Politics: The easiest way to pick a fight that will never end. The problem is the NPR following guys (both sides) get their heads filled with a one sided argument and they become so angry/obsessed with things that are out of their control. Then they like to use message boards as their vehicle to vent their frustrations. Just horrible.

And therein lies the nexus of the great divide in this country, if you ask me (I know you didn't but let's pretend). It used to be that exchanges of ideas and debate were done face to face. And while sometimes heated, it was usually conducive to reaching a middle ground. Now cowards hide behind keyboards and sling insults and invective with no intention of attempting to see the other's point. Instead of lively debate, we have MBs full of yo momma smack downs.


There's a social, health, and political malaise in this country that's been brought about by the advent of computers. No longer forced to face our adversaries, we've turned into a nation of lazy, deaf, opinionated slobs. This is one case were technology has worked against us.


That's all I got to say about that.

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The largest problem hampering the political system is the lack of term limits. The president is a figure head and the same clowns are making decisions for way to long. Corrine Brown serving since 1993, being one  local representatives that is the perfect example. There has to be changes in term limits put in place.

 

Not to mention gerrymandering district to ensure re-election. And both sides do it.

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My biggest peeve as of late is the whole voter ID thing. You need ID to do everything these days, including things like food stamps and welfare. But to ask for voters to present an ID is somehow racist?

 

What kind of idiots do they think we are?

 

http://washingtonexaminer.com/24-things-...le/2534254

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What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.







 

Not to mention gerrymandering district to ensure re-election. And both sides do it.

Absolutely I agree both sides have worked to rig the system and reelect incumbents. Term limits should be a priority

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I'm sure this comes as no surprise to anyone, but I'm a staunch conservative. That said however, I have equal contempt for just about all politicians these days. I feel I have a good reason for it. Politicians have forgotten the meaning of the term public servant. That's what they are supposed to be, and with rare exception, none of them act like it at all.

 

During the infancy of this country, politicians were elected volunteers, who did it as a service to their communities. They still held other jobs, which was the source of their livelihood. They were, "of the people, and for the people." This is no longer the case. Most senators and congressmen are all millionaires and have no sense of what their constituents want and how they live their lives. Worse yet, I have serious doubts that many even care. 

 

I would love to see the current system of government abolished, not in it's structure, but in it's practice. I would love to see politicians be public servants and volunteers again who do it because they want to make life better for those whom they serve.

 

That is my simple and humble wish.

 

What's even more problematic is the fact that many of those millionaire senators and congressmen became millionaires once they were elected to office.  They try to portray themselves as being in touch with the plight of the average man, but they don't have a clue what is going on in the real world because they've been removed from it for decades.

 

The original intention was to elect representatives who would go and fulfill their civic duties, then go back to their homes and resume their lives. It wasn't intended to be a career choice. 

George Bush was big government republican as well as John McCain and mitt Romney. I'd say 70% of the Republican Party is just as dependent on government if not more than the democrats.


Ill get specific:


Republicans refuse to change the tax code from a production tax to a consumption tax


Republicans always support large forieng wars that expand government power ie patriot act ndaa TSA and NSA


Republicans refuse to take on the welfare state I'm an advocate of ending all federally funded welfare make states responsible for their own


Republicans are for big corporate bailouts which is essentially corporate welfare


Republicans want government to control social issues ie war on drugs, marriage laws, and end of life decisions.


My bigger problem with republicans is their constant push towards a police state


From that list you can pretty much conclude what my problem with democrats is.

 

Traditional republicans, and not the country club sect that's been running the mainstream for the party for decades don't stand for anything you've pointed out above.  In fact, just the opposite. 

 

Politics:  The easiest way to pick a fight that will never end.  The problem is the NPR following guys (both sides) get their heads filled with a one sided argument and they become so angry/obsessed with things that are out of their control. Then they like to use message boards as their vehicle to vent their frustrations.  Just horrible.

 

Agreed.

 

The largest problem hampering the political system is the lack of term limits. The president is a figure head and the same clowns are making decisions for way to long. Corrine Brown serving since 1993, being one  local representatives that is the perfect example. There has to be changes in term limits put in place.

 

As a victim of gerrymandering that puts me in a 2 block wide portion of her district in order to cobble together her constituents, I completely agree with this point.  She's an absolute embarrassment on a national stage. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

My biggest peeve as of late is the whole voter ID thing. You need ID to do everything these days, including things like food stamps and welfare. But to ask for voters to present an ID is somehow racist?

 

What kind of idiots do they think we are?

 

http://washingtonexaminer.com/24-things-...le/2534254

 

Well, you ask what kind of idiots do politicians think we are? 

 

How many convenient hard drive crashes have there been recently? 

 

You can keep your doctor?

 

Your health care costs will go down?

 

That attack on our consulate in Benghazi was the result of a video nobody saw?

 

Howling about the war on women when the White House has a huge discrepancy between what they pay men vs. women?

 

The list goes on and on, and it's not just one side of the aisle doing it.  Look at what we've had to sacrifice over the past dozen or more years for the sake of "national security." 

 

It's clear our elected officials think most folks are pretty dumb.  Based on election results, they're right. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

What's even more problematic is the fact that many of those millionaire senators and congressmen became millionaires once they were elected to office. They try to portray themselves as being in touch with the plight of the average man, but they don't have a clue what is going on in the real world because they've been removed from it for decades.


The original intention was to elect representatives who would go and fulfill their civic duties, then go back to their homes and resume their lives. It wasn't intended to be a career choice.


Traditional republicans, and not the country club sect that's been running the mainstream for the party for decades don't stand for anything you've pointed out above. In fact, just the opposite.



Agreed.



As a victim of gerrymandering that puts me in a 2 block wide portion of her district in order to cobble together her constituents, I completely agree with this point. She's an absolute embarrassment on a national stage.

Well I'm all for traditional republicans but I doubt they'll ever regain the party. The bushes and mccains control the GOP today

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It's funny how much we all agree on, even despite our left or right leanings. It seems that we all agree that all politicians are equally worthless. Like lawyers, they all suck and have sold their souls. The world would be a much better place without all of them.

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What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.







 

It's funny how much we all agree on, even despite our left or right leanings. It seems that we all agree that all politicians are equally worthless. Like lawyers, they all suck and have sold their souls. The world would be a much better place without all of them.

 

Both parties are controlled by special interests. Corporations have a hold on one. Unions have a hold on the other.

 

I don't really see how it changes in our lifetime.

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It's funny how much we all agree on, even despite our left or right leanings. It seems that we all agree that all politicians are equally worthless. Like lawyers, they all suck and have sold their souls. The world would be a much better place without all of them.

I believe most or America agrees on 80% of the issues but it benifits both parties to concentrate and build campaigns about the 20% we disagree on to keep us divided.

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It's funny how much we all agree on, even despite our left or right leanings. It seems that we all agree that all politicians are equally worthless. Like lawyers, they all suck and have sold their souls. The world would be a much better place without all of them.

 

Yet we keep re-electing them. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Yet we keep re-electing them. 

 

There are 535 people in Congress. We only get to vote on 3 of them. For most people, their most highly thought-of member of Congress is their own. Because they see the pork they bring back from Washington. It's the others they don't like. The ones they can't vote for.

 

Most Congressional districts are gerrymandered to where the same party easily get re-elected. There are very few "purple" districts.

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And therein lies the nexus of the great divide in this country, if you ask me (I know you didn't but let's pretend). It used to be that exchanges of ideas and debate were done face to face. And while sometimes heated, it was usually conducive to reaching a middle ground. Now cowards hide behind keyboards and sling insults and invective with no intention of attempting to see the other's point. Instead of lively debate, we have MBs full of yo momma smack downs.


There's a social, health, and political malaise in this country that's been brought about by the advent of computers. No longer forced to face our adversaries, we've turned into a nation of lazy, deaf, opinionated slobs. This is one case were technology has worked against us.


That's all I got to say about that.

 

I agree with all that. 

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There are 535 people in Congress. We only get to vote on 3 of them. For most people, their most highly thought-of member of Congress is their own. Because they see the pork they bring back from Washington. It's the others they don't like. The ones they can't vote for.

 

Most Congressional districts are gerrymandered to where the same party easily get re-elected. There are very few "purple" districts.

 

California has eliminated party primaries.   Everyone runs in the same primary.   That produces a lot of crossover voting, and is designed to encourage politicians to try to appeal to the center instead of the extremes.  Top two vote getters have a run off. 

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Eric, I'm not interested in getting into this on a message board for the reasons above.

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Absolutely I agree both sides have worked to rig the system and reelect incumbents. Term limits should be a priority

I think if you take the unlimited legal funds given to candidates before and after election away, needing term limits might be less of an issue. Not that I disagree with term limits just don't think it's a higher priority. 

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California has eliminated party primaries.   Everyone runs in the same primary.   That produces a lot of crossover voting, and is designed to encourage politicians to try to appeal to the center instead of the extremes.  Top two vote getters have a run off. 

How's that working out in California? 

 

The state is dominated by 1 party.  It's on the cusp of bankruptcy.  Companies are leaving the state at an alarming rate to get away from the restrictive state tax policies. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

I'm sure this comes as no surprise to anyone, but I'm a staunch conservative. That said however, I have equal contempt for just about all politicians these days. I feel I have a good reason for it. Politicians have forgotten the meaning of the term public servant. That's what they are supposed to be, and with rare exception, none of them act like it at all.

 

During the infancy of this country, politicians were elected volunteers, who did it as a service to their communities. They still held other jobs, which was the source of their livelihood. They were, "of the people, and for the people." This is no longer the case. Most senators and congressmen are all millionaires and have no sense of what their constituents want and how they live their lives. Worse yet, I have serious doubts that many even care. 

 

I would love to see the current system of government abolished, not in it's structure, but in it's practice. I would love to see politicians be public servants and volunteers again who do it because they want to make life better for those whom they serve.

 

That is my simple and humble wish.

The reason that there were no term limits established for congress is that the founders had no idea that the clowns in office now would make it their full time employment. They thought that there was no way someone would want to be a public servant for more than two years.

 

My motto has been:

 

"Anybody but Ron Paul."

Your insight is super compelling.

 

The largest problem hampering the political system is the lack of term limits. The president is a figure head and the same clowns are making decisions for way to long. Corrine Brown serving since 1993, being one  local representatives that is the perfect example. There has to be changes in term limits put in place.

See above, term limits need to happen NOW.

 

Oh and Go Gator!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvRbO73vfXc

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Oh and Go Gator!

That's "Go Gata's" thank you very much! :thumbsup:

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

How's that working out in California? 

 

The state is dominated by 1 party.  It's on the cusp of bankruptcy.  Companies are leaving the state at an alarming rate to get away from the restrictive state tax policies. 

 

It just started in 2012, so it doesn't have anything to do with the mismanagement of the state before now. 

 

What it's designed to do is avoid having partisan primaries where the candidates have to cater to the extremes.  If everyone runs in the same primary, then anyone can vote for anyone, and candidates will have to appeal more to the center.  Any politician  who can stitch together a coalition big enough to get him into the top two vote getters can get into the runoff. 

 

For example, in 2012, in a liberal district near Silicon Valley, liberal democrat congressman Pete Stark, a longtime congressman who had had a very safe district, was defeated by another democrat who appealed to Republicans.   Stark came in first in the primary, but the guy who came in second, a moderate democrat, defeated him in the general election.   In a partisan primary, where only democrats voted, Stark would have eliminated that opponent, and would have faced a republican in a 23% republican district.  

 

These days, most districts are so safe that the only threat to the incumbent is from the far left or the far right.  Non-partisan primaries allow centrist candidates to court moderate voters from both parties, and build enough votes to get through a primary and win a general election. 

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