Why Politics Suck... No matter the Party

First off, let me be totally transparent, a quality which our government could use a huge dose of, by the way.

I am a liberal democrat, because I believe in people before profit.

Democrats talk about the things that matter to me, Like the environment, the people down on their luck, Human rights, etc.

But here is why our current system really sucks.

I am also a conservative, and, probably even a Neo-con, if I dig deep enough. I believe a man should work hard, that family is extremely important, and that we should keep our guns.

Our political system is so very polarized, that not even good ideas can get through the name calling, dissention and back biting that happens every day on Capitol Hill.

Political Parties are unable and unwilling to LISTEN, and we have become so very lazy as a culture, that we have to polarize OURSELVES in order to be able to sleep at night with the sense that we are fighting the honorable fight.

Every single member of Congress and the White House are FORCED to lie, because they know that, even if totally logical, correct, and beneficial, there are certain topics and legislation that their 'constituents' (Also Known As Political Action Committees) will not let them vote for.

What has our country come to that WE allow such a travesty to take place in the most important and prestigious institutions in our great America?

This is our fault, you and me.

And We, the people, are the only ones who can fix it.

How do you feel about it?

reply to post by jimnuggits

Why Politics Suck... No matter the Party

Hot damn and cold beer! There is at least one other person on this planet who can see what is happening!

S&F for your honesty in this den of political gladiators. I wish I could offer more

Very agreeable. Its kinda sad though, the way politicians lose there integrity to keep their jobs. Career politician is a term that completely conflicts with democracy, imo...

reply to post by jimnuggits

How do you feel about it?

Politics - poly(many), tics(bloodsuckers)
Politics - many bloodsuckers
A 2 party system is part of the problem, and the "either or" choice is only pits the people against each other. I try and stay away from it all because of the futility involved, but politics reaches into so many aspects of our lives it is hard to ignore them. Damned if ya do damned if ya don't I suppose, but balance is the key, a little from here, a little from there for whatever works.

Peace,
spec

Well, i have to disagree.

Politics don't suck, these people have an agenda to carry out, if you like it or not is youre opinion ofcourse, politics is very important, and always a hot topic.

You say a man has to work hard, i disagree. In this day and age, we have all the means at our disposal to put and end to about 90% of the off all the jobs, they can be replaced by machinery. If carefully designed and executed firmly, it could be done. Nobody, should work hard 5 days a week. If done properly, we could reduce the workload for everybody, to 1 day a week. We work to much these days,.. stress is bad.

It's all about EFFICIENCY. How do we use our tools in the most productive, and sustaining way. Let's build things to last, for decades. The need for labour will shrink dramatically. And guns? No, abandon all. Weapons and warfare are not part of a civilized intelligent world.

If we were truly civil, there is no need for private property, or individual status. Everything will be available to everybody, free.

Private property, hard labour, guns, these are all characteristics of a world that is not yet civilized, we should get started imo.

reply to post by TheThirdAdam


I always thought Congress should be like jury duty.

You get a letter in the mail that says 'you are this terms Senator from Ohio.'

Every demographic represented in correct Proportion to Population.

I'm sure I am now some evil something or other, politically, for that statement.

reply to post by cyberjedi


I don't mean work hard in the sense that we need every man to 'produce' something, I mean a man should work hard to be successful and improve in everything he does, or is involved with.

I am certainly making no argument against Efficiency. Did you see that Hobbit House in another thread? Impressive.

Guns are a part of Southern Culture, and 'taking them all away' probably won't result in any kind of advanced civilization.

I remember your down with jobs thread, I very much agree with your premise there.

But a man (and woman) need a purpose, and jobs create purpose very nicely.

First of all, let me state that i am a citizen of the northern Scandinavia. That gives you about 3-4 countries to choose from. (I am tempted to NOT to include Sweden, considering how much they are generally disliked among the other nordic countries, but yeah, they´re a part of Scandinavia.). We all have heard of the terrible thing that happened in Norway (if you haven´t, get a BIG mirror, hide under the biggest rock you can find and take a good look at yourself..)

Now; Politics= Judicial system.

My opinion, the guy who killed CHILDREN (Yes, 16- 20 are still children.)
should NEVER see the light of day again.

All over Scandinavia, criminals are getting off way too easy; "Don´t do anything for the next two years and you´re OK.No need to go to prison."

And there are more, exsamples of laws that will defile the word "justice".
And this is all of politics.

Polls show that over 90% of the population WOULD agree with harsher punishmets, yet TBTB do nothing.

Yes, politicts do REALLY suck.

I always considered myself a "working man's Democrat"... in the sense of Harry Truman...

That the government should be there to temporarily help people... to extend a helping hand when they are down, BUT not to perpetuate a welfare existance and lifestyle.

Depending on the subject...I can be liberal or conservative.... or libertarian

Point is, I think most people are kinda' in the middle with a little left or a little right depending on the topic...

BUT...we are forced by media and political parties to paint ourselves into a corner, either all the way for or all the way against an issue... and usually without any sort of debate, discussion, or compromise.

This is really dangerous for our country, as the last time we became so polarized and we couldn't compromise...it lead to Civil War....

reply to post by jimnuggits


maybe not quite like that, but the general concept does have its merits. my question is why does the law need to be changed every other year? and why cant it be voted on by the gener public? we have the means to render congress and the electoral college useless via the internet. many would argue that some are not online and wouldnt be able to vote, but how many people have a poll booth in their home? you go to a library to vote if you dnt have the internet. im gonna refine this idea and write a thread about how it would work.

reply to post by TheThirdAdam


Now that is the kind of thinking we need.

If 60 million people log on to Capitol Duty. com (i made that up) and give ten minutes of their time, how much could we accomplish?

Ten million man hours worth? How's my math?

Instant democracy, what an idea!

reply to post by jimnuggits


Our system sucks for 1 key reason: The People have been made ignorant. Public education was a great idea, until Uncle Sam started to put his two cents in. Then it went straight to the crapper. Charlotte Iserbyte, a former aide to Reagan, resigned over the intentional dumbing down of American kids (in collusion with the Soviets).

So now we have ignorant people, en masse (and wholly unaware of their ignorance, as they have been filled so full of garbage as to be fooled) piping in on matters political. And what are "matters political" you ask? They are merely the memes put forth in the daily 24 hour news cycle.

See, when 300 million people are told WHAT to think, rather than taught HOW to think, it is easy to lead them around on wild goose chases of which they are blissfully unaware. What The People call "politics" is just a facade. A charade put on by "elected" officials. No one gets to see the multinational bankers behind the curtain, pulling the strings.

Therefore, if we are to discuss what is wrong with politics, we have to approach it similarly to a discussion about Star Trek, another grand opera.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


I couldn't agree with you more. I recently had the business aspect of the american revolution brought to my attention and I couldn't help but laugh at how idealistic it was made to sound in how high school. Particularly the boston tea party. Most people think that it had to do with high taxes on tea! It stemmed from the bailout of the east india co. By the british government, much like the wall st. Bail outs of 2008.

We can sit here and talk about the way it should be all day long, but with out the knowhow and resolve to change things, we are essentially just playing fantasy politics... Hence the reason I try not to get too worked up about these debates. They're fun and all but in reality have no more value than the game "sim city"

The problem is that a relatively well thought-out system had a pronounced built-in weakness that could not have been anticipated by the Founders: it relied upon personal integrity. People have always manuevered to get a leg-up but the system, by and large, could absorb those aberrations and provide a stable, reasonably fair social framework. And then greed slowly overwhelmed integrity and everything went down the crapper.

What has happened in this country, most notably over the last decade or so, is that individuals in large numbers have begun to act with complete disregard for the country and their fellow citizens. The idea of loyalty to country and patriotism has been rendered archaic.

What we are seeing is unabashed Chicago-style politics (and no, this has nothing to do with Obama or even Chicago for that matter, sorry. It has gone on in local politics for a very long time). Certain integrity-compromised individuals are able to amasse enough wealth to pray on people's greed and weakness. They buy 'influence' in order to better allow them to realize their personal agendas. (the rich bootlegger bribes the cops and judges to allow his product to get delivered... that sort of thing). Te problem for us now is that this same corruption model has ballooned in scale to encompass national and international dealings.

The Wealthy-Elite have quickly concentrated nearly 90% of the country's wealth into roughly 3% of the population. That 3% then has the financial means to 'buy' politicians --- from both parties --- to further their personal and cooperative goals at our expense. Look at the financial wealth of Congress compared to the rest of us. These people haven't a clue about us our the way we are (forced to) live. And they don't care. They are supported by that controlling 3%. So, in essence, 3% of the population: make the rules, pass the laws, set the policies, select the politicians (through the funding of campaigns), etc. We are no longer represented. They (the Wealthy-Elite) are.

This, my friends, is why politics suck and why our country and its political system is doomed to fail. The pace and rapaciousness of this 3% is unstoppable. They are drunk with greed and it has turned into a looting free-for-all. Until we have a system where the success of each individual is tied to the success of the nation we will continue in decline. But I'm pretty confident in saying that we have long passed the point of no return.

reply to post by jimnuggits


S and F for you! Very refreshing to read your post.

I personally feel the same way. I am Independent, but currently registered republican, because I wanted to vote for someone that was a republican in the last primary. This is one of the problems as well. You HAVE to declare a side in the primaries. That is whether I lean that way or not. I think that the ballots in all elections should carry all of the candidates on them to give all of those who vote the chance to decide. Sometimes you just can't vote for whoever the party gives you. I would also like to see the (D), (R), (L)'s dropped from the ballots. I have found that there are too many idiots who vote for someone just because of the letter by their name.

I also agree with one of the other posters that being a politician was not designed originally to be a career. This is a HUGE problem. Our current elected officials won't do anything about this because they would be putting themselves out of work. I think that this is one reason that the Tea Party people are catching so much flak from both Reps and Dems, because they seem to want real change, and are standing ground to get it.

I see all of these other threads about "Revolution" and "Civil War." I have to agree to the extent of a voting revolution to clear out the career politicians, and really reform DC. I know, I know...... but one can always dream!

reply to post by Submarines


Thank you for your support, I am glad to hear I am not alone...

Twenty Hundred flavors of Potato Chips, eleventeen million sports channels, Umpteen thousand different types of soda, and TWO political parties.

Utter Nonsense.

I have mixed feelings concerning the Tea Party (originally the Tea Baggers);

One the one hand, a new party is great news, whatever their unifying dogma.

On the other, it seems a bit suspicious to me that they were perfectly fine with the oblivion that Bush spent us into, yet OUTRAGED about government spending in the same moment that a brown man with a D after his name came into office.

I don't wish to rehash the argument concerning the Tea Parties collective motive here, just a personal observation.

Either way, more people need to speak up and speak out, regardless of their personal politics, because Democracy is a system that works only when all citizens are accurately represented.

reply to post by jtma508


Maximum term limits for all Government workers would solve so very many problems!

We are still in quite an identity crisis in this country, and in this world.

We want to bomb countries and build prosthetics for dolphins.

We believe in freedom and privacy, yet we have the most prisoners per capita, and nothing is private.

I am no Mathematician, I am an Artist, but even I can see the flaw in a system where 3% control 90+% of the resources.

I think we can, throught this very practice of calm conversation, change the way we do things here in our beloved land.

Call me an optimist.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


As a teacher, I have to reluctantly agree with you.

I teach Art, which is the last true bastion of independent thinking in our public school system.

I try to educate my peers, telling them how useless it is to teach 'facts' if our students don't know how to assimilate them.

Google is only as smart as its user, and, as sophisticated and wide ranging as the subject matter can get here on the interwebs, searching for fart jokes only yields fart jokes.

Demand better school funding, and watch the prison system wilt.

Star for you, furry texan!