Democrat or Republican

[evulish]

Can anyone else not stand politics? Elections are horrible. They lie and cheat in order to gain a vote. I don't know how people can vote. I highly doubt I ever will. If I do, it will most likely be for myself. People say that non-voters are ruining this society...I think it's the politicians. Three choices for president is really not that many...it would be interesting if you would make like that quiz and just pick yes or no on certain topics...then a presidential candidate would be assigned to you. Hmm...

*runs for president*

[IsabelRinging]

Democrat.

I agree with nearly everything the Democratic party believes in, so I'm definitely not on the fence here.

[Katie Reynolds]

Originally posted by Bill Gold
... I've got no respect for people who vote for a candidate solely because they're a member of their own political party. Saying things like "DEM's ALL THE WAY!" or "Any decent person with their mind in the right place would choose the republican standpoint." even in fun just perpetuates this stupid "my political party is better than yours" attitude. When you should really be saying things like "this issues means a lot to me, and I want to find a politician who feels the same way." or "I want my congressperson to cut the b.s. party rhetoric and tell me what they actually believe in."

Well put, Bill - and very true.

- Katie

[AdamT]

Originally posted by evulish
Can anyone else not stand politics? Elections are horrible. They lie and cheat in order to gain a vote. I don't know how people can vote. I highly doubt I ever will. If I do, it will most likely be for myself. People say that non-voters are ruining this society...I think it's the politicians. Three choices for president is really not that many...it would be interesting if you would make like that quiz and just pick yes or no on certain topics...then a presidential candidate would be assigned to you. Hmm...

*runs for president*

I'm sorry, but did you even read what I posted?

The problem in all of this is that most of what you believe is only true to a VERY small degree. Really look at who is paying for all of those slash ads. Many of them are paid for by interest groups or corperations that want to help a candadite, but can't give hard money to them. Find out about "hard money" and "soft money." "Soft money" will be banned as of Nov. 6! Most every politician that will ever do anything to change your life is not corrupt and is not just in it for fame/glory. If fact, most of them will lose money by helping you out.

Also, the problem with having 20 candidates for an office is that there would never actually be a majority vote on something. It would end in even more people frustrated with our government. Here's something to help some people out:

Politics: A non-violent method to solve constant contradiction between people.

All politics is is a method to solving problems. It's all about compromise. Well, part of that is voting for someone who believes in most of the things you do even if they're not all of them. vote for the one who you think has the best experience and will do the best job. Vote for the person who you think really wants the job for the job, not for the little perks it may give.

The fact that most people think that all politicians lie, cheat, and steal is a product of our nation's negative attitude twards almost everything. All we want to see in the news is lying, cheating, and stealing...so, that's all we see. We never get the good things on the news or in the newspaper. So why else would we think that there's anything else?

The fact is is that it's not the politicains ruining our government, it's people who have mentalities and a lack of empathy like this. By having this mentality, you are just giving in to what you disagree in.

[Bill Gold]

I'll add another 2 or 3 cents to the convo...

I wouldn't say that elections are horrible. If you don't vote, then you can't complain. I vote because I care about issues like not wanting Roe v. Wade overturned, and not wanting the Banks/Credit Card companies to push their restrictive Bankruptcy bill through congress, etc. Besides, saying something needs fixing without providing a feasible solution (or multiple feasible solutions) won't get you anywhere. If there's anything I've learned about politics over the past 8 years, it's to not leave it up to politicians to try to solve a problem. I've had quite a bit of experience when it comes to politics thanks to my politically active, Bankruptcy Attorney (Debtors Attorney), parents. You've got to force-feed politicians your position, your arguements, your solutions, your ammendments, etc. Not all politicians lie and cheat. Adam brought up a good point that the media publicizes corruption so much that the American public seems to think that's all that goes on in Washington D.C. and state capitols. If there's something I hate, it's people who are indifferent about politics, or people who constantly complain about problems (which I agree, there are) with our government but refuse to think of solutions or refuse to be a part of fixing them.

[Kristina]

First, I think that test has far few questions to really determine political idealogies...the issues that matter the most to me and shape my political beliefs weren't even addressed.

Moving along, I agree with Bill...you should really look at the issues or the stances of the candidate rather than simply voting party line. Especially since it is known that most people inherit our political stances from one's parents, you should know what you're voting for instead of being just brought up that way.

I'm a registered Democrat and am very active in the Bruin Democrats here at UCLA but I consider myself more moderate and admit that I'm conservative on some issues like <gasp> abortion. That's why its important that I get both sides and try to find unbiased information about who the candidates are and the various propositions, etc. I've done my homework, sheesh, I mean I'm a poli sci major and overall I do find myself having more incommon with the democratic party (and no, its not because i'm a female minority, i grew up in a very conservative white suburb and my family's uppermiddle class and my dad is conservative) and will vote for Gray Davis in a week.

Oh, and just to brag and I'm still very giddy, I went to a "get out the vote" rally yesterday night and I saw Gray Davis & Martin Sheen and I was only a foot away from Bill Clinton!!!!!!! I'm still on cloud nine

[FotoPlasma]

"The only enemy of democracy is a silent citizenship."
--Don't remember

[Michael Murphy]

I'm a registered independent, since no political party particularly appeals to me. I consider myself to be a moderate with a tendancy to leap to the extremes in certain cases (i.e. affirmative action, excessive political correctness, death penalty).

I have no real opinion on abortion, since it wouldn't really be any of my business unless I were the prospective father.

On a side note:
Massachusetts is in the middle of its gubernatorial elections, which have turned very ugly. I know the majority of the attack ads have come from interested third parties, but I find myself wondering why neither Mitt Romney or Shannon O'Brien, or for that matter, any candidate I've ever seen, hasn't spoken out agains them.

Attack ads serve no positive purpose, as their only result seems to be to turn people off of both candidates, causing a dropoff in voter attendance. I mean, why would you want to vote for someone when the majority of what you've seen and heard about them has been negative? And third-party and independant candidates don't usually get enough exposure to really have a chance at winning major elections.

I think that's all for now.

[Kristina]

just because i'm major poli sci mindset right now (studying for my midterm) third parties are usually a long shot for much much more than lack of exposure. its more because we have a plurality/winner take all/single member district/first past the post system that makes the US and similar system usually only have two major parties.

not like this really matters much to most of you but i'm trying to find any excuse right now not to study...and look, i'm reviewing through this response, what has college done to me?!

republican...you have to be in my family..

[Adam Y.]

Also, the problem with having 20 candidates for an office is that there would never actually be a majority vote on something. It would end in even more people frustrated with our government. Here's something to help some people out:

Hey thats Lincoln got elected.

[evulish]

Originally posted by AdamT

I'm sorry, but did you even read what I posted?

I started to...then got distracted...posts over 10 lines are too long for me too read

[Chris Nowak]

If I had to choose I would be democrat, I lean that way a little and will vote that way. Well, that and George Bush's economy plan caused me to lose my job yesterday. Not that I'm blaming him in particular or anything, finances are complex, but he is the head of our govt. I took that quiz and came out a centrist leaning toward liberal so yeah....thats me. I really don't think either side is wrong as long as they keep an open mind, and I think democrats are better at that. So thats why Im a democrat.

[edit] Just saying, I went to a debate last night between two state senators, two state reps, and one national rep. The problem with the debate was that they all agreed on many issues, and the only controversy was over how seriously issues should be handled. I was kind of dissapointed in it, because the main thing that people then looked for was how charasmatic and how good of a speaker the person was, which is not necessarily important. All I'm saying here is that it's healthier to have a broad range of party affiliation within the local government in order to get ideas from both sides to solve the problems. I think that this is a major problem in america. Controversy provokes thought.

20 out of all the members of the House run in a close race (I learned this at the debate last night).

[Marc P.]

According to that quiz someone posted, i'm a Centrist. (Horray for aquarian indecisiveness!!) Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, elections are merely popularity contests (similar to student counsel elections in school, where they really have no power, no one really cares, but somehow the most popular people end up in office). Not to be offensive to those political entusiasts mind you.

Originally posted by Molly Menges
republican...you have to be in my family..

yeah especially when your dad was head of the republican party in town....


anyway

you know what cracks me up....a party introudces a bill, but the other party votes it down because there is something tacked onto the end such as a ridiculus pay raise or cut some program that is pro-democrat or pro-republican

but at campaign time, since they voted no to this new bill because of the pay raise or the program issue they are heartless and they shouldnt get votes...

thats politics for you