Political Rant: enter at your own risk!

[DB in NJ]

Why, why, WHY do people have to do this? Is it not enough to simply disagree with one's politics? Do people really think it's beneficial to incite mass hysteria because they don't trust the "other" candidate?

 

To be completely open and honest, I am a registered Republican. I have never missed a Presidential election, and I have voted for a Democrat for president (once).

 

When GWB was running for President in 2000, I remember hearing all kinds of "He scares me!" and "I don't trust him; he's too religious..."-type comments from people on the left. Now, in 2008, I'm hearing similar anti-Obama comments from those on the right; whispers of "He's a muslim, ya know," (he's not, but I guess that's beside the point); "I don't trust him," or "we're headed for communism." Now, if a person finds another person untrustworthy, that's fine. But can't we just disagree with each other on the essentials and at least be HONEST about it? Does it have to sink to the whispers and the lies and the hysteria??

 

*sigh* *deep breath*

 

Frankly, I'm not AFRAID of any American taking office. But my trust in the candidate will be based on their character, not misrepresentations, misunderstandings, rumors, or lies being spread by whackadoodle extremists -- on either side!

 

Grrrrrrrrr......

 

Rant over. Thank you. ;)

[Danestress]

I'm not sure why it's considered whispers, lies or hysteria to not trust someone . If you didn't really trust Clinton and said so, was that hysteria? I mean, he did end up conducting himself in a really immoral way and then lying about it. Maybe the whisperers were right on! You could agree with him on a number of issues, vote for him, and still acknowledge that there was something slimey about him.

 

And if you didn't trust, Bush, perhaps that was good instints. You could agree with him on taxes social security, and still sense that he was motivated so much by self interest that perhaps he would not always be honest and forth right. And I think that's relevant.

 

I do wish that people were more focused on the issues. But I do also want a president whose character I trust. I care about honestly, intergrity and humility. And I think everyone should. In both parties.

[snickelfritz]

What we are allowed to see is propoganda. From both sides.

 

I watched a documentary on the 2004 election, focusing on Ohio. It was "THE" state that it was coming down to. The documentary showed the political strategy of each side. The types of adds that they ran, the information that they released, etc... It gave me an overwhelming sense of only being allowed to see what they want us to see. Of the candidate wearing blue, because opinion polls show it to be a friendlier color. OK, that last part was made up. But, the spirit of that showed through the documentary. Then, you throw in a press bias and the information we get has been through all kinds of filters.

 

Then, I see a documentary on .....oh, good grief I can't remember. Truman?? Maybe. But, he won a senate election because a mob boss rigged votes in a precinct. That led into him eventually being president.

 

I don't really trust any politician, because I don't really know any of them.

[TXMomof4]

I was watching an interview with Scott McClellan the other day and he was talking about the lead up to the war. He said in the interview (not sure what it says in his book) that the Bush machine never lied, they just presented facts an a manner that would lead you to believe a certain way. He was making the point that that is all politics is anymore. There are not any TRUTHs, there's only a slant that is given from either side. It makes it impossible to know what's really going on, because no one actually presents the plain, undoctored facts and allows people to make their own decisions. (We're probably to dumb, ya know.)

So, the fact is that Obama has family that are Muslims. The slant is that he's a closet Muslim fanatic. The fact is that Bush's family is rich. So the slant is that everything he's done has been self-serving and solely for his own benefit. It makes me absolutely psycho! I truly think I would pass out and die from shock if a politician ever stood up and said, the fact is x, it can be looked at from direction a or direction b, but you decide what is the truth. We aren't ever given that opportunity!!!!

 

(stepping off of my soapbox)

[DB in NJ]

I'm not sure why it's considered whispers, lies or hysteria to not trust someone . If you didn't really trust Clinton and said so, was that hysteria? I mean, he did end up conducting himself in a really immoral way and then lying about it. Maybe the whisperers were right on! You could agree with him on a number of issues, vote for him, and still acknowledge that there was something slimey about him.

 

And if you didn't trust, Bush, perhaps that was good instints. You could agree with him on taxes social security, and still sense that he was motivated so much by self interest that perhaps he would not always be honest and forth right. And I think that's relevant.

 

I do wish that people were more focused on the issues. But I do also want a president whose character I trust. I care about honestly, intergrity and humility. And I think everyone should. In both parties.

 

 

That's why I said, "Now, if a person finds another person untrustworthy, that's fine." Of course it's not considered whispers, lies, and/or hysteria to not trust someone. That's my point: If you find someone untrustworthy, fine, but when THAT becomes the hand-wringing hysteria I'm talking about, well, it bugs me. ;)

 

For example, many republicans during the Clinton years didn't trust the guy. Some will say with good reason (I'm one of them). However, when that distrust turned into rumor and innuendo (i.e. the "suicide of Vince Foster"), it just seems extreme to me and uncalled for.

 

Same with GWB. Many people don't trust him now. Some will say with good reason (I'm not one of them ;)). But then that turns into "it's all about the oil," etc.

 

What started my rant was something I read recently about Barack Obama. It was a warning from someone on the extreme right that we're headed for Marxist Communism (there was a lot more to it, but I need to leave soon and I'm running out of time).

 

I would just like it if we could disagree on the merits and skip the alarmist-type thinking (i.e. the emails "warning" me that if Obama gets elected, this-awful-thing-will-happen or that-awful-thing and oh my goodness-hide-the-kids!!! type stuff).

 

That's all.

[Call Me Cordelia]

I'm not sure why it's considered whispers, lies or hysteria to not trust someone . If you didn't really trust Clinton and said so, was that hysteria? I mean, he did end up conducting himself in a really immoral way and then lying about it. Maybe the whisperers were right on! You could agree with him on a number of issues, vote for him, and still acknowledge that there was something slimey about him.

 

I could be wrong, but I think the OP just didn't go into tall the details beyond the generic "I don't trust him," stuff. I mean, I doubt I'll vote for Obama, but I despise the e-mail I have received over five times from various people. It's filled with lies, innuendo and gossip.

 

One friend that I challenged on it sent me back a very well thought out, constructive, issues-based reply. I told her to send THAT out instead!!

 

I think politics as well as most topics have become polarized. For some reason, anyone with whom we disagree is an "enemy." Perhaps because we have been treated as such by those that disagree with us? I really don't know, but I find it distressing and frustrating as well.

 

I love listening to my boss discuss the candidate he likes, because he is so positive and really believes in the candidate; he doesn't discuss what he dislikes about anyone else. It's informative, interesting and encouraging.

[DB in NJ]

I was watching an interview with Scott McClellan the other day and he was talking about the lead up to the war. He said in the interview (not sure what it says in his book) that the Bush machine never lied, they just presented facts an a manner that would lead you to believe a certain way. He was making the point that that is all politics is anymore. There are not any TRUTHs, there's only a slant that is given from either side. It makes it impossible to know what's really going on, because no one actually presents the plain, undoctored facts and allows people to make their own decisions. (We're probably to dumb, ya know.)

So, the fact is that Obama has family that are Muslims. The slant is that he's a closet Muslim fanatic. The fact is that Bush's family is rich. So the slant is that everything he's done has been self-serving and solely for his own benefit. It makes me absolutely psycho! I truly think I would pass out and die from shock if a politician ever stood up and said, the fact is x, it can be looked at from direction a or direction b, but you decide what is the truth. We aren't ever given that opportunity!!!!

 

(stepping off of my soapbox)

 

YES!!!!!!!! Get back up on the soapbox and preach it!!!!! This is *exactly* what I'm talking about.

[kailuamom]

I was watching an interview with Scott McClellan the other day and he was talking about the lead up to the war. He said in the interview (not sure what it says in his book) that the Bush machine never lied, they just presented facts an a manner that would lead you to believe a certain way. He was making the point that that is all politics is anymore. There are not any TRUTHs, there's only a slant that is given from either side. It makes it impossible to know what's really going on, because no one actually presents the plain, undoctored facts and allows people to make their own decisions. (We're probably to dumb, ya know.)

So, the fact is that Obama has family that are Muslims. The slant is that he's a closet Muslim fanatic. The fact is that Bush's family is rich. So the slant is that everything he's done has been self-serving and solely for his own benefit. It makes me absolutely psycho! I truly think I would pass out and die from shock if a politician ever stood up and said, the fact is x, it can be looked at from direction a or direction b, but you decide what is the truth. We aren't ever given that opportunity!!!!

 

(stepping off of my soapbox)

 

:iagree:

[DB in NJ]

You read me right. Why not just disagree and leave the rest of it out? Just because you disagree with someone doesn't make them your enemy!

 

In particular, one article I read lately implied that because someone in the media said something positive about Obama that he "stopped short" of outright endorsing the guy and that his entire network was "protecting" Obama.

 

Huh?!?!

 

Since when is acknowledging something positive about someone a sly, slick way of "protecting" them and almost endorsing them? I could go on all day listing positive things about both candidates, but I honestly have more positive to say about Obama than McCain. But none of the positive things have anything to do with Obama's policies, so I'm not voting for him. But that doesn't stop me from acknowledging that he's an amazing candidate and it's an exciting time to be a Democrat! LOL

[Mama Lynx]

This is why I can barely stomach paying attention to any politics any more. It's all a game, and a vicious, biting, backstabbing game at that. It makes me ill. I don't feel that I can get straight information anywhere, and therefore have a hard time believing anything about politicians or the government. And that's from the media and politicians themselves. That doesn't even begin to address the scads of people who seem to be willing to believe, and spread, the most ridiculous things about the "other" candidate.

 

I am pagan. The first time Bush was running for president, *many* pagans told me I had to vote against him, because he was going to overturn the First Amendment and outlaw paganism. Um ... what? On earth?

[Tarheel Heather]

whackadoodle extremists -- on either side!

 

Grrrrrrrrr......

 

Rant over. Thank you. ;)

 

Can I just say I am going to add whackadoodle to my vocabulary!:001_smile:

[genie]

This is why I can barely stomach paying attention to any politics any more. It's all a game, and a vicious, biting, backstabbing game at that. It makes me ill. I don't feel that I can get straight information anywhere, and therefore have a hard time believing anything about politicians or the government.

 

This pretty much sums me up. It's very frustrating for me, because I really want to be "informed" but how do you find unbiased sources of information? And even if you did, and felt strongly about a candidate, that still doesn't mean they are going to be able to do the things they say they want to do.

 

And really, I don't know if I could ever find myself trusting, truly trusting, anyone who has the personality required to make it into the presidential elections these days.

[Kelli in TN]

I have actually had two people come just short of telling me he is the anti-Christ. Inexperienced yes, Evil of biblical proportions... I would think not.

.

 

I can beat that. I have had someone tell me he IS the anti-Christ. I just shake my head and try to change the subject.

[Mama Lynx]

It's all crap. I am seriously considering doing a write-in vote; at least that way I could write in somoene I honestly think would do a good job.

[DB in NJ]

Can I just say I am going to add whackadoodle to my vocabulary!:001_smile:

 

 

:lol: Isn't it a great word?! LOL

[nancypants]

Hear! Hear! :iagree:

 

:cheers2: Here's to keeping it to the issues!!

 

(from your totally undecided expat voter!)

[Kelli in TN]

It's all crap. I am seriously considering doing a write-in vote; at least that way I could write in somoene I honestly think would do a good job.

 

Whose cat was that we were supposed to write in? Darn, I forgot who it was but in one of the other political threads some of us decided we would write in the name of someone's cat.

[PrairieAir]

:iagree: I am sick, sick, sick of it. I've learned to change the subject quickly with my mom when she starts talking politics. We usually vote about the same, but I'm tired of hearing how this candidate or the other scares her.

[Paula in PA]

This is why I can barely stomach paying attention to any politics any more. It's all a game, and a vicious, biting, backstabbing game at that. It makes me ill. I don't feel that I can get straight information anywhere, and therefore have a hard time believing anything about politicians or the government. And that's from the media and politicians themselves. That doesn't even begin to address the scads of people who seem to be willing to believe, and spread, the most ridiculous things about the "other" candidate.

 

:iagree: I remember being told the same thing about him outlawing Paganism. We were in Texas at the time and most of the local Pagan community was freaking out about it. It was crazy.