What Will Be The Hot-Button Issue for the Mid-Term Elections?

I believe that Congress will have to listen because they have to go home and face their constituency. One of the good things that is coming out of this time and place is that society has a plethora of new technologies that allow people to communicate their discontent. We can still write letters to our representatives or send letters to the editor. However, with the Internet, we can voice our problems with Congresspeople a lot faster than in the past. Or if not, create a blog or a web site to organize campaign to get them to listen.

So, it's not as pessamistic as it seems. I always believe that when it comes to desperation in times of tulmult, there are people that will take a stand creatively and pave the way in order to make the powers that be reconsider some of their decisions. I know that idealistic. But, in some way or form, it is kind of true.

Wow . There is still some idealism left (does snoopy dance...). That was a refreshingly idealistic post.

There are still ways to make the power elite take notice of the will of the people, and they are the ones you enumerated, Ceci.

I admit to being a pessimist most of the time, but I do have the occaisional lapse, and revert to the optimistic teen ager I once was, back in the days of supporting John Anderson.

Here's a way above for you, Ceci. As I have said before. Love your posts.

[edit on 5-4-2006 by seagull]

I just thought about something. Does anyone think that the Bird Flu will come up as a topic at all?

Also another issue you probably havn't seen talked about...yet. Taxes. One of those hot-button topics that are always come up eventually...

Seagull, thank you very much for your support. I really appreciate it.

With that being said, I truly do believe that people can make a difference--even though the cynic in me says otherwise. For example, a friend of mine believes in the power of the Internet. Once, she was given bad service in a restaurant. The manager tried to talk her out of trying to make a complaint. And so, at the end of the meal, she simply told him that she was going to start an e-mail campaign telling others about her experience. The manager turned right around and not only gave her a gift certificate; he also told her that she didn't have to pay for her meal.

To make a long story short, she always believes the Internet serves as a conduit for justice.

I don't know if that is the case all the time. But in her point of view, she truly believes in the power of technology and words to get a point across. And I believe it doubly so when it comes to politics--no matter which side of the spectrum you sit on.

Sir Solomon: I would see the Avian Flu pandemic as part of matters concerning health or national security. I'm sure that in the back of people's minds that they remember what happened with the Flu shot shortage as well as the government handling of the Bird Flu. I think that this will be dealt with in terms of whether the government truly thinks about the welfare of the people--or not. This can trickled down into whether the American populace truly feels safe from biological warfare. Or, whether the CDC or the Dept. of Health and Human Services are doing truly enough to work on curbing the new diseases about to hit the United States.

And about taxes:I think the major battleground will be over tax cuts and the new bankruptcy laws. If tax cuts are not helping the middle class and the poor, but supporting only the richest elite--people will be incensed to say the least. And the new bankruptcy laws passed by Congress frustrate a lot of poor and middle class people because now it is getting harder to pay off debts and loans. And if credit is being used--it is a vicious circle all over again. Yep. I think that this will be a hot-button issue because it ties right into so many other topics--such as economics and illegal immigration.

I would also add that crime might be another hot-button issue because it also ties into so many other topics as well.

I hadn't thought about Birdflu, or a pandemic of anysort and preparations or not as a political issue in the upcoming elections. I think for it to have any sort of meaningful impact on the election it would have to be here and massively at that. People always think its going to happen to someone else. No immediacy I think is what I'm trying to say.

But given the FEMA fiasco during Katrina, you may be on to something.

Taxes, oh my yes, just like Social Security. Touchy...touchy. If you want to raise them, bad...bad...bad. Lower them, you are my hero (flutters eyes in adoration...). A truely smart politician would avoid talking about taxes like we would avoid the flu.

Crime, at least in my opinion, is best discussed at the local, and state levels, with support from the national level with data bases, and labs, that sort of thing. Excepting of course, nationwide crime syndicates like the Mafia, and assorted large scale street gangs where the Feds have resources that state and local law enforcement might not have.

[edit on 6-4-2006 by seagull]

[edit on 6-4-2006 by seagull]

Seagull, since you were talking about the matters related to FEMA, I would agree that it is an important issue. There are a lot of people who are misplaced because of Katrina and Rita. So, people who are in those displaced regions would judge the government's efforts on trying to rebuild the region. I'm sure that this would be a hot-button issue in the Gulf Coast.

Taxes are touchy because they affect everyone of us. I think that politicians--especially in this economy--would try to use this logic sparingly. But then again, that depends in certain areas again.

Crime does have an impact on a federal level--if you are thinking about terrorism. But throw in Gitmo and wiretapping--especially with the press conference today and you might have some segments of the population frothing at the mouth. After all, I expect someone will be asking the American populace at one time whether they feel safer or not.

This probably won't be of much interest to a lot of people, but I would also suggest that voting and aspects of it will be on the minds of some segments of the population. I know that you said that DieBold is a new technology, but a lot of people do not trust the machines. And a lot more people will be using absentee ballots. And I think there are some grassroots campaigns to do away with Diebold altogether. What do you think about that?

Arrrrrghhhh!!!

Made a nice long post in reply, and a gremlin ate it .

So, starting over...

Ceci.

My opinion on the Diebold voting machines hasn't really changed. It's a new technology and is bound to have a few bugs. Since I tend toward being rather distrustful of new unproven technologies (color TV, computers, ball point pens, etc...) I think there should be some sort of paper backup for it, so any discrepensies can be backtracked.

Yes, governmental responce or lack thereof, on the Gulf Coast will be a hot button issue, that almost a certainty. Both local and state officials are going to have to answer some hard questions, as they should. In an aside, I still feel it is up to the individual to prepare for such an emergency as best they can, because assuming the government will be there is...as we all saw...dangerous. No matter how well prepared, a government agency requires time to ramp up a response. A disaster on the scale of Katrina, and Ruth, it is just not possible for a government to respond with any sort of immediacy. But more could have been done, and various officials should answer for it. In November, they will.

Terrorism is, in my humble opinion, an act of a new sort of war. It's not one nation against another, it's pitting a seemingly global organisation against a group of nation-states. It's criminal, alright, but not in the sense that bank robbery is criminal. I realize that this is probably striking many as mere semantics but it is my opinion.

Perhaps your right. But, I still tend to think that since FEMA's failures were hard to hide from the public, people will especially be unforgiving for the lack of government response--especially knowing what top officials (i.e., President, Vice-President, etc.) did during the initial time of the response. And people will not forget about Michael Brown, either.

As of terrorism: it is a new sort of war. And you're right on saying that it is a war without borders. RANT may be right about either side of aisle mentioning it, but tie this notion with immigration, and people will be frothing at the mouth.

Frothing is right. Immigration reform, or lack thereof; along with it's obvious tieins with national security, or lack thereof; we should be frothing. Our so called leaders must be held accountable for their actions in this matter, and many others. This may be the hottest issue of the this election go 'round. I surely do hope so anyway.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Imo, the voting public, apart from the die-hard base on both sides, would like nothing better than to do a complete housecleaning of all the deadbeats currently in office.

I'd love to see that myself. I'd especially love to do away with the notion of "safe" seats (Dem or Rep) altogether.

The anti-incumbent tide is so high right now all of Washington is rallying together. It's sick. Sworn enemies in Congress, Dems and Repubs, are watching each other's back. On the surface, it's "refreshing" and looks like non-partisan coming together to get the important work of Congress done. Don't fall for it. We've been failed by all of them. They're just trying to keep that 95% rate of incumbent return high.

Rant. Oh, you are so right. It is sickening to watch supposed sworn enemies act so chummy all of the sudden. I wouldn't vote for either party's imcumbents now even if they offered to pay me. Which given the state of politics in some places in this country is not so far out of the question as I once believed. God it sucks to think like this. .

Who knew that the Hotbutton Issue was going to be some perverts prediliction towards young boys?

It seems that the Reps. are in serious jeopardy of losing both houses.

Old thread, new post.

Originally posted by seagull
Who knew that the Hotbutton Issue was going to be some perverts prediliction towards young boys?

Apparently Denny Hastert, Mark Foley and Robin Hayes... the CAFTA 3. Not to mention half the Republican leadership that covered it up.