politics

if anyone reads this, im not looking to start a battle.

but I hate politics and voting. pssht to that.

if anyone reads this, im not looking to start a battle.

 

but I hate politics and voting. pssht to that.

A lil battle once in a while is good for you.

if anyone reads this, im not looking to start a battle.

 

but I hate politics and voting. pssht to that.

 

A lil battle once in a while is good for you.

haha yeh i tried learning about politics and trying to understand them with a friend....but it didnt work out. i still dont understand them and my vote does not count.

AAAAH Topher NO!

It makes me cry when people say their vote doesn't count It's the one say in the world that EVERYONE (k, mostly everyone) has.

...but we already went over this. For like, 2 hours. So you know my stand

I love a good political debate

I'm not participating in the system any more. That would just add to it's illusion of legitimacy. I still will talk about political things though. And Topher if you didn't want a fight then why did you make a post for this?

I'm not participating in the system any more. That would just add to it's illusion of legitimacy. I still will talk about political things though. And Topher if you didn't want a fight then why did you make a post for this?

Ouch. I'm not gonna touch that cuz I don't wanna fight either

But he may have done it as a subtle attempt to get back at me for going off to him about politics all the time, right Topher?

I'm not participating in the system any more. That would just add to it's illusion of legitimacy. I still will talk about political things though. And Topher if you didn't want a fight then why did you make a post for this?

its a stress related forum, so i thought id post something that stressed me.

once i get something off my chest and out onto paper/computer, i then no longer stress myself about it as much. its my way of stress relieving

 

But he may have done it as a subtle attempt to get back at me for going off to him about politics all the time, right Topher?

nope not at all.

When I thought only the politicians were lying to me I had no real interest in politics. When I found out the news organizations are in on it, then I had to find out all the stuff they were concealing from me. I read about 100 books over two years. I quit though with the stolen 2004 election.

haha yeh i tried learning about politics and trying to understand them with a friend....but it didnt work out. i still dont understand them and my vote does not count.

I understand what you mean, when you say that your vote "does not count"

Right after I turned 18, I registered to vote and participated in my first election a few months later. I was all proud of myself, too. At least, I was until I actually got to the polls. I only recognized a few of the names (the presidential candidates, plus a couple of the others) but the ballot was huge. Half the stuff, I'd never even heard of, but I made my selections anyway, because I'd been convinced by everyone around me that I should vote, whether I had any interest in it or not, and that I wasn't a responsible citizen if I didn't.

Well, filling out that ballot felt like taking a multiple choice style exam for a class I'd never attended. I realized, as I was leaving, that as I started to get bored in there, I'd been selecting candidates based on which name I liked better. I didn't know anything about the people, what their views are, or even what the positions were that they were running for, I just felt like I had to perform my civic duty and fill out the entire ballot. I decided at that moment that not only did my vote not really count, because there was no understanding or informed decision behind it, but that until I took an interest in following politics, it was actually irresponsible for me to vote. I haven't voted since then.

However, since a friend enlightened me that I don't have to vote on every single ballot item, just the items I have an opinion on... I registered to vote again. I'm still not interested in politics at all, but there are some issues (environmental issues, animal rights, homeschooling laws, personal freedom, etc) that are important to me. I will be heading to the polls when those issues are at stake and need my input, but I still dislike politics and most politicians.

I think though I will give my input to the system and vote for Kinky Friedman... as his bumperstickers say "My governor is a Jewish Cowboy." Kinky also wants to ban the de-clawing of cats, and he writes books. He'll make a good governor if elected. He probably wont win so my vote wont really help much or make some victory decision but whatever, the spirit that somebody decent has support is enough. I also support Dennis Kucinich since he's a vegan. Nader is alright in my book too. Shouldn't leave Ron Paul off here either. Though the rest of the politicians I know of seem to not have any real convictions they just change them with what their public opinion polls say. They are liars, and I dont like liars.

i like to go with Emma Goldman on this one

"If voting changed anything they would make it illegal"

I despise politics. It's all self promotion bullshit, they don't care about people.

i agree with collegeB. i have voted once, and will not do it again. you do not have a choice. the only way that decent parties can get votes is if they go against their long standing beliefs to get more votes.

take the liberal democrats in the UK. geting about 25% of the vote at the moment, but in order to get more, they are scrapping their higher rate of tax for really rich people, and toughening up on immigrants. its ing.

jonathan

I AM HIGHLY POLITICALLY CHARGED! I hate capitalism. I disagree with a two-party system. I believe our voting system is corrupt and I hate that we actually consider America a democracy. A pure democracy is run by the people. We live in a representative democracy. And, I don't know about any of you, but there are very few people (in fact, NONE that I know of) that can honestly represent me on every issue. I strongly align myself with Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn. I've voted in two presidential elections since turning 18. Voted Nader in 2000 and voted anti-republican across the board in 2004. Ultimately, I am anti-democrat as well. I'm pro-working class representation. Don't bullshit me that the democrats stand for that. Elitist Kerry with his billionaire wife and multiple estates???

Politics me. Apathy, however, is acceptance and I CAN NOT stand for that.

if anyone reads this, im not looking to start a battle.

 

but I hate politics and voting. pssht to that.

You're not missing a whole lot, because most politics is a bunch of B.S.

But you should vote though. I know you care about issues like the environment, and if you look at the environmental scorecard of Dems it's a lot better than the Reps. So just taking a couple of minutes every couple of years to at least send in an absentee ballot can help make a difference

I AM HIGHLY POLITICALLY CHARGED! I hate capitalism. I disagree with a two-party system. I believe our voting system is corrupt and I hate that we actually consider America a democracy. A pure democracy is run by the people. We live in a representative democracy. And, I don't know about any of you, but there are very few people (in fact, NONE that I know of) that can honestly represent me on every issue. I strongly align myself with Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn. I've voted in two presidential elections since turning 18. Voted Nader in 2000 and voted anti-republican across the board in 2004. Ultimately, I am anti-democrat as well. I'm pro-working class representation. Don't bullshit me that the democrats stand for that. Elitist Kerry with his billionaire wife and multiple estates???

 

Politics me. Apathy, however, is acceptance and I CAN NOT stand for that.

There';s a lot of chances to get involved and a ffect the community via direct representation at the local level. Most people just don't care enough though to go to town hall meetings, zoning hearings, etc

heres a song that perfectly sums up my feelings on the matter:

its by a band called five knuckle, and you can play it at www.myspace.com/fiveknuckle

best probably to listen to it reading the lyrics as unless you are used to the guys vocal style, you wont understand much!

People not numbers

No I didnt vote, I didnt feel I had a choice,

I felt within my silence, lay my only voice,

Its not that im not interesting in politics,

Its just that im not interested in their politics

Sick of their lies and their policies

Their arrogance and their hypocrasies

Masters of rhetoric and dancing round questions,

I want some answers and decent suggestions

Not my vote, not my leader,

Not my choice, we are people not numbers.

The most powerful countries in the world have

the best damn government that money

can buy, its just my idea of a good government

is one that cant be bought.

No space, no place for us to roam,

Everything is private, all the land is owned.

We have freedom of assembly until we assemble,

We have freedom of speech until we speak,

And if you dont do exactly as they say,

Well then you gotta answer to the police.

Debating our lives as if playing a game,

They can disperse the riot but the struggle remains

Its all about the money, its all about the money,

Its all about the money, we are people not numbers!

this is my favorate band btw, and the other songs there are fantastic - especially not in my name!

jonathan

Voting is almost always about picking the lesser of two evils, there is no doubt about that.

BUT - if YOU don't pick the lesser of two evils, then someone else IS. And I know we all agree there are an awful lot of morons in the world - I can't abide letting them have more say in how things are run than I do.

Think about that. Rednecks won our presidential election. We could have used a few more enlightened vegans at the polls.

Our political system is not one in which silence equates to taking a stand. It is what it is, it's not going anywhere anytime soon, and I for one refuse to give up the one voice I have to the idiots who vote haphazardly for whatever republican or local boy they see on the ballot.

-Which is why I vote. And I always take the time to make sure I know for who and what I'm voting.

Like veganmadre said - apathy is acceptance.

Johnathan, is that song you posted called "People not numbers" or "Not in my name"??

I have the lyrics of a cool song called "Not in my name" here. I also remember hearing the song... i don't know the artist, though

I'm sorry that i can only present you the lyrics, as i really like the music as well.

NOT IN MY NAME

 

Why should I have to show my I.D.

There's no consensus and I don't agree

With what they're undertaking in my name

I'm appalled and I'm ashamed

 

Why should I have to show my I.D.

To be enrolled in this community

Where all my role models are on the take

And the real thing is a fake

 

All my heroes died

While they were still alive

Confused or compromised

Their values undermined

They were led down to the hole

Where the blood and money flows

 

Why should I have to show my I.D.

Someone somewhere's got a file on me

And someone somewhere's got a file on you

Anyone will do

 

The world's ruled by a cheat

With his gang of thieves

Whose lies and double-speak

Spread faster than disease

And your pursuit of peace

Will mark you out a freak

A victim and a bore

While their portfolios soar

And weapons sales will peak

Aimed only at the weak

Those already on their knees

It's arms for amputees

It's the bullet's exit hole

Where the blood and money flows

 

Never again!

Not in my name!

 

Bad guys come first

The third world thirsts,

Starves or dies of AIDS

In the modern day crusades

The wild west will win

Defeat the Indians

Drive the devils to the door

With the homeless and the poor

And when there's nothing left to bomb

No-one left to beat

They'll train their crosswires on

The unseen enemy

The ever-present threat

That hasn't happened yet

And probably never will

Still they move in for the kill

But the night sights won't show

If you're friend or foe

Are you so much better than

The junkies and Saddam?

Are you guaranteed a place

When they build the master race?

Will the world then be pure?

We've heard that one before

In history's deepest holes

Where the blood and money flowed

 

Never again!

Not in my name!

Ah, awesome

the lyrics are for the song people not numbers.

megan, there are many ways to be political without voting. the current form of 'democracy' is anything but democratic, and voting for it only condones the system. political activism is all about spreading awareness about just how corrupt the current system is, and offering alternatives that are both effective and realistic.

whilst there may be small differences between the democrats and reps on environment and a few other things, there really isnt much to choose between them.

jonathan

Voting is almost always about picking the lesser of two evils, there is no doubt about that.

It's just like that South Park episode where they had elections and their options were a Douche Bag and a Turd Sandwich.

Voting is almost always about picking the lesser of two evils, there is no doubt about that.

 

BUT - if YOU don't pick the lesser of two evils, then someone else IS. And I know we all agree there are an awful lot of morons in the world - I can't abide letting them have more say in how things are run than I do.

Well said. I completely agree

well this is the problem with democracy at the moment. it doesnt take into account that many people are actually incapable of making an informed choice because they are too stupid.

i cant remember who said it (might have been Mills) but it seems that the masses need to be protected from their own free will. using this train of thought - take eating - people can eat what they want, so 60% of the US is overweight.

i know the above is a dangerous line of thinking but sometimes its frustrating that a vote from some dumb fucking hick is worth the same as yours.

jonathan

I think it's actually worth more than yours if yours isn't used.

...

Right?

-Aaron

Johnathan, that sounds more like Hobbes. Though I know very little of Mills.