Politics is everyone's business

[sealchan]

People, including myself, often deride politics and politicians as a dirty business and something to dismiss and look down upon. But it is a sort that belongs to everyone.

You cannot, unless you are an off the grid hermit, and even then that is questionable, avoid casting a political shadow. It is a self-deception to think that your opinions and beliefs and biases can be sealed up so that they have no influence and that those people who do the work of representation in government arent working to some great extent on your behalf.

Much of what you have you have, what you enjoy, what you do, you have securely because a politically negotiated social contract secures it for you.

Anyone who wants to decry politicians generally and politics as a necessary evil consider how you think you would do in a politicians position. You can get a sample of that experience by starting a thread about any given political issue, propose a solution and then try to get a majority to agree to it.

The dirt of politics is YOUR dirt and everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and respectful. Those who don't are the problem.

Any and all comments welcome.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

People, including myself, often deride politics and politicians as a dirty business and something to dismiss and look down upon. But it is a sort that belongs to everyone.

You cannot, unless you are an off the grid hermit, and even then that is questionable, avoid casting a political shadow. It is a self-deception to think that your opinions and beliefs and biases can be sealed up so that they have no influence and that those people who do the work of representation in government arent working to some great extent on your behalf.

Much of what you have you have, what you enjoy, what you do, you have securely because a politically negotiated social contract secures it for you.

Anyone who wants to decry politicians generally and politics as a necessary evil consider how you think you would do in a politicians position. You can get a sample of that experience by starting a thread about any given political issue, propose a solution and then try to get a majority to agree to it.

The dirt of politics is YOUR dirt and everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and respectful. Those who don't are the problem.

Any and all comments welcome.

The problem with politics is that it is a career, thus politicians will do whatever it takes (no matter how corrupt) to ensure re-election, and they will never challenge the status quo when it needs to be challenged. My solution would be to make all political positions limited to one term maximum.

 

[David1967]

The dirt of politics is YOUR dirt and everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and respectful. Those who don't are the problem.

This.

 

[Jumi]

If you have no chance to run yourself, there isn't that much you can do except vote for you think will screw up least.

 

[sealchan]

The problem with politics is that it is a career, thus politicians will do whatever it takes (no matter how corrupt) to ensure re-election, and they will never challenge the status quo when it needs to be challenged. My solution would be to make all political positions limited to one term maximum.

I can't argue that money isn't influencing politics, but constituents are the ones continuing to keep these people in power. Putting term limitations denies voters a right to choose who they want as a representative.

If they have only one term how would that lessen the influence of money?

 

[sealchan]

If you have no chance to run yourself, there isn't that much you can do except vote for you think will screw up least.

So where do you place the blame...with the politicians or with the difficulty of pleasing everyone?

Have you ever met with a politician and discussed an issue important to you?

 

[dfnj]

People, including myself, often deride politics and politicians as a dirty business and something to dismiss and look down upon. But it is a sort that belongs to everyone.

You cannot, unless you are an off the grid hermit, and even then that is questionable, avoid casting a political shadow. It is a self-deception to think that your opinions and beliefs and biases can be sealed up so that they have no influence and that those people who do the work of representation in government arent working to some great extent on your behalf.

Much of what you have you have, what you enjoy, what you do, you have securely because a politically negotiated social contract secures it for you.

Anyone who wants to decry politicians generally and politics as a necessary evil consider how you think you would do in a politicians position. You can get a sample of that experience by starting a thread about any given political issue, propose a solution and then try to get a majority to agree to it.

The dirt of politics is YOUR dirt and everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and respectful. Those who don't are the problem.

Any and all comments welcome.

I don't follow politics at all. I see politics on TV as entertainment. I'd rather work on fantasy football. Politics are a complete waste of time.

You see, money talks, everything we say is BS. Lobbyists force the politicians to pass laws creating cartels and monopolies in exchange for campaign financing. Whoever counts the votes decides the elections. Whatever party controls the state legislator that party wins the federal election. It's all rigged. It's all a scam.

Because, "there's a reason":

 

[Altfish]

I don't follow politics at all. I see politics on TV as entertainment. I'd rather work on fantasy football. Politics are a complete waste of time.

You see, money talks, everything we say is BS. Lobbyists force the politicians to pass laws creating cartels and monopolies in exchange for campaign financing. Whoever counts the votes decides the elections. Whatever party controls the state legislator that party wins the federal election. It's all rigged. It's all a scam.

Because, "there's a reason":

George Carlin has it right.

The problem is MONEY - lobbyists, corrupt financing, etc. and the US is heading the field at the moment.

 

[dfnj]

George Carlin has it right.

The problem is MONEY - lobbyists, corrupt financing, etc. and the US is heading the field at the moment.

There's a reason why this is the way it is:

I am just floored by how naive people are about wealth inequality in this country. In the age of Twitter people just are not capable of watching a 5 minute video.

 

[sealchan]

I don't follow politics at all. I see politics on TV as entertainment. I'd rather work on fantasy football. Politics are a complete waste of time.

You see, money talks, everything we say is BS. Lobbyists force the politicians to pass laws creating cartels and monopolies in exchange for campaign financing. Whoever counts the votes decides the elections. Whatever party controls the state legislator that party wins the federal election. It's all rigged. It's all a scam.

Because, "there's a reason":

I fear this level of skepticism is not only extreme but all too common. In such an untrusted democracy the people will allow the most obviously corrupt people into power and say, "I told you so!"

The buck keeps getting passed around and around. Apathy will only perpetuate the problem.

 

[sealchan]

So here is a (potentially incendiary) question...if people elect a politician mainly to vote against what they think is a worse politician, could they be trusted to know what a good politician looks like to begin with?

 

[sealchan]

George Carlin has it right.

The problem is MONEY - lobbyists, corrupt financing, etc. and the US is heading the field at the moment.

Money is a huge problem...but in a democracy we do have the ability to counter the influence of money in politics so we, the constituents, are co-responsible for this state of affairs.

There is no "they" in a democracy...

 

[sealchan]

There's a reason why this is the way it is:

I am just floored by how naive people are about wealth inequality in this country. In the age of Twitter people just are not capable of watching a 5 minute video.

I am nor at liberty to watch the videos at the moment...will try and do so later.

 

[Altfish]

Money is a huge problem...but in a democracy we do have the ability to counter the influence of money in politics so we, the constituents, are co-responsible for this state of affairs.

There is no "they" in a democracy...

Debatable!
Why then do politicians advertise? If money has no influence?
Why do companies pay lobbyists if they have no influence?

How can I as a constituent influence my politician...a polite letter?

 

[sealchan]

Debatable!
Why then do politicians advertise? If money has no influence?
Why do companies pay lobbyists if they have no influence?

How can I as a constituent influence my politician...a polite letter?

I never said money has no influence...but it is often used as an excuse for apathy.

Politicians are your fellow citizens. Lobbyists and representatives of organizations are too.

Your interests likely have a lobby, and that lobby is doing the work of trying to influence on your behalf. Lobbyists aren't an issue if they represent your values, right?

I'm no fan of advertising, but even I will admit advertising isn't inherently evil.

What might be a problem is materialism and the fact that we all want our stuff and we are more and more willing to go out on a financial limb to get it. This raises our overall anxiety levels and money becomes something to fear instead of a tool that we collectively manage.

So what keeps the 99% from lording it over the 1%? I know there is deep political support for...and against such thinking.

 

[Jumi]

So where do you place the blame...with the politicians or with the difficulty of pleasing everyone?

It's fine if they don't please everyone.

Have you ever met with a politician and discussed an issue important to you?

Yes. Just be prepared that the words might mean as much as air to them. If you just watch their voting behavior you would be making a better choice than by listening to whatever they might say.

 

[sealchan]

It's fine if they don't please everyone.


Yes. Just be prepared that the words might mean as much as air to them. If you just watch their voting behavior you would be making a better choice than by listening to whatever they might say.

So for those politicians who "represent" you, do you they claim to represent your values or do they hold different values?

 

[Jumi]

So for those politicians who "represent" you, do you they claim to represent your values or do they hold different values?

I've voted for people who claimed to hold similar values, but getting elected seems to show how much stock they really put in their values. The ones who truly hold values are rarely elected, but I respect that kind of rare politician no matter what values they hold. Too bad they don't hold the same values.

 

[sealchan]

I don't follow politics at all. I see politics on TV as entertainment. I'd rather work on fantasy football. Politics are a complete waste of time.

You see, money talks, everything we say is BS. Lobbyists force the politicians to pass laws creating cartels and monopolies in exchange for campaign financing. Whoever counts the votes decides the elections. Whatever party controls the state legislator that party wins the federal election. It's all rigged. It's all a scam.

Because, "there's a reason":

Nice!

But as much as this speaks to a lot of what's going on, you have to ask yourself this question:

Am I awake or am I asleep?

Am I awake when I feel proud of myself for how much I know its all a sham and laughing about what George Carlin is saying...ain't I a clever monkey...zzzzzzzz....

Hopefully Mr. Carlin went on to provide a solution. If not then he too is part of the problem. By moaning about the situation and making people laugh...we're done, it is what it is, he won't offer advice or a solution, you don't need one, you just need to know you are smarter...zzzzz

This thread, I hope, is about waking up and not living with the lie that is we have no power to change things, to influence politics...we do have power but it may not be as simple as you want it to be...

 

[sealchan]

There's a reason why this is the way it is:

I am just floored by how naive people are about wealth inequality in this country. In the age of Twitter people just are not capable of watching a 5 minute video.

Understanding requires education...I think George Carlin got it right in one respect...the more educated you are the more you see how so much of what is produced in media or merchandise is to assuage people's needs with short term gratifications. We work and work to provide but do not get around to a deeper, fulfilling enjoyment. We are mesmerized by the plenitude of stuff and try and stuff ourselves with it. But we are not happy and we take it out on those who stand to represent us...but they will never make us happy because we don't know how to make ourselves happy.

Our politicians become a sign of our own self-dissatisfaction...the more we lean on them to provide us with all the answers, the more we become willing to elect a clown or a radical who promises a big fix with big change and we thrill to the anxiety it causes hoping in some crazy crash landing that we will somehow end up more on top of the heap than the bottom.

So our politicians are ourselves and their corruption is our personal problem not theirs.