OT- Election time!

wrote:

It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.
- Ken


What's the alternative? If the mechanism by which the GOP held its power
over the past dozen years is voter stupidity (and it was, in the main),
then shouldn't _that_ be the same mechanism that gets them out? Isn't
this the only thing (left) that offers any chance of keeping some kind
of balance of power? Assuming that you actually want a balance of power
not just idealogically, but also between the branches. It's a bit much
now though to curse a stupid electorate for not "getting it" that both
parties are

rw wrote:
wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Get out there and vote Democratic !!


It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.

This is the argument that the Republican Party is reduced to: "We suck
but the Democrats aren't any better."

That might be an interesting take if I were a republican. Maybe
it's because I don't have some weird bond with one party over
the other that I can actually remember that both parties
overwhelmingly voted to go to war.

Don't like the war, vote out your incumbent if they voted for it.
Giving "your party's guy" a break because they changed their
mind once the war went badly is stupid. IMHO of course.
- Ken

GM wrote:
wrote:

It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.
- Ken


What's the alternative? If the mechanism by which the GOP held its power
over the past dozen years is voter stupidity (and it was, in the main),
then shouldn't _that_ be the same mechanism that gets them out? Isn't
this the only thing (left) that offers any chance of keeping some kind
of balance of power? Assuming that you actually want a balance of power
not just idealogically, but also between the branches.

I think I've come to the conclusion that I like gridlock best. I'd
prefer that someone actually have a plan, but since both major
parties and the electorate (KenF especially) appear to be clueless
I like the idea of neither party having control.
- Ken

" wrote in
oups.com:

I think I've come to the conclusion that I like gridlock best.


Our goverment is designed for gridlock. So long as the gridlock doesn't
lead to an unconstitutional power grab, it works.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

wrote:
GM wrote:
wrote:
It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.

What's the alternative? If the mechanism by which the GOP held its power
over the past dozen years is voter stupidity (and it was, in the main),
then shouldn't _that_ be the same mechanism that gets them out? Isn't
this the only thing (left) that offers any chance of keeping some kind
of balance of power? Assuming that you actually want a balance of power
not just idealogically, but also between the branches.

I think I've come to the conclusion that I like gridlock best. I'd
prefer that someone actually have a plan, but since both major
parties and the electorate (KenF especially) appear to be clueless
I like the idea of neither party having control.

You've just contradicted yourself in the span of two posts.
First you say it's sad to think electing Dems is any better,
then you say you don't want one-party control. Since the
Republicans currently control the House, the Senate and the
Presidency how do you propose to break up their one-party
control without voting Democrat ?

--
Ken Fortenberry

"rw" wrote in message
m...
wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:

Get out there and vote Democratic !!


It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.

This is the argument that the Republican Party is reduced to: "We suck but
the Democrats aren't any better."

--

And if true...(which it obviously is) what's the remedy.... a true multi
party system is the only solution.

Plus minority views like saving a few trees and salmon would get greater
weight in policy making.

Ken Fortenberry wrote:
wrote:
GM wrote:
wrote:
It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.

What's the alternative? If the mechanism by which the GOP held its power
over the past dozen years is voter stupidity (and it was, in the main),
then shouldn't _that_ be the same mechanism that gets them out? Isn't
this the only thing (left) that offers any chance of keeping some kind
of balance of power? Assuming that you actually want a balance of power
not just idealogically, but also between the branches.

I think I've come to the conclusion that I like gridlock best. I'd
prefer that someone actually have a plan, but since both major
parties and the electorate (KenF especially) appear to be clueless
I like the idea of neither party having control.

You've just contradicted yourself in the span of two posts.
First you say it's sad to think electing Dems is any better,
then you say you don't want one-party control. Since the
Republicans currently control the House, the Senate and the
Presidency how do you propose to break up their one-party
control without voting Democrat ?

Not at all contradictory.

- The Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans.

- If your incumbent is Democrat and voted for something
you find morally unacceptable you should vote them out.

- Not all races on the ballot are for US Congress. Telling
people to vote Democratic is stupid.....now if your goal
is to break up the federal govt monopoly I might agree
"vote Democratic for the House or Senate" to
be an okay suggestion. IMHO blindly voting for one party
is moronic and perpetuates the "stupid" electorate
syndrome.

I already voted last week, but I roughly voted 1/3 R,
1/3 D, and 1/3 independent.
- Ken

wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
wrote:
GM wrote:
wrote:
It's stunning (and sad) that you think they are any better.
What's the alternative? If the mechanism by which the GOP held its power
over the past dozen years is voter stupidity (and it was, in the main),
then shouldn't _that_ be the same mechanism that gets them out? Isn't
this the only thing (left) that offers any chance of keeping some kind
of balance of power? Assuming that you actually want a balance of power
not just idealogically, but also between the branches.
I think I've come to the conclusion that I like gridlock best. I'd
prefer that someone actually have a plan, but since both major
parties and the electorate (KenF especially) appear to be clueless
I like the idea of neither party having control.
You've just contradicted yourself in the span of two posts.
First you say it's sad to think electing Dems is any better,
then you say you don't want one-party control. Since the
Republicans currently control the House, the Senate and the
Presidency how do you propose to break up their one-party
control without voting Democrat ?

Not at all contradictory.

- The Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans.

No, not even close.

Consider this, the chief executive could declare your wife
and daughter enemy combatants. The government could then come
in the middle of the night, snatch them out of your home and
place them in detention somewhere but they wouldn't have to
tell you where, in fact they wouldn't even have to tell you
that they snatched them. They could torture your wife until
she rats out your daughter then use your wife's testimony to
convict your daughter in a kangaroo court whereupon they could
execute your daughter all without ever telling you a damn
thing about where or why. That's Republican legislation passed
largely along party lines.

Don't tell me there's no difference between Republicans and
Democrats.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote:
wrote:
- The Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans.

No, not even close.

Don't tell me there's no difference between Republicans and
Democrats.

You conveniently skipped over the main thrust of
the post which was that advocating blindly voting by
party is moronic.
- Ken

wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
wrote:
- The Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans.
No, not even close.

Don't tell me there's no difference between Republicans and
Democrats.

You conveniently skipped over the main thrust of
the post which was that advocating blindly voting by
party is moronic.

There's nothing "blind" about voting straight Democrat or
advocating that others do the same. The time to pursue your
pet issues and search for the "best" candidate is in the
primaries. Like it or not, in our two-party system we're
governed not by men but by parties. I don't like it, I wish
it were different, but that's reality and it's moronic to
deny it. If you vote Green or Libertarian or Independent or
Socialist or Communist you're just throwing away your franchise
in a stupid, meaningless, futile fit of pique. Election Day is
not the day to have your head up your ass, it's the day you
suck it up, go to the polls, face reality, hold your nose and
vote Democrat.

--
Ken Fortenberry