Both Sides are Bad for America

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by submarinepainter, Oct 6, 2021.

  1. submarinepainter

    submarinepainter Well-Known Member Past Donor

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  2. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Our corrupt bipartisan ruling political class is the only side that matters. It hates heretics like Trump. ;-)

    “Media reports on government actions, whether debates, legislation, or regulation, almost always present them in terms of pure policy. New laws are for a specific purpose, perhaps even a noble one. But what if that isn't the real purpose of the exercise? What if politics is largely about fund-raising and moneymaking? The commercial motives of the Permanent Political Class in acting or not acting are rarely questioned and virtually never fully understood.” EXTORTION, "How Politicians Extract Your money, BuyVotes, And Line Their Own Pockets, Peter Schweizer, HMO, NY, NY, 2013. p. 2, 3.
     
  3. Adfundum

    Adfundum Moderator Staff Member Donor

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    I say we draft another Amendment to make it a crime to belong to a political party. :)

    It used to be that the Parties had platforms, but those platforms seem to have rotted away and the purpose of the Parties is now all about winning and nothing more. They use all the rhetoric and talking points that sound like they're doing things for the good of the nation, but that's not what it's about anymore. It's a circus, a soap opera, serial drama sporting event, a really bad joke on the American people.

    The Parties are a way for players to unite into teams to fight the demons created for us to hate. It's group psychology used in a bad way. Naturally, the media has joined in on this money-making scheme, and like sports broadcasters, presents us with lots of entertainment that we take way too seriously. We're like Animals on a Farm.
     
  4. Cybred

    Cybred Well-Known Member

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  5. Tipper101

    Tipper101 Well-Known Member

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    In all fairness though we get what we vote for, and the American people have been really crappy, uninformed voters who care more about their pet social issues and which scumbag lawyer-turned-politician strokes their hyperbolic keys the best than they do electing leaders with experience, honesty and integrity.
     
  6. Jolly Penguin

    Jolly Penguin Well-Known Member

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    I agree. Political parties, and especially "party whips" undermine the very notion of democracy. So does the first past the post voting system, which encourages the formation of parties and there being only two viable choices in every election.
     
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  7. Adfundum

    Adfundum Moderator Staff Member Donor

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    I do blame the parties, but we can't deny the fact that we buy into all this. We love the drama and the outrage, and after a while, we start to see it as real. Even when deep down inside we know it's not what it's made to seem.
     
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  8. Rampart

    Rampart Banned

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    claim on trump white house nepotism is partly false? what? didn't he hire ALL of his children and in-laws?

    fact check this : trump hired more children, in-laws, and whatever hope hicks, kelly conway, and huckaby sanders were to him than every president before him combined.

    jared kushner, trump's "senior advisor" had discretionary authority over $trillions in covid relief. who got the money????
     
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  9. submarinepainter

    submarinepainter Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No new ones we don't follow the ones we have
     
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  10. Sirius Black

    Sirius Black Well-Known Member

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    Both parties have move away from the middle and we have let them because moderates have left or been forced out and candidates have to appeal to the fringe in order to get elected. One small step we might take is for all those moderate/independents to join the party of their choice and tug the party back towards the middle.
     
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  11. submarinepainter

    submarinepainter Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    go read it then complain
     
  12. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

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    The purpose of political parties is to win elections. The nation's need are for high quality government. The two don't really work very well together.
     
  13. submarinepainter

    submarinepainter Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    never ever will join the big 2 , I stand by my beliefs
     
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  14. Doofenshmirtz

    Doofenshmirtz Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    100% correct. As long as they can keep Americans at each others throats, they can spend like thieves with stolen credit cards.
     
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  15. independentthinker

    independentthinker Banned

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    Party platforms have become meaningless. The party adopts a so called platform and yet the presidents don't actually follow what their own platform is.
     
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  16. Surfer Joe

    Surfer Joe Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Indeed. If the repubs are stupid enough to run trump at the next election, the country can kiss its ass goodbye.
    Every single thing trump touches turns to ****, and if he gets his tiny mitts on our country's throat again, he will repeat himself.
    It's mind boggling that anyone would want a repeat of the disgusting shitshow that was the trump stint in the White House.
    I doubt that Melania would want anything to do with it again.
     
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  17. MJ Davies

    MJ Davies Well-Known Member

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    Do you remember that movie "Trading Places" with Dan Akroyd and Eddie Murphy. The two rich brothers had a $1.00 bet on if a person could be changed by changing their circumstances in their lives. They denounced Akroyd's character and lavished money and gifts onto Murphy's character.

    That's basically what is happening. They need us to be caught up in this "us v. them" mentality so they can keep voting themselves raises and doing absolutely nothing for us common folk.
     
  18. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Never follow the money. ;-)

    “Shortly after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020, markets collapsed and economies around the world plunged into recession.”

    “One year later, things couldn’t be more different: a record 493 new billionaires joined the list this year, propelled by a red-hot stock market and unprecedented economic stimulus. Among those newcomers are at least 40 new entrants who draw their fortunes from companies involved in fighting Covid-19. Some, such as Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel and BioNTech cofounder Uğur Şahin, have become household names thanks to the vaccines they helped develop. Others got rich making everything from personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests to antibody treatments and software that helps authorities schedule vaccination campaigns, which will be essential in reopening economies and returning to normal life.”
    FORBES, Meet The 40 New Billionaires Who Got Rich Fighting Covid-19, By Giacomo Tognini, Forbes Staff, BILLIONAIRES 2021, Apr 6, 2021. (emphasis mine)
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacom...o-got-rich-fighting-covid-19/?sh=2192c24d17e5
     
  19. Turd in the Punch Bowl

    Turd in the Punch Bowl Banned

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    Republicans are worse though even if you’re playing middle.
     
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  20. submarinepainter

    submarinepainter Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    That's opinion man , I think they all have issues
     
  21. Hey Now

    Hey Now Well-Known Member

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    I don't know that I agree with this 100%.

    I can appreciate that in the immediate run up to an election, this maybe the case. Once elected though, both sides must unite and govern for the benefit of the people, all of them. Problem is the vast money it takes to be relevant in politics and the length of the campaigning and fund raising. Then there is the corruption of the governing system by dark money.

    I blame it all on Citizens United. :)
     
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  22. Hey Now

    Hey Now Well-Known Member

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    I should add one other thing I believe is important to this. 24 hour national news channels sell and thrive on drama and outrage. This business model cannibalized journalism and facts only being reported.
     
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  23. Adfundum

    Adfundum Moderator Staff Member Donor

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    Yeah, that's pretty much what I was getting at.

    And I do believe our love of drama and outrage is a totally human condition. Of course, I don't mean every single one of us. It's just what humans do.

    It would be great if we backed off of the nonsense after the elections, but I'm not seeing that happening now--most likely because of that 24 hour stuff. Humans love it, Media profits from it, and politicians get elected because of it. It's a win, win, win situation . . . well, maybe not win . . . ok, we lose.
     
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  24. Hockeyaddict

    Hockeyaddict Newly Registered

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    Ive been an Ind since the late 90's. I Couldn't care less about Nepotism. But if anyone claims to be an Ind and denies Trump is a wackjob autocrat who tried a coup and overgrow a democratic election, then they aren't
    being honest with their Ind claim

    At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to, an attempt to stop the vote on the 1st day and many other attempts at overthrowing a democratic election with number results where even Trump claims to be a landslide
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2021
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  25. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Politicians posture for their base. People who know Washington well see little difference.

    “Getting Rich has become the great bipartisan ideal: “No Democrats and Republicans in Washington anymore, only millionaires”, goes the maxim. The ultimate Green party. You still hear the term “public service” thrown around, but often with irony and full knowledge that “self-service” is now the real insider play.”
    THIS TOWN, Mark Leibovich, Penguin Books, 2013. p. 9.
     
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