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So, uh, how about that election?

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When Bush took office in January 2001, gas was $1.50 a gallon in Maryland, now it's $3.50. The national debt in 2001 was $5.7 Trillion, now its $9.7 Trillion. In Jan. 2001 the national unemployment rate was 4.2 %, now it's 6.4 %. The war in Iraq that was only supposed to last six months but it has lasted 6 1/2 years & has cost America over 4000 lives & billions of dollars. McCain tries to push some of the blame on Congress, but the Democrats didn't obtain control of Congress till January 2007. McCain has the nerve to say that the economy is "economically sound" while all the banking deregulation that he (McCain) & Bush have supported is causing the banks to go broke. If elected, McCain would probably cause this country to go into a great depression.
 
And people aren't going to notice or care about that as long as Palin keeps on talking about what a great mom and Christian she is and how much she loves huntin'. Which tells you all you need to know about the US political system.
 
Sarah Palin has a scandal brewing called "Troopergate" & she said that she would refuse to answer investigators questions. What IS she hiding?
 
It doesn't matter! She's a mom! With a retarded baby! And she hunts! She's JUST LIKE US, don't you see?!
 
Zeta said:
That's definitely how I feel. Individual votes DON'T make a difference. Only people with large amounts of money to sway candidates can make any difference in our political system. The 2000 political election proved that to me without a doubt - our system is deeply flawed and the irreparable damage being done to this nation is surely spelling the end for our economy and former social progress for the next 20 years. And if you're not a least a millionaire, there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

Unless you live in a swing state, your vote is going to be useless either way - people don't vote on the issues, they vote on what they were raised to vote for, just like a religion. Red states will always be red, and blue states will always be blue. And since we have an electoral college, your vote really doesn't count in any state but swing ones.
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I must admit, that is sorta the kind of attitude that gets our nation in trouble in the first place. People whine 'Boohoo, my vote doesn't count so FUCK politcs' and then when the person they don't want come into office it's now like 'I hate him, why didn't the other guy come on?' which is annoying. And that is simply because if you wanted the right guy you should have voted instead of crying about it.

I mean, I have no sympathy for those people.
 
Zeta said:
It doesn't matter! She's a mom! With a retarded baby! And she hunts! She's JUST LIKE US, don't you see?!
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Why would people want a president who was "Just like them"? Wouldn't you want a leader who was better then you, so you know, the country could prosper? But then again, Bush was a guy "you could have a beer with...", so I guess that really says something about who the American public prefers. >>

Oh, and Palin still won't speak to the press like a normal canidate. She's now hiding behind curtains. This election is becoming more pathetic by the minute.
 
No, people who are smart scare and anger Americans, because they think they're full of themselves. And nerds too! Damn nerds!

I must admit, that is sorta the kind of attitude that gets our nation in trouble in the first place. People whine 'Boohoo, my vote doesn't count so FUCK politcs' and then when the person they don't want come into office it's now like 'I hate him, why didn't the other guy come on?' which is annoying. And that is simply because if you wanted the right guy you should have voted instead of crying about it.

I mean, I have no sympathy for those people.
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I can't control other people. I voted several times for blue people in red states, and it never had any effect. To repeat the same action and expect a different reaction every time is a sign of madness.
 
Ah I see what you mean. I just thought you were one of those people who just don't like to vote and such. My mistake.
 
Basically, you have Florida, Ohio, and a couple of others deciding the outcome for the entire executive election while all of the red people in blue states and blue people in red states add up to a hill of beans. It's a deeply flawed and nonsensical system.
 
okay, calm down.

To be honest, there's nothing especially wrong with the US political system. Yes, certain states are not competitive in the slightest - but that's a function of the fact that people tend to cluster together with people who are like them. (There's a book called The Big Sort that details this phenomenon.) So Mormons cluster in Utah, while liberals cluster in Massachusetts, and a handful of border states have the necessary equilibrium to determine the election. The good news is - if you took the set of states that have not voted down-the-line for four elections, you get this list:

New Hampshire
West Virginia
Ohio
Iowa
Colorado
New Mexico
Nevada
Arkansas
Tennessee
Kentucky
Florida
Montana
Georgia
Louisiana
Missouri
Arizona

Add Virginia and North Carolina to the list, as well as the upper Midwest states that have been relatively close (Minnesota and Wisconsin) and you're looking at a very diverse cross-section of the country. (20/50 states, in fact) That's a pretty big difference from, say, the late 1800s when New York alone tended to decide elections.


I think the problem here is that, since Reagan left office, we have had a dearth of quality leadership. Clinton was a good leader, but he was far from a "great" one. McCain definitely isn't it; neither is Palin, and Biden most definitely is not a leader. Obama has the right spark; he just keeps getting thrown off-balance by a skilled attack machine. If he wins this election, it proves that he has what it takes, I think. If he doesn't, then both parties will keep looking (IMO McCain will probably have a very mediocre, uninspired presidency.)
 
Well, consider what the world was like in 2000 and you can see why.

I just don't think McCain would have the political capital to enact big changes, especially with a Democratic Congress. He'd be like Bush all over again - the "man who stole the election".
 
Misty said:
Well, consider what the world was like in 2000 and you can see why.
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There's a difference? Other than now we know Bush ISN'T just another mediocre president?

I just don't think McCain would have the political capital to enact big changes, especially with a Democratic Congress. He'd be like Bush all over again - the "man who stole the election".
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Only if his brother is governor in the deciding state.

I think McCain, if he wins, will get a warmer reception than Bush did. Though I do agree that, unless something happens (as...it probably will...since the last three presidents have had to deal with one terrorist attack on US soil each), he'll just have an average run. Even with an attack (unless it tops 9/11 in terms of casualties), he'll probably be as effectual as H.W. (maybe without throwing up on someone). Really, though I feel like saying "he'll have an average presidency" is daring something to happen. Call it paranoia. Call it superstitious. Call it whatever.
 
Back in 2000, the world was largely peaceful, the US was at the top of the world, the economy was great, and our budget was in surplus. Nobody expected Bush to "rock the boat", so to speak.
 
He just wanted to share America's wealth with the rest of the world! Via force! If America is happy, making the rest of the world America would make EVERYONE happy!
 
I'm not going to talk as if the election is over already because it isn't. A lot can happen in 50 days.

On another issue:

Are these "Drill, Baby, Drill", "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" morons really convinced that drilling off our coasts will actually produce more oil and lower prices? Especially when every credible third party source will tell you we have maybe 2% of the world's oil reserves?

I can equate Offshore Oil Drilling with America's reaction to the 9/11 Attacks. The GOP is very skillful at taking something that inflames America's emotions and using it to their political advantage.

Angry about 9/11? Let's use it as a rationale for unilaterally attacking any country we want!

Mad as hell at $4.50/gallon gas? Elect us and we'll drill our way to enough oil until the end of time!

The GOP: Telling you what you want to hear since 1854! :loopy:
 
Are these "Drill, Baby, Drill", "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" morons really convinced that drilling off our coasts will actually produce more oil and lower prices? Especially when every credible third party source will tell you we have maybe 2% of the world's oil reserves?
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Of course, the existance of SOME oil means there's billions and trillions of gallons! It just follows that if we drilled everywhere, we could rely on gas for the rest of the history of the universe! We'll never have to try those nasty, hard to figure out, alternative sources of fuel.
 
I agree with you Azure Syaoran. Mostly the idea of drilling oil everywhere we can scares the life out of me. Not only does it show how gullible the people are, but it also seems to be a waste of recourses and money. I think it would be better if the government put in more money in figuring out a better energy resource (or helping and encouraging more areas run on the natural resources we have now, like Hawaii and the desert states, were people can live on solar energy, but choose to use gas), we wouldn't not be in so deep with the oil problem. If they don't like giving countries like Iran and Russia money, just figure out how to give them less, then slowly work form that plan.
 
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I guess on the plus side, a McCain-Palin Presidency will give Stewart and Colbert years of new material.
 
Is it wrong that we're desperately hoping our government would just stop doing ANYTHING instead of doing terrible things?
 
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