Throughout this past year, I've been following the primary very closely. I have noticed many ups and downs with the candidates for each party. Watching CSPAN became the norm for me.
But recently I realized how each of the current candidates will not suffice for a better future in this country. Although I know they're just politicians, it seems like the candidates are willing to say anything to get into office.
One thing that really bothers me is peoples reasoning to vote for someone (teenagers and adults). For example, in school I overheard this girl talking about how "McCain is the best candidate ever." and I couldn't help but to question her why.
She replied, "He is the most experienced, and intelligent person." in a snooty tone. Then she goes to tell me, "Don't even get me started on politics."
I asked her do you think all illegal immigrants should be granted amnesty in this country.
She said, "No, I think they should all go back to their own country where they belong."
At this moment I proceeded to smash my head against a brick wall till I was senseless.
JOHN MCCAIN IS THE CONDUCTOR ON GRANTING AMNESTY TO ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS IN THIS COUNTRY. HE WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED A BILL TO PROPOSE THIS!
I can't stress this enough, people learn why you want a president in office. I mean I know its hard, the media controls spitting out ads selling each candidate with 30 second blips. I mean, even on the candidates website there are only a few issues listed with a little paragraph of what they will do.
I don't plan on voting for numerous reasons. The major being, my properly reasoned vote will be outweighed by the majority of ignorant votes. Secondly, I personally feel the right candidates for this nation were already forced out of the public eye due to media. If you listen to the candidates speeches now, they all want to create all these nice programs, who's pocket will this be coming from?? Your father's wallet. At least where I live, kids don't understand that their daddy's income tax will be greater because they're in the upperclass bracket (200k or more). Every time I think about these things it almost gets me dizzy of seeing how many people are blindly voting this country in to the ground, one vote at a time.
+mspin
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While I respect the idea of vote strike, I don't think that it much accomplishes anything. I personally vote for whom I want to vote for, regardless of whether I think they have a chance or not. However, candidates are hardly a focus for why one should vote. The real important reason to vote is referenda. Even if you choose not to vote for a candidate, you should still consider going to the polls to vote for or against various decisions that your state or local legislature have so graciously afforded you the opportunity to decide (democracy is such an elusive bastard).
So you get to vote on things like:
Yes or No on redirecting taxes for environmental conservation?
Yes or No on increasing the local Board of Ed's budget?
Yes or No on rent-controlled apartments?
Yes or No on increased funding to public transportation?
--Mike
Check out the Topic of the Week
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While I respect the idea of vote strike, I don't think that it much accomplishes anything. I personally vote for whom I want to vote for, regardless of whether I think they have a chance or not. However, candidates are hardly a focus for why one should vote. The real important reason to vote is referenda. Even if you choose not to vote for a candidate, you should still consider going to the polls to vote for or against various decisions that your state or local legislature have so graciously afforded you the opportunity to decide (democracy is such an elusive bastard).
It's not so much a strike as it is a movement. I'm not trying to accomplish anything but just let the ignorant population vote because in the end my vote won't matter. Most of the issues in the election have the same answers with some deviation. I'm not happy with any of the current candidates because they're so vague. John Edwards had the most descriptive plans to solve the issues at hand. To bad it was bogged down by Obama and Hillary.
+mspin
Politicians like John Edward are the reason why corporations thrive, but that's another point.
For me, I just find it difficult to effect change if you cut off certain avenues.
--Mike
Check out the Topic of the Week
http://www.progressiveu.org/weeklytopic
People just want to vote on who has the best smile and personality. Kids now-a-days just recycle whatever their parents say around them without really listening to the issues. If people feel like ignoring the issues then we might have more presidents like Reagan in the future.
i must say, that would probably make me smash my head against a brick wall as well.
i think that there are enough smart people in america who could help it get back on its feet, but (i think) that most of them refuse to do that because they see all the stupid people.
... i still think its a shame to waste an opportunity to vote... but who knows? maybe you'll change your mind in the next few months?
According to the discussion I had with some of my friends in my AP governement class, statistics shows that kids don't know who they want to vote for, so they are influenced by their parents ideals and views. Kids vote for whomever their parents choose to vote for. Sad but true..
Well, there's two problems with that statistic.
1) What is meant by "kids"? Chances are the "most" that you're referring to would be 'kids' aged 5-14. Naturally, these would encompass more people than those aged 14-18. But if it really comes down to it, are those kids aged 5-14 actually going to be voting?
2) Is this phenomenon really limited to 'kids'? On top of that, is there really anything inherently wrong with being shaped by your parents' ideals? I don't know many conservative Christians who aren't the children of conservative Christians.
--Mike
Check out the Topic of the Week
http://www.progressiveu.org/weeklytopic
Yes I agree with you, lots of people do vote blindly, for example the girls is my class that love huckabee because they've made up the nickname "Hucka-baby". It is really eye opening, that someone who was educated in the same environment took so little out of it compared to others.
Before I went to my caucus in January I went and did some final research that morning. One thing that really impressed me when I got there was the thorough booklet of info John Edwards handed out.
It's honestly a joke that our voting system has kind of come down to a popularity contest, but I guess that's the very reason why we really don't elect the president. Even century’s later Madison is right the common man is uneducated.
hahahhah i know sooooo many people like that girl.
but a better reasoning is to vote for the lesser of two evils.
You seem to know what you're talking about (incredible in itself).
http://www.progressiveu.org/123057-why-i-hate-latinos
Why on earth is that better reasoning? Your vote for a shitty major party candidate counts just as much (or as little) as a vote for a minority party candidate (or a vote for nobody).
--Mike
Minority party candidates really never win. I think Nader's got it THIS time though ;)
And through the power of groupthink, a lot of people using the first reasoning really could hurt the less shitty candidate's vote. So the better reasoning is if many people do vote through groupthink.
After all, aren't humans social creatures? Rarely do we think individually. Hence how this site came up: ideas will spread.
Michael Bloomberg, Joe Lieberman, Jesse Ventura, Bernie Sanders, Rick Jore, Bob Kiss, Gayle McLaughlin, David Zuckerman. The list goes on. Minority party candidates win plenty. They're just usally hampered by unfair ballot access laws.
--Mike
...and so they never win the election. yes, thank you.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/moose3642
umm... those people have all won elections.
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