[Saylor]

A Divided American

New Hampshire Primary Day. If you think that anything in this country is going to improve whether the conservatives or the liberals get in then you are sadly mistaken. It hasn’t happened and it won’t. As long as they keep us fighting among ourselves as to whom to put in office then we will continue to take it up the a$$ by both parties. The only solution is to first get control of the government. Get it back into the hands of the people and out of the hands of special interest groups. Anyone that believes that the politicians’ listens to the voters (other than just before an election) instead of the lobbyist with suitcases of money doesn’t understand human nature or politics. The power follows the purse. If we stop the money from lobbyist and corporations and make it so that only the voters can donate money to a politician you will see change. This will return the power back to the voter. Keep those donations to a max of $1000. A $1000 won’t buy favors in Washington. Do this and see how quick the politicians start listening to the voter.

The politics in Washington today has become so divided that compromise in a word used only in a context to degrade the opposition for not flexing to the desire of the one using the word. Compromise is plural but is being use only in the singular. But the government is reflective of the people.

This country has become so divided that having a civil discussion on politics is about impossible. We are bombarded with radio talk shows that use the terms liberal and conservative in a derogatory way. They inflame the listener and increases their ratings but serve no valuable propose. We understand these meaning as well as if an ethnic slang had been used. A meaningful debate can not be had without respecting the opposing opinion. We need to show the same respect in a political debate that we would in any other if we truly care about getting our point across. We should let the politicians and the talk show hosts know that even if we agree with them in principal we do not care for the rhetoric. We must take the high road on the way we treat each other. It is unacceptable to use ethnic slangs and it should be as unacceptable to use any word meant to be derogatorily. It is unproductive and only serves to make everyone feel worse including you.

Let’s stop the nastiest that has become such a way in this country. Let’s make it a better place to live and work and a kinder environment for our children.

[Trukrswyfe]

I really agree. Nice post.

I am tired of all the name calling and hoopla that feeds hatered, It is non-productive and serves only to stall progressively moving forward and from making postive changes. Emotion should be checked at the door to give way to constructive thinking and finding solutions to problems. The minute someone starts with the name calling I completely close off anything they have to say, not because it isn't true or sensible I am just tired of all the negativity.

[gordoUSA]

United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

As long as the 2 political parties can keep us divided, the more the special interest groups can control every aspect of your life. I agree as to “spending limits” on any congressional race. If you think about it, why would some corporation in say, Maine give a hoot, and invest considerable monies, in some Congressional election in rural Texas? Or in your state? Guaranteed, they have never been to your community and have no intentions of lowering their lifestyle visiting your community. They do not even know where your community is, and could care less. They want a Congressman(woman) they can buy. One that will follow blindly along with their “plan.” Regardless that their “plan” is solely based on corporate greed and political corruption, and certainly is not in the countries’ best interest. The “Culture of Corruption” will not abate, no matter who or what party is elected. Remember never under estimate the greed of corporate America and the politicians they control, they sold you, your family and our country out long ago, and they will continue to do so until there is a viable and legitimate 3rd party in this country.
Come this November, each American can exercise their right to vote. I personally will not vote for any incumbent. I will vote for anyone, regardless of political affiliation, to oust the current crook in office. If the American people will start throwing out all politicians, they may begin to listen to you. Above all, the politician craves power, if they are out of office, they have none. When you go to vote, if there are only 1 or 2 candidates for office, Dem or Rep. If you want, then demand a write in ballot, write in whoever you wish. Vote for yourself, you are just as qualified, and most definitely will take the countries best interest into consideration. And more importantly, will work honestly for all Americans.

[Roadhog]

We can blame government, but when do we accept our own responsibility?
We bit the hand that feeds us.

I love my Country, but I can't stand the leadership in either party.
We must be too comfortable or something because people here are way too apathetic. Not sure what's going to happen in ‘08. Dems may get the WH, which historically only creates more entitlements, which will only help the lobbies. Entitlements as usual will benefit a few but weaken us as a whole. Responsibility? That's a bad word these days. Legislators don't care about us like they should. People don't assume the responsibility of the leaders they elect or campaign for.

It's funny how things are getting worse economically for Americans and we just sit and watch it drift. Go look at the current seated officials and the amount of terms they have held. Same members, with same ideas, and we vote the same incumbent time and time again. The party may not be in control but does that matter? Their position never changes. That's why it's always the same. Gov't and union leadership pretty much have a self-serving agenda. The fundamentals of this country are great but opportunists have overrun just about all avenues of leadership.

Out of work actors doing stupid stuff to keep in the spotlight, is what gets headlines. Not important issues. The media is as much to blame, and need to knock off the cheap drama. They make a joke and a Circus of American Politics, and every network should apologize to the American people. There is no concern for regaining America's strength.

America's air is a lot cleaner now that a lot of industry has moved to China. We have a pending recession, oil hitting $100/ barrel, possible mega-mergers, raised retirement age (additional five years). Chinese and overseas markets we accept gladly. They may not have OSHA depts or other standards they've adopted due to regulations. Fact is, not much is regulated beyond the business controls. Chemicals, and other agents are found in products we would cringe about in most cases. We in our development had the same issues. Lead paint used to be okay here too. Leaded gas was okay here as well.

We seem to take our chances more with quality control or losses since bottom line is production costs (cheap) outweigh the loss margins. So it seems we as consumers of overseas products have accepted the low wage, low benefit, safe/unsafe practices of these companies. The same industry we placed restrictions in both labor and environmental, that led to US industry demise is more acceptable because the end result are products are cheap enough and affordable. We bit the hand that fed us.

We accept or have come to accept that we need to cheapen our worth. Go to a service place, many feel they are being ripped off. Damned if they won't declare their worth in profession though. Is that because imports or how we value things have changed our mindset? Who are we to tell another nation what they can and cannot charge for commodities? We give agriculture and services away but pay hefty fees from other nation imports or services.

This country was always revered by nations in how we stood together and promoted industry and democratic principal. Not that way today. We blasted our own engine of industry and chased it out of the country. Communities fall apart when industry dies. The same log heads running the govt do nothing to maintain industry presence. Govt steps in because they want power and control. They want control over business, people, and anything else. They want you to feel like "you need them". Isn't that backwards???

[RebelDarlin]

[2]

Originally Posted by Saylor

A Divided American
...

The politics in Washington today has become so divided that compromise in a word used only in a context to degrade the opposition for not flexing to the desire of the one using the word. Compromise is plural but is being use only in the singular. But the government is reflective of the people.

This country has become so divided that having a civil discussion on politics is about impossible. We are bombarded with radio talk shows that use the terms liberal and conservative in a derogatory way. They inflame the listener and increases their ratings but serve no valuable propose. We understand these meaning as well as if an ethnic slang had been used. A meaningful debate can not be had without respecting the opposing opinion.

We need to show the same respect in a political debate that we would in any other if we truly care about getting our point across. We should let the politicians and the talk show hosts know that even if we agree with them in principal we do not care for the rhetoric.

We must take the high road on the way we treat each other. It is unacceptable to use ethnic slangs and it should be as unacceptable to use any word meant to be derogatorily. It is unproductive and only serves to make everyone feel worse including you.

Let’s stop the nastiest that has become such a way in this country. Let’s make it a better place to live and work and a kinder environment for our children.

You may be on the winning side,
of a loser's game.
If you just want to get along, then you have not the intestinal fortitude
to stand up for what's right.

Your freedoms, what is left of them, were bought and paid for,
with the blood of our soldiers.

It may take blood on the streets, to effect a change that could restore this country
to its constitutional foundation.

We have been in a civil war, for many years, now.
You are just now aware that things are very wrong.

You can thank a liberal.
That includes most of the Rs, and all of the Ds.

The democrats are the ones that perfected the tactic of perverting "compromise", and morals, and many other aspects of modern life.
That includes the perversion of the republican party, which is populated by mostly RINOs.

So, if you just want to get along, then you are likely a liberal, and you are my enemy.

[Saylor]

The option given here is exactly what I was referring to. The need to place a label on someone (no matter how incorrect that label is) is so that your uncompromising option can be justified. It is the reason that we have the problems in this country that we do. No wonder our leadership in so uncompromising. They don’t need to be, their constituents expects them to fight for their cause if even it’s to the decrement of our country.

Compromise is not a dirty word. We must do it everyday if we are to get alone in our sociality, with our co-worker, and with our family. Our government hasn’t survived for over 200 years without making compromises. That doesn’t mean that they have all been good ones. I will be the first to say that we have gone in the wrong directions way too often.

But a right wing dictator where a few has it all is no better than a communist dictator where a few has it all. I don’t believe that is what our country stands for. I still hope for (maybe I don’t have hope) a better America. I do believe that if we don’t find a way to get this country to come together in a united way to make it better for all that we will fail.

The greed in right wing corporate America today can cause the rebellion of the left wing to rise up and unite and make these United States far more left that it is now. If we don’t find the middle of the road then does it matter if we are in the right or left ditch?

[gordoUSA]

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
------ Thomas Jefferson

The public be damned! We tell the people what they want and when they want it!
------ John D. Rockerfeller