"United"...I think not
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For more than two hudred years this country has pushed forward the idea that we are "united" as long as we call ourselves Americans. We refuse to believe that anything can separate us from each other. We thought that Communism could so we went to war to try and defeat it. Then we thought that terrorism could; so we went to war with it. But most people are unable to see what is in our country that is separating us. And that is the political parties. The Republicans and the Democrats are doing everything they can to defeat the other. What no can see is that it is dividing our country more than any outside force possibly could.
For centuries political parties have tried to win the support of potential voters. The main goal of the party was to defeat the other party. In more recent years the strategy has turned more and more to insulting each other and and making bogus promises that no one intended to keep in the first place. They shy away from the real issues and use every opportunity possible to say that they are better than the opposing party and then they never say why! With each insult thrown, the country becomes a little more divided.
George Washington once felt that political parties would do more harm than good and would eventually destroy the country. I can only agree with that partially. I'll reach my point a little further on. Over the years there has been more fighting about what should be done instead of actually doing something. Things that have needed to get done by a certain time weren't done until it was no longer needed. If Congress and our government can't even be united how can it expect our country to be?
I'm not saying that we need to get rid of political parties. But instead use them differently. I am fine with the polititans being in a party. It keeps the elections from getting out of hand and lets you know what it is you are voting for. It is the voters that need to change. The voters need to loss the idea of belonging to a political party. They need to look at both candidates with out automatically favoring one or the other and actually make up their own mind. If everyone thought for themselves instead of what the Democrats or Republicans tell them to think then elections could turn out completely different.
I dont see this happening in the near future or possibly ever happening. I can see in my generation -the teenagers- that we are able to think more clearly for ourselves and that we make up our mind on who we like for office and who we don't like. I can say that when it does; the country will actually be able to take on the title of being the United States of America.
For centuries political parties have tried to win the support of potential voters. The main goal of the party was to defeat the other party. In more recent years the strategy has turned more and more to insulting each other and and making bogus promises that no one intended to keep in the first place. They shy away from the real issues and use every opportunity possible to say that they are better than the opposing party and then they never say why! With each insult thrown, the country becomes a little more divided.
George Washington once felt that political parties would do more harm than good and would eventually destroy the country. I can only agree with that partially. I'll reach my point a little further on. Over the years there has been more fighting about what should be done instead of actually doing something. Things that have needed to get done by a certain time weren't done until it was no longer needed. If Congress and our government can't even be united how can it expect our country to be?
I'm not saying that we need to get rid of political parties. But instead use them differently. I am fine with the polititans being in a party. It keeps the elections from getting out of hand and lets you know what it is you are voting for. It is the voters that need to change. The voters need to loss the idea of belonging to a political party. They need to look at both candidates with out automatically favoring one or the other and actually make up their own mind. If everyone thought for themselves instead of what the Democrats or Republicans tell them to think then elections could turn out completely different.
I dont see this happening in the near future or possibly ever happening. I can see in my generation -the teenagers- that we are able to think more clearly for ourselves and that we make up our mind on who we like for office and who we don't like. I can say that when it does; the country will actually be able to take on the title of being the United States of America.
Consider this. In "The Art of War," Sun Tsu taught that you must divide your enemy in order to conquer. So, who is trying to divide us as a nation? Who benefits from perpetuating the Liberal / Conservative, Republican / Democrat dichotomies? Is it possible that the game just got bigger than party allegiance?
I just posed some questions. I would like to hear other's views.
I have no answers...just more questions. I'll observe for now.
You tell us you're not registered. Not everyone would think to check that, not everyone would care to take the time and right now time is a most precious commodity in this situation. Some would ignore you or call you typical slacker or some other such snarl word and you'd both part company feeling bad.
I'm not doing that and I don't want you to misread this! Rob is a friend and he stood for election and he knows stuff. Maybe better than me he can help you think through the questions you have. Make no mistake I hear the questions between the lines - I respect you for coming to them and I grapple with them and more myself.
I'm gonna tell where I'm at age-wise, so you can have a better appreciation of what I'm saying. When asked that a/s/l question in a chat, I often use this (for the age part) so it's no secret. I'm 58 going on 116 and acting like a 12 year old.
Sometimes I mask the real age to 50something and the hundred figure varies depending on how my old bones are acting up and teen is occasionally a bit higher or much lower depending on the sensibilities of the audience. It's more truth than they asked for, but I tend to answer that way. Depending on the setting and the crowd, kids take it up as 'gee, this dude isn't so outa of for an old coot' and seniors tend to say 'who let this kid in, he's smart enough with this new tech stuff and he's got our aches and pains mebbe he ain't so bad' and folks closer to my age tend to think 'what a nut but clever' - so it is an effective ice breaker.
We're about the task of Party Building here. There's many viewpoints about how and what that entails. A friend who is on the front lines of the war on ignorance IRL - in his day job (for the older crowd) called me to task for rambling with my foolishness. He made a good point and I see it and respected it.
I'm skeptical about this whole Social Networking thing. On one hand, it can be shared ignorance and a waste of time in 'preaching to the choir' - reinforcing the notions the Group or Forum share already. On the other hand, questions and shades of view can be profitably explored. Like we're doing here. I see that as value.
But I also see the clock or calendar on the wall. Time is slipping past and there are so many things to do. In my life I've learned you can look at things from all sorts of different aspects. The process is worthwhile in itself. But I'm gonna cut this short now with a lesson of economics or time management.
A task can be defined in a lot of terms. One simple fact remains it takes effort or force applied in a direction. That effort can be analyzed in a whole manner of ways as well but the hard truth is time = money. The Republicans at this point in history have more money. We're engaged in a lot of ways to make time. Converting man/hours into a tool to advance our goal. Asking for contributions but keeping the message and use of those monies in sight. Applying our time in man/hours to spread the message we can't buy air time for in other ways.
That's one of the tasks going on here. Education youths like yourself that the business of politics takes money and time and that is perhaps a dirty truth to some but our message is an ad like the ones for soap or everything else. We have to market it with all the skill we can muster and money buys things we want to use to do it effectively.
That might disillusion some idealists like you and me. But it is one the cold hard facts of life.
I've read The Art of War, and Il Principe by Machiavelli and De Amicitiae by Cicero and few other books of political and war strategy. Today isn't the day you and I can discuss them. We don't have the time.
The Federal Papers and the history of the Constitution are excellent history. How the Parties shifted focus and names the third parties that emerged like the Progressive Party of Teddy Roosevelt and faded are worthy of study. We don't have the time.
The Electoral College is topic for days if not years of study and discussion. The balnce of powers built into the Constitution is the more pertinent point today. The point our Party is trying make and restore today. I don't want to think for you or sell you my point of view. I want you to gorw strong questioning and make up your own mind. Today. We don't have the time to do more.
I've other tasks and places to be. I'm glad you're here. I wish I could do more. I'm just human and I don't have the time to address your needs any better than this.
Now go - get yourself registered if there's time in your Commonwealth.
To gain power, one needs a majority.
No majority! No power! No policy!
To enact power, one must engage in politics. Want to know about dirty politics? Do a google search on Lee Atwater.
Democracy is not about unity.
Democracy is about MAJORITY.
Policy is more important than the person.
Don't vote for the person!
VOTE FOR THE POLICY!
Moderates don't want change.
The problem is the TWO-PARTY system. We need more choices- not an open mind. Get rid of the TWO-PARTY system. Vote in a primary.
People SHOULD join organizations that represent their personal views.
Bipartisanship is a two-way street.
The politics of unity is the enemy to the politics of change. [Isn't that right, Crazy Joe]
I just go with the party with the MOST decent humans on board and that's almost ALWAYS in my 50 yrs been DEMOCRATS.
MORE MONEY means MORE worries as far as I've noticed so I don't care if I ever have too much.
I only want to survive and the Repukes are making that harder every day!
That's how I judge!
National Deficeit - I want it low
Personal Wealth - just a decent minimum wage and guaranteed social security and medicare for all citizens
Decency of service - with any passing of any bill or law it must meet basic decency rules. (those may vary but for me it's just a general feeling)
Like the bridge to NO where Alaska - Ted Stevens (R) made EVERY one sick to their stomach at the thought! GENERAL concensus of decency rules and it's always attached response of the hurl factor to most!
LOL
I mean Jefferson screwed up (granted) he had bribe money or what ever but FOLEY passed the HURL factor messing with teenagers on the net. That is just gross and I'm a MOM so there is a real ANGER factor as well. (if Foley was a democrat I'd probably be MORE angry)
But a second question is what would you do differently - a plan, alternatives.
Underlying all that is the deeper question. What are your core values and how true are you to them. Right now in your State how is the land laid out? Link Proud of a Senator who thinks some honesty is enough? Or does full disclosure seem unclear?
In the country, the Republicans have all the branches of Government and the direction of the Nation is pretty cleared seen as headed in the wrong direction.
So on point three, what are the values leading them so wrong? Corruption - a trust in market forces to make things right in the end. Democrats believe in regulation to protect workers, consumers and investors. Republicans don't - less Government is cheaper and you want lower taxes. Well, I'd like my purchases to be safe - so somebody checking up on growers may be an expense but I'm willing to pay a bit not to be poisined accidentally. I'm not employed by choice - if I were I'd like a safe place to work and somebody watching my Company to see they are spending to make sure the mine I'm working isn't going to collapse or fill with gas and kill me. Safety regulations exist but they aren't being funded properly. We can't afford to be uncompetitive, so corporations get tax breaks and how they spend them is their concern.
I got problems with that way of thinking. The Democrats want to take responsibility for things and that often means a taxes. But we know better how to spend money to solve problems and get things done. Look at FDR - Social Security isn't perfect but it is pretty good so far. The Republicans have been saying we can do it cheaper - privatize it. Deregulate things and the market place will take care of itself. Look at how well bank deregulation worked. The biggest bail out the governemnt ever had to do. Currently there is an exploson waiting to happen - called Pensions. Corporations are not required to adequately fund the things the promise. It's an issue that deserves attention. Just as Healthcare reforms and Immigration Policy. These didn't spring up overnight - they been on the table for years. With a Majority in both Houses and the Presidency.
The best answer to Immigration they could come up with is a 700 mile wall. They had a bi-partisan plan in the Senate, with the President behind it. The House need the issue of fear and that steered them to an impasse.
You are bright - you probably can Google better than an old newbie like me. Those are the places to look.
You seem to have 3 options (in a 2 party race) but there are really 6 choices
For A
For B
Neither - both are bad
Against A
Against B
Neither - I don't care / I'm confused / let someone else think
In an ideal world, it would be clearer and easier:
The vote for A is a vote against B clearcut.
That isn't always the case. You have to weigh and pick carefully please I gotta live with your decisions, too. I trust you, that's the burden and beauty of living in a democracy.
Politics is the way we work out how we live together. It ain't always pretty but it is the only game in town. Welcome to the world - you're gonna a fun, but it won't be easy.
I think though, where real progress could be made is actually reasoning through issues to find that we maybe do have some common ground on things. That's why I'm here.