How seriously should we take politics?

[JLM]

I guess I'm as guilty as anyone as far as getting enthusiastic and sarcastic over this stuff. Does any of it really matter in the great scheme of things? If there was one political party or one politician who was head and shoulders above the rest it might make sense, but there's obviously not so why take it seriously? Maybe better to have fun with it and watch them squirm as you poke their lies, greed and perceived self importance at them. But why make enemies with other people who are just as much in the dark as you are?

 

[lone wolf]

About as seriously as politicians take us....

 

[petros]

It all went down hill when politics became a career.

 

[Cliffy]

Howdy Doody had more cred

 

[petros]

Even his brother Heavy Doody had more cred.

 

[In Between Man]

Very seriously! Look at what happens when you let your guard down!

 

[Liberalman]

Iggy is going to get the majority and Harper will work on his book called The Rise and Fall of the Conservative Party.

 

[Cliffy]

Very seriously! Look at what happens when you let your guard down!

ya, you get Harper and the Reform/Alliance/Conservative government. We must be vigilant.

 

[Unforgiven]

Well as a rule we should take those who govern us seriously. If it's talking on the Internet about it, then we should take it very very seriously!!!

 

[JLM]

Iggy is going to get the majority and Harper will work on his book called The Rise and Fall of the Conservative Party.

Iggy is going to LOSE 10-15 ridings.

 

[Durry]

Well as a rule we should take those who govern us seriously.
y!!!

I agree, it should be taken very seriously.
I am one of those who think that only if your well versed in the parties platforms, should you be able to vote. But I know this is not practical, so it's a bit of a crap shoot on who gets elected in the end. And he may not be the best person to govern the country.

It's too bad, but I guess that's the price if democracy!!

 

[Cliffy]

I agree, it should be taken very seriously.
I am one of those who think that only if your well versed in the parties platforms, should you be able to vote. But I know this is not practical, so it's a bit of a crap shoot on who gets elected in the end. And he may not be the best person to govern the country.

It's too bad, but I guess that's the price if democracy!!

That would be all well and nice if we had a democracy. I fail to see how getting to vote for whichever clown the ruling elite chose to let us vote for and who their propaganda arm, the media, decide to tell us who to vote for can be considered a democracy. We have an elitist/corporate dictatorship. They allow us the illusion of democracy by allowing us to vote for their well packaged and shrink wrapped patsy they chose. If we all voted for none of them, we might get our democracy back.

 

[Mowich]

I guess I'm as guilty as anyone as far as getting enthusiastic and sarcastic over this stuff. Does any of it really matter in the great scheme of things? If there was one political party or one politician who was head and shoulders above the rest it might make sense, but there's obviously not so why take it seriously? Maybe better to have fun with it and watch them squirm as you poke their lies, greed and perceived self importance at them. But why make enemies with other people who are just as much in the dark as you are?

I tend to get a bit carried away with expressing my political views too, JLM, though I do try to remain civil.

I spend a lot of time online reading election articles in various papers across the country. I also listen to CPAC during an election as I find it the least biased of all the media covering the election. They send reporters out to constituencies across Canada to interview the candidates as well as covering the leaders latest annoucements. As fill-ins they run programs that give an in-depth view of the origins and history of the parties.

As to making enemies of others, JLM - I have to chalk it up to the 'human condition'.

Definition of the Human Condition

While the universally accepted ideals are to be cooperative, loving and selfless humans are variously competitive, aggressive and selfish.

Humans are capable of immense love and sensitivity, but we have also been capable of greed, hatred, brutality, rape, murder and war.

The subconscious sense of guilt and agony of being unable to explain this contradictory capacity has been the burden of human life, the human condition.

WTM - A Definition Of The Human Condition

 

[Durry]

That would be all well and nice if we had a democracy. I fail to see how getting to vote for whichever clown the ruling elite chose to let us vote for and who their propaganda arm, the media, decide to tell us who to vote for can be considered a democracy. We have an elitist/corporate dictatorship. They allow us the illusion of democracy by allowing us to vote for their well packaged and shrink wrapped patsy they chose. If we all voted for none of them, we might get our democracy back.

Well, I have an idea, how about you Run and we'll all vote for you and we'll get our democracy back !!!
I wish I could have thought of this earlier!!!

 

[Cliffy]

Well, I have an idea, how about you Run and we'll all vote for you and we'll get our democracy back !!!
I wish I could have thought of this earlier!!!

If that were possible, then I would become a dictator as I would be the only one elected. I don't know if I could stand that kind of responsibility. Not only that, but I would probably assassinated by the ruling elite for upsetting their apple cart before I could accomplish anything..

 

[JLM]

If that were possible, then I would become a dictator as I would be the only one elected. I don't know if I could stand that kind of responsibility. Not only that, but I would probably assassinated by the ruling elite for upsetting their apple cart before I could accomplish anything..

You got that right, you'd always be dealing with the cruds that have the money and we all know how ignorant (and greedy) they can be. :lol:

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

On election day I will cast my ballot. If the party I am voting for happens to lose the world will not end.

But they won't...

 

[McRocket]

How seriously should we take politics?

So long as the system is as ridiculously flawed as this one is - not seriously at all.


So long as the present system is in place - and direct votes on all laws/bills by the population is not in place - then the continued horrific governing by all the major parties (no matter who wins the election) will continue with fiscal irresponsibility, corruption, moral ineptitude, hypocrisy and just plain ineptness.

Would direct voting make everything fine? Not even close. But it would be heads and tails better then the system we have now imo.

 

[tay]

Very seriously because the baboozling that can go on can be very costly...........


Ohio Gov wants to sell off turnpike; But those non compete clauses are killer


It may sound like a lot of money, but if you think about it over the long term, whoever buys it will be taking all of the toll money on the turnpike until the lease expires. When the state of Indiana leased out the Indiana Toll Road, the lease they signed won’t expire until 2081. Assuming the Ohio lease will be for a similar length of time, that’s only $13 million a year.

Besides the fact that the math doesn’t make sense, allowing an independent company to maintain and manage a state highway brings up many other issues. First and foremost, there is no regulation on the amount they can charge in tolls. On the Indiana Toll Road, tolls more than doubled in the first five years going from $14 to $32.

There is no oversight, so the company would be able to charge literally any amount they wanted. Even worse, if they do start charging too much, the contract comes with a non-compete clause which says that the state is not allowed to improve or upgrade nearby roads to allow traffic to stay off of the turnpike if they want to.

The non-compete clause is also an issue because there are no guidelines to what the company can and can’t prevent the state from doing on nearby roadways. Say, for example, in the next three quarters of a century we develop better, safer roadways; the company leasing the turnpike could deny the state the ability to upgrade old streets, forcing as much traffic as possible onto roads that pay tolls to them.


more


Governor Wants To Sell State Highways To Foreign Investors

 

[TenPenny]

I guess I'm as guilty as anyone as far as getting enthusiastic and sarcastic over this stuff. Does any of it really matter in the great scheme of things? If there was one political party or one politician who was head and shoulders above the rest it might make sense, but there's obviously not so why take it seriously? Maybe better to have fun with it and watch them squirm as you poke their lies, greed and perceived self importance at them. But why make enemies with other people who are just as much in the dark as you are?

In reality, in both Canada and the US, the choices we have when we vote are essentially the same. People will rant and rave, and demonize one party or the other, but when you look at it seriously, there's no difference.

We do, however need to ensure that we keep to the same corrupt wingnuts, and not let people who are completely idiotic take over. Unless that's already happened. Who knows?

I mean, let's look at Canada. Is there any significant difference between the Harper crooks and the Chretien crooks? No, they're a bunch of self serving corrupt arsewipes who only look after the friends of the party.

And the exact same thing applies to the US - it's the big business friends of the party who get looked after, and while the names change, they're the same people no matter who wins. If you think different, you're deluding yourself.