What is wrong with American Politics?

[bmugford]

I am not sure what is going on here with the political hatred on both sides of the aisle. The level of uninformed people is just embarrassing on both sides.

Take a look at this poll - New Jersey Poll


On the question is Obama is the Anti-Christ -

- Twelve percent of McCain voters think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Twenty-one percent are not sure.

- Fourteen percent of Republicans think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Fifteen percent are not sure.

- Eighteen percent of “conservative” voters think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Seventeen percent are not sure.


On the question if Obama was born in the US -

- It turns out that 33% of New Jersey Republicans say that Obama was not born in the United States, plus 19% in the Birther-Curious undecided category.


In all fairness, there are idiots on both sides.

- 32% of Jersey Democrats who say that George W. Bush had advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks.


I am not sure what has happened to politics in America. The moderates have disappeared and all that is left are wingnuts on both sides. There can be no honest political debate with the extremist elements of each party.

Brad

 

[Kate]

Only in America

 

[GILSAN]

One of the main culprits is the media, including the internet that are feeding people too much misinformation. Since lots of people nowadays are unable to think for themselves, they just follow polls and public opinion without knowing details or facts.

The other main culprit is the politicians themselves. The majority cannot be trusted as they have sold their souls to interest groups, and believe me it is'nt only happening in the US, though it does seem that extreemism is increasing in the US.

We have a saying here in Portugal about politics and politicians "The flies may change but the shit is still the same"

Next week we have elections here in Portugal. I will vote for none of the candidates as I think they are all shit.

 

[dna]

If you look more closely at the poll you will see that 5% of Obama voters think he is the antichrist,
and voted for him anyways.

 

[bmugford]

I guess that is what happens when ignorance is celebrated.

75 Percent of Oklahoma High School Students Can't Name the First President of the U.S.

Polls like that are scary for the future.

Brad

If you look more closely at the poll you will see that 5% of Obama voters think he is the antichrist,
and voted for him anyways.

 

[barefoottech]

Next week we have elections here in Portugal. I will vote for none of the candidates as I think they are all shit.

In Australia, we have sayings that are very similiar.
"Different Colour, Same Flavour"
"Smells the same, Just looks different"
"Shit never changes, just the amount differs"

also we have a great saying aimed at corrupt politicians.
"We have the BEST Government that money can buy"

The main trouble with American politics is not the politicians. It is the AMERICAN PEOPLE, they continue to elect Wealthy IDIOTS, Ex-Actors and Supposed Football heroes instead of people with ability.

American People are also to blame for your abysmal education system, Egocentric attitudes that AMERICA is always the Biggest, Best, Brashest doesn't help. It is time to realise that USA needs to actually be taught some home truths.

Newsflash
Not all Americans have a GOOD education.
Not all Americans have a GOOD job.
Not all Americans have GOOD health care.
There is no effective Social Welfare system.
Not all Americans get a FAIR deal from idiotic governments.
America has a MASSIVE National DEBT. It is far from being the wealthiest country.
America does not need to meddle in international politics, when it has no effective internal political structure.
BUT the Biggest Home TRUTH.
AMERICA is not the BOSS of the WORLD.
USA is NOT the only country in the world.

In 1776 Americans rose up in revolution to fight the oppressive political system and control of the IDIOTS (British Monarchy) in control at that time.

Now the only thing Americans do is whinge on the internet via blogs, forums and chatrooms or listen to idiot TV/RADIO shows like Larry King. Instead join a politic party or interest group. Be proactive not complacent. Remember the famous Abraham Lincoln speech at Gettysburg does not mention POLITICIANS

and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth

 

[Domainace]

In 1776 Americans rose up in revolution to fight the oppressive political system and control of the IDIOTS (British Monarchy) in control at that time. ...

... Remember the famous Abraham Lincoln speech at Gettysburg does not mention POLITICIANS

It doesn't mention education, health care, or social welfare programs either. Not nearly enough people anywhere, including Australia, understand that the more you ask your government to do for you, the more power they will take from you.

That how kindly "Uncle Joe" Stalin won over the populace.

So far as "education" (if it can even be called that), it doesn't seem to matter one way or another. Common sense might come in handy, though. You don't have to be educated to know when someone is lying, or to know when something simply doesn't make sense.

And I had no idea that 5% of Obama voters were Satanists. Where the heck are all their churches?

 

[barefoottech]

I Not nearly enough people anywhere, including Australia, understand that the more you ask your government to do for you, the more power they will take from you.

We do understand that in Australia
Remember we have a different type of democracy.
The Head of state (i.e the Governor-General) Can remove the Head of Government if it appears it is in the best interests of the people.
This exactly what happened Nov 11 1975.

But a CARING government should always provide health care and Welfare for the needy. This in no way gives them anymore power than they already have.

 

[Domainace]

People can be caring. Governments, on the other hand, cannot possibly be caring. They can pretend to when it serves to bring them more power and money, though. Governments lean by design towards despotism. They are not substitutes for a mother, a father or even a dog. if you believe a government cares about you, you have been taken.

And how can giving the government life and death control over your health not make them more powerful? Isn't that the most basic definition of power?

Likewise for welfare.

So, if the government controls your welfare and your health, what significant powers do you have left? All I can think of is speech, but that's disappearing pretty fast these days.

 

[GILSAN]

Most people here in Europe don't understand what all the fuss is about because of the Health Care in the US. Aren't the insurance companies making a bundle out of Health Care at the moment? Are Insurance companies more trustworthy than government?

Is it because lots of hardworking people don't want the lazy croud from benefitting from Health Care?

 

[daj]

A lot of people lie on polls, especially with questions like that. You can't take polls seriously.

 

[CrazyTech]

Well, as the saying goes, there are kooks on the right and kooks on the left.

I have to agree that there are some major, major problems perpetuated by this age of media. Number one, it's now always left versus right in everything. The problem is, that falsely equates groups with one another. For instance, you have your moderates/blue dogs on the "left" side lumped in with the 9/11 conspiracy crowd or those who do hold rather obvious Communist/Socialist leanings. On the "right," being conservative has become equated with Nazism. This is a result of mud slung from both sides, and it opens up the backdoor for the kooks to walk in.

Nothing illustrates that more clearly than the current trend of calling anyone who doesn't support President Obama wholeheartedly a racist. Another instance is a recent interview done on the campus of UC Berkley. Students there were interviewed and asked their favorite President. Abraham Lincoln was the overwhelming favorite yet these supposedly above average students couldn't tell you what party he was even from. On top of that, one student did get it correct, but actually said: "He was a Republican....nominally....but a Republican." It's that kind of vitriol that gets us absolutely nowhere. "Oh you are a Republican...you hate minorities and want a theocracy!" "Oh, you are a Democrat, you want to bring about the destruction of America!"

I've befriended a lot of people of the other political persuasion and it's amazing what we can agree on and what we can work through. This is what our Founding Fathers did so well. The problem is, it's gone away from the real dichotomy of larger government versus smaller government (Federalists v Anti-Federalists) and turned into this nonsense: are you left or right?

The fact of the matter is most Americans fall somewhere in the middle. They want leaders who aren't the same old, same old. Unfortunately 97% of Congress is the same old, same old. They elected a President and switched parties in power twice now in the last two decades hoping and praying for a better outcome, but with the same results. There are no Hamiltons or Jeffersons in either party. We lack a Madison, and heaven knows we could use an Adams or Washington. We aren't void of these grand minds these days, they are just ruthlessly and bitterly attacked. Americans just want to live their lives, and so politics has begun to look a lot like the oldest profession in the world to paraphrase a witty former President.

Nowhere is this more illustrated than in the interest groups and corporate lobbies of today. It results in these 1,000+ page bills that most haven't even read, yet they'll vote for it because the party says so. This takes place on both sides.