North Carolina Repubs Present Bill Declaring State Can Establish Official Religion

[archibaldcrane]

It's the totality of everyone that can vote, and not anyone in particular.

[Niiro]

The fact that our electoral systems are inherently flawed and frequently manipulated kind of throws a wrench in things.

[Cyn]

North Carolina even more than most. Here you literally get GOP mailers daily during an election season and nearly every commercial break for local television has ads slamming Dem candidates. Between that and the recent gerrymandering here, liberals don't stand much of a chance here right now despite NC's population being more or less split down the middle. The only real hope we have is that the backlash against the shit they're pulling now is so strong that they can't buy or lie their way out of it.

[Day]

It's the totality of everyone that can vote, and not anyone in particular.

I get what the saying is trying to convey. I just think it's a pretty fucking stupid saying when applied to reality.

[Plow]

you don't think the vast majority of americans deserve to be shat on and ignored by their politicians?

[Day]

Nah, weird huh?

[Jaybar]

I don't think they deserve it, but they asked for it. Look at what they were voting. Most didn't even vote at all! They were totally asking for it.

[Plow]

Nah, weird huh?

do you think a minority does?

I'm curious if you're drawing the line at absolutely nobody does, or only these people:

[Day]

I'm drawing the line at the sweeping blanket statement that includes millions of people that deserve better than our current system.

Sure, some of the people that didn't vote, or that voted for corrupt assholes, maaaybe deserve a shitty government, even then it's pushing it.

[Plow]

I honestly don't believe most people that have voted in the U.S. in the last, say, 20 years, could give an explanation of what a president does that would be worthy of a 2nd grade social studies class.

[ringthree]

I honestly don't believe most people that have voted in the U.S. in the last, say, 20 years, could give an explanation of what a president does that would be worthy of a 2nd grade social studies class.

I vote, and I could, and I encourage people to vote, while also trying to tell them why voting is important.

It's so much easier to throw your hands in the air and say everyone is dumb, then do nothing to improve the situation.

Ivory tower criticism at it's best.

[GoggleHead]

I vote, but I haven't seen a candidate that was actually worth voting for in any election. Something's not right here.

[ringthree]

I vote, but I haven't seen a candidate that was actually worth voting for in any election. Something's not right here.

I love people that say that, it's a fucking cop-out. Because our politicians are supposed to be more perfect than we are. The notion that the voter is so much better than the candidate is a joke, and it's one of those things that perpetuates the jaded view of our democracy.

[Plow]

I vote, and I could, and I encourage people to vote, while also trying to tell them why voting is important.

It's so much easier to throw your hands in the air and say everyone is dumb, then do nothing to improve the situation.

Ivory tower criticism at it's best.

Right cuz I definitely never vote, definitely haven't spent time on this very forum trying to explain to people why it's important to vote and encouraging them to do so, either.

I live in kansas; my vote means nothing; I have every right to bitch about these morons voting against their own interests because they have no fucking clue what's going on.

[Blubbartron]

I love people that say that, it's a fucking cop-out. Because our politicians are supposed to be more perfect than we are. The notion that the voter is so much better than the candidate is a joke, and it's one of those things that perpetuates the jaded view of our democracy.

I don't expect politicians to be more perfect than any of us. I do expect them to do their job. Their job is to present the interests of the people they represent (whether that be a state or the entire nation) to a branch of government. They don't do that when they're too busy taking money from and representing the interests of corporate lobbyists.

No one's perfect, but it shouldn't be this hard to find a politician that isn't a self-serving, greedy fuckwit.

[ronin sparthos]

I don't expect politicians to be more perfect than any of us. I do expect them to do their job. Their job is to present the interests of the people they represent (whether that be a state or the entire nation) to a branch of government. They don't do that when they're too busy taking money from and representing the interests of corporate lobbyists.

No one's perfect, but it shouldn't be this hard to find a politician that isn't a self-serving, greedy fuckwit.

Of course its hard when the people don't keep a flame under their politicians. You have every incentive to misbehave when the people will just check the box for you again because you're an R or a D without doing any research or giving a fuck. You could fuck hookers on the people's time, burn campaign dollars while cackling maniacally, put it up on Youtube, apologize the next week, invoke God at some point and probably win reelection if you play your cards right and stay off the radar long enough.

Why should the politician remain accountable when their bosses (us) are asleep at the wheel? Out of some misguided sense of duty and justice? Sure, some people will sustain themselves on that but most politicians are there for power and power corrupts. It corrupts even faster when you believe you can deceive the people at no consequence to your person.

Money in politics is one thing but as a nation our sense of duty to maintain our democracy isn't in exactly the best shape and young people have the idea that doing nothing is going to accomplish something... other than exacerbating the problem. People skip out on local elections where your vote really does matter there, complain and gripe while doing nothing about dumb fucking pols and treat other elections like a popularity contest rather than realizing these are the people who will send your sons/daughters off to some war in Bumfuckistan as part of a reacharound to some lobbyist group while waving the flag in your face as if they give a shit about patriotism or the core values of the nation.

[GoggleHead]

I love people that say that, it's a fucking cop-out. Because our politicians are supposed to be more perfect than we are. The notion that the voter is so much better than the candidate is a joke, and it's one of those things that perpetuates the jaded view of our democracy.

Well what do you want from me? I research the candidates as best I can, determine that none of the ones running are people I would trust to wield power and then weigh my options and pick the best from a bad lot. If all the candidates are terrible, what am I as a citizen supposed to do other than vote to prevent what damage I can?

Tell me smart ass.

[ronin sparthos]

Well what do you want from me? I research the candidates as best I can, determine that none of the ones running are people I would trust to wield power and then weigh my options and pick the best from a bad lot. If all the candidates are terrible, what am I as a citizen supposed to do other than vote to prevent what damage I can?

Tell me smart ass.

You could simply protest vote.

[GoggleHead]

That doesn't really accomplish anything.

[ronin sparthos]

That doesn't really accomplish anything.

Yeah it does. If more people protest voted, it would give voice to the dis-satisfaction with the type of candidates being put forth.

Voting status quo simply kicks the problem down the road and gives both parties the green light to feed more of the same.