CNN : Broken Government : Is Our Government Really Broken, Or Is This More Partisan Pandering?

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I'm sitting here watching C.N.N. : Broken Government and it is like watching a tennis match.

The Campaign to Give Jack Cafferty a Show: Broken Government


John Podesta on CNN's "Broken Government" Series


Broken Government: Scorched Earth - A Critique


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Before anyone replies to my posted thread, please realize, I am neither a Republican nor Democrat.

I am registered Independent.

As well, please realize, I am neither "left-wing" nor "right-wing", and I rail against both sides.

This thread however is not about me, nor is it about you, it is about the partisan bickering, the partisan pandering that American politics has turned into, so prior to your posting a reply think about whether you're posting because of your political party affiliation.

Or are you posting because those are your thoughts, free and clear of party affiliation?

I have always remained free and clear of picking from either side, because I believe picking when two choices are given, is tantamount to being forced into a false dichotomy.

Sorry, good or evil, wrong or right, right or left, these are all labels and people fall into this trap.

Do you know why else I refuse to pick the "right-wing" or the "left-wing"?

Because, simply said, a nation divided, cannot stand.

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Quote from : Wikipedia : Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

That one word buried within the "Pledge of Allegiance", indivisible means do not be divided.

Are you intentionally being divided, or are you letting yourself be led to being divided, or is fitting simply that important that you've picked a side and dug in deeply to survive?

I've always hated television shows like C.N.N. because it is a part of the Mainstream Media.

I've only sat here watching this show because I was eating off the Dollar Menu, at McDonalds, because I'm homeless, and I believe the system of Government was made with errors within it, on purpose, or at least those within Government know the rules.

I'm using the free Wi-Fi to post on ATS and search information for the books I'm trying to write.

There just simply are not any jobs out there and an intentional creation of the economic crash is the cause.

Do not buy into the political divisiveness because it is simply a show, both parties are to blame.

Not one or the other.

Do not defend a side of political parties that you've never stepped foot within the door of to begin with.

I am working towards working for myself and not towards working for anyone else.

I blame no one but myself for my current homelessness but I do blame the entire system of Government, because it is both sides, intentionally causing divisiveness, to divert you.

Healthcare Reform, the War in Iraq, the War in Afghanistan, the War on Drugs, and a broken Government.

It is simply a divide and conquer issue, make you look everywhere, but where the problems lay.

In Washington D.C., and on both sides of the political aisle, in those seats of power.

What can one man do to change and turn around the nation?

Well, I cannot tell you what any man or woman can do, but I can tell you what I'm doing.

Keeping busy, researching just how my Government works verses the way it is taught to us it works, writing daily, reaching out to friends online and offline, and exploring the world.

Republican Party, Democratic Party, Tea Party, it is simply about being divided and conquered.

Do not look to the politician's to save you, just simply look in the mirror, and see the only person who will save you.

You should be seeing yourself in the mirror and no one else.

Do not become just another statistic, become a difference, with a positive message.

Quote from : Wikipedia : Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

...for which it stands...

Do you stand for crime in Washington D.C.?

Do you stand for economic crisis?

Do you stand for war in another country?

I know I stand for equality among all races.

I know I stand for the small business owners.

I know I stand for a different way of doing things in Washington D.C.

How about you?

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[edit on 22-2-2010 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Keeping busy, researching just how my Government works verses the way it is taught to us it works, writing daily, reaching out to friends online and offline, and exploring the world.

Knowledge is power. Many times even government employees themselves don't know what the law says. It helps to show them in black and white.

Neither party is above the other and they do play a big role in keeping us divided. Of course, the biggest one at fault is each one of us individually for allowing it to happen in the first place.

If I had my way, there would be no parties. Everybody would run based on their name and reputation. The other day I went to vote. They asked me if I wanted the rep or dem party. Tell you the truth, I got a little teed off. IMO, I should have a right to say who runs on both side of the aisle.

I am frustrated just as millions of other Americans. But a part of me can't help but wonder.....

What if this was a good economy?

Would people still be frustrated or would they merely ignore politics and chalk it up to business as usual?

IMO, good or bad economy, this broken government can no longer be ignored.

Ive seen a bit of this, and I think "a tennis match" is a perfect comparison.

This back and forth display however, doesnt get anything accomplished.

Im not a member of any party, in fact, im not very political. But I dont think it takes an expert on the issues to see that our government is broken. There are too many people with solitary agendas, it seems.

I understand that the need for separate parties once made sense. But as of now, getting our country out of the hole should be a universal goal, and it doesnt matter who gets to take credit for the actual execution of rehabilitation plan.

Righty, lefty, wrong, right...whatever. Fix it. You guys dont get to play your games anymore.

Originally posted by jam321
Knowledge is power. Many times even government employees themselves don't know what the law says. It helps to show them in black and white.

You are correct, misquoting law, or incorrectly interpreting it has a large part in it.

Knowledge is equal to power, and if you are intelligent, you will go far.

A person is only as strong as their mind allows them to be which is why I constantly seek knowledge.

Originally posted by jam321
Neither party is above the other and they do play a big role in keeping us divided. Of course, the biggest one at fault is each one of us individually for allowing it to happen in the first place.

Yes, which is why I do not allow the divisiveness to come from them, intentionally ignoring ignorance of those in power, and instead focusing on both sides.

Originally posted by jam321
If I had my way, there would be no parties. Everybody would run based on their name and reputation. The other day I went to vote. They asked me if I wanted the rep or dem party. Tell you the truth, I got a little teed off. IMO, I should have a right to say who runs on both side of the aisle.

If people ran on their name and reputation, we might not have any politician's.

They would be too busy digging up the skeletons in each others closets.

I agree with you here we should get to pick on both sides.

Originally posted by jam321
I am frustrated just as millions of other Americans. But a part of me can't help but wonder.....

What if this was a good economy?

Would people still be frustrated or would they merely ignore politics and chalk it up to business as usual?

IMO, good or bad economy, this broken government can no longer be ignored.

Personally, I believe people being out of work, has backfired, for once.

People are going to the library (I do often) and picking up books and learning.

The partisan bickering is what is leading to this too because people are sick of it.

Our Government right now is bickering and squabbling right now and we can see it.

Originally posted by InertiaZero
Ive seen a bit of this, and I think "a tennis match" is a perfect comparison.

Well, the going back and forth is tiring, watching each side clobber the other.

Originally posted by InertiaZero
This back and forth display however, doesnt get anything accomplished.

Correct, lead by example, and the example we're seeing is one of a domestic violence household.

Originally posted by InertiaZero
Im not a member of any party, in fact, im not very political. But I dont think it takes an expert on the issues to see that our government is broken. There are too many people with solitary agendas, it seems.

I agree it does not take an expert to see but our responsibility begins at the voting booth.

It does not end there but begins there and ends when we're actually doing something politically.

I'm a Boy Scout leader and it is apolitical, for the most part, at least I'm doing something.

Originally posted by InertiaZero
I understand that the need for separate parties once made sense. But as of now, getting our country out of the hole should be a universal goal, and it doesnt matter who gets to take credit for the actual execution of rehabilitation plan.

Righty, lefty, wrong, right...whatever. Fix it. You guys dont get to play your games anymore.

I could not agree with you more but I see that there are only two parties as systemic of the causation of divisiveness, because once our politician's get past a certain point, they are forced into the Republican or Democratic party, which means nothing.

If there are two choices we are being limited to two sides of the same coin.

Everyone seems to forget a coin has a third side, the serrated edge, and it cuts like a knife.

If we can focus on both sides at once we will begin to see that both sides are similar.

I could not agree with you more but I see that there are only two parties as systemic of the causation of divisiveness, because once our politician's get past a certain point, they are forced into the Republican or Democratic party, which means nothing.

In that case, the problem isnt the inability to act in a bi-partisan fashion. The problem is the entirety of the political system.

I guess what Im saying, is the division is no longer functioning properly.

When my computer has an issue, I take it to a tech. he preforms a diagnostic scan, and tells me why my computer doesnt function properly. he then puts in a repair order, to have my computer fixed.

With our system, who runs the diagnostic scans? And if a scan were run on this system, and it was proven that it was no longer functioning, who makes out the repair order?

I know it's not as simple as that. I also realize that we have a system that has recieved minimal change over quite some period of time.

But how wrong do things have to become?

reply to post by InertiaZero


Well, who exactly is to do a diagnostic scan of Government, if not the people?

This is where the difference between being a benched individual clashes with the rest of the players, and getting into the game, so to speak.

Each and every one of us who would rather complain, whine, and bitch are at fault.

Political Blame Game Ideology : It's Your Fault

I'm doing my part and I expect America to quite bitching and do something.

And for clarification purposes, what that idiot Andrew Joseph Stack III did, is not doing anything.

Except becoming a martyr for a lost cause because now he's dead.

You cannot exactly rally around a dead man now can you?

Perhaps no conversation on this subject is more relevant than the issue of the sacrosanct political machinery in place (sarcasm intended).

Sadly, it seems to have become institutionalized to the point of obsolescence.

I have thought about it for some time, and I am considering that the issue at play here is one of a dynamic system coming to a balance point. The inertia required to coax the behemoth government into meaningful motion is too great for the weaklings we have entrenched in the roles of 'public service.'

On the one hand, we are dependent upon a class of professional politician who are either incapable, or unwilling, to exercise restraint of their own ego-driven impulses. Coupled with a culture which feeds upon itself, and we have a recipe for a total disconnect between the masters and the servants.

We have armed them, we have allowed them to grant themselves boons beyond the pale of reason, and we have become so driven by compulsive consumerism as to be easily distracted by threats of shortages that never seem to reach a climactic 'turning point.'

Of course we can fantasize about wresting control by some magical civil means, but the gatekeepers, those entrusted with adjudicating the ineptitude of our government will not allow effective redress. With such being the case, we expose any efforts to reform the government to being legitimately criminalized, from a national security perspective.

We are in a conundrum; I fear the solution to the problem may not be within the scope of what our political machinery is capable of producing (or willing? ). They have adopted methods and processes which no longer serve, except to perpetuate a raucous status quo which is more an entertainment production and orchestrated distraction than substance.

I really makes me sad that so many of us don't appear to want to know how they are almost continually conditioned to respond to social issues via political theater.

Adversarial partisanship cannot sustain a government. Our federal government abandoned a constitutional model in favor of a corporate one. It's a shame really.... (or should that be 'sham?')

Economics should NEVER drive ideology, IMHO.

[edit on 22-2-2010 by Maxmars]

reply to post by Maxmars

We are in a conundrum; I fear the solution to the problem may not be within the scope of what our political machinery is capable of producing (or willing? ). They have adopted methods and processes which no longer serve, except to perpetuate a raucous status quo which is more an entertainment production and orchestrated distraction than substance.

I was getting at something like that, but Im not as eloquent with words.

I think if the system doesnt work, it needs to be scrapped. Sent to the junkyard.

I like what spartankingleonidas said.
The people hold the power of decision, but so many people are complacent. Crashing planes into buildings and leaving a rather cowardly note about why the system is messed up isnt the answer. More people should get informed, and act. Most people do not even know their rights. Once again, Im not an expert, but I can plainly see what is going on doesnt work.

So how does one get informed? How do you get your opinion heard, other than showing up to vote?

reply to post by Maxmars


I could not agree with you more about that, Maxmars.

Our system of Government is driven by Big Money, period.

The system that currently drives it is the lobbying groups, the special interest groups, and the policy think-tanks, and not the citizens of America.

It is sad that our citizenry actually buys into their voting alone keeping politicians in office.

The re-election machine is a powerful mechanism which keeps those people in power.

Then we have as well the politics as usual where people buy the lies of those politicians who want to get into office over the incumbent, promising falsely.

I never buy into that ever because it is the surest way they sway the masses.

Both political parties do it and both political parties break those promises.

The divide and conquer mentality though does not allow us to see it for what it is in reality, because everyone looks forwards to the next voting cycle.

Believing falsely that their vote got them in it sure as Hell will get them out.

Is it no surprise when they actually hold that office not only because of the re-election machine, but because we have zero methods to verify the veracity of their claims that they actually won by a certain margin?

I stopped buying the political lies of those running for office long ago.

I see not politicians any more but charlatans, fakers, and criminals.

When I can see, hear, and comprehend the double-speak it makes politics easier to watch.

So, I do not need to sit through hours of meaningless babble, again.

I listen for the first few minutes and already know the lies they will be telling.

On both sides of the political aisle, they both do it, it never fails, never.

Divide and Conquer : Political Ideology of the Power Elite, Selling The Peace, War Is The Motive

[edit on 22-2-2010 by SpartanKingLeonidas]