Is this issue really the issue that has people turned off of politics and politicians. Is it an issue? Sure. But let's find out what REALLY bothers people about today's politicians. The BASIC problem. Why are they so turned off?
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This question came up in another thread: "How do we get two groups of people who dispise each other to work together for the common good?"
What I propose is that we do this by focusing on the people who do NOT despise each other simply based on political association. My viewpoint is that democrats and republicians do not hate each other. We are all people first, and there are major issues facing this nation that PEOPLE need resolved.
The only people that despise each other for being Democrat or Republician are those who engage in polarizing politics and thus become blinded to the obviously important issues facing humanity.
What the majority of people I know will respond to, is a political program that addressed people as individuals, not as members of a political party.
Perhaps this is not getting to actual "issues" that you would like to see discussed, but I feel it is a good starting point for people to unite around.
Perhaps: "Unity08, Saving America from partisan politics"
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Einstein
Big reason; Carl Roves approach. I recently heard a self-professed staunch republican state that the proof of how effective Mr. Rove has been is all the hate that is generated towards him from the left. Think about that; the success of individual achievement measured by the amount of hate generated by ones actions. And this guy (talk show caller; name unknown) seemed to think that this was a good thing!!! The only way to repair something like this is to change people's attitudes; not an easy or quick thing.
Our two party system has evovled into two teams of Professional Politicians engaged in a VERY HIGH STAKES GAME OF WINNER TAKE ALL DURING YOUR TIME AT BAT !!
They don't despise each other - they don't think much of me and mine or you and yours, but each will protect their opposition from you and I !!
The unfortunate reality here is, until enough American people wake up to the situation I've just explained THEY will continue to TAKE US TO THE CLEANERS !!
This is not being cynical - it's facing the facts of life.
There is a solution : Support "Pete's Plan For Political Reform" donated to UNITY08 and identified in detail on my blog www.america-21stcentury.com
Peter K (popo) Evans
I would rather see Welfare Reform be the starting point. Stop wasting our tax dollars on freeloaders.
Mmm. I think there are probably two things that have become the major reasons why people have become so disgusted with the whole political process. They are intertwined, but not identical.
First is the level of personalized nastiness. For example, (and believe me when I say I have NO use for the man as an elected official,) some of the swipes taken at Dick Cheney that are based on his daughter's sexual orientation. Or some of the Swift Boat garbage thrown at John Kerry. No halfway decent person wants to get involved with that kind of stuff.
Second, and probably more pervasive, is that based on what they say publicly, there are few politicians who seem to own their own brains! As far as I can tell, they've given up trying to find out what their constituents are telling them, given up trying to tell their constituents what they've learned, and are simply doing and saying whatever the 'media consultants' (read: spin doctors) think is the thing to do today. End result: A 100% phony. And nobody trusts a phony, no matter what the party label.
Well many people feel powerless to change things due to all the money controling the govenrment.
They fell their vote is wasted.
Also they are tired of voting for the lesser of two evils only to find out they were equally 'evil'.
No changes made will have any appreciable effects on our system of governance until all campaigns are publicly financed. That is the only way to remove institutionalized bribery from our government. Until that happens, y'all are just p***ing in the wind.
Only John Edwards will push for campaign finance reform, and media reform.
If he doesn't win the Democratic nomination, I'd like to see this political outsider and true maverick be considered for Unity08. Maybe with Republican outsider and maverick Ron Paul as VP.
We need outsiders, not corporate money insiders.
I've been thinking about this a great deal lately...I'm sure we all have, or we wouldn't be on this site. Anyway. I think that the entire campaign process IS the basic problem. Campaigning begins way too far in advance of elections and entirely too much money is wasted on uninformative advertising. Anyone with an iota of discretion can see that most campaign ads are red herrings.
Campaign time should be limited, only individual contributions should be permitted, and that money should be pooled and dispersed equally.
Money controlling the government makes us all feel completely powerless and as if our voices are not heard. Elected officials are beholden to their special interest groups, businesses, and basically the highest bidder rather than their constituents. As was posted elsewhere, they are spending too much time planning and executing their next campaigns rather than representing the people.
Everyone that has signed up at Unity 08, and even those just curious, needs to write to all of the major news outlets to ask that they report on our efforts. If we flood ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX and MSNBC with emails asking them to report on Unity 08, they just may do so. We should ask that they have Hamilton Jordan, Jerry Rafshoon, Doug Baily and Angus King as guests on their programs so that they can explain the philosophy behind the effort. Yes, people are upset about the current political environment. But most have no idea as to how they can help bring about change. So far, Unity 08 seems to be the best way to bring people together to affect change. We need to advertise!
As I said before, until things get rough on the people, the people do not care. Who cares about a national debt right now. Just because "someday" China will want their money, doesn't mean I have to give a rodent's donkey. Brad and Angelina are having a baby!!!!
No revolution was ever started by fat people.
I think this is it if you are in the middle most of us here are we are not in some group and see both the positives and negatives of each sides proposals, and are more aware of the blinders that are on.
Here is an Example from those on the right. They say tax cuts are good which if we were the only capitol market A and everyone return and tax rate were the same. then yes it would be good. The Reality is since we do only 3% growth to China's 11% China is a better investment. On those to the left if a business person pays someone say $14 an hour plus Benefits and the market says $6hour and no benefts and has low turnover and is generous with his money why should he be taxed at the same rate as the guy paying only 6 and no benefits? I am waiting for the fair share argument to show now but if he is paying more than it is worth becuase he believes it is right for him to do why should he/she be punished for his generousity?
I think people feel they no longer have the ability to influence elections and the extremist at both ends just pander to the base and keep getting farther out of touch with most mainstream people.
What turns me off about politicians is what they do and don’t do. Because a politician’s career is analogous to a sales-by-commission job, politicians are always selling votes. That’s what they do. What they don’t do is solve problems.
Here is a personal example. I’ll give you the background first. My passion is building, big horsepower, big block Chevy engines. I also believe in the environment and conservation. Intuitively my passion and my beliefs are diametrically opposed. However it only seems that way because the media and politicians spin the truth to advance their bottom line. How can I drive a truck with a 396 (6.5L) cubic inch engine and increase it to 572 (9.4L) cubic inches engine and still help the environment and conservation.
Simply, I switch to propane or methanol. That helps the environment. Both propane and methanol are zero emissions fuels. Methanol is also a “green” energy. I also build my engine with an electronic and/or forced induction fuel system. This will allow my engine to be more fuel efficient than a normal gas engine. And finally I add an overdrive system to the transmission. I can increase my gas mileage from and average 6 miles per gallon to about 10 miles per gallon.
Unfortunately since I first proposed this to my law makes 25 years ago I still can‘t do it with a 1974 or newer vehicle. Enacting more stringent air quality standards and global warming initiatives is more important.
By the way, my truck is now exempted from the smog regulations. I will do this project starting in a year or so. But I’m using 87 unleaded gas. On pump gas I should get about 12 miles to the gallon.
So you pick the issue and I think you will see that the politicians are more interested in making you feel good and getting your vote than doing anything. That's what pisses my off.
SAD to say but polerization is part of human nature in discussions of all types.While it is true that the "political slimmies" actually try to enhance this natural ocurrance. Broad university studies show when ANY group of peopple sit down to discuss issuess
no mater how they are alocated to the groups thier positions tend to move to the extreems. Espically if thier of or closse to like mind A group of lefties with one or 2 right wingers will wind up with the rightwingers sounding like john burchers if they keep at it long enough & the lefties will put marx at the right of thier consentsis. the edges push & the middle absorbs back & forth it goes where it stops is at the poles.
In Winner-take-all, third parties can only spoil. Unless you can fix this, there is no hope of doing more than hurting the extreme you like most, no matter which side that is.
If you are a Republican, don't like Democrats, but hate what Neo-cons have done to your party and the Country, then you had better get in there and fight.
There are many Churches subverted by the same folk and at long last there is a fight to restore them to sanity. Republicans will have to start at each precint and organization and it will be a very tough fight.
On the Democrat side I see it as mostly a reaction to years of GOP neo-con visciousness, brought to focus with the attacks on Clinton.
Today nobody measures how left wing a person is by their policy beliefs, but by how deeply they understand the corruption of the Neo-con agenda.
Until Freedom, Democracy, Transparency, and actual agreed Reality can be a starting point for all Americans, there can be no middle ground between real Americans and Theofascist Totalitarians who hate freedom, democracy, or even thoughtful opposition.
In the 230 years of our nation's history, our mass communications technology has evolved from the printing press to radio, network TV, photocopiers, cable TV, and now - the internet. There is an interesting pattern here - Diverse - Concentrated - Diverse - Fragmented.
I belive the structure of early electronic mass media alienated people from politics the same way the concentration of wealth in the early industrial era (Carnegie, Rockefeller, etc.) alienated many (including Karl Marx) from free-market capitalism. Both exemplify an unhealthy concentration of power - which is antithetical to a functioning representative democracy.
Network TV had three basic problems:
1) It concentrated power in a few hands.
2) It was (and is) a passive medium.
3) It had America's attention - ALL of it.
Because of TV's power and reach, advertisers could sell us cars, soap, and politicians with impunity. They didn't have to appeal to our intellect - just our emotions. We all think we make rational product decisions, but study after study proves we don't. (Otherwise there wouldn't be billions spent on marketing year after year).
In order to "talk to America" you needed a lot of dough. So, ordinary voters lost most of their influence to the "big players" - which created our all-too-familiar problem with the influence of big money in politics. Public financing of campaigns WILL emerge as a vehicle to ease this conentration of power, but we need a catalyst...
How do we break the cycle?
I believe the process has already begun. Again - look at private sector advertising. TV is losing out to the internet, big-time.
The internet will also be a tremendously powerful political force. You ain't seen nothin' yet. Somebody - maybe Unity '08 (uh... maybe not), WILL harness it.
But you need the right model. The internet is highly fragmented (so is this site). But there are people working on business models and software code that will allow people to organize in a collaborative way and get things DONE. Not just "shout" past each other.
***
It's OUR turn to re-invent America!
Visit the Unity '08 Platform Focus project.
http://unitysupporters.com/wiki/?title=UnityWiki:Community_Portal
I hate Andy Rooney. However his diatribe this weekend said something satirically that matches a reality IMO.
In the days of mega-buck campaigns and TV and talk shows and blogs ... not to mention a placated public [re: Roman Senate] ... it is impossible to make someone WANT to vote FOR you.
I will use one example so that I can make my point. Barack has said nothing wrong, done nothing wrong. After hours of awesome speeches, he can't gain traction because someone will call him by his middle name and all his hours of ideas and positive statements are ruined.
What the campaigns do is make us NOT want things. In Satire, Rooney said "maybe it is time to run elections the way we actually vote: instead of voting for who we want, vote for who we want the least! The person with the lowest number wins."
At least this would fit the current mega-buck, book-writing, pharmacy funded campaign system we have today!
zDougie
My favorite part of Orwell's book/movie is when Winston Smith is shown that the TV which surveils and brainwashes everybody can be switched off. "That is your right" he's told. It blew me away because it is true of this media spell we are under: we can very well turn off all these inputs, but we don't. And so the people in the world of 1984 are voluntarily complicit in their own misinformation. We too voluntarily allow ourselves to be misdirected by sensation and celebrity, and thus lend our selves to domination and ignorance. If that's what we want, it is our right to be so...
What really bothers me about today's politicians? It's where they've taken the proverbial "aisle" that distinguishes the "sides" of the "debate." On the "left" side of the aisle are the Democrats who bemoan the right-wing attacks on privacy, science, same sex marriage, Iraq, etc. as the abuse of government power. On the "right" side of the aisle are the Republicans, who bemoan the leftist attacks on free markets, corporations, the right to bear arms, free speech, etc. as the abuse of government power.
Both views are correct! No matter which side of the aisle they're on, they believe in concentrating power at the federal government level and then using (abusing) that power to further their agenda. The "debate" is over how to abuse that power. In essence, the leftist Democrats believe that you and I are too stupid to take care of ourselves so we need a powerful government to act as our nanny and save us from the big bad wolf. The right wing Republicans believe that we are too evil for our own good, so we need a powerful government to monitor us and make sure we don't do anything "immoral" as they define it. They're both at the end of the aisle that imparts much power to the central government. We don't need to meet at the aisle in between the two! What we really need to to is pull our institutions back down the aisle toward less government power and more individual empowerment.
I don't know if it is because of mass media, as some have suggested in this forum, or by some other mechanism, but many folks have come to equate representative democracy with majority rule. However, without the protection of individual rights, majority rule is nothing more than mob tyranny. Larry Flint put it well when he said, "You can't have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for supper." The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights were designed to limit government. Unfortunately, we've allowed the politicians and judges to stray far from the intent of our nation's founders. This has led to may folks, including me, to feel powerless in the face of "majority rule." Thomas Payne said, "When people fear the government, there is tyranny. When government fears the people, there is liberty." If we could mobilize the approximately half of eligible voters who don't vote, we could put the fear of the people back into our government and take back our rights as individuals to choose how to live our own lives.
jceason states: "If we could mobilize the approximately half of eligible voters who don't vote, we could put the fear of the people back into our government and take back our rights as individuals to choose how to live our own lives."
REPLY: jc, i dont know how old you are but as a 71 year old who has been a member of both parties and is now "independent," I think you have democrats and republicans confused. The GOP is the group who thinks the average US citizen is stupid; the DEMS were for equality but greed and the pursuit of power is bringing them down. The strength in your blog is when you discuss "the aisle." An aisle is a division of space and with a country divided, we cannot return to the greatness of our society.
Unfortunately, we're engaged in a "blame game" for our terrible position but, if truth be told, it's all our faults. Why, for example, has it taken so long for the poor and middle classes to stand up to the tyranny of our present government? If we're truly a government for, by and of "the people," why haven't we spoken out against the president, his henchmen, the legislature and the judicial branches of our government? Why did we wait to act until we lost 3,000 of the brightest stars in our future?
UNITY 08 is our hope for a successful future. Let's UNITE THE UNITED STATES. Let us find true LEADERSHIP and let's pray to God that we find peace before it's too late.
Mary Ann -- "My Country, Right or Wrong"
I agree with you, that the center we approach is one with too much power in the hands of gov't.
Instead of looking at the right and left as the ends of a line, look at them as right and left points on a diamond. At the right point, you have fiscal liberty with social tyranny. On the left point, you have social liberty with fiscal tyranny. At the bottom point, you have social tyranny, and fiscal tyranny (which is where we are headed). At the top point, guess what you have. Liberty and justice for all, with social and fiscal liberty. I have no desire to meet at the BOTTOM center with anyone.
If not for the usurped power they hold, we would have little or no concern about who was in office, as they would have little effect on our lives. The problem is not so much who we elect as it is, MY GOD, THIS IDIOT HAS CONTROL OF OUR EVERY MOVE.
Once the U08 issues and candidate polls are in place and show how the majority of delegates and candidates stand on the issues we can do more than have an online convention and select our nominees. At that point we can identify how members of Congress stack up against the wishes of delegates and use this forum to launch camapaigns to retain the services of like minded candidates or to vote out candidates who's stances on the issues are contrary to our own. U08 could provide the voting records of Congressmen on the issues key to U08 delegates and members could vote them up or down based on their actions not their words. After all it won't do much good to get our candidate into office and not at the same time elect Congressmen who will fight the changes we desire.
Many today place the blame of what's wrong with our country on the military-industrial complex. It should be pointed out though that if it were not for this complex, we would not be here having this discussion today. That is not to say that there are those in industry and the military who do not have the best interests of our nation at heart--clearly there are---greedy corporate executives have wreaked havoc on our society.
There is another complex that exists today though. It is the government-media-ivory tower educational institutional complex, and it has also done considerable harm to our nation. It is a revolving door comprised of many extremely wealthy and overly educated individuals who believe that because they have the most money or go to the "right schools" that makes them qualified to govern.
The bottom line as we have seen is that government by the extremely wealthy, whether they be Republican or Democrat, does NOT necessarily translate into government by the best. If our "leaders" were as qualified as they would make us believe, then our nation would not be in the many quandaries it now faces. Many of our "leaders" today tout their records of public service, but what this translates into more often than not is having government serve them---not the other way around as it should be. And this is why so many people have lost faith in "the system". They see their rulers looking after their own self-interests, far too often at the expense of the best interests of our nation.
Extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
Barry Goldwater
A decent education might be the difference between an individual who can solve the problems facing our country, and a loser who blames the "elites" for all of his troubles...
We are the "elites". We are the people who hire the politicians. The more we are involved in the process (at every level), the more we can affect the outcome.
There is no substitute for a quality education; it doesn't matter whether you are born rich or destitute. Education is the great leveler in society.
Jeff C
leikec@yahoo.com
Once again, Jeff, I'm not blaming the "elites" for MY problems, but for many of the problems in our nation. And as the vast majority of them have come from supposedly the "BEST" schools, why is our nation facing so many problems today? The answer is that most of our ruling class is educated on how to be a part of a system(the go-along to get-along, don't rock the boat mindset). That's why our country is tottering on the edge in some many respects. These people aren't leaders . . . they are managers(at best), and not even competent ones.
You're right in saying that there is no substitute for a quality education. Unfortunately today, education has become increasingly outcome based, with the vast majority being indoctrinated in WHAT to think and not HOW to think.
And with respect to "affecting the outcome", it's very difficult to do that when the game is rigged.
See http://www.blackboxvoting.org and http://www.votetrustusa.org . Also, the Presidential Debate Commission ROUTINELY does its best every 4 years to try to keep 3rd party candidates shut out from participating.
Extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
Barry Goldwater
It's all a balancing act there eric. We need the well educated and we need the ones who knwo where the rubber meets the road. Both need to see that the other is essential to make this America thing work. and the game is not rigged. We The People in the last 30 years have just punted our civic responsibilties to the K-Street Special Interests - the REAL power in DC. We can demand/get it back if we focus our fire where it truly should go to be effective.
"Politics [is] the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order." - Barry Goldwater
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Teddy Roosevelt
"We have no moral obligation to do what we cannot do" - Rory Stewart
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can exist only until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury—with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by dictatorship.”
–Alexander Tyler (in England 400 years ago)
We must endeavor to prove him wrong. We each must stop sucking the gov't teat. Unless we do, we are doomed to tyranny.
That Endows Its Citizens With "Rights and Freedoms That Cannot Be Restrained or Repealed By Human Law " John Quincy Adams (Signatory To The Constitution) ..
The issue and the solution - reside within our Constitution ..
The Issue !
Every social and economic problem faced by America to-day - can traced back to the Government's Violation of Its Entitlement as Granted By Our Constitution - ie The enactment of Legislation without the Peoples Knowledge, Advice & Consent !!
The Reason !
Failure of The Sovereign Authority (The People) - to Implement and Enforce Appropriate Disciplines For Hiring, Monitoring & Firing Its Elected Government Officials and Employees !!
The Solution !
Prior to the Elections of 2024 - Drawing from information available in the Private Sector, Seek out and adopt all Accepted Management Disciplines applicable to an Enterprise of the size and type This Nation Represents : And apply it to The Election, Empowering, Monitoring & Firing - of All Elected Government Officials and Employees ..
Contention !
This solution is Constitutionally Legal - and by All The Laws of Nature & Good Management, Sound & Logical!
The only people with reason to oppose this action - are inept and corrupt Government Officials, and their special interest cronies on K Street and elsewhere in America and the outside world !!
Unity08 has access to the Legal Muscle and Media Facilities - To Make This Happen : IT WOULD BE ONE GIANT STEP Toward Taking Back Our Country For The American People in 2024 !!
All it takes is the guts and the will to do it !!
ps Check todays posting on my blog : www.america-21stcentury.com
Peter K (popo) Evans
ABC News is the latest victim of the Ron Paul Revolution. Seems the internet is poking holes in the canopy used to keep it dark where the mushrooms are grown. It is also exposing the other ingredient needed to grow mushrooms. ABC's own poll after Sunday's GOP Debate as of 8;00pm EST showed Ron Paul bludgeoning the rest of the field with Dr. Paul receiving 18,914 votes out of 33.075 Total Votes cast, just over 57%. Second place was Mitt Romney with 2,951 votes or just 9%!
But don't think the truth will get in the way of the mushroom growers, they will rally and throw a new blanket of lies and fear over the hole the truth has pierced in their canopy of darkness. Fresh manure will be applied liberally in an attempt to overide the sweet smell of truth with the stench of lies.
The good news is the mushrooms don't need a lot of light to transform into organisims that can think and reason for themselves and see the Mushroom Systhesis Masters for the liars they are.
More and more mushrooms are seeing the light and rejecting the darkness!
Join the Ron Paul Revoulution and shine the light of truth on more mushrooms!
Delegate post numbers seem to be down. Leadership has not been heard from for while. What gives? This may end up being the shortest lived political movement in history. I think it may be just as well though. Delegates signed on to "take our country back" but most of them in reality just wanted to give it back to the same crooks we were supposed to be taking it back from. Party loyalty of most delegates is easy to discern. They could not leave their party coats at the door. Most could care less who the VP nominee might be as long as the Presidential candidate was of their party. Lots of time has been spent arguing issues that won't even register in the general election or that are out of the realm of the Federal Gov't to do anything about. Leadership seems unable to even come up with forums for measuring delegate sympathies for issues or candidates.
Hang in there HC, we all knew this wasn't going to be easy- as for the debates, and the campaigns - I see them working in our favor ..
With every day that passes - the two major parties and their Front running Candidates look more like losers than winners ..
I predict, by late 2024 early 2024 - There Will Be Millions Of Americans So Pissed Off With The Conduct of the Two Major Parties - and the choices they offer - Our Candidate will become a weapon of choice and hope !!
UNITY08's Battle Cry For The Republic Should Be : " It's Time For The Two Major Parties To Step Aside - They Had Their Chance To Fix Things - And Only Made Them Worse" !!!
Peter K (popo) Evans
If they're the problem, why should Unity08 pick apparatus politicians from the two major parties.
If Unity wants to be different and better, it needs to pick two populists from the parties who are not owned by the corporations.
They don't have to - but I think you will agree there are members of Congress on both sides of the aisle that would do things differently - if they could ..
There are Encumbents and Outsiders that believe like we do THAT WOULD RUN if the means existed to neutralize the ability of the embedded powerbrokers to call the shots ..
popo
I scanned the MSM news checking out their coverage of the ABC GOP Debate. It was pretty much the same on all of them. They highlighted Romney's, McCain's, Brownback's, and Giuilani's stances on abortion and not much of anything else. Ron Paul was only mentioned as having been in the debate even though he got nearly 36,000 of the 56,000 votes cast on ABC's own online poll. He received EIGHT TIMES as many votes as the second place Romney. While I agree online polling may not be the most accurate an obvious run away performace like his cannot be ignored by any rational individual. PBS had a guest commentator from Politico explaining how the Dems outpaced the GOP with online support and organization. He went on to say the GOP had no candidates with much online support or organization. What a liar! Ron Paul's online support is far superior to that of Howard Dean's that catapaulted him to prominence in his Presidential bid. The MSM are liars and whores for the PTB's who will deny all but the ordained candidates a fair shake in any election.
The Revolution is not being televised but it is being youtubed!
Join the Ron Paul Revolution and expose the liars and whores in the MSM!
Faux Noise buying the wall Street Journal?
On the Dem side Hillary and Obama dominate the MSM coverage.
I hope Unity08 isn't about maintaining the status quo with two corporate owned insiders.
The MSM is a lost cause right now if you want facts - not spin : people are looking more and more to Bloggers that offer insight they can identify with ..
As the Internet becomes more and more the peoples choice for NEWS - the MSM "just might" get smart and clean up their act ..
popo
I think that the population as a whole is simply disgusted with the whole political process and the politicians themselves.
You can vote for "self serving liar" #1 - or "self serving liar" #2. Your vote for President has to be filtered through the electoral college because the majority might not be representative of the best interests of the country.
1 person - 1 vote
Common sense - the cure for stupid!
They decided to use their majority to suppress the minority rather than govern. They even bullied members of their own party who dared to dissent on an issue.
It is they who realized that polarization gets them elected and that it's easier to attack than lead. It's easier to buy votes than convince.
Add to that the realization that truth and accuracy cannot match stridency and repetition. Add to that their media lapdogs (Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Colter) who propagate their mendacity. It doesn't matter if what you say is true, as long as the talking points are repeated endlessly the public accepts them. Is George Orwell laughing or crying?
Unfortunately, the process has worked. Kerry, McCain, Ford and many others have suffered the result of the unprincipled attack politics of Delay, Rove and their minions. Only the incredibly bungled Iraq affair and the corruption of power turned the tide in the last election.
One change I've pondered for a long time: I believe that the only content allowed in a political ad should be the candidate himself/herself addressing the camera. No third party shills, no unflattering pictures or out-of-context clips of your opponent, just the candidate addressing the viewer. At least their would be some accountability for what is said.
I thought you told me you were not a democrat.
I am NOT a Democrat. That doesn't mean that the assassination politics of Delay and Rove don't strike me as despicable.
Nor do I like being blatantly lied to by politicians or broadcast personalities, especially those who work for purported news organizations.
I affliliate with the Green party, but have limited my participation because of the futility of 3rd party participation. I don't see a need to waste my time and tilt at windmills.
You might guess that I'm liberal on many issues, but certainly not all. A large problem with party politics is that issues tend to be defined by the party and not on case-by-case merits. There are some issues that pop-up that I have what would be considered a very conservative take - I prefer to judge independently of any Blue, or Red (or Green) designation.
I very much agree with the post that wished for all independent Congressmen. I'd like to hit Powerball big too.
The problem as I see it is that Party loyalty is trumping loyalty to the country or Constitution.
Reducing the cost of elections may make candidates more independent. If they are not dependent on the largess of Party power (ie: MONEY) brokers they may not owe their souls before they are even sworn in.
I believe that those who win election by emotional issues rather than substantive issues tend to be more fanatical, less likely to see the common good, and more prone to Party control. It's time to take back our politics and assert forcefully that flag-burning, abortion, gay-marriage, (et cetera ad nauseum) are not issues that affect our well-being as a country. There are valid disagreements on economic, governance and international issues that affect everyone. The good news is that these issues do lend themselves to compromise and in the long run are much more important to our overall well being. They do not however lend themsleves to 30 second commercials.
I hope Congress reasserts its prerogative of vetting cabinet and agency appointees. It has been nearly disasterous to have agency directors and other lead officials who are loyal lapdogs of the controlling Party and not loyal to the People, the Constitution or the purpose of their organization. Worse are those who overtly oppose the purpose of the agency they head. Congress must aggressive reassert its authority over appointees and insist on competent, independent, dedicated public servants. Do we need a better poster child than Gonzales who sees his purpose as Attorney General as shielding the Executive branch from the law? Or "Brownie" who let an American city drown? Or Stickler the guy in charge of mine safety? Or Rumsfeld and the militaristic, neocon nonsense that led the US into the clearly disasterous Iraq adventure?
We could also take steps to reduce the certainty of incumbency, but that is another thread.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can exist only until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury—with the result that democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by dictatorship.”
–Alexander Tyler (in England 400 years ago)
The various levels of gov't are speedily approaching the threshold of employing a majority of workers in the United States. Once that happens, WE WILL BE SLAVES. Once "public servants" become a majority, they will literally vote themselves not only the public treasury, but all that the gov't can borrow. And if you decide you don't like it, the ARMED "public servants" will come around and put you back in line.
The only solution possible is to return to a constitutional gov't. What we have now is a bunch of criminal liars. They all swear to protect and defend the constitution, and then proceed to see how they can best get around it. The biggest problem is the one mentioned in the quote above. There are a plethora of gov't services being rendered that are not authorized by the constitution, but the seemingly characterless people of this country would scream bloody murder if their particular service were taken away. Example: Social Security is not "general welfare", it is welfare for elderly.In my opinion the "Grand Experiment" has already failed. It will take a miracle to get it going again. There is no one around big enough to jerk us of the teat and ween us. We are no more free than pigs in a pen.
Common sense - the cure for stupid!
Not one mention of the power of the $ from all the special interest groups.
We have to stop our elections from being purchased by the highest bidder.
Beaurocrats will vote for their job every time.
Oh this is going nowhere - I'm going fishing.
Richard S. Poleet Jr.
I think this has allot to do with the shape of the two main parties today. Often being parties of the so-called left or right. Leaving the silent moderate majorities of each party out in the cold. Usually having to play the lesser of two evils as it were. When these moderates of each party cast their vote. Also its because the two main parties today are not all inclusive to the variation of beliefs in their own parties. Leading to the alienation of members of each party, to satisfy that parties so-called base. The corruption involved in everyday politics, politicians and the political election process. Money! The fact the elite of American society have direct access to the political process or politicians. How the two major parties further divide us(bipartisan politics). Lack of true political education in school, often being taught the opinion and beliefs of one's teacher. Disinformation! Propaganda! The fact the process excludes and invalidates many voters and votes. The fact some believe the President and Vice President has been chosen before you even cast your vote(conspiracy theorist). Parents do not instill the importance of voting or civil participation in elections. In various election where someone wins the popular vote, but not the election. This has happened at least four time in US history, that we know of. It does not really effect me and my everyday life. Laziness! Political segregation in a sense! When election get to close the courts get to have too much input. When some politician does not agree with the outcome of a race. They try to manipulate the justice system to get elected. With a win at any cost mantalitay!
The fact your vote does not elect the person you vote for, but an elector who is supposed to represent your vote. This elector may or may not do so(faithless electors). How electors are chosen in the first place. The fact how in in twenty-four states there are laws to punish faithless electors. To date, none have been punished by these law which mandate them to vote for the winning candidate the people voted for. On 158 different occasions, electors have not cast their vote for president or vice president to whom the votes were pledged. of those 71, were changed because the original candidate for office died before the electors were able to cast their vote. Two vote were not cast because the electors chose to abstain from casting their vote for any candidate. The remaining eighty-five were changed by the electors own interest or perhaps by accident. These faithless electors, usually work alone! An exception was 1836, when 23 Virginia electors changed their vote together. In that year, Martin Van Buren's Vice Presidential running mate, Richard Johnson, did not receive the minimum vote to become Vice President. Some say due to faithless electors. Although Richard Johnson did win the office of Vice president through the first election held in the United States Senate(1837). There are so many reasons. In short, corruption, money, abuses of power, being lied to, adultery and so on. This is why i believe that Unity 08 can be a catalyst for change. If only they choose a cannadate out of the political mainstream. Having an all inclusive agenda to bring us together and not devide us like the two parties today are doing.
Long live the Great Federal Republic of these United States! All those who dwell with in her borders! Or serve our beloved Union.