posted on November 7, 2000 06:54:21 AM new
-I am so sick and tired of hearing about the election...
I know, I know. I'm not a patriotic American. I'm weak.
But couldn't the 2+ years of incessant campaigning be considered a violation of the Constitution AND the Geneva Conventions against cruel and inhumane treatment?
posted on November 7, 2000 07:28:28 AM new
Try running your comments by folks in, say, the Phillipines, where folks waitd for HOURS (and risked being killed) merely to vote.
Or pick a totalitarian nation at random, where open debate (in bad taste or otherwise) is prohibited by law.
Go back a generation or two, when the political process ignored blacks (if they were lucky) and beat them to death (if they weren't).
Or back two more, when you, Shadowcat, would be exempt from the entire tawdry spectacle simply because of your gender.
Raise from the dead, if you could, any man who died on Omaha Beach and ask him his opinion on the matter.
I am perpetually amazed at people grousing about this. Last time I checked, there was both a "mute" and a "channel" button on every remote. You don't want to know about the election (and prefer to abrogate your responsibility as an adult)? Switch the channel.
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Nov 7, 2000 07:29 AM ]
posted on November 7, 2000 07:42:35 AM new
I am actually serious about term limits...and the constant campaigning is one of the reasons I'm for them. Many politicians spend far too much of their salaried time on their own business...not enough on the interests of their constituents.
I'm not seething with righteousness about it,
however...
I did get ticked at my polling place. Seems they lost our census, so my husband and I had to fill out extra forms. Next time, I'll send the damn census certified...
posted on November 7, 2000 07:44:56 AM new
Or I could consider Turkey, where it is required by law to vote-and the police go around to make sure it's done...
Or I could consider Serbia's recent elections...
Note again what I said-it's the incessant campaigning that wearies me. I said nothing about voting. Campaigning is NOT the same thing as voting.
Before anyone else thinks the American way is the best and only way to choose a leader, consider the fact that in some countries in Europe campaigning is limited to six weeks before the election and they don't seem to have a problem with dictators or anarchy.
Another question: If politicking is such an extended, drawn-out process, how are those elected officials who are running for re-election able to do the jobs to which they were elected?
posted on November 7, 2000 07:50:35 AM new
Oh, and incidentally, HCQ, my spouse is active duty military and we are stationed overseas. He protects your right to work yourself into a froth and be rude over your misinterpretation of what I wrote and he would give his life for you to continue that right.
Don't throw old wars in my face. I have enough to worry about with the new wars that may require my spouse's up close and personal presence.
posted on November 7, 2000 07:50:44 AM new
Our Canadian prime minister called for an election in October (his choice - he could have waited until next year). Voting takes place November 27. Short and sweet. I guess HCQ would consider me unpatriotic to be relieved that the election is not a long drawn out process.
posted on November 7, 2000 08:15:03 AM new
Hi Shadowcat,
Nah, I love politics.
Hi toke,
But term limits is what the Newt bunch brought us. They campaigned on the term limits and send the oldies home. Since then they decided that everyone needed term limits but them.
posted on November 7, 2000 09:50:17 AM new
Shadowcat:
I'm very patriotic.
I still tear up at the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. I served in the army because I felt I should give back something to the country that gives me so much. (I realize as a female this is not expected and thats too bad)
I always vote and try to find a worthy canidate to volunteer envelope stuffing for.
(not this year though)I think our election process ,while not perfect is about the best model going.
With all that said ,I have to admit that I too am about fed up with all the crap this year. We have a couple particularly nasty campaigns going on down here and the candidates are getting way to personnal for my taste.(I know your all suprised to hear we have nasty politics in Texas )
I make it a point to educate myself on the candidates and try to make an informed decision when it comes time to vote.
But this year has been so mired in mud it's hard to see daylight.
I voted early last week and plan to keep the TV off until the election is over.
I am sick of it. Which does not in any way equate to "I don't love or appreciate the country that I am blessed to live in".
posted on November 7, 2000 11:14:46 AM news-kitty
I am in total agreement with you! In the past week I have received several (at least 6) phone calls a day (and some as late as 10:15 pm) that have taped political announcements. This has never been this bad, in years previous I may have gotten one or two calls, not dozens. Since they use an automatic dialer and taped messages, there is not much that you can do but hang up. I absolutely HATE phone solicitations of any kind, political or otherwise. They should be banned! Many people do not wish to be disturbed by these calls from the Mom with a sleeping child to the terminally ill and it galls me that politicians are getting away with this behavior. It is MY phone, I pay for it and I am so tired of unwanted calls.
I am patriotic, I vote and my husband has served his time in the service. I am sick of the never ending campaigning. I would much rather see the candidates state their platform, have a few debates and let the voters decide without all the "shove it down your throat" politics.
posted on November 7, 2000 12:25:56 PM new
I think it sucks that candidates are now carrying their campaigns into popular TV shows like The Tonight Show, Letterman, Saturday Night Live, etc. The only way they seem able to get a laugh is to poke fun at themselves. It has been especially painful to watch Gore and Bush -- two of the unfunniest men in recent memory -- go through the motions, and personally I think it cheapens the Presidency.
HCQ,
Just because there are wrongs in other parts of the world doesn't mean we should be forced to sit through a two year campaign, or that we should be happy about it. The right to vote and the modern phenomenon of campaigning are two entirely different things. It's like the difference between Christmas and the commercialization of Christmas. One is an ideal, the other is the exploitation of an ideal.
posted on November 7, 2000 03:52:38 PM newFemme: And you have no idea how fortunate I feel that I've missed THAT fun part of the campaign. I was stateside this summer and couldn't believe all the commercials and stuff on TV-and that was before the campaigns shifted to the heavy push of begging for votes.
Spaz: I agree. Just think-if Bill Clinton hadn't been willing to make such a fool of himself on Leno way back when, we might not be seeing the current crop of presidential candidates embarrassing themselves in the same manner.
.