OT - Politics doesn't make sense to me

[jemagee]

I think nominating a women was a very shrewd move by McCain.  There are a lot of Hilliary supporters who basically were voting for her because of gender.  I have heard comments like "she understands what women go through", " a man will never understand women's issues", etc.  There are enough who will vote Republican just because there is a woman on the ticket and they will know absolutely nothing about her stance on any issues.

I don't buy it, the Democrats would be stupid if to not point out she's Pro NRA and anti-choice...

and I really don't buy 'they'll vote for her cause she's a woman'...any more than i bought rush limbaughs argument that if he didn't pick a 'conservative enough' running mate, mccain would lose the core republicans.

Maybe he gets undecided women, but 'hilary supporters' are harder core democrats and they'll vote democrat just to vote agaist the republicans.

I don't vote 3rd party, because the american political system isn't BUILT to support a 3rd party...great in theory but truly untenable...the reality is that it's a 2 party system and always will be...3rd party votes on a national level (president) tend to be a wasted vote in my opinion...on local levels, maybe congressional levels, i can see it, but on a presidential, or even statewide level i see it as a waste

[Lurker]

I don't vote 3rd party, because the american political system isn't BUILT to support a 3rd party...great in theory but truly untenable...the reality is that it's a 2 party system and always will be...3rd party votes on a national level (president) tend to be a wasted vote in my opinion...on local levels, maybe congressional levels, i can see it, but on a presidential, or even statewide level i see it as a waste

The US did not start as a two party system.  There is nothing that indicates a 2 party system is more sustainable than any other system.   Blindly accepting a broken system is worse than apathy IMO.

[jemagee]

It's not blind acceptance, it's the reality, the US maybe didn't 'start' as a two party system, but it evolved into a two party system...if we had a different form of government (see Israel, England, parliamentary systems) maybe you could sustain multiple parties, but those systems have their own issues.

Democracy is the worse form of government, except for every other one.

It's also insulting to say that I would 'blindly accept" it as I was raised by a MA in american history and live with an expert on US history...every time llyndon larouche spends millions for 30 minutes on television i cringe

[Ted]

I don't buy it, the Democrats would be stupid if to not point out she's Pro NRA and anti-choice...

Is that all we're measuring candidates by these days? I thought this thread started with a wish that we could take abortion out of the political decision? Wasn't someone descrying the sad state of politics, especially when it is boiled down to one or two issues. Let's see if I can find that quote here . . . um . . . ah yes! Here it is . . . oh . . . how ironic. 

And why the HELL is politics usually one issue that men, in general, should just shut the hell up about, since it's like doritos baby, DORITOS?

You hate to see this kind of thing. You just hate it.

Anyway, you ought to take your own advice and look at this person's record on real issues and evaluate her on those criteria, not your narrow gun/abortion political litmus test.

[westkoast]

Honestly guys are there not more important issues to "fry" in this country then abortion and gun control?

[Lurker]

It's also insulting to say that I would 'blindly accept" it as I was raised by a MA in american history and live with an expert on US history...every time llyndon larouche spends millions for 30 minutes on television i cringe

So your insulted by my claiming that you blindly accept the current system.  So if I say you accept the current system with open eyes then you feel better.  My point...Mr. raised-by-a-MA...is that in American history fighting the staus quo and looking for a better way stands out far more than accepting what is in place.  Maybe if more Americans would grow a pair and stand up to our politicians then the system wouldn't be as screwed up as it is.

Obviously being raised by a OB-GYN and a teacher (just a guess - what else do you do with a masters in American history) hasn't necessarily imparted as much wisdom and reasoning power onto you as you think.  And just because you live with an "expert" doesn't mean you know crap about any subject.  I sure wouldn't trust the spouse of the best heart surgeon in the world to perform my bypass just because they live with an "expert".  

[WayOutWest]

I think all of you have totally missed the point!  We must stop the gays from being allowed to get legally married. 

Dear Allah, it's getting too stupid around here!

[Ted]

YES! They can have their civil unions, just don't give them the right to say the "m" word.

[Lurker]

I think all of you have totally missed the point!  We must stop the gays from being allowed to get legally married. 

Dear Allah, it's getting too stupid around here!

And I thought the most important issue was a wall along our northern border to keep all those Canucks out.

[JoMal]

Lurker, by far the biggest obstacle to a third party candidate, besides even getting elected, is that Congress would never support anything he did. THEY would still be either mostly Republican or mostly Democratic, so having a president who is neither would be rather ineffective unless he could convince one or the other 'big' parties he was more like them.

Which would kind of defeat the purpose of an independent in the White House.

[jemagee]

YES! They can have their civil unions, just don't give them the right to say the "m" word.

You can't take away their right to say madonna...

[Lurker]

Lurker, by far the biggest obstacle to a third party candidate, besides even getting elected, is that Congress would never support anything he did. THEY would still be either mostly Republican or mostly Democratic, so having a president who is neither would be rather ineffective unless he could convince one or the other 'big' parties he was more like them.

And that would be different than the past 2 years because...


Or a true independent in the White House would force bipartisanship onto Congress as they would have to draft bills that would be veto proof.

[jemagee]

Or a true independent in the White House would force bipartisanship onto Congress as they would have to draft bills that would be veto proof.

Yeah, no...they'd stick said president in gridlock so he had no chance of getting a second term, creating a disastorous presidency and thus poisoning the idea of an independent president ever being elected again.

Idealism is nice, but reality is reality

[Lurker]

Or a true independent in the White House would force bipartisanship onto Congress as they would have to draft bills that would be veto proof.

Yeah, no...they'd stick said president in gridlock so he had no chance of getting a second term, creating a disastorous presidency and thus poisoning the idea of an independent president ever being elected again.

Idealism is nice, but reality is reality

And the reality is that we have been stuck in gridlock since the 2006 congressional elections.  So let's all vote for the status quo.  YEA!

The reality also is your driving off a cliff.  So do you try to change course or just stick with what you have always done...drive straight ahead.

[westkoast]

Or a true independent in the White House would force bipartisanship onto Congress as they would have to draft bills that would be veto proof.

Yeah, no...they'd stick said president in gridlock so he had no chance of getting a second term, creating a disastorous presidency and thus poisoning the idea of an independent president ever being elected again.

Idealism is nice, but reality is reality

And the reality is that we have been stuck in gridlock since the 2006 congressional elections.  So let's all vote for the status quo.  YEA!

The reality also is your driving off a cliff.  So do you try to change course or just stick with what you have always done...drive straight ahead.

The reality is other people are driving off the cliff (politicians) and the regular people are in the trunk tied up, unable to fully grab the steering wheel to move it right away.  As much as there is wrong it is not exactly easy for the average person to change things.  Average people tried to change things in 2004 and yet strings were pulled behind the scenes to put everyone back in their place...as consumers.  Not people who should have a REAL say so in the government.