Is American mass electorate bunch of idiots?

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JesseJames

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
314
Location
CT, it's expensive here
As of the past few years I've become very disillusioned with how politics works in America.
It's not just the scandals and corruption but with voter apathy.
People just don't talk politics anymore. Especially at the work place where we all spend most of our time. It's very diconcerting.
Even if I do touch on politics - especially the gun issue - you get very polarized responses. It's either guns are evil and should be banned or controlled outright; or I own dozens of guns and I'm waiting for someone to sneak in my house so I can blow them away with my AK-47. Yes, I actually worked with someone with that mindset. Needless to say, I kept an eye on him.
I've been told that most politicians have to appeal to voters on a 7th grade level and I can see that. People vote on their gut instincts rather than their intellect.
I believe George W. Bush is a good man and he believes he is doing the right thing but he does come across as buffoonish at times. And exactly how much cronyism is there?
I'm sick of the Democrats I'm sick of the Republicans. I'm sick of partisan politics. I WANT LEADERSHIP G*d damn it! I'm sick of stuffed shirts whose polished mannerisms mask mediocre character. I'm sick of voters with room temperature I.Q.s.
Why aren't there people like the founding fathers out there anymore? What would they think of what has become of us?
On one hand you have the effete Ivy League set who don't do anything but complain. Yeah, Al Franken, you and your ilk. I know a demagogue when I see one. Oh, and Bill O'Reilly can suck the wrong end of a goat too.
Then you have guys like the ones I work with who go to the casino, bitch how they lost their money and then get piss drunk on the weekends and wonder why their life sucks.
 
Last edited:
Why aren't there people like the founding fathers out there anymore? What would they think of what has become of us?
Click to expand...

There are people of the same caliber today. Most are in business rather than politics: the rewards of success are clearer and more immediate, and the necessity of rubbing elbows with the likes of the Hero of Chappaquiddick are much lower.

I'm sure the founding fathers would be appalled to see how very British America has become.
 
The electorate reflects our perceived realities. Things are good for now. 401-K is getting fat. House value is going up. Unemployment numbers (the numbers published by those who benefit by having low numbers) are down. Threat of terror incidents is low. Sorta reminds me of the closing days of Clinton's reign. Too good to be true and you just knew it hadda end.

So too now. If things are good why get upset. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Now just as soon as reality intrudes in any number of ways, the electorate will react and things will heat up. I too have noted general sleepiness now and I've seen it in the past. Not to worry.
 
While I had some free time to myself, I was thinking of excuses for how Marxism can possibly work. The conclusion was simple. It can't:

How can the same people that think Bush is doing a good job be trusted to collectivelly run a buisness and take part in the government. If the public isn't smart enough to defend the constitution from things like the Patriot Act and illegal wire taps, then the idea of EVERYONE working together is ridiculous. There will always be the alpha male or female who takes advantage of the sheep.

This only strenghtened my belief in Libertarianism. The best possible way for humans to be happy is if they controlled their own destiny, instead of the government bureaucracy like we are conditioned to believe.
 
Yeah I've been feeling the same way. There is very little difference between the Dems and Repubs. Now put aside abortion and gun control. I'm talking about the economy. Why are we sending our good middle class jobs to china we used to protect our workers with tariffs. Why do we continue to let in untold thousands of illegals into this country every day they depress wages. Real wages Americans built houses when it put you in the middle class. Americans cleaned hotel rooms and babysat when it could put pay your bills the reason these jobs aren't done by Americans is because the wages were depressed by illegals and also HN-1 visa immigrants. My cousin was telling me that a computer program writer now gets 20 grand a year this is a person with a college degree. Why because we ship this job to India and the ones we need here a brought in on the HN-1 visas. I'm a tradesman(A/C man) this has a direct effect on my wages. The way things are now I will never be able to own a home. This has an effect on you too though the epressed wages mean that the people coming into the trade are not as smart and talented as they used to be. You need to know a lot of stuff to be a good A/C man. On top of that when I was new to the trade you NEVER ever met a felon at your job. My company now has three felons that I know of working for the company. When I was learning the trade you never heard about a company hiring a felon much less a good company and I work for a nice company.

Dems or Repubs neither one is going to end this globalization crap and neither one is going to close the border or do something get people to stop hiring illegals. I will really have to force myself to go out and vote this year. When I think about it it just feels like a waste of time.

Oh well
 
As a whole, America's electorate reflects a very well-honed sense of self-interest. Members of Congress who get the most government money or jobs for their constituents are consistently re-elected, no matter how otherwise vile they may be. A principled member of Congress who does not wantonly help his constituents feed at the public trough is quickly replaced.

In the long run, America's mass electorate IS a bunch of idiots, but they are richer idiots in the short term.
 
Kodiaz said:
I will really have to force myself to go out and vote this year. When I think about it it just feels like a waste of time.
Click to expand...

Voting is never a waste of time. Vote third party. That is what I plan to do. If you stay home, Kane and Kodos laugh.

"I win every time I say 'no'." Sheridan (Babylon 5)
 
Hope.

Is it a forlone word, or will it find its way again, guided by the path of the shreds of the constitution, out of the forest of apathy and into the field of freedom, where the fires of brute burn the village of civilization?
 
Kodiaz said:
Third party will at least send a message to those corrupt bastards.
Click to expand...

I don't cast my so-called "third party" vote simply to effect message delivery.
It is, rather, my genuine vote that best reflects my position on a variety of issues.

...of course, standard caveats apply here: YMMV.
 
Basura Blanca said:
I don't cast my so-called "third party" vote simply to effect message delivery.
It is, rather, my genuine vote that best reflects my position on a variety of issues.

...of course, standard caveats apply here: YMMV.
Click to expand...


well said...I hate that 3rd party will move the others crap....Just vote your hearts and minds people......things will move accourdingly. Vote the party because they are the best for you and yours....
 
It must have been so much harder 100 years ago without the internet for people to complain about how stupid everyone else is and how the country is going to hell... :rolleyes:
 
CAnnoneer said:
Voting is never a waste of time....
Click to expand...

Seconded. Everyone should vote; if they don't then they have no right to criticize outcome. That said=> vote Republican. The Conservative Party is doing an excellentjob in Washington, IMO.
 
People as a whole don't like to rock the boat as it were.
I know some people who I shoot with are more concerned with their stock portfolio than whether or not they have leadership in Washington that holds to their values.

I call modern Americans lazy boy Americans. They want to be safe, comfortable, and basically not think. Anything that disturbs them is bad and or "not relevant for this time in America" as in "much of the bill of rights isn’t relevant for this time in America" eesh Americans are more interested in being safe and comfortable than they are in being free.

And politicians who are more interested in power and wealth than the people who gave them their voice in the congress will say what they think the voting morons want to hear and they are usually right.

GAAAA I have lost my faith in this great experiment in representative republic government as well I have no hope left or very little any way. I don't know what it would take to turn our country around but I hope it happens soon.

-DR
 
Kodiaz said:
On top of that when I was new to the trade you NEVER ever met a felon at your job. My company now has three felons that I know of working for the company. When I was learning the trade you never heard about a company hiring a felon much less a good company and I work for a nice company.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be as concerned about this, it's so much easier to be a felon now than say 20 years ago. think of all the BS gun laws, maybe the guy built an AK or a FAL from a prts kit and din't put in the correct # of good US made parts to replace the evil foreign parts. that right there is a felony.
 
When I was a teenager, I knew I was smarter than everyone else.

Life has disabused me of that thought. :rolleyes:
 
Camp David said:
Seconded. Everyone should vote; if they don't then they have no right to criticize outcome. That said=> vote Republican. The Conservative Party is doing an excellentjob in Washington, IMO.
Click to expand...
Well Friend, I'd take it kindly if you would point out just how the current administration even approaches a loose definition of a "Conservative Party".
Smaller government?
Spending?
Civil liberties?
Border security?
Edify and testify, Bro!
:)
Biker
 
Biker said:
Well Friend, I'd take it kindly if you would point out just how the current administration even approaches a loose definition of a "Conservative Party".
Smaller government?
Spending?
Civil liberties?
Border security?
Edify and testify, Bro!
:)
Biker
Click to expand...

Well Biker... happy to do so... but understand that you asked for this threadjack... just so if the Mods take exception!

Conservative Party of George W. Bush
See list of Policies and Planks Here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/index.html

Conservative Highlights:
Economy: "The U.S. economy has added nearly 4.5 million new jobs in the last two-and-a-half years and unemployment rate is 5 percent, lower than the average for the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s." Added to this is the tremendous growth of business; Stock market was over 10,000 last week.
Judicial Nominations: Nomination and appointment of Chief Justice Roberts and nomniation and likely appointment of Justice Alito will give two clear conservative voices on Bench.
Pro-Growth and Small Business Agenda: President Bush's Pro-Growth and Small Business Agenda includes maintaining the economy's momentum And growing Small Businesses. In the last two months, the economy has added more than 400,000 jobs - for a total of more than 4.6 million new jobs since May 2003. The 4.9 percent unemployment rate is lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The economy grew 4.1 percent at an annual rate in the third quarter of 2005 and has been growing above 3 percent in each of the past two years. The Administration put the death tax on the road to extinction and helped families by increasing the child credit. Real after-tax income per person has risen 7 percent since 2001. The Tax Cuts Have Helped Small Businesses. In 2006, 25 million small business owners will receive an estimated $93 billion in tax relief. The President Is Committed To Restraining Federal Spending. The Administration has reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending each year the President has been in office. For 2006, we cut non-security discretionary spending below the 2005 spending level and worked with Congress to reduce entitlement spending by $40 billion.
Strengthening Social Security: "The President is committed to keeping the promise of Social Security for today's retirees and those nearing retirement and strengthening Social Security for our children and grandchildren."

All these accomplishments at home while winning the War on Terror by defeating our enemies abroad so we do not have to confront them here at home.

See list of Bush Accomplishments Here:
http://boycottliberalism.com/Bush.htm
(Itemized List of Conservative Victories from 2000-2005 (not yet updated)

It is rare that either conservatives or liberals elect a president that will cater to every platform of their party faithful. Rather than questioning what President Bush has not done to satisfy your desires along the party's planks, I suggest you examine what he has done so far. Indeed, if not for the encompassing War on Terror taking so much of the Chief Executive's time and attention, perhaps more of what you wish along the domestic front could be accomplished.
 
I've been told that most politicians have to appeal to voters on a 7th grade level
Click to expand...
Jesse, never lose faith in the gullibility and the simplemindedness of The American Sheeple. They are being programmed as we speak to trot off to the voting booths in 2008, push the button marked "Hillary Clinton" and go about their "me-me-me" lives with vapid smiles on their mindless faces.

Once Hillary is installed as Queen, everything will be perfect. There will be no more bigotry (except against gun owners), no more "unlawful" Government spying on American citizens (except gun owners), no more hate crimes (except as perpetrated by BATFE agents against gun owners) and no more attacks on "a woman's right to choose" (except her choice to own a gun and carry it).
 
I call modern Americans lazy boy Americans. They want to be safe, comfortable, and basically not think. Anything that disturbs them is bad and or "not relevant for this time in America" as in "much of the bill of rights isn’t relevant for this time in America" eesh Americans are more interested in being safe and comfortable than they are in being free.
Click to expand...

It will take one major oil disruption or one baby nuke going off stateside to make Americans realize that safety and comfort aren't gotten by wishful thinking. The party's coming to an end. To ensure our safety we are going to have to do things in the coming years that few Americans want to comprehend. Among those, I think we will be forced to reinstitute a draft regardless of the inevitable hue and cry. We have about a decade, at most, to become relatively energy-independent--IF we start NOW and approach it as if our nation and civilization depended on it. It does.

I wanted Bush to succeed and he is still the only viable alternative in terms of national security, but his administration has been a sorry failure in light of the threats we face. His inability to do anything about out of control spending; his refusal to control our borders; his utter lack of an responsible energy policy--these three liabilities alone are enough to give him a failing grade as President, in my opinion. His biggest achievement will likely, but not certainly, be shifting the Supreme Court back toward sanity.
 
People just don't talk politics anymore.
Click to expand...
I think most people feel "talk all you want nothing will change" and I have to admit I feel the same way. I know "get out and vote" I do always no matter how small the election. It just seems it's all corrupt bureaucratic cronyizm and it make me sick to think/talk about it. So I generally choose not to and I feel better.LOL
Then you have guys like the ones I work with who go to the casino, bitch how they lost their money and then get piss drunk on the weekends and wonder why their life sucks.
Click to expand...
Then blame it on Bush or who ever the current president is. Go figure?

I generally vote republican, but do not hesitate to vote for a Democrat if I feel the republican is more corrupt!
Another thing I've noticed is Democrats will really hate/despise republicans. I have many real life examples of this!
The way I am is I will not hate,despise,chastise or think you belong in jail for your beliefs or choice of speech. I may not understand why but I will not dislike you for it, or not associate with you for it.
Just my 1.5c worth
 
JesseJames said:
As of the past few years I've become very disillusioned with how politics works in America.
It's not just the scandals and corruption but with voter apathy.
People just don't talk politics anymore. Especially at the work place where we all spend most of our time. It's very diconcerting.
Even if I do touch on politics - especially the gun issue - you get very polarized responses. It's either guns are evil and should be banned or controlled outright; or I own dozens of guns and I'm waiting for someone to sneak in my house so I can blow them away with my AK-47. Yes, I actually worked with someone with that mindset. Needless to say, I kept an eye on him.
I've been told that most politicians have to appeal to voters on a 7th grade level and I can see that. People vote on their gut instincts rather than their intellect.
I believe George W. Bush is a good man and he believes he is doing the right thing but he does come across as buffoonish at times. And exactly how much cronyism is there?
I'm sick of the Democrats I'm sick of the Republicans. I'm sick of partisan politics. I WANT LEADERSHIP G*d damn it! I'm sick of stuffed shirts whose polished mannerisms mask mediocre character. I'm sick of voters with room temperature I.Q.s.
Why aren't there people like the founding fathers out there anymore? What would they think of what has become of us?
On one hand you have the effete Ivy League set who don't do anything but complain. Yeah, Al Franken, you and your ilk. I know a demagogue when I see one. Oh, and Bill O'Reilly can suck the wrong end of a goat too.
Then you have guys like the ones I work with who go to the casino, bitch how they lost their money and then get piss drunk on the weekends and wonder why their life sucks.
Click to expand...

As someone else on these forums said, security-soccer-moms scare me more than terrorists do.
 
The third rule

I don't know where I heard it, but it fits. Since the founding of our nation (and probably before) One third of the population cares one way, one third cares the other way, and the final third don't care at all.

Most politicians care only for the swing voter -- the final third, who really doesn't care enough to research issues, or isn't motivated enough to do anything but vote.

Of the final third, probably only 10% vote, so we are at their mercy. If you vote for a third party, all you are doing is losing a vote for the party you would have chosen anyway.

IIRC Bush got 62 mil.and Kerry got 59M of approximately 180 million voters. See my logic.

IMHO if you vote for a third party (see Perot, Ross) you are throwing your vote away, and giving support to a party you would never support. IMHO also, if you "vote for the person" in a statewide or national legislative election you are being foolish. The "person" could be the most conservative Democrat or liberal Republican but they will toe the party line once they get to the party. Either they toe the party line or they don't get committee assignments, money, and most importantly power.

So we are stuck. We have the best system in the world, not perfect by any means, but the thing works...:rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top