There is kind of a sense that everything is winding down now. Nothing to see. But I expect some eye-popping developments between now and the election. And when that day arrives (if it is not postponed), there will be major controversy over fairness. There will be a second wave once again shutting everything down.
One thing to look forward to is a massive tsunami of economic news, and several more trillions of dollars in stimulus.
Convicted OneI didn't vote for anybody.
So you don't care who 'runs' the country?
Convicted OneThey are all bad animals in my book. I have not voted since I voted for Perot.
My late father-in-law didn't vote either, and probably for the same reason. As a high school history teacher I deplored his attitude. But I rationalized that to myself by remembering that he had been a dog face paratrooper in Patton's army, that he had sat in wet fox holes, endured shelling, and killed a number of the enemy; and therefore who was I to tell him about his civic duty and how people have died to protect our sacred right to vote?
That being said, it's not pleasant to read on Memorial Day weekend that some citizens don't care to vote.
Whatever happened to concepts like civic duty?
Our grandparents' and parents' generation wouldn't think much of our citizenship.
Weasel words. You said Trump was the lesser of two evils and had done nothing to improve your opinion of HRC. So although you are too lazy to actually vote, your belief in a fool who has presided over the deaths of 100,000 shows your true colors.
charlie hebdoshows your true colors.
*sigh*......and your approval was SO important to me.....
Convicted One charlie hebdo you voted for That's one of the pitfalls you risk of making assumptions. I didn't vote for anybody. They are all bad animals in my book. I have not voted since I voted for Perot.
charlie hebdo you voted for
That's one of the pitfalls you risk of making assumptions. I didn't vote for anybody.
They are all bad animals in my book. I have not voted since I voted for Perot.
Weasel words, redux.
Convicted One charlie hebdo shows your true colors. *sigh*......and your approval was SO important to me.....
charlie hebdo shows your true colors.
Approval? It was never a question. Just pointing out your own statements that hoisted you on your own petard.
NKP guy That being said, it's not pleasant to read on Memorial Day weekend that some citizens don't care to vote. Whatever happened to concepts like civic duty?
I suppose that if a candidate ever came along who truly resonated with me, then I would vote for them.
I prefer not to have friction with forum moderation, so I am going to steer away from overt political commentary, but I've noticed that when a candidate comes along who does impress me, they seldom make it through the primaries.
I believe that is because elections are more of a popularity contest than they are a measure of administrative prowess. In that sense, the people truly do get the government they deserve.
I really can't go any further into it without risking setting off trip wires. There are too many people here who will push the "report abuse" button simply because they resent my honesty. Been there, done that.
Convicted One NKP guy That being said, it's not pleasant to read on Memorial Day weekend that some citizens don't care to vote. Whatever happened to concepts like civic duty? I suppose that if a candidate ever came along who truly resonated with me, then I would vote for them. I prefer not to have friction with forum moderation, so I am going to steer away from overt political commentary, but I've noticed that when a candidate comes along who does impress me, they seldom make it through the primaries. I believe that is because elections are more of a popularity contest than they are a measure of administrative prowess. In that sense, the people truly do get the government they deserve. I really can't go any further into it without risking setting off trip wires. There are too many people here who will push the "report abuse" button simply because they resent my honesty. Been there, done that.
There are two reasons to vote.
1. You feel the candidate follows 'most' of the ideals you try to live by.
2. You feel the candidate displays 'most of the ideals you dispise.
There is virturally no candidate that will adhere to all the ideals you hold dear and many candidates will adhere to some of the ideals you dispise.
To not vote for the candidate that YOU feel best represents YOUR view of the critical elements is to abdicate your voice on the future.
The reality being, that once elected, we have no idea exactly how the person that was a candidate will be as the actual official. Many candidates 'play to the crowd' only for the purpose of getting elected - tell them what they want to hear.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDThe reality being, that once elected, we have no idea exactly how the person that was a candidate will be as the actual official. Many candidates 'play to the crowd' only for the purpose of getting elected -
There -- you -- go!
BaltACD Convicted One NKP guy That being said, it's not pleasant to read on Memorial Day weekend that some citizens don't care to vote. Whatever happened to concepts like civic duty? I suppose that if a candidate ever came along who truly resonated with me, then I would vote for them. I prefer not to have friction with forum moderation, so I am going to steer away from overt political commentary, but I've noticed that when a candidate comes along who does impress me, they seldom make it through the primaries. I believe that is because elections are more of a popularity contest than they are a measure of administrative prowess. In that sense, the people truly do get the government they deserve. I really can't go any further into it without risking setting off trip wires. There are too many people here who will push the "report abuse" button simply because they resent my honesty. Been there, done that. There are two reasons to vote. 1. You feel the candidate follows 'most' of the ideals you try to live by. 2. You feel the candidate displays 'most of the ideals you dispise. There is virturally no candidate that will adhere to all the ideals you hold dear and many candidates will adhere to some of the ideals you dispise. To not vote for the candidate that YOU feel best represents YOUR view of the critical elements is to abdicate your voice on the future. The reality being, that once elected, we have no idea exactly how the person that was a candidate will be as the actual official. Many candidates 'play to the crowd' only for the purpose of getting elected - tell them what they want to hear.
You underrate your perception. Many people knew Trump was a grifter at best but he has outperformed (or is that underperformered?) even the worst expectations.
Convicted OneI believe that is because elections are more of a popularity contest than they are a measure of administrative prowess. In that sense, the people truly do get the government they deserve.
I completely agree. Yet consider this: It takes money to run for office and no matter how small one starts out, the cost to print yard signs, run ads, etc. is daunting. If it costs a bunch of money to run for school board or city council, what's the cost for higher offices, especially federal? The result is that candidates need insane amounts of cash...and where will they get that? Often it's from special interests. We know why.
I can't help but admire our British cousins in that in many elections and I think especially for Parliament, each candidate is given the same limit as to how much he or she can spend on getting elected. The campaigns are sharply limited to a certain period of time. Start early or spend a pound too much and a candidate is disqualified. Doesn't that sound appealing to Americans who are driven to distraction and no good purpose by constant electioneering and ever obscene amounts of money flooding the TV & radio stations and of course in social media?
One result is that to a large extent elections in Britain are often over ideas, not over who had so much cash they could bury their opponent. A second result is that lobbyists in Britain have much less power over candidates.
Whenever it comes to campaign and election reform, to limiting money and its influence in public life, and to increasing citizen participation in elections, guess which party is always stringently opposed?
One last thought: A number of my former students are serving the public as judges, board members, city councilpersons, etc. It bothers me to see some people smear all politicians as being corrupt or stupid, etc. They are not. Most are just ordinary folks doing a job society needs to have done.
The Citizens United v FEC SCOTUS decision in 2010 had the effect of changing campaign finance rules from the level of funding of a garden hose to the level of funding of a 72 inch sewer line.
The Canadian system is much like Britain's. An election is called generally 3 weeks ahead, there are limits on spending and there are no PACs that I'm aware of. The day after the election, those lawn signs MUST disappear. Plus like Britain it's not a 2-party system as there are two major parties and two smaller parties that while small, still get candidates elected to parliament. Also, one thing I really like about the parlimentary system is the "vote of no confidence" something that the U.S. system does not have.
Looking back on it all, I think the main reason that I quit voting was....that no matter who I voted for there were always so many people telling me what a fool I was for voting for the wrong person.
So, after careful review I selected the only "one size fits all" remedy to shelter myself from all the predatory and mean spirited criticism.
Convicted One Looking back on it all, I think the main reason that I quit voting was....that no matter who I voted for there were always so many people telling me what a fool I was for voting for the wrong person. So, after careful review I selected the only "one size fits all" remedy to shelter myself from all the predatory and mean spirited criticism.
Ever the victim.
Glad I'm not the only one to notice.
Convicted One.that no matter who I voted for there were always so many people telling me what a fool I was for voting for the wrong person.
I understand completely. My parents supported Barry Goldwater in 1964. Their friends told them "Vote for Barry Goldwater and we'll wind up with a war!"
The friends were right. Mom and Dad voted for Goldwater, and we wound up with a war.
Flintlock76The friends were right. Mom and Dad voted for Goldwater, and we wound up with a war
LOL, fittingly true.
Do you remember seeing this one?
I knew right away what that link was for and I was right. Didn't Barry say that he'd end the war by doing this: "Declare victory and get the hell out of there!"
Convicted OneDo you remember seeing this one?
Like it was yesterday.
Flintlock76Like it was yesterday.
#fakenews
If people are immune-compromised they should just stay home and not in the nuclear blast! The flu kills more each year!
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
charlie hebdo So although you are too lazy to actually vote, your belief in a fool who has presided over the deaths of 100,000 shows your true colors.
So although you are too lazy to actually vote, your belief in a fool who has presided over the deaths of 100,000 shows your true colors.
Considering that there is a factor of 100 in per capita death rates between the least affected and most affected states, it would be foolish to put the blame solely on the Oval Office.
It is VERY disheartening to see governors that have done a good job of managing the situation in their state getting raked over the coals while a governors who have done much poorer jobs get lionized. I'm also disgusted with news reports about beach opening that are illustrated with telephoto shots that make well spaced out crowds look tightly packed.
The flu does not kill more. Per the CDC for flu season 10/2019 to 3/2020 there were 64000 deaths. Yes a terrible number. For Covid19, deaths from 2/2020 to today, just short of 100,000 most likely undercounted deaths and still growing.
As I tell my son-in-law who has never voted, you have no voice or opinion worth listening to if you cannot get out to vote. Voting is a right that 100,000 of folks have died to preserve. But, being a free choice country, it is your right not to. It's just a shame you don't.
TomO
tloc52 The flu does not kill more. Per the CDC for flu season 10/2019 to 3/2020 there were 64000 deaths.
The flu does not kill more. Per the CDC for flu season 10/2019 to 3/2020 there were 64000 deaths.
That's for a typical flu season, the 1918-1920 flu killed over 500,000 in the US alone.
Voting is important on the state and local level as well.
Not voting is illegal in Australia. I like that idea. If you don't vote, don't female dog about the outcome or how the country is run. You've taken yourself out of the process.
**Deleted**
I would argue that by not taking sides, I'm not subject to the pifalls of partisan politics, and therefore maintain objectivity and balance. Giving my observations a less tainted character than someone determined to draw lines in the sand, and play favorites.
So much edge.
zugmannSo much edge.
Hey, anybody can be a cheerleader and root for the home team.
I've only got time to point out the things that need fixing.
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