root of most of our problems.

The chief plank of the Democrat platform: “You shall covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his ox and donkey, and everything that belongs to your neighbor.”

(10-22-2015 12:47 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:46 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  We have entirely too many people in this country that feel entitled to free things. Period. It's as simple as that, and that is the root of most of our problems.

The chief plank of the Democrat platform: “You shall covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his ox and donkey, and everything that belongs to your neighbor.”

I mean, it IS easier to take handouts then it is to work 5-7 days a week to support your family. I certainly see the appeal. But those aren't my sort of people, and they are very un-American.

(10-22-2015 12:49 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  I mean, it IS easier to take handouts then it is to work 5-7 days a week to support your family. I certainly see the appeal. But those aren't my sort of people, and they are very un-American.

Generations of Democrat voters have handouts as their only means of income. Well, that and drugs and crime.

Generations.....

I got an idea.

On voting ballots instead of voting for a candidate. there should be a list of political position and you choose the one that most fits your preference and which ever candidate you most line up with should get the vote.

certainly better than what we have now.

(10-22-2015 12:49 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:47 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:46 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  We have entirely too many people in this country that feel entitled to free things. Period. It's as simple as that, and that is the root of most of our problems.

The chief plank of the Democrat platform: “You shall covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his ox and donkey, and everything that belongs to your neighbor.”

I mean, it IS easier to take handouts then it is to work 5-7 days a week to support your family. I certainly see the appeal. But those aren't my sort of people, and they are very un-American.

It's also easier to just make up complete nonsense about the Democratic platform than to actually discuss the issues they raise or discount their policies based on actual evidence, but that's just not my thing and it's certainly very un-American.

It's views like these that are the problem with politics in the US. I am about as progressive as they come, yet I have absolutely no problem admitting that the majority of Republicans are decent americans who vote the way they do because they think it's the best way to do things. I might believe than they're wrong, and that they're actually voting against their interests due to all sorts of influences, but I don't believe they are anything but decent people doing what they believe is best for the US. How you can view hundreds of millions of americans the way you do is pathetic, and quite frightening.

Stop acting like politics are a team sport, for gods sake people, it's inexcusable.

(10-23-2015 09:19 AM)UCF08 Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:49 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:47 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  

(10-22-2015 12:46 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  We have entirely too many people in this country that feel entitled to free things. Period. It's as simple as that, and that is the root of most of our problems.

The chief plank of the Democrat platform: “You shall covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his ox and donkey, and everything that belongs to your neighbor.”

I mean, it IS easier to take handouts then it is to work 5-7 days a week to support your family. I certainly see the appeal. But those aren't my sort of people, and they are very un-American.

It's also easier to just make up complete nonsense about the Democratic platform than to actually discuss the issues they raise or discount their policies based on actual evidence, but that's just not my thing and it's certainly very un-American.

It's views like these that are the problem with politics in the US. I am about as progressive as they come, yet I have absolutely no problem admitting that the majority of Republicans are decent americans who vote the way they do because they think it's the best way to do things. I might believe than they're wrong, and that they're actually voting against their interests due to all sorts of influences, but I don't believe they are anything but decent people doing what they believe is best for the US. How you can view hundreds of millions of americans the way you do is pathetic, and quite frightening.

Stop acting like politics are a team sport, for gods sake people, it's inexcusable.

Well stated.