Convince me to vote, someone.....

[Kamakiri]

Yes, but are there any races that actually make a difference in this election?

Well said BTW.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Kamakiri

What do I think of them? Easy, a waste of a vote. In America, if you're not on a major party line, you're not going to get elected, plain and simple. The major party lines are the ones that have the cash flow and the exposure.

I came out of Church yesterday and there were 3 political flyers on my windshield. I found that totally appalling. One said, "which one shares our values?", and my first thought was, neither.....I don't recall bumping into either one of them at any of the services. I've got letters from the UAW telling me which candidates "we" support. I haven't been a member of the UAW since 2004.

And television ads? Here's how they all go. Open the ad with a black and white shot of the opponent and some music stolen from a dramatic scene in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Say something bad about the opponent. Next shot is a spinning newspaper zeroing in on a headline or two about the corruption and bad voting practices of the other guy. Short statement of something about change.

Switch to color shot of the "good guy" reviewing construction plans with a crew while wearing a hard hat. Next shot is same good guy sitting on a porch swing with a couple of geezers pretending to care about what they're saying. Another shot of candidate in front of a podium or shaking hands in a crowd.

End with an arty shot of a slowly waving American flag, with a picture of the candidate and the office they're running for.

Crooks, all of them.....

Sounds like you've seen the light, Kam.

My Favorite is "We're taking America back!".
What is this "we" s**t? And what makes any group or individual think the entire country belongs to them, exclusively, in the first place?
Last I checked there are over 300,000,000 Americans and no two of them really seem to ever agree on everything.

I remember telling a guy, years ago; He says; "I'm doing this for you!" To which I replied, "If making it easier for me to get fired on a whim is your idea of a favor, then I'll thank you to stop doing me any favors."

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Kamakiri

Yes, but are there any races that actually make a difference in this election?

Well said BTW.

Nope. TP candidates? Same old s**t in a different wrapper.
(Republicans in sheeps clothing, if you ask me.)

Dave

[Brother_Karl]

Originally Posted by whell

The electorate in this country has the opportunity, every 2 years, to stage a mini-revolution. Every so often, the electorate gets engaged enough to actually make it happen. This will be one of those years. Get on board and vote if you'd like to participate.

Strange. I've never heard of a revolution which did not affect a whole two thirds of the second chamber of the legislature and left out the executive altogether.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by electronjohn

All I know is that I've written myself in for at least one office ever since I got the "franchise" back in '69. Usually for ditch commissioner or something like that...once in a while I'll give district judge a shot. My way of preserving myself for posterity.

I live in a very red state. Accordingly, some offices do not even have a Democrat running. In those cases I will generally write myself in, or Mickey Mouse, or Babe Ruth.

Regards,

D-Ray

[whell]

Originally Posted by Brother_Karl

Strange. I've never heard of a revolution which did not affect a whole two thirds of the second chamber of the legislature and left out the executive altogether.

Elections mean things. Those who govern generally have contempt for the governed. However, when the electorate is sufficiently engaged, significant change will result.

The current administration and congress was, if one believes the polls, deemed by the electorate to be heading in the wrong direction. The voters will have the opportunity tomorrow to change the direction of their government significantly. Some revolutions fought with guns that have cost actual lives have produced far less in tangible results.

Now, it will be up to those newly elected to respond to their "mandate" and put forward an agenda that is aligned with what the voters want. If the occupant of the executive branch continues to defy the will of the electorate, the electorate may choose to "finish the job" in 2012.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by whell

Now, it will be up to those newly elected to respond to their "mandate" and put forward an agenda that is aligned with what the voters want. If the occupant of the executive branch continues to defy the will of the electorate, the electorate may choose to "finish the job" in 2012.

I agree generally with your first 2 paragraphs, but you're way off the mark here. Charlie Cook, the most highly regarded election pollster, said today that if tomorrow's results look like they're looking now (GOP wins the House by a good margin, doesn't take back Senate), the GOP will be making a grave error to perceive this as a mandate.

He noted several things: first, the Republicans in Congress are held in the greatest disfavor of anybody in politics at the moment. The GOP won't be "winning" this election, the Dem's will be losing a vote of confidence by not addressing the economy first in favor of health care and cap and trade (in voters' eyes). He said the GOP will go down in flames very rapidly if they read tomorrow's results as a mandate, rather than just another vote for "change."

[merrylander]

Maybe this will convince you to vote.

[merrylander]

Or maybe this.

[d-ray657]

Interesting that, when polled about many of the provisions of the health care bill, the public favors those provisions. The use of the pejorative "Obamacare" and the labels of socialism and fascism have created a negative opinion of the package. Many people do not know that the things they like are actually in the package. I doubt that the people would believe that they have given a mandate to eliminate protection for preexisting conditions, coverage for college age and slightly older offspring; alternative choices for people in small groups seeking health care, and making insurers actually use premiums to pay for medical care.

Moreover, the vagaries of the pledge don't create much of a mandate under which to operate.

Question - assuming the senate retains a majority of Democrats - is there a mandate there to move forward with the GOP agenda?

Regards,

D-Ray