[TheOrator]

So maybe there isn't much here that is really debatable, per se, but I'd like to get something of my chest.

I used to be a Republican.

I am not any longer.

I am not a Democrat either.

As a matter of fact, I'm not a member of any party.

Because as soon as you read the words 'I...be a Republican' you already decided for me what I believe. (And I rebutted with another generalization!)

So maybe you didn't personally.

But I don't agree with so-called 'Republicans' on everything, nor the seemingly hive-minded entity known as the 'Democrats.'

I doubt very much, in fact, that Bush and Cheney or Clinton and Gore agree on everything. I'll even go so far as to say no two people agree on everything.

I think any political party is a terrible idea. If we were to abolish parties, it would, in theory, force everyone to think for themselves instead of vote for a letter or an animal.

It's just when they say "The Dems have taken the House!" they sound like they really don't know the names of chess pieces, and when they say "The Republicans are in the White House" they sound like an exterminator must be called.

Some democrats have taken the White House. I'll bet one of them is Anti-Abortion.

Some Republicans are in the White House. I'll bet one of them is a Pro-Gay Marriage.



I myself am guilty of subconsciously deciding on the views of the honorable Mr Hoffman based only on his opposition to Big Government, etc.

Although I am no one to decide whether Mr Hoffman likes books by Michael Crichton, or The Drew Carey Show.

Discuss.




Edit: I'm sorry, I just had to fix the title. It was bugging me and my slight obsessive-compulsiveness.

This post has been edited by Spoon Poetic: 27 February 2007 - 09:29 PM

[barend]

i dislike both too... as i've said in so many threads before...

[The Horror]

I am alien to what exactly the American system of Goverment is. At home in Australia we have two parties who constantly argue, do very little to help the Australian people and usualy end up voting positive for a reform that would crush the poorest Australians into even more economical hardship.

Although I usualy drown my worries by turning on the TV and watching Shark Wrestling Competitions.

[Slade]

That sounds like America, except our politicians vote toward reactionary bullshit that doesn't do anything but oppress us, or they spend too much time arguing over things to even do that.

[The Horror]

That sounds like America, except our politicians vote toward reactionary bullshit that doesn't do anything but oppress us, or they spend too much time arguing over things to even do that.

So to sum up the American Congress: Politicians would oppress us if they weren't so lazy. Is that it?

[Slade]

No, they're not lazy, they just bicker too much to get anything done. And they don't always oppress us; sometimes they just arbitrarily screw people over, and on very very very rare occasions, they do things that are beneficial.

[The Horror]

Question: Would the United States of America be better without a Congress?

[Spoon Poetic]

I think it'd be worse, because then we'd just have whatever president, and the courts. It could get even uglier.

Myself, I call myself an "independent," as I cannot affiliate myself with any party, as I do not agree with anyone enough to align myself as such. And so I get flack for "sitting on the fence" and bullshit like that, even though I know exactly which side of the fence I am - for each individual issue.

[Jordan]

It's not hip or cool to say you're neither left or right. IT was years ago but today it's just taboo.

I hate republicans, but don't call me left because I hate them too! yawn

Usually when a person claims they hate both, but then rips into one side (say republicans) more than the other, it means they're the other.

What's hilarious about our society is that we only give power to two bodies. So really, we're all to blame.

[TheOrator]

I don't hate both parties, that would be hypocritical based on my argument.

I said I'm not a Republican any longer because people were judging me on it.

And I said we need to rid ourselves of the party system because people will always judge others based on their partisan affiliation.

I never once said I hated both parties.

Although I most likely do because I hate most people.

But I don't know for sure.

EDIT: I changed the first sentence in so much that it puts Cher to shame.

This post has been edited by TheOrator: 25 February 2007 - 01:50 AM

[Supes]

The question really is, "What is your alternative?"

I will be the first to admit that I am a swinging voter. People will call that a fence sitter, but the simple fact is I belivethat no "one party" is ever goin to get it right and keep on getting it right. Power does that to people. when you have it you lose touch and eventually you need o be removed and replaced.

Many people will talk about how bad the current systems are, but again I ask you, "What is your alternative?"

Should it come down to a single solitary leader? If so, how does that person come into power? Most likely they will still be elected. If that is the case how did they get to be in that position? Answer, probably because they had the personal magnitism to ensure that they made it that far. If nt, they had the dirt on enough people to ensure that their progression was not hampered.

If they were not elected, but rather took control, are they in any better position to be a leader? Again they most likely have attained their postion due to heir ability to lead and influence people. Does this actually make them good people? More often than not the answer is "no".

I have a simple principle that I like to work by that helps me keep the political bent real. If there is someone that wants to be in a position of power, then that is the last person that really should be in power, because you can be sure that they rarely have the best interests of "the people" at heart. Of course the question then is how do you get the right people in to do the job? And if I had that answer I would be a very wealthy and different person.

In Australia we have this two party prefered system. But in recent times we have seen realtively minor parties take up major seats within our parlimentary system. To the point where in some instances they (while being one or two seats in a house) still have control over certain bills that are being passed. Has this actually benefitted us or been more of a hinderance? Have these "independants" shown themselves to be more of the people or more about themselves and their own self fulfillment? On the most part I would have to say they have shown more of their personal character and given over to the beneifits of position rather than the betterment of mankind, or to take it back a step the betterment of their fellow Australians.

The simple rule is, don't trust people looking to be in power. Apart from that, you do what you can to try and make things better by the choices you do make with regards to government.

[TheOrator]

So I was on the internet somewhere and came across this.

I find this to be incredibly offensive.

And I'm not even a Republican!

I just think that making that sort of generalization is just as bad of a prejudice as racism or sexism.

You've taken a blanket term--be it black...guy(?), woman, German, or Republican--and assigned tributes to every single one of them.

But what burns me about this, and other anti-republican crap like this, is when they bring up 'free-thinking.' They seem to think each and every Republican is completely incapable of thoughts of their own. This man seems to think Democrats have the monopoly on thinking.



Don't get me wrong, I can take a joke.

For instance:

"So George Bush is in the Oval Office, and Colin Powell comes in a says four Brazilian soldiers died in battle today. George Bush looks stunned. He becomes very serious, and asks, 'How many is a brazillion?'"

I like that joke, I can appreciate the humor in it.

But this little thing has very few actual jokes, just laughing at how every single Republican on the face of the Earth is a bible-thumping, money-grubbing, selfish buffoon.

Although I thought the drawings were pretty nice looking.

But you know who is President?

Not 'the Republicans.'

Not 'the Religious Right.'

George Bush is president.

I am not George Bush.

[J m HofMarN]

I have to admit that the republican party is kind of diverse. I know a lesbian whos a repuclican somehow and there are even such fabled creatures as black republicans. However the interests they serve are certainly not very diverse and thats what gives rise to such generalizations.

[Spoon Poetic]

I disagree. Those are just the ones the media puts out for us to look at, or the ones that the other side chooses to not ignore. I agree completely with TheOrator here, except I extend that it also goes for the Democrats, though a bit less.

[Jordan]

Vote for green party, don't they run in the US?