posted on January 19, 2002 09:29:34 AM new
A young couple moved into the neighborhood next door and I made friendly overtones to them. Turns out that they are staunch Republicans. On the other hand, when I began to talk politics, they looked baffled. The answer came when they finally admitted that when they went to get their driver's license, there was a political checkbox on the form and they choose Republican (eeny-meany-miny-mo …) and have been cheering for the winning team since then. No matter what facts that you try to educate them with, they hold onto their team. Yup, for many Americans, it's exactly the same thing as college sports. Issues? What the hell are those? Participation in government? Not My job - I just support them!
posted on January 19, 2002 12:14:59 PM new
Well-I have to agree on the point that many Americans don't vote issues or "talent" but just for the party, even if the party isn't everything they believe it is and hasn't been for years.
I know quite a few people in our small, rural area (still predominately democratic) that hiss at the R word or anyone claiming to support that party simply because "Democrates are for poor people and Republicans are for rich people" and around our parts we don't have many "rich" folks.
I hate to tell them, that I don't see a lot of difference between the Democrates or Republicans when it comes to preferring "rich" over "poor".....
posted on January 19, 2002 05:51:38 PM new
Thanks, Plsmith! The Haiku was at times almost real. Soon we'll be replacing political speechwriters with computer programs that write political speeches. They'd probably have just as much substance as well. :}
But of note about the thread post, I did not mean to say that Republicans are full of these types. I meant that political education is wanting so badly in this country. The citizens are too complacent to participate in the ways that they should. I begin to almost believe in Robert Heinlein's suggestion that no person should be able to reach their majority until they have earned it by putting their lives on the line.
posted on January 20, 2002 07:29:11 PM new
Tell you what I think: Nowhere in this country should it be possible to vote the straight-party ticket with a single punch on the ballot, or with a single pull of the lever.
I *do not* care how people vote, but I think the voter should have to look at every single candidate and issue and make a decision yes or no, up or done, Rep. or Dem. THAT would mean we have a better-educated voting public.
Straight-party-ticket voting is the enemy of an educated populace.
posted on January 20, 2002 08:29:45 PM new
I don't know Borillar. To say people are uneducated politically might be true, but in this day & age ignorance can't be an excuse. "Sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much..."
posted on January 26, 2002 07:28:35 PM newThe answer came when they finally admitted that when they went to get their driver's license, there was a political checkbox on the form and they choose Republican (eeny-meany-miny-mo …) and have been cheering for the winning team since then.
This might help explain how the idiots in Florida managed to vote for the wrong guy and/or vote for MORE THAN ONE guy in the last Presidential election. Voting is a right. Being intelligent isn't.
Thank God the best man won now that leadership really matters.
