Frivolous Politics
NCfan
Posts: 945
Who really gives a shit about abortion, gay marriage, religion in government, the pledge of allegaince and stem cells when tens of thousands of illegals poor into our unchecked borders every year, rouge nations are scoffing at the international community in their attempt to develop nuclear weapons and Iraq and Afghanistan are falling apart.
The political discourse in this country is so polarizing and partisan it makes me want to vomit. Both political parties are guilty, and the media is only inflaming the situation. Where are the responsible leaders in our country? Has everybody been bought off? Is everybody loyal to another and not the pursuit of our nations best interest? Is everybody out to protect their legacy and their hold on power? What ever happened to the greater good? What ever happened to saying "I don't know" or "Let's find the best possible solution, regardless who's party it benefits?"
Has politics always been this backward and dysfunctional, or has the age of the internet, cable news and mass media corrupted our political system to the point where it's hard to tell if it is even working anymore.
Frivolous Politics
By Thomas Sowell
With a war going on in Iraq and with Iran next door moving steadily toward a nuclear bomb that could change the course of world history in the hands of international terrorists, the question for this year's elections is not whether you or your candidate is a Democrat or a Republican but whether you are serious or frivolous.
That question also needs to be asked about the media. In these grim and foreboding times, our media have this year spent incredible amounts of time on a hunting accident involving Vice President Cheney, a bogus claim that the administration revealed Valerie Plame's identity as a C.I.A. "agent" -- actually a desk job in Virginia -- and is now going ballistic over a Congressman who sent raunchy e-mails to Congressional pages.
This is the frivolous media -- and the biased media. Republican Congressman Foley was wrong and is out on his ear. But Democrats in both Congress and the White House have gone far beyond words with a page and an intern. Yet the Democrats did not resign and Bill Clinton's perjury, obstruction of justice, and suborning of perjury by others were treated as if these were irrelevant private matters.
Even when serious issues are addressed, they can be addressed either seriously or frivolously. If you are content to see life and death issues of war and peace addressed with catch phrases like "chicken hawk" or to see a coalition of nations around the world fighting terrorism referred to as "unilateral" U.S. action because France does not go along, then you are content with frivolity.
You may deserve whatever you get if you vote frivolously in this year's election. But surely the next generation, which has no vote, deserves better.
Weak-kneed members of both parties have been calling for a timetable to be announced for withdrawal from Iraq. No other war in thousands of years of history has ever had such a timetable announced to their enemies. Even if we intended to get out by a given date, there is not the slightest reason to tell the terrorists that. It is frivolous politics at its worst.
There has never been any reason to doubt that American troops will be removed from Iraq. They were removed after the first Gulf War. Before that, they were removed from Grenada and from other Western Hemisphere countries throughout the 20th century. Millions of American troops were removed from Europe after World War II.
Why should there be the slightest doubt that they will be removed from Iraq? The only question is whether you can run a war on a timetable like a railroad and whether you need to announce your plans to your enemies.
All this rhetoric about a withdrawal timetable is based on trying to make political hay out of the fact that the Iraq war is unpopular. But all wars have been unpopular with Americans, as they should be.
Even World War II, won by "the greatest generation," was never popular, though the home front was united behind the troops a lot better than today. The last shot of that war had barely been sounded before the cry arose to bring our boys back home.
The exuberant celebrations across this country when World War II ended showed that we weren't looking for more war or more conquests. We weren't even trying to hold on to all the territory we had conquered. There has probably never been a time in history when a military force in the millions was disbanded so quickly.
Even after the first Gulf War, with its quick success and low casualties, the biggest ovation that the first President Bush got when he addressed Congress afterwards was when he announced that our troops would start coming back home.
Those who discuss the current war in terms of frivolous talking points make a big deal out of the fact we have been in this war longer than in World War II. But, if we are serious, we would know that it is not the duration of a war that is crucial. It is how many lives it costs.
More than twice as many Marines were killed taking one island in the Pacific during World War II than all the Americans killed in the four years of the Iraq war. More Americans were killed in one day during the Civil War.
If we are going to discuss war, the least we can do is be serious.
The political discourse in this country is so polarizing and partisan it makes me want to vomit. Both political parties are guilty, and the media is only inflaming the situation. Where are the responsible leaders in our country? Has everybody been bought off? Is everybody loyal to another and not the pursuit of our nations best interest? Is everybody out to protect their legacy and their hold on power? What ever happened to the greater good? What ever happened to saying "I don't know" or "Let's find the best possible solution, regardless who's party it benefits?"
Has politics always been this backward and dysfunctional, or has the age of the internet, cable news and mass media corrupted our political system to the point where it's hard to tell if it is even working anymore.
Frivolous Politics
By Thomas Sowell
With a war going on in Iraq and with Iran next door moving steadily toward a nuclear bomb that could change the course of world history in the hands of international terrorists, the question for this year's elections is not whether you or your candidate is a Democrat or a Republican but whether you are serious or frivolous.
That question also needs to be asked about the media. In these grim and foreboding times, our media have this year spent incredible amounts of time on a hunting accident involving Vice President Cheney, a bogus claim that the administration revealed Valerie Plame's identity as a C.I.A. "agent" -- actually a desk job in Virginia -- and is now going ballistic over a Congressman who sent raunchy e-mails to Congressional pages.
This is the frivolous media -- and the biased media. Republican Congressman Foley was wrong and is out on his ear. But Democrats in both Congress and the White House have gone far beyond words with a page and an intern. Yet the Democrats did not resign and Bill Clinton's perjury, obstruction of justice, and suborning of perjury by others were treated as if these were irrelevant private matters.
Even when serious issues are addressed, they can be addressed either seriously or frivolously. If you are content to see life and death issues of war and peace addressed with catch phrases like "chicken hawk" or to see a coalition of nations around the world fighting terrorism referred to as "unilateral" U.S. action because France does not go along, then you are content with frivolity.
You may deserve whatever you get if you vote frivolously in this year's election. But surely the next generation, which has no vote, deserves better.
Weak-kneed members of both parties have been calling for a timetable to be announced for withdrawal from Iraq. No other war in thousands of years of history has ever had such a timetable announced to their enemies. Even if we intended to get out by a given date, there is not the slightest reason to tell the terrorists that. It is frivolous politics at its worst.
There has never been any reason to doubt that American troops will be removed from Iraq. They were removed after the first Gulf War. Before that, they were removed from Grenada and from other Western Hemisphere countries throughout the 20th century. Millions of American troops were removed from Europe after World War II.
Why should there be the slightest doubt that they will be removed from Iraq? The only question is whether you can run a war on a timetable like a railroad and whether you need to announce your plans to your enemies.
All this rhetoric about a withdrawal timetable is based on trying to make political hay out of the fact that the Iraq war is unpopular. But all wars have been unpopular with Americans, as they should be.
Even World War II, won by "the greatest generation," was never popular, though the home front was united behind the troops a lot better than today. The last shot of that war had barely been sounded before the cry arose to bring our boys back home.
The exuberant celebrations across this country when World War II ended showed that we weren't looking for more war or more conquests. We weren't even trying to hold on to all the territory we had conquered. There has probably never been a time in history when a military force in the millions was disbanded so quickly.
Even after the first Gulf War, with its quick success and low casualties, the biggest ovation that the first President Bush got when he addressed Congress afterwards was when he announced that our troops would start coming back home.
Those who discuss the current war in terms of frivolous talking points make a big deal out of the fact we have been in this war longer than in World War II. But, if we are serious, we would know that it is not the duration of a war that is crucial. It is how many lives it costs.
More than twice as many Marines were killed taking one island in the Pacific during World War II than all the Americans killed in the four years of the Iraq war. More Americans were killed in one day during the Civil War.
If we are going to discuss war, the least we can do is be serious.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
In many cases, both sides are assholes. Republicans and Democrats... assholes. Israelis and Palestinians... both of them... assholes. If you continually side with one and excuse or ignore the faults commited by your side... your are an asshole.
I believe that most Americans are like me... closer to the middle... maybe lean a little more left or right on certain specific issues, but not hardliners on either side. I also believe that we are being fed this whole, us versus them bullshit... which doesn't do anyone any good except for the ones selling us this shit.
People like Michael Moore and Ann Coulter are in the business of making money. They take the extremes because that is where the money is made. Who wants to read or watch two middle of the roaders agree on things? Boring. Fighting and arguing is much more entertaining, right?
The sad part is... we are eating this steaming pile of shit by the bowlful and asking for second helpings. If you go out and vote, based solely upon the (D) or (R) next to the name on the ballot... you are either a donkey cock sucker or an elephant cock sucker. If you are stupid enough to buy into the political shit that is being set on your plate... you deserve the shitty assed government you get.
It makes me sick when some one labeled a Liberal is viewed as an Enemy, not just an American with a different point of view. And the same is true in the opposite... labeling conservatives as money grubbing, war mongering racists. It is wrong. We are never going to defeat the real enemies as long as we remain divided.
Now... who is to blame here. YOU. If you are buying into this crap and believe your lying ass politician fucks and are so stupid that you believe that a talking head on your telivision is dispensing the truth... You are to blame for the division. Not the Republicans... not the Democrats... not Michael Moore... not Ann Coulter. You are the stupid target market they are aiming at to make their mortgage payments.
My message to America... quit being stupid.
Hail, Hail!!!
well said cosmo.
i agree. But until we hold the politicians accountable they'll keep doing the same old shit..why??? b/c it gets them elected.
Because we keep voting for them. And because a lot of American voters cast ballots depending on the (D) or (R). Red Team vs. Blue Team... Democrats vs. Republicans... Liberals vs. Conservatives... Fat Asses vs. Jack Asses.
Vote intelligently... if your fucking Representative is butt fucking teen aged boys on your dime and you don't like that... FIRE HIS ASS and don't vote for him again.
My representatives... I voted for one Democratic and one Republican senator based upon their Senate voting records and their views on the things i believe are important for my State. I have voted for my Republican Congressman because I believe he is doing a good job voting in the House for things I believe in. I voted for a Democratic govenor and Democratic state Legislator and the Republican Mayor and both parties on my city council. Because I believe in the person, not their party.
Yeah... it'd be a hell of a lot easier to forget about looking into the candidates and simply go down the line and pick out all of the (R)'s or (D)'s on the ballots... but, who knows what kingd of fucking government i'd get, right? I'm guessing... a fucked up government.
Hail, Hail!!!
This part is especially on the mark ... Too much dichotomous thinking happens, on this board and more generally in the world.
I agree 100%. I also feel that americans are lazy when it comes to voting. they were saying something like they expect a 30ish% turnout for the Nov election. I guarantee that a lot go to the polls and think, "who are these guys...well this one is a dem or repub so they get my vote". It's sad really.
Again I agree as well. I voted for a Democratic Gov and repub rep b/c I agreed with their views and thought, as you said, the PERSON was worth it. I try not to even look at certain views of candidates, esp abortion, and here's the reason. Abortion isn't going to be decided by one person, there are many factors that go into it. I care more about a persons philosophy on spending, social priorities/funding, and the gov'ts role in everyday things. I get some weird looks at times b/c there are people who will vote for someone soley b/c of the abortion or gay marriage stance...while those are important and polarizing issues I don't want some jackass who is going to spend into oblivion and raise taxes and compromise his integrity running the show just b/c he fits my view on abortion.
I think you're wrong, very very wrong and you will prob never be right. but that's ok
Imagine if Al Gore won the 2000 election... the September 11, 2001 attacks occur... Gore goes after the Taliban... Gore shifts focus on Iraq... Gore lands on an aircraft carrier with a 'Mission: Accomplished' banner in the background... Gore's 2004 re-election campaign viciously attacks Republican Presidential Candidate, John McCain's Viet Nam service record... 2,700 servicemen dead in Iraq amid ongoing sectarian violence...
Does anyone seriously think that Bill O'Rielly, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and the War/Bush supporters here would be justifying President Gore and the war in Iraq? Seriously.
...
My guess. No... er, NO FUCKING WAY.
But, i can guarantee you... I would have the same level of disgust and outrage against Presidents Gore's 'Stay The Course' to HELL policy in Iraq.
Hail, Hail!!!
...............
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde