Why is it always black and white in politics

[AKDejaVu]

Sitting down at Thanksgiving dinner with the family, I was priviledged enough to hear an even greater variety of political views than what I am exposed to in this forum.

I had a cousin tell me that "the demicrats will do anything to get into the white house because they are evil".  I politely informed him that the democrats were already in the white house... they were trying to stay there.  The republicans are doing whatever they can to get there.

I had to listen to ramblings about how the democrats believe wrong is right and are twisting the morals of the nation.  I had to listen to stories about how bad it would be for the nation if a democrat was elected president.  Finally I just snapped.

I voted for Bush because I like some of his tax plans better.  I'm not a big fan of Al Gore because I feel he'd hurt an already anemic military.  That is about the extent of it.

I voted for George Sr. 8 years ago for the same reasons.  I also didn't like all of the "affairs" Mr. Clinton was having and how Hillary didn't really seem to care.  It made things seem as if politics were all that mattered to them... and you have to be part of a family to succeed in politics.  Their definition of family is where they went astray.  Needless to say, the Monica Lewinski scandal did not suprise me one bit.  How could it really suprise anyone?

That said... I feel Bill Clinton was a pretty good president.  I don't like what he did/is doing in the downsizing of the military... nor do I particularly care for his handling of the current middle east problems... but I feel he went through his two terms trying to do whatever would make him seem to be a good president.  His goal seemed to be to go down in history books as a "Great President".  The Monica scandal will put something of an asteric by that... but basically... its not too far off.  I still wouldn't vote for him again.

Why is it that everyone seems to be entirely supportive of one candidate and entirely condemning of the other?  I just don't get it.  This need to get other people to agree that you are right and they are wrong is overwhelming the internet these days.  Everone goes to extremes... even though I believe they stopped actually believing what the are wrighting long ago and are simply arguing for the sake of it.

How about some rational thought on the whole thing.  How about some reasonable discussion as to just how much power the President of the United States has over our day to day lives?  How much power The House and The Senate have?  How much power the Judicial system has?  How the checks and balances work out.

Remember.. nobody is totally right.  Nobody is completely wrong.

AKDejaVu

[Snoopi]

I agree DejaVu !

The "<insert party here> are always the best"  comments make me laugh.

It's like people who will always buy a G.M. vehicle "because they are the best".
(Obviously never heard of the Chevette etc.)

Best statement you used: "how about rational thought"

Most people like to simplify things that are not simple.
That way they don't have to think.

It's like a person who says they don't like to eat squid, when they have never eaten any.
Then they tell everyone who will listen that Squid tastes like crap.

That is why people generalize about the rich,poor,black,white,purple, green etc.

Lets all think the way our favorite news media outlet or Movie star says you should think.  
Never question..Just think what yer daddy told you to think !    

[AKSeaWulfe]

I, for one, simply can not tolerate your common sense Dejavu. You are hereby exiled from this BBS until you become cynical and ignorant of one political party while completely supporting the other one.
<G>
-SW

[Fury]

Fortunately for me, Thanksgiving was at my house this year.  I made a rule that politics would not be tolerated on Thanksgiving day.

Fury

[Wanker]

Finally!

I knew there were some level-headed people on this BBS. It just took wading through the sea of the self-righteous right to find them.  

Thanks for those refreshing posts DejaVu and Snoopi.

We now return you to the Rush Limbaugh show...

[Ripsnort]

We had an agreement this year not to bring up politics during the holidays...everything went smooth until a 67 year old Aunt had to throw the Gauntlet..after 5 min. of discussion (I left the table,  she's been a Gov't employee for 35 years, its like arguing with a Welfare recipient) it ended with my wife and her Aunt angry at each other...now you see why politics shouldn't be discussed among family members, unless, all are black, and all are white....(regards to their party, not color of skin, mind you)

[sling322]

Wait a minute....I used to drive a Chevette.  At least until it caught fire on me while I was driving down the expressway....hmmm....maybe it wasnt such a good car after all.

[Mighty1]

The problem AKDejaVu is that we have to pick ONE president and no matter what their views are only one can win.

We all have our reasons for voting for whom ever we voted for and for some of us we feel very strongly about OUR candidate. Once you make your choice then you feel like you have to defend him/her against any attack(at least in my case).

I always look at the bad things that our President to be has done in the past so I can get an idea of what's the worst he can do in the White house.

The candidate that I voted for in this elections IMHO has the best track record so far and has not done anything that would make me feel that I couldn't trust him.

[AKDejaVu]

That's not the problem Mighty1.

The problem is feeling the need to defend your choice no matter what.  Each candidate has good points and bad points.  It comes down to what points affect you the most.

Its as simple as that.

Trying to argue every time someone says something bad about your candidate is an endless circle.  I've got news for everyone... you can say bad things about every candidate that has ever ran for office... and be right.

The polititians are even promoting this concept.  Its so easy for them to point fingures at the other guy because each candidate has his faults.  As a result, the whole thing becomes a "Oh yeah.. well look what he did!".  I hear more about Bush from the Gore campaign than I do from the Bush campaign.  The inverse is also true.

Don't fall into the trap of feeling that your decision on a presidential candidate makes you a better person than someone else.  Don't feel that an assault on your candidate is an assault on you.  Don't feel that anyone that didn't choose the same as you is a complete and total moron and is simply obtuse for not being able to understand that.

I saw way too much of that at Thanksgiving... and I've seen way too much of that reading through a few threads on this board.

None of what we say really matters come election time.  Our minds were made up.  instead... personal insults get hurled and people get offended.  The only reason for any of it was because they didn't agree.

AKDejaVu

[Ice]

Hiyas Deja!

Just wanted to correct something you said...

I am always completely and totally right about everything I have an opinion of.

Just wanted to set ya straight

Bye Bye

Ice

[Dinger]

To get down to brass tacks:
It's absurd to claim that hole-punched ballots counted by machines in some counties are just as reliable at indicating votes as other methods employed elsewhere.  And it's silly to allow for manual recounts but not allow for time to do them.
It's equally absurd to think that a single dimpled chad in the presidential selection is an infallible indicator of the voter's will when all the other chads have been punched out.
Both parties are spending far more time trying to convince the public that their cause is more noble than they are trying to ensure that the presidential election is run in a fair and equitable manner.
Finally, it's incredibly naive to think any of our beloved presidential candidates actually has the best interests of the country at heart.  That notion went out with the old presidential primary system.

I say we seize the opportunity to bury the system and smash the state!  I humbly propose myself as enlightened despot.
For less than the cost of 1 B-2 Bomber, I'll give you one helluva MMP WWII sim, and in a generation we'll have the best military minds on the planet.
Then we begin phase II.
Economic Domination is not enough!

[Nash]

Oh my god we have a choice now! You listening Santa?? You got some competition! Let the race begin!

[AKDejaVu]

LOL NASH! I'm afraid Dinger has an unfair advantage seeing as St. Santa has been the subject of several smear campaigns already.  Some of wich he actually started himself

AKDejaVu

[Mighty1]

Dinger that's kinda the point I've been saying all along.

No side is going to agree what is right or wrong AFTER an election that's why we decide these things BEFORE.

There were decisions made BEFORE the elections that were changed AFTER it that are now under dispute.

This was a close election and I'm sure that both sides can some how put a twist on the ballots to make it go their way but if they had adhered to the rules setup BEFORE the election we would have a clear winner.

[Nash]

Protesting, recounting, then contesting. These are all in the rules - are they not?