US Election: GO VOTE!

[Fossil Records]

There goes Rumsfeld.

Yeah - I was shocked to hear that this morning. Especially since he's (ultimately) my boss.

I don't know what's going through Bush's mind (insert joke here - I can't 'cause he's my other boss). If he was going to replace Rummy anyway, why wait until AFTER the elections? Why not do it before the election in order to attempt to pull back some support from middle-ground voters? His refusal to replace Rumsfeld despite political and non-political calls for change further incensed middle-ground voters.

Oh, well, I guess I don't have to work on those new reports now. Yay!

 

[Fossil Records]

Random question: is there a correlation between listening to metal and what party you vote for? My gut tells me "yes" and even tells me the strength of the correlation changes by genres of metal you will and won't listen to. We could probably find out from a poll where no comments are allowed...

I think the bigger question is "is there a correlation between dedicated music lovers and the party they vote for?" My gut also tells me that many - if not most - are Democrats or Independents.

I voted almost exclusively Republican this go-round. Not because I believe in the Republican platform - on the contrary, in my opinion most of their platform is garbage (except smaller government, but when have they actually accomplished this?). However, I do believe in balance, keeping terms short, and retribution (I'm so sick of getting screwed over by local and state government that it's time for a change). Since Illinois is 98% Democrat in local, state, and federal representation, I voted primarily Republican (and it looks like we're 98% after the election ). Having said that, I voted exclusively Democrat for our judges - I mean, c'mon, I'm crazy - not insane!

 

[Sabin17]

I really enjoyed Colbert's firm Republican stance. He gets it: http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=77928

 

[ABQShredHead]

Conservative, getting to be a die-hard. I'm sick of supporting losers with my tax money.

Now with the dems in control of Legislature, I'm off to the bank to open a savings account so I can pay my f'in taxes next year. I would suggest everybody do the same.

Sad so many people buy into the profound arguments made by the democrats. Yes, we may be involved in a stupid war in Iraq, but the big picture there is that we are helping introduce democracy to a very repressed people. The problem was incomplete planning to handle the insurgencies that have cropped up since the war ended.

Now, look at how much the American public's buying power has increased over the last two years. Now all the tax breaks that created that spending power are going to go away thanks to the dem Legislature, and we'll all be more happy because the dem House headed by an absolute left-wing quack from California will keep promising they will bring our troops home from Iraq. Or at least cut the funding of our troops in Iraq in an effort to pressure the President to bring them home.

Yay for America. Another two years of gridlock in politics. Nothing will get done. But, if that's the message the public intended to send to Washington, I suppose we've succeeded.

 

[MasqueReaper]

Somebody remind me how we are ever going to get out of debt if we cut taxes and then spend billions upon billions on war?

The answer? Bush and Cheney are already multi-billionaires from Haliburton, the corporation who has gained the most from our soldiers' blood (Cheney is a former CEO of thayt corp, I mean come on!).

Thank God that Americans FINALLY got it, now why the hell did it take them 6 years????

 

[mëtålspëd]

Haha.... how is that an answer? You guys crack me up!

 

[MasqueReaper]

Haha.... how is that an answer? You guys crack me up!

lol, there is no answer, we are never going to get out of debt. The funny thing is that nations like Japan and China own most of the debt. The Republicans are totally down with letting our generation deal with it.

 

[Fossil Records]

Debt, by itself, is not a bad thing if you have something that you are leveraging it against. For example, I'd rather pay 5% interest on my house debt instead of paying off my house early if I can make 10% by investing that extra amount each month to annuities.

With regard to nation building, the idea is that the investment that we make by helping Iraq (and Afghanistan) democratize will be paid back many times over by stabilizing the region, reducing the causes of terrorism, and general happy-goodness. Now, if we fail, we lose the investment and create more reasons for terrorism to thrive, destabilize the region, and perpetuate hatred against us. Others argue that we never should have tried because the cost of failure is worse than the profit of success. With insecure borders, the 3,000 military lives that could have been saved by not going into Iraq could instead have been spent as civilian lives here on our soil (again).

Not making a political statement, just pointing out some other views.

My political statement is that the UN is useless (as was its predecessor, the League of Nations) and we should have moved into Iraq 20 years ago when Saddam first started exterminating his own people village by village. The League of Nations failed to act on Hitler; the UN failed to act on Saddam. At least the League of Nations could use the excuse that Hitler was elected - Saddam wasn't.

 

[Matt]

Yay for America. Another two years of gridlock in politics. Nothing will get done. But, if that's the message the public intended to send to Washington, I suppose we've succeeded.

I know what will get done: the repubs looking very bad when congress decides to investigate into his administration.

 

[Eternal Dragon]

I hate politics. It seems like the whole point is to disagree with the opposing party just because they are the opposing party........ and very rarely do I see the opposition agreeing with anything. I guess this is good to keep things in perspective, but people base their whole campaigns on slagging off everyone else and persistantly doing the opposite of the other party. ALL the time I see those political debate things where the guys are just yelling at each other, and everyone who isnt actively participating in the argument are rudely yelling from up the back. Prehaps if they took a more collaborative approach things would be more efficient.

 

[Valgeir]

Most people here have a symphaty for Bill Clinton. Did you know, he visited my country when the big earthquake happened here, and he visited the people living in tents because their apartments were collapsed. He even accepted the tea from one of the hosts there. I couldn't believe my eyes. He always seemed like a good guy, but of course you probably know him better than we do here. So may be that was all a political show in the end. But for the wrong country

Perhaps I'm just undereducated, because I only really reached the age where I became politically aware during the first term of Bush II, but as far as politicians go I've always found Clinton to be a great guy.

 

[Yngvai X]

I voted democrat across the board.

 

[MasqueReaper]

if we fail, we lose the investment and create more reasons for terrorism to thrive, destabilize the region, and perpetuate hatred against us...
My political statement is that the UN is useless

I am pretty sure that we have already failed to win the hearts and minds of millions of people on the other side of the world. We invaded based on WMD, that was our reason to the world and it was wrong. Now their children are being raised from birth to hate us.

I agree, the UN is completely useless and relies on the US as a crutch (and bites the hand that feeds it all the time).

Politics suck, but I am so happy that the people of our country stood out for something. I wonder what happens now.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

It's not the first time we've heard such rhetorical majesty for Arnie is it. He's always coming out with crap like 'we're going to terminate crime and poverty' and some such pathetic movie in-jokes that always seem to have the audience rolling on the floor with laughter. Complete with the hoards of witless morons clapping everything says like a band of hungry seals, it is truly abysmal.

Piss off, i think Arnold is hillarious. He puts a face on the farce that everyone knows the government is. plus his comments are fucking hysterical.

 

[Beelzebub]

Piss off, i think Arnold is hillarious. He puts a face on the farce that everyone knows the government is. plus his comments are fucking hysterical.

Someone's ability to be hysterical has no bearing on how well they can lead a state. Plenty of celebrities have run for office, like Jesse Ventura, Ronald Regan, and Sonny Bono, so the governator isn't the only one to bring some awareness to politics via fame.

 

[Rose Immortal]

I hate politics. It seems like the whole point is to disagree with the opposing party just because they are the opposing party........ and very rarely do I see the opposition agreeing with anything. I guess this is good to keep things in perspective, but people base their whole campaigns on slagging off everyone else and persistantly doing the opposite of the other party. ALL the time I see those political debate things where the guys are just yelling at each other, and everyone who isnt actively participating in the argument are rudely yelling from up the back. Prehaps if they took a more collaborative approach things would be more efficient.

Oh man, absolutely!!!!

That's EXACTLY it! A LOT of times I'm convinced people just bicker with each other for the sake of bickering. The reason nothing gets done in Washington is because you have this kind of contrarianism going on. It doesn't matter how smart an idea is or how much it'll help this country; the other side is going to oppose it just for the hell of it.

As for me, I would call myself a moderate conservative--conservative in some areas, but more liberal in others...which really puts me between a rock and a hard place when I vote because rarely does anybody with a close match to my views run in either party.

 

[ABQShredHead]

I used to be moderate, maybe even liberal, in most areas. Then I got older and saw how politics affected me and how the American society is degenerating and losing its identity based on "civil liberties" of everybody, regardless of citizenship. For instance, Social Security was a big issue in the '04 elections. Perhaps revoking Social Security for illegal immigrants, who contribute absolutely ZERO dollars into Social Security, would help extend the life of the program. But, as part of Democratic policy, this luxury was extended to people who are not even in this country legally.

I would urge those who "hate: politics to really take a deep look into the issues in this country and then learn the difference between the two parties. America's government is absolutely political and there is no way to overcome that environment. Yes, it would be great for a third and even fourth party to come into existence to change our landscape; however, I feel that day will be a very long way off or will never come at all due to the media focus solely on the Dems and GOPs. Libertarian and Green parties do not field enough candidates in any give elections to make enough headway in furthering the parties' causes. My ballot had one Independent listed, running against a Democrat. I voted for the Independent. I do not vote Democrat at all because of my adverse stance to the party's politics and whininess.

But, that said, anybody can lob grenades at any politician or political stance. But, I've chosen mine based on my experiences, beliefs, and research, and I hope everybody else has done or will do the same rather than only listening to the media and hordes calling for "change this" or "change that" simply by voting for the other party. I was absolutely baffled as to how the Democratic nominee for my district's House seat could be locked in a 1300-vote margin at the moment with the incumbent Republican. Regardless of the party, anybody meeting the Dem or seeing her abhorrent performance in the televised debate should have immediately recognized her inabilities to lead, make decisions, and develop original ideas not given to her outside the Democrat mantra for the election. Voting for an inept candidate just to vote for change reminds me of the time my brother bought a clunker '70's Mustang that barely ran just because it looked cool. The motor eventually fell out in the middle of a very busy intersection and he's lucky to still be alive. I fear the same outcome may be in store for our country.

[/rant]

 

[Yngvai X]

Aside from the current situation, my contempt for the republican party stems from their strong ties to the religious right. I really don't care about a politician's personal beliefs, but when it affects the laws they are passing or want to pass, it crosses the line for me. You will not get me to vote for someone who wants to close down abortion clinics, ban gay marriage, stop stem cell research, and try make teaching that joke that is "intelligent design" manditory in public schools. Not happening.

 

[scanner313]

Now if we can just abolish the Electoral College, ... The Electoral College has outlived its usefulness.

I scond that. It's completely antiquated and only has the potential to cause problems now, as it did in 2000.

 

[scanner313]

What this huge increase means for my property taxes in 2006 remains to be seen. I'll be at an open book session, and then in court contesting this before the end of the month.

J,

It's a mistake. Unless you own 250 acres of developed, commercial land there is no way in hell that your taxes are going to be $25,000 when you're home value is only $83,000.

I lived on Long Island in NY for a long time, and they have some of the highest property taxes in the country, and even a $150,000 home has an average tax of only about $10,000.

Worst case you have to get a reassement because someone screwed up. It's a pain but not the end of the world. Most likely this entire thing was caused by someone's typo.