# Politics   ? !



## Harvatt (Dec 2, 2014)

I am fed up with Politics in England where I live ,  How do you good people feel about Politics in your Country    Everything in the World seems to be going down hill ,     I am wondering if it might after all not be a bad thing  after all  fast approaching 85 years .


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## Falcon (Dec 2, 2014)

I usually stay out of political topics, but I'll say this: The last 6 years has been the worst political leanings in the history

of this otherwise great country. They have yet to see the light.  Unfortunately there are more of "them" than "us".

And we still have 2 more years to go.  UGH!


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## QuickSilver (Dec 2, 2014)

I know what you mean Harvatt..   Sometimes I tell myself that I'm simply not going to keep up with it.. BUT.. then again.. that's part of the problem. Folks don't pay attention or stay informed and make uninformed decisions at the ballot box..many times against their own interests.    So.. I'll take breaks for a few days, but then go back to keeping up to date on the latest BS going on in Washington, in the States, and in the world.


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## QuickSilver (Dec 2, 2014)

Falcon said:


> I usually stay out of political topics, but I'll say this: The last 6 years has been the worst political leanings in the history
> 
> of this otherwise great country. They have yet to see the light.  Unfortunately there are more of "them" than "us".
> 
> And we still have 2 more years to go.  UGH!



See this "us" and "Them" crap is what has made politics so distasteful and polarized.  We used to be ONE country.. or did I miss the secession?  

You think there are more of "Them" now?  Just wait til you see the massive push for registration in the next two years, as a blowback to all the voter suppression and discriminatory laws.    Yes.. two more years and we can rid the House and the Senate of the plague, both is DC and in the State legislatures.


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## Debby (Dec 2, 2014)

85 Harvatt?  Well you'll be free before me but our children and grandchildren?  Unless there is a massive evolution of human spirit.....

Like my little grandson once said, "it's a doom Mummy"!


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## SeaBreeze (Dec 2, 2014)

Politics in America have been on controlled by corporate interests for many decades now.  That IMO is the main problem, the corruption and greed behind the scenes.  I have more hope now than I have in the past as a retired senior in this country.  Not so worried about being financially raped by the healthcare system, or have my Medicare and Social Security benefits taken away from me after working full time all my life and paying into the system via taxes.


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## Jackie22 (Dec 2, 2014)

I keep up with what is going on in politics because I care about my grandchildren's future and the country's future.

I will continue to speak out on the injustice and wrong that I see with my last dying breath.


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## SeaBreeze (Dec 2, 2014)

Sometimes, with the way things are going, I'm grateful not to have any kids or grandkids to worry about.


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## Harvatt (Dec 2, 2014)

Jackie22  -  Jackie22   ,  your thoughts are exactly the same as mine  , we have a General Election coming up next May and I honestly do not know who I am going to vote for .  At the last local elections I did , really just for the fun of it ,  spend a fair bit of time putting comments on Twitter fault finding two out of the three leading parties.  I became quite friendly with the local candidate for the third party during that period and as it happened that candidate got in for the first time but apart from an E Mail of thanks I have not had another E Mail since .  It just shows how their minds work . Once they have got what   they want  they are quite happy to leave you to it  Well this party will not get my vote this time .


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## Harvatt (Dec 2, 2014)

Debby  ,   where is the avatar photograph of yourself ?    -  the first thing I missed when I read your post  !  !


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## WhatInThe (Dec 2, 2014)

Politics is intertwined in our lives because the politicians control the money. Sooner or later the average person will want something from the government even its a law that will benefit them or appeases them. You have the yahoos that simply are sheep and then you have the manglers-the banksters, the agenda types etc. It's one thing to ignore but how far can one's head go into the sand.


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## Debby (Dec 2, 2014)

There you go Harvatt,  took a while to find my best picture (we women are so vain aren't we? and I hate learning new stuff on the computer because I'm usually too busy reading.    I was just too lazy to bother until you mentioned it. 

(hmmm, maybe I should stick with the smiley's!  What do you think?)


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## jujube (Dec 2, 2014)

Didya know?  The word politics derives from the Greek words "poli", meaning "many", and "tics", meaning "small blood-sucking insects".   Now *that* explains everything, doesn't it?


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## Debby (Dec 2, 2014)

Hey jujube, does it really mean that?  I wonder if politicians knew that way back when they were first organizing and picking their 'label'.  That's so accurate it's almost creepy!


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## jujube (Dec 2, 2014)

Nah, Debby, just the "poli" part, but it sure fits, doesn't it?


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## Debby (Dec 2, 2014)

Oh I'm so disappointed.  I was going to point to that as one more reason why we shouldn't trust those bozo's.  I mean if they can't at least name themselves something flattering, well that would surely speak volumes.  Oh well, they're still bozo's.


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## Geezerette (Dec 3, 2014)

Agreeing with the point about the pervasive greed & corruption at all levels of government. Seeing the ones who seemingly go into it idealistically corrupted within a few years & the ones going into it already as billionaires still wanting to grab more.


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## rkunsaw (Dec 3, 2014)

Falcon said:


> I usually stay out of political topics, but I'll say this: The last 6 years has been the worst political leanings in the history
> 
> of this otherwise great country. They have yet to see the light.  Unfortunately there are more of "them" than "us".
> 
> And we still have 2 more years to go.  UGH!



I agree with this but I have some hope now that the conservatives have a majority in both houses. 

I always speak my mind about politics but this is the first year I've donated money and got actively involved in elections. It worked! We ousted a democrat senator and replaced him with a very conservative republican. We also elected a republican governor and every other elective office in Arkansas.


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## QuickSilver (Dec 3, 2014)

I have hopes for 2016.... when the Dems take back the Senate and cut deeply into the number of republicans in the House.  Of Course the Dems will keep the White House.  

I certainly don't put much value on the gains Repulicans made in this past mid-terms.  Only 37% of the electorate voted.. and the seats that were taken were all in Red States.. no big deal... and no mandate.    However in 2016... The Republicans will have to DEFEND 24 senate seats....  Especially with it being a Presidential year.  There will be lots of money out there... and not ALL from the Koch brothers either..  It's going to hard for them to buy that election. 

As for any Repubican agenda being pushed through in the next two years?  Good luck with that.  The Republicans do NOT have a veto proof majority.. and there's still that pesky little thing known as the filibuster... that works both ways.. and now the Republicans can expect a dose of their own medicine.


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## Jackie22 (Dec 3, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> I have hopes for 2016.... when the Dems take back the Senate and cut deeply into the number of republicans in the House.  Of Course the Dems will keep the White House.
> 
> I certainly don't put much value on the gains Repulicans made in this past mid-terms.  Only 37% of the electorate voted.. and the seats that were taken were all in Red States.. no big deal... and no mandate.    However in 2016... The Republicans will have to DEFEND 24 senate seats....  Especially with it being a Presidential year.  There will be lots of money out there... and not ALL from the Koch brothers either..  It's going to hard for them to buy that election.
> 
> As for any Repubican agenda being pushed through in the next two years?  Good luck with that.  The Republicans do NOT have a veto proof majority.. and there's still that pesky little thing known as the filibuster... that works both ways.. and now the Republicans can expect a dose of their own medicine.



Totally agree........here is one of the first things on their agenda...


[h=1]Conservative lobby group Alec plans anti-environmental onslaught[/h]Source: *The Guardian *

The corporate lobbying network American Legislative Exchange Council, commonly known as Alec, is planning a new onslaught on a number of environmental protections next year when Republicans take control of Congress and a number of state legislatures. 

The battle lines of Alec’s newest attack on environmental and climate measures will be formally unveiled on Wednesday, when the group begins three days of meetings in Washington DC. 

Alec, described by its opponents as a corporate bill mill, has suffered an exodus of tech companies from its ranks recently because of its extreme positions – especially its promotion of climate denial. 


Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/02/alec-environmental-protection-agency-climate-change


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## Davey Jones (Dec 3, 2014)

Politics???  its the same all over the world,politic is *POWER. *Wish I could get some.


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## Grumpy Ol' Man (Dec 3, 2014)

Federal level politics.... MONEY!! Local senatorial election saw $15 million spent in campaign advertising... for a job that pays $170,000/year. It has become all about who has the most money and how they can use that money for influence.

At the Federal level, we have seen a development of cult followings of Limbaugh, Beck, and Fox News. People will listen to one side of an issue and, depending on whether it be deemed conservative or liberal, will take that analysis as gospel. Pundits make millions of dollars keeping people riled up about politics so they will tune in the next day. 

At the Federal level, we have lost checks and balances with the work being accomplished. The waste in purchasing and contracting is sinful. We don't want to hear about cutting the Defense budget, as this always ends up hurting our military. Cutting of Defence budgets should be to wipe out the bribery and corruption in procurement programs. Won't happen due to the money connection between defense contractors and our elected officials.

At the State level, we have close to 50 governors who want to be King of their own turf. It has become fashionable for governors to make every attempt to break away from the Feds... yet sitting their with their hands out for disaster funds and agricultural subsidies, etc. 

At the local level, we have become more concerned with collecting taxes for "economic development"... handing tax dollars over to businesses and industries to hire people at minimum wage... than with maintaining our infrastructure. We can't find dollars to repair existing water, sewer, and roadways. Yet, we can always seem to give tax abatements to businesses wanting to build or renovate facilities. Why? Because water, sewer, and roadways don't contribute dollars to campaign funds.

We, as a Country, no longer seem to enjoy being "Americans". Instead, we have to be conservative or liberal. We have to be Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, or Libertarian. We have to be Asian-American, Mexican-American, Afro-American... or some other ethnic title. Why can't we all just be Americans, working together for the good of the whole??!!??

We, as a Country, no longer hesitate to put our sons and daughter in harm's way fighting wars in foreign lands attempting to change thousand year old cultures. If we had the draft... If the wealthy of our land would have to see their own sons and daughters torn apart by IED's, we would be more cautious about what was "defense" and what was "offense".

We, as a Country, no longer have a Legislative Branch and an Executive Branch and a Judicial Branch working as a means of governance through checks and balances. Instead, we have political divisions that can do nothing but see one branch attempting to block anything and everything another branch puts forth. We have a Congress that won't pass any legislation because one political party might get the credit and the other party not. 

But, I still firmly believe we who live here in the United States of America are blessed to live in the best Country on God's Green Earth!! Our system, though tried and tired, still works. Our system, though becoming burdened by greed and corruption, still provides my family much opportunity. Our system, though political pundits may try to convince you differently, still blesses me with liberties and freedoms to work, worship, love, and live how and where I wish. 

Stay involved in politics. We can't be part of the solution if we sit on a couch twiddling our thumbs. Research... dig... learn... educate yourself on all sides of an issue. We are only as dumbed down as we allow ourselves to be.


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## Jackie22 (Dec 3, 2014)

Grumpy Ol' Man said:


> Federal level politics.... MONEY!! Local senatorial election saw $15 million spent in campaign advertising... for a job that pays $170,000/year. It has become all about who has the most money and how they can use that money for influence.
> 
> At the Federal level, we have seen a development of cult followings of Limbaugh, Beck, and Fox News. People will listen to one side of an issue and, depending on whether it be deemed conservative or liberal, will take that analysis as gospel. Pundits make millions of dollars keeping people riled up about politics so they will tune in the next day.
> 
> ...



:clap:


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