PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
Everything feels the same regardless of party, just dressed up differently and with a few different half-serious nuances:
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
My current view of US politics
- Thread starter PoetPhilosopher
- Start date
Really?
I am an outsider, of course, but I can't help but be continuously surprised that there are still people willing to tolerate the existence of the Republican Party.
The Democrats are very flawed. The Republicans are utterly obscene.
Since 1980 at least...
I am an outsider, of course, but I can't help but be continuously surprised that there are still people willing to tolerate the existence of the Republican Party.
The Democrats are very flawed. The Republicans are utterly obscene.
Since 1980 at least...
I can go with this, it's just as i feel. Unfortunately the UK is going the same way.
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
I tend to tolerate it of course, but so does the Democrat party even when they're the ones in power. If you can't change things, adapt.
Last edited:
PureX
Veteran Member
Ever since Reagan was such a whopping success as a "puppet president" for the republicans, they have wanted and been running dolts for president ever since. The idea being that these dolts can be manipulated to do whatever the party wants them to do because they aren't smart enough to think for themselves. It was certainly true of Reagan and Bush Jr. and they were hoping it would be true of Trump, too, but by the time Trump got elected they had brought so many idiots into the party and put them in office that the idiots basically stole control of the republican party away from the OGs.
Meanwhile, the democrats saw the value of these puppet presidents, too, that will believe whatever the party tells them to believe, and do whatever the party tells them to do. And most especially won't try to lead the party, but will be let by it. So now they won't allow any "radical thinking" candidate to run for president anymore, either (someone like Bernie Sanders). So it appears we're in for a long succession of weak-spined puppet presidents on the democratic side, and raging fascist lunatics on the republican side. And since our votes won;' count for anything, anyway, which of these we get will be decided by which party cheats better in the election process.
Meanwhile, the democrats saw the value of these puppet presidents, too, that will believe whatever the party tells them to believe, and do whatever the party tells them to do. And most especially won't try to lead the party, but will be let by it. So now they won't allow any "radical thinking" candidate to run for president anymore, either (someone like Bernie Sanders). So it appears we're in for a long succession of weak-spined puppet presidents on the democratic side, and raging fascist lunatics on the republican side. And since our votes won;' count for anything, anyway, which of these we get will be decided by which party cheats better in the election process.
Last edited:
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I agree. If you notice, both sides are comprised of multi millionaires who obviously are utilizing politics as being nothing but a game for them, and the common people as their playthings, as they brag among themselves at various exclusive and gated country clubs.
PureX
Veteran Member
When there are only two parties, blaming everything on the "other guys" becomes very easy to do, and very popular among those looking to escape any blame, themselves. Scapegoating is something we humans do, naturally, I guess. And a two-party system makes it inevitable.
Unfortunately, that dynamic makes it very easy for liars, cheats, and con men of any sort to play both sides against each other while they rob everyone. It was in the late 1970s that they began to set us all up for this with the "greed is good" mantra to ratchet up competition and make exploiting each other appear normal and acceptable, and to keep us divided against each other. And it's been working for them ever since. We squabble amongst each other while they rob us all blind.
And look at how Twilight Hue has bought into it. The moment you post anything bad about Republicans, he immediately blames it on the democrats. No thought whatever that there may be anyone else involved. It's all and only "us or them" in his mind. The real criminals are invisible to him. And he's not alone. A great many Americans think like this. Just as they have been trained to do for going on 50 years, now.
Last edited:
And to hell with those who suffer the consequence? I suspect that adapting is far more convenient for you than for many.
"They're all the same" is the obscene banner of the indifferent and the ignorant -- a fact that should be painfully obvious by now.
they balance each other out.
Guitar's Cry
Disciple of Pan
I don't belong to either party, and generally get angry about what Democrats do as often as what Republicans, just not as angry.
And I tend to vote Democrat, because at least they pay lip service to things that are important, like civil rights and environmental welfare.
Right now, they are the only party capable of driving back from the road to authoritarianism. They have as much Middle Eastern blood on their hands and corporate gold in their pockets, but they are at least willing to protect voting rights, look at demilitarizing police, and tackling climate change despite the oil industry.
They also haven't backed a candidate willing to start a coup or played a long game of stacking the Supreme Court to remove a fundamental right to women and break down the wall between religion and government.
And I tend to vote Democrat, because at least they pay lip service to things that are important, like civil rights and environmental welfare.
Right now, they are the only party capable of driving back from the road to authoritarianism. They have as much Middle Eastern blood on their hands and corporate gold in their pockets, but they are at least willing to protect voting rights, look at demilitarizing police, and tackling climate change despite the oil industry.
They also haven't backed a candidate willing to start a coup or played a long game of stacking the Supreme Court to remove a fundamental right to women and break down the wall between religion and government.
I don't see it as people tolerating the existence of a party, in and of itself. It's more a matter of shifting ideas (which seemed to happen around 1980). I think the culture changed such that more predatory and mercenary behavior was more tolerated, while the Democrats' "bleeding heart liberalism" was being discredited as soft and weak.
Carter was shown as weak during the Iranian crisis, Mondale was weak and also deemed economically inept. The Democrats really didn't do much to dispel this notion, and in fact, they practically confirmed it by the late 1980s when candidate Michael Dukakis wanted to prove how tough he was by showing him riding on a tank.
Clinton was different, although he struck me as Reagan Lite. He seemed a Republican in sheep's clothing, yet so many Democrats flocked to him like he was the greatest thing since JFK.
The Republicans were basically a constant. They hadn't changed much since Eisenhower and Nixon, yet I'm sure they were probably quite amused watching the Democrats dance to their tune.
It's not so much about the political party as much as it's about a culture shift. George Carlin expressed it when he demonstrated just how far gone the Baby Boomers were. "They went from 'All You Need Is Love' to 'He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins'." They turned from anti-war peaceniks into warmongers. They turned into Yuppies and NIMBYs.
Those who get caught up in which party is better or worse are missing the point.
But that's not what lost him the election. The tank episode was humorous but nothing to lose an election over. It was the Willie Horton incident that did him in. He was a prisoner on a weekend furlough and committed rape and assault, and he was black. So Dukakis became the liberal, soft on crime, and played into the raciest fears exploited by the Republicans.
Yes, that's true, but that still falls within the general theme of portraying Democrats as soft, weak, and ineffectual.
I don't think they're the same. I think Republicans have allowed the monster in and it's causing untold damage. But I think democrats are so ineffectual at fighting it that whether we support them or not, we'll be on the slow march to the same disastrous consequence. And I'm tired of democrats holding people ransom with 'I'm here to look good and collect a paycheck but you better vote for me because the other guy is *really* bad.' I'm tired of watching the same tune of 'get out and vote' when the very mechanism for effectual voting is undermined. Like 'get out and vote' is the Democrat version of 'thoughts and prayers.' An empty show of support without doing anything to correct the problem.
Tldr, they are different. Republicans have monsters, and Democrats have flaccid swords.
I honestly don't think that's a mischaracterization of the democrats we've had in power. I'm still furious with Obama for how much he compromised to Republicans. And strengthened their leverage on important issues while getting nothing in return. Just to be seen as the 'team player who reaches across the isle.' I'm tired of toxic centricism which, after the Overton window has shifted so far right, is unwilling to fight for rights the majority of the world enjoys because they've been convinced it's 'too extreme.'
I can 100% see and understand your perspective. But there are certain changes that would make the political landscape in the US more diverse and, ultimately, more accurate in reflecting the will of the people. A few of my suggestions:
- Supreme Court Justices are limited to 6 year term and can be appointed twice in their lifetime (the term length is negotiable, but this would be a nice place to start).
- Senators elected officials can only serve two terms (6 years apiece).
- House of Representative officials can only serve a combined of 10 years in their lifetime.
- The Electoral College needs to be abolished and all federal offices should be filled via the popular vote.
- Ranked voting should be enacted to allow a viable third party.
- Voting day should be a federal holiday.
I think the Democrats just fell in love with money too much. They may not have wanted to be team players with Republicans, but they did seem to become team players with Corporate America.
Bingo. Their pockets are just as deep and just as vulnerable to lobbyists.