Mid-Term Elections!

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visagrunt
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02 Nov 2010, 11:14 am

adifferentname wrote:

It couldn't be further from the truth. Abstaining from voting due to having no suitable choices is a clear political statement, and in fact gives you more right to complain than the idiots who buy into the veil of BS that all politicians draw over their campaigns and vote accordingly.

I certainly agree that abstaining is a political statement. And if you get off your couch, go to the polling place, and put a blank ballot in the box, then I am prepared to back you up.

But if you are too lazy to inquire into the issues that your legislature will have to face; too lazy to find out which parties' and candidates' platforms best mirror your own; and too lazy to go and make an, "X," then I have no respect for your position.

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More to the point, your rights as a citizen or as a human being do not hinge on whether or not you chose to cast your vote. Those rights are (allegedly) protected constitutionally.

Certainly. Nobody disputes that you have a legal right to speak your mind. But let's take the discussion out of the sphere of legal rights and move the sphere of moral rights. When you have abdicated your role in the selection of the legislature, and the person standing next to you has not, I think that there is a reasonable argument to be made that your neighbour has a superior claim to the respect of the listener.

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But if you want to make a real statement, start a new political party of your own, secure some funding and run for office.

The wisest thing that you have said.

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Inuyasha
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02 Nov 2010, 1:31 pm

auntblabby wrote:

Zara wrote:

I've never found much to like with political parties as they discourage independent thinking in favor of party ideology. I'm not looking for someone to be lockstep with the party but someone who has the drive and courage to make serious changes and act on the people's behalf even if it's not in line with the party. There are very few such politicians these days on both sides.

as a democrat, there is nothing the repubs are willing to offer me 'cept disenfranchisement. but back in nixon's day, at least he was willing to do something about our miserable health care system- but his own short-sighted party shot their own president down.

If you study your history you'd find it was Republicans that got the Civil Rights Act Passed and ADA was from a Republican President (Bush Senior if I remember correctly)

The Health Care Law by the dems, quite frankly I want that thing repealed so fast that it breaks the speed of light barrier. There was so much corruption in the creation of that law, it isn't funny.

Btw, the Republicans had a Health Care bill, but Democrat Nancy Pelosi didn't even allow it to be brought up for debate. It was less than 1/10 the number of pages of the Democrats monstrosity and made a lot more sense.

Furthermore, they didn't even bother to read the bill!

Also our taxes are about to go up due to the health care law, some of it are specifically targetting parents of kids with special needs.

auntblabby
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02 Nov 2010, 8:53 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

Btw, the Republicans had a Health Care bill, but Democrat Nancy Pelosi didn't even allow it to be brought up for debate. It was less than 1/10 the number of pages of the Democrats monstrosity and made a lot more sense.

sense? the repub's so-called plan did NOTHING to make health care affordable to the working class. it did NOTHING to restrain the worst practices of health insurance companies, such as cherry picking, exorbitant premiums, dropping people who get sick, etc. it was just an obscene joke, as far as health care is concerned. it just made it a lot harder for people who get mangled by medical malpractice to obtain legal redress. as i said, the repubs offer only disenfranchisement to the working class, and as long as they do this, i will have absolutely no reason to even consider voting for one.

JNathanK
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02 Nov 2010, 8:54 pm

auntblabby wrote:

my brother always said, "don't vote- it only encourages the bastards!" but do vote, because if you don't vote then you don't have the right to complain about how things are being run.

I think both of those are overused cliches, but when it comes to initiatives that could really affect the lives of other people, I think you do more to vote no than to not vote at all.

auntblabby
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02 Nov 2010, 8:56 pm

JNathanK wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

my brother always said, "don't vote- it only encourages the bastards!" but do vote, because if you don't vote then you don't have the right to complain about how things are being run.

I think both of those are overused cliches, but when it comes to initiatives that could really affect the lives of other people, I think you do more to vote no than to not vote at all.

if it is a repub-backed initiative, i always vote no. tim eyman in washington state offers nothing but trash, AFAIC.

Inuyasha
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02 Nov 2010, 8:58 pm

auntblabby wrote:

JNathanK wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

my brother always said, "don't vote- it only encourages the bastards!" but do vote, because if you don't vote then you don't have the right to complain about how things are being run.

I think both of those are overused cliches, but when it comes to initiatives that could really affect the lives of other people, I think you do more to vote no than to not vote at all.

if it is a repub-backed initiative, i always vote no. tim eyman in washington state offers nothing but trash, AFAIC.

You just did what you accuse Republicans of doing.

auntblabby
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02 Nov 2010, 9:04 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

You just did what you accuse Republicans of doing.

i did not "accuse" repubs of voting no all the time, they themselves revel in saying no all the time.
anyways, i vote democratic in an often vain attempt to keep myself from being disenfranchised yet again by repub bullies. self-preservation i always will claim as my right. they are the party of no now, but starting next year i expect my democrats to pick up that mantle. somebody has to say no to the corrupt ones who will steal my social security from me, who will steal my health care from me, who will steal my very right to vote away from me. and if you don't like that, then tough beans. try living in my shoes for a bit and see if your superior attitude still remains. :roll:

Inuyasha
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02 Nov 2010, 9:09 pm

auntblabby wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

You just did what you accuse Republicans of doing.

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

Telling someone they have to buy a particular product just because they are breathing is tyranny and seen in dictatorships.

auntblabby
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02 Nov 2010, 9:14 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.Telling someone they have to buy a particular product just because they are breathing is tyranny and seen in dictatorships.

you stand for disenfranchisement of those beneath you in social station then. you feel that the poor have no right to basic health care which is considered a basic human right in every other western nation. obviously you have never had to struggle for basic survival. so until your party manages to revoke working-class voting rights, i will vote against you.

have a nice day. enjoy your morally repub-nant [mispelling intentional] victory today.

Orwell
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02 Nov 2010, 9:14 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

That might be a plausible excuse for some of their no votes. It is not a realistic answer for the constant pan-filibuster the Senate Republicans have been running on every single issue, including initiatives they once claimed to support.

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Inuyasha
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02 Nov 2010, 9:29 pm

Orwell wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

If you are belittled, insulted, trashed, etc. on a daily basis by people would you even consider working with them on any issue. I wouldn't, because I wouldn't trust them not to have something hidden in the legislation. The Democrats kinda made the mistake of burning all the bridges so the Republicans have very little incentive to sit down and talk with Democrats about anything. Because in their mind a Democrat's word isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

It may be decades for there to be any bipartisanship due Princess Pelosi, Prince Harry, and the 'Annointed One'. Heck one of my states Senators (a Democrat) quit after the healthcare vote and he wasn't blaming Republicans.

Horus
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02 Nov 2010, 9:31 pm

auntblabby wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.Telling someone they have to buy a particular product just because they are breathing is tyranny and seen in dictatorships.

Auntblabbly....if you have not done so already, please read my posts in this thread.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/posts141591-start45.html

In light of today's disastrous and frightening election results, I think what I had to say is particularily relevant for all of us underdogs in America.

Things are likely to get very ugly for the poor, the disabled, gays, blacks, hispanics, women's rights, the environment, atheists, abortion providers, anyone without an anti-social personality disorder, those with an IQ above 85, the non-sadistic, chickens, etc....

Horus
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02 Nov 2010, 9:42 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

Orwell wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

I find it interesting that you seem entirely oblivious to the belitting, insulting, trashing, etc....that comes from the right. Not to mention the downright bullying, terroristic threats and physical violence.

http://cbs4.com/local/militia.sovereign ... 90740.html

What say you? I guess the extremist groups mentioned in this article consist of a bunch of clones of Jerry Garcia, Ralph Nader, Karl Marx, Noam Chomsky and heck....even Barry Goldwater for that matter.

Are you seriously going to tell me that people like Rand Paul and Sharron Angle don't disproportionately represent the interests of these extremist wingnuts than democrats and more moderate republicans?

Inuyasha
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02 Nov 2010, 9:49 pm

Horus wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Orwell wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

Your source is the same source that tried to come up with a bogus story tieing a republican candidate to pedophiles... CBS isn't exactly a trustworthy source right now.

Horus
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02 Nov 2010, 9:54 pm

Inuyasha wrote:

Horus wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Orwell wrote:

Inuyasha wrote:

Ever consider the idea that they vote no because they may feel the bill is detrimental to the country and everything we stand for or is a violation of their oaths of office.

Your source is the same source that tried to come up with a bogus story tieing a republican candidate to pedophiles... CBS isn't exactly a trustworthy source right now.

I see.....and the Southern Poverty Law Center is made up of a bunch devil worshippers right? Fox news, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Breitbart and Matt Drudge are far more reliable sources right? :roll:

Zara
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02 Nov 2010, 9:58 pm

Ehh... Feingold lost in WI. Now I feel a bit disappointed. He was one of the few in congress I could trust.

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