Why civility can't return to politics

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
I'd have liked to see him address the role the media plays in this. Because honestly, nobody gives a rat's ass about politicians, but they care very much about what their media handlers are programming them with. Without the media people manipulating us, nobody would know or care what the politicians have to say.

If we had a fair, informative, and honest media instead of partisan hacks who are agenda-driven to rouse the rabble, we could easily get back to civility.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
I'd have liked to see him address the role the media plays in this. Because honestly, nobody gives a rat's ass about politicians, but they care very much about what their media handlers are programming them with. Without the media people manipulating us, nobody would know or care what the politicians have to say.

If we had a fair, informative, and honest media instead of partisan hacks who are agenda-driven to rouse the rabble, we could easily get back to civility.

On the flip side, if we have an electorate educated enough to make decisions on their own and come up with conclusions on their own, the media wouldn't be so powerful, would it?

They certainly play a roll, but only to those who care enough about politics.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
On the flip side, if we have an electorate educated enough to make decisions on their own and come up with conclusions on their own, the media wouldn't be so powerful, would it?

That explains why so many PhD educators are rabid unhinged leftwing fascists...

oh, wait...
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
On the flip side, if we have an electorate educated enough ....

So which do you think is more likely to happen?

How does that saying go? Wish in one hand, sh!t in the other - see which one gets filled first.

330 million people educating themselves - or the press trying to be fair?

I don't have an answer.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
That explains why so many PhD educators are rabid unhinged leftwing fascists...

oh, wait...

Why people choose the party or idiologies they do is strictly up to them. The real queastion you should be asking is why isn't the Republican party isn't the one they choose. Or why conservatism isn't what they choose to believe.

So which do you think is more likely to happen?

How does that saying go? Wish in one hand, sh!t in the other - see which one gets filled first.

330 million people educating themselves - or the press trying to be fair?

I don't have an answer.

I don't either. What we do know is that more and more people are choosing to simply not partake in politics and that only gives us more and more fringe candidates representing the far wings of each party.

I certainly don't expect everyone to get out and vote, but the 40% or so of the population that does (for presidential elections anyway) should be, imo. People who eat it up when Trump says he'd send the military to the border should also understand the limited role they'll have. People who advocate for major changes to governmental operations, policies, regulations, etc. should understand the consequences.

The fact is, policy decisions have consequences. Many of which are somewhat unintended, but not unexpected.
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
The real queastion you should be asking is why isn't the Republican party isn't the one they choose. Or why conservatism isn't what they choose to believe.

Maybe because conservatism is hard and the weak minded would rather have someone take care of them??
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
On the flip side, if we have an electorate educated enough to make decisions on their own and come up with conclusions on their own, the media wouldn't be so powerful, would it?

They certainly play a roll, but only to those who care enough about politics.



more people know what are kardashian did last night then who is running for office in their home town
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
On the flip side, if we have an electorate educated enough to make decisions on their own and come up with conclusions on their own

OMG you're so cute! :lmao:

I, too, would like to see people be more engaged and educated, but that's not going to happen. The vast majority of Americans care way more about Dancing With the Stars than they do about their government. How you can tell is by the participation in the Politics and News threads, vs. the masses who'll come out for a TV show thread.

And that's fine - people are interested in what they're interested in, and I can't hardly blame them for not wanting to navigate the Rube Goldberg contraption that is our federal government. But that's a problem with no solution, unless you want to implement tests for voter eligibility. And I'm pretty sure if that happens there will never be an elected Democrat again.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
The real queastion you should be asking is why isn't the Republican party isn't the one they choose.

I already know the answer to that:

Because the Democrats OWN pretty much everything.

Most of the news and entertainment TV channels.

The celebrities and entertainers.

The schools, including the universities.

Tech companies that deliver our information on the internet.

A better question would be why, despite the barrage of left wing indoctrination, so many people vote Republican.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
I already know the answer to that:

Because the Democrats OWN pretty much everything.

Most of the news and entertainment TV channels.

The celebrities and entertainers.

The schools, including the universities.

Tech companies that deliver our information on the internet.

A better question would be why, despite the barrage of left wing indoctrination, so many people vote Republican.

You'd agree those folks didn't come out of the womb with a "Democrat" tag attached to their toes though, yes? Why the failure of the GOP (and admittedly, the Libertarian party, though others factors are in play there) to persuade people to join their party?
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
You'd agree those folks didn't come out of the womb with a "Democrat" tag attached to their toes though, yes? Why the failure of the GOP (and admittedly, the Libertarian party, though others factors are in play there) to persuade people to join their party?

More importantly, what factors are in play that create a liberal or conservative mindset in the first place? I've found it fascinating how many of the people I grew up with, from K-12 in a fairly isolated rural community, are far-left liberals now, while others are even more conservative than I am. No party messaging or advertising did that....in either direction. That said, there are obviously some number of more conservative or "moderate" Democrats leaving that party these days. I doubt they are running over each other to sign up as Republicans though
 

Kyle

ULTRA-F###ING-MAGA!
PREMO Member
Why the failure of the GOP (and admittedly, the Libertarian party, though others factors are in play there) to persuade people to join their party?

Why choose personal responsibility and discipline when you can choose free ####.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
More importantly, what factors are in play that create a liberal or conservative mindset in the first place? I've found it fascinating how many of the people I grew up with, from K-12 in a fairly isolated rural community, are far-left liberals now, while others are even more conservative than I am. No party messaging or advertising did that....in either direction. That said, there are obviously some number of more conservative or "moderate" Democrats leaving that party these days. I doubt they are running over each other to sign up as Republicans though

Is it particular factors, or a mindset? I know it's easy to just say "free stuff" is the reason, but I don't think that's true.

I think both parties promise so much and our society is getting more liberal in thinking so when the GOP harps on gay marriage or guns, the moderate liberals aren't going with that. I'm not saying that's right or wrong, just an observation.

It's a complicated socio-political debate that can't be understood in absolutes.

Why choose personal responsibility and discipline when you can choose free ####.

One minor point; political ideology doesn't change how many people are on food stamps.
But when the political lens shifts from partisanship to ideology, the participation gap vanishes. Self-described political conservatives were no more likely than liberals or moderates to have received food stamps (17% for each group), according to the survey.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tan...cs-and-demographics-of-food-stamp-recipients/

Didn't you just agree (ornot disagree) that "PhD educators" are liberals? Do you feel they're on welfare, or is it likely that the media owners, sports players, actors and actresses, and all the other groups of people who make plenty of money aren't in it solely for "free stuff"?

But let's assume what you said is the case. Why is there such a supposed shift from wanting to work hard for the things you want? Why would someone want to live at the absolute minimum?
 
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Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Is it particular factors, or a mindset? I know it's easy to just say "free stuff" is the reason, but I don't think that's true.

I'm talking about the comparison between wildly divergent political and social views in evidence now, by people who all "grew up" together in the same small close-knit rural community. As far as I know they've all been moderately to very successful and "free stuff" was definitely never a factor.
 
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