DrDawkinstein Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Gene1973 said: I've watched many election nights, seems close to me. So, dunno... Presidential election nights are all I pay much attention to however. For the most part I find politics an annoyance. I think if politicians were better people I'd have more intetest. The Catch 22 here is that maybe if you (and all Americans) were more involved in politics, especially local, we'd have better politicians. The crooks and psychopaths get in because they are able to scam the system because so few people pay attention. The politicians arent going to get better on their own. Just think, if Joe Biden doesnt get elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970... where is he today? Local politics are extremely important. Edited November 6, 2020 by DrDawkinstein 1 1
thebug Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 I am going to have to sign up for twitter now.....seems like it's going to fun for the next while!
snafu Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 33 minutes ago, Backintheday544 said: 2016 was decided by about 70,000 votes over a couple states. Winner got 306 EC votes and lost the popular and said it was a landslide. 2020 the margins are going to higher in the handful of states, winner looks like they’ll get 306 EC votes but will win the popular vote by 4,000,000+. If we’re using 2016 logic to determine if an election is a landslide or not, then this election is clearly in the landslide category. It wasn't a landslide then, it isn't a landslide now. 16 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said: The Catch 22 here is that maybe if you (and all Americans) were more involved in politics, especially local, we'd have better politicians. The crooks and psychopaths get in because they are able to scam the system because so few people pay attention. The politicians arent going to get better on their own. Just think, if Joe Biden doesnt get elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970... where is he today? Local politics are extremely important. I see it different... Only the people who are okay with the gross public scrutiny that they need to endure throw their hat in the ring for political office -- at least on a national level. i'm not saying there should be no scrutiny, but focusing on issues should be more important than personality flaws. Also, I see it that a lot of people don't set out to be crooks before they get to office. Then they get plied by people looking to shape policy or get ahead through graft.
DCOrange Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 31 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said: The Catch 22 here is that maybe if you (and all Americans) were more involved in politics, especially local, we'd have better politicians. The crooks and psychopaths get in because they are able to scam the system because so few people pay attention. The politicians arent going to get better on their own. Just think, if Joe Biden doesnt get elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970... where is he today? Local politics are extremely important. To an extent, maybe, but there's a couple of issues with politics that I think contribute as well: The polarization of the country is pushing people further and further away from one another. The days of decent people having a healthy exchange of ideas and compromising on what we think is a good solution are mostly gone. We'll see if Biden is somehow able to change that, but it seems at this point that to be successful in a primary, you have to pretty much publicly say the other side is evil, which is just inherently a bad thing IMO. Disagreeing with other viewpoints is obviously fine, but the bodies of government only function properly if people are willing to work together and more and more, it seems like you'll be vilified in your primaries if you try to work with the other side. There's a huge barrier to entry money-wise. Obviously not every race is the same, but it's insanely difficult to make any headway in the political world without significant financial backing. It's simply difficult for a normal person to run for office unless they get lucky and are plucked out of the air by some large donor or fellow politician. Not impossible, but very difficult, especially in the cities. 10 minutes ago, Gene1973 said: Agreed, but local politics is just so uninteresting. I guess as an analogy, I myself would be akin to an "NFL" fan who only watches the playoff's and SB. All the rest of it is just not going to grab my attention. And I think there are a LOT of people who are even worse off, just showing up for the SB. There are so many things in our contry to grab our attention, an tbh, none of our elections are life or death for many, if any. It's all ideological. Also, cable news has totally destroyed reporting on politics, people want to get away from it as opposed to fully engaging. There is more respect between Bills and Patriot fans than there is between party affiliations... Local politics obviously don't get the same attention that the presidential election gets for example, but in all likelihood, the local politicians will have a much larger impact on your life than the president will. 1
WideNine Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 33 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said: The Catch 22 here is that maybe if you (and all Americans) were more involved in politics, especially local, we'd have better politicians. The crooks and psychopaths get in because they are able to scam the system because so few people pay attention. The politicians arent going to get better on their own. Just think, if Joe Biden doesnt get elected to the New Castle County Council in 1970... where is he today? Local politics are extremely important. I think some of this is more the nature of how the "information age" has changed the dynamics and lens by which people follow news. Not that many decades ago, folks would pick up their local papers where local news dominated along with some national headlines. Folks had a bit more balance between local focus and activism and national/global interests. But the advent of internet news and social media like twitter along with news sensationalism to generate ad clicks brings every national and global issue to the forefront of what individuals consume. The local politics and issues get the nose-bleed seats. The "big news" a few weeks ago in our local online paper was our Mayor spotting some older kids peeing down a slide at a public park and calling them out saying he knew who they were and who their parents were and was going to dime them out. That being said, I don't think you are wrong. I think folks do need to get more involved in community and local politics, probably would be healthier than the soul-sucking sensationalism of negative global news where every horrible thing is dumped on your virtual doorstep.
MAJBobby Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 Congratulations to President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris. 2 1
HamSandwhich Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 2 hours ago, BullBuchanan said: Only in your own mind. And anyone with half a brain!
Logic Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 5 hours ago, Q-baby! said: Don’t tell the conspiracy nutbars that created that other site. 😂😂😂 Wait, is....is that a thing that happened? Someone please tell me more or PM me the URL to this amazing piece of the internet.
Q-baby! Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 5 minutes ago, Logic said: Wait, is....is that a thing that happened? Someone please tell me more or PM me the URL to this amazing piece of the internet. Yes, it’s a glorious mess! 1
MAJBobby Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 11 minutes ago, Logic said: Wait, is....is that a thing that happened? Someone please tell me more or PM me the URL to this amazing piece of the internet. I would love it as well. 5 minutes ago, Q-baby! said: Yes, it’s a glorious mess! Pm me the link please 1
Warcodered Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, Q-baby! said: Yes, it’s a glorious mess! It kind of just seems like a continued delusion right now.
LeGOATski Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Gene1973 said: People are very involved in communities, however these days it's on-line communities comprised of like minded individuals. If you then send those people out into the real world they just can't handle opinions that differ from their own and before you know it anyone who doesn't think like them is a racist or nazi. I think we're way past the point of local podunk community involvement. It's cyber communities now, and as a species we are really struggling with that. Online communities are kind of a safe place...if one is seeking that out. However, I think people exaggerate the ratio of online hermits vs the rest.... Even someone who has like a long-standing WoW online community, or something like that, will still find differing political opinions there and find a way to cope.
HamSandwhich Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 4 hours ago, snafu said: He really does nothing to help his own cause. He’s not great at explaining his position, it’s never as bad as the media characterizes but, though they know what he means, they always take the bad faith idea of what he says and run with it. Repeat over and over that he said to stop the vote counting (means to stay illegal ballot counting) until the narrative is the truth in people’s mind, then cut off his clarifying statements from your news channels. Same thing happened with “very fine people on both sides”. I’ll bet there is still a majority who believes he was saying this about white supremicists, even though he says in the same interview “not white supremicists, not kkk, they should be condemned completely”. Just repeat a version that makes him look as racist as possible and run with it. Media...induced...Orangeman...hysteria! 4 hours ago, Q-baby! said: Trump driven Trump hate! Original
Q-baby! Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 2 minutes ago, HamSandwhich said: Original I think you misspelled factual.
BullBuchanan Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 1 hour ago, HamSandwhich said: And anyone with half a brain! I believe it's spelled, "brian".
WideNine Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 57 minutes ago, Gene1973 said: People are very involved in communities, however these days it's on-line communities comprised of like minded individuals. If you then send those people out into the real world they just can't handle opinions that differ from their own and before you know it anyone who doesn't think like them is a racist or nazi. I think we're way past the point of local podunk community involvement. It's cyber communities now, and as a species we are really struggling with that. I would not say we are past the point of local "podunk" community involvement. The reality is that most people can actually affect more change locally than they will ever achieve arguing online or trying to create change on a national or global level. It is healthy too to step back from all the things that are often outside your control that tend to make one feel helpless and depressed and ask yourself what things in my sphere of control can I actually change in a positive way? Usually the answer is something closer to home. I volunteer for the local swim team, supporting their activities and I know jack about swimming other than you do it if the water is deep and you lean towards not drowning. But I help in whatever capacity I can and it has helped me stay sane over this pandemic and election. On the fence on the overall health of online communities because I do believe they can be healthy. I am a part of one here and I think with moderation they can remain a healthy outlet. My son is very introverted, but has a thriving online community that he has connected with since HS. The important thing is how an online community is moderated towards a reasonable level of disagreements, debate, and mudslinging but has some allowance for differing views. But I recognize that there are communities where that does not happen, where dangerous ideas fester into dangerous actions, and probably law enforcement needs to keep tabs on those communities. Online communities can serve as magnets selectively catering to those with fringe ideologies, promoting wild conspiracies, and then amplifying those distorted views via their echo-chamber effect often promoting violence. Where folks like that used to sit alone in cabins off-grid, writing manifestos, and mailing packages that go boom they can now find and organize with other crazy people. What I never thought I would see is our elected officials embracing and encouraging these kinds of communities. Irresponsible. 1
transplantbillsfan Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Q-baby! said: Don’t tell the conspiracy nutbars that created that other site. 😂😂😂 They won't concede. They believe there's widespread voter fraud and it's going to swing the election in Trump's favor after it's revealed and litigated. No, seriously. That's what they think. Edited November 6, 2020 by transplantbillsfan 1
Q-baby! Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 3 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said: They won't concede. They believe there's widespread voter fraud and it's going to swing the election in Trump's favor after it's revealed and litigated. No, seriously. That's what they think. Because that’s what Trump says. Trump doesn’t lie.
LanderPoke Posted November 6, 2020 Posted November 6, 2020 #notmypresident #resist Is this how this works?
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