Politics make me grumpy.

Ramberta

On the way home from school, I was driving behind a giant Chevy truck with the bumper sticker: "Beware of Liberals posing as Americans."

So I guess by his definition, I'm not American? Huh. That's news to me.

He then proceeded to be a reckless driver and cut off a large freight truck at an intersection, zooming ahead to go straight when he was in a turn lane.



What political messages / actions / etc have you seen lately that have pissed you off? I want to hear from both sides as well as other countries besides the United States on this one.

And before you report this post, I am not "inciting an uproar in the community", I am simply fed up with how politics is somehow SUPPOSED to be divisive and partisan-driven these days instead of people actually trying to-- gasp, shock-- get along! :grumble:

soldier4242

Politics is a divisive topic. We are talking about people making decisions that affect large groups. Everyone has a desire to see the world be a certain way and some of them feel so strongly about it that they don't see how anyone could disagree with them without being some sort of villain.

The language of politics is cruel and vitriolic. The passion that people put in to their arguments only sever to fan the flames. It increases the anger and the hatred. People become corrupt with power with their victories and they become bitter and resentful with their failures.

The truth is the world really isn't that bad of a place. We are finding ways to improve our world and make it a better place every day. We are not teetering on the bring of disaster every day. There isn't a high likelihood of WWIII happening tomorrow and the majority of people are actually good or at least trying to be. Kindness and aggressiveness are both in our natures. It really all boils down to how we choose to be every day.

Don't fret about the bumper sticker. Bumper stickers are typically just exaggerations. You are still an American even if you are a liberal.

Ramberta

Everyone has a desire to see the world be a certain way and some of them feel so strongly about it that they don't see how anyone could disagree with them without being some sort of villain.

The language of politics is cruel and vitriolic. The passion that people put in to their arguments only sever to fan the flames. It increases the anger and the hatred. People become corrupt with power with their victories and they become bitter and resentful with their failures.

The truth is the world really isn't that bad of a place. We are finding ways to improve our world and make it a better place every day. We are not teetering on the bring of disaster every day. There isn't a high likelihood of WWIII happening tomorrow and the majority of people are actually good or at least trying to be.

I agree 100%, but the question I'm trying to get at is WHY it has evolved into such a cruel and vitriolic language. It's not a recent evolution, either, at least in the United States -- even at the Constitutional Convention, the framers of our nation spewed hate-filled insults back and forth.

I guess it is just very depressing to me that talking about what's important to people not only brings out the worst in them, but has a tendency to imply that there can be no "rational" or "moderate" discussions about major issues-- you're either "with" or "against", no middle ground. I don't understand why the world has progressed so far with this way of thinking.

TeachTheGirl

You're with us or against us!

Honestly, my husband buries himself in politics daily and comes home spouting about this person or that topic and I have just learned to smile and nod. It helps him vent his frustrations, but sometimes I feel like such an idiot for not 'being in the know' like he is on today's political issues. ._.

dawnhart77

This is a very sensitive subject and one that I'm sure will be debated, screamed, defended and various other (insert word here) terms until the end of time. No matter what is right to you, someone else views it as wrong. I guess that is what makes me the most upset. I get so tired of hearing how my views are wrong. Wrong to who? Not to me, they are MY views. It's that whole perception thing. My father raised me as a republican. As I grew up, I found my views were a little more on the democratic side. And now, I have returned to being a republican. I can't say I vote the party lines because I don't. I vote for the person who most represents my views.

Facebook this past election year blew up with both negative and positive comments for the candidates. It was enough to make me want to unfriend everyone and start over. But as I sat back and read my friends posts, I valued their opinion. Some more than others, but I valued the right they are given each and every day to have an opinion. I agree with ya Ramberta... I just really would like respect for one another to make more of a return to the world!

Acg67

dewsmom78

It's because this country is going down the crapper fast. We're too busy worrying about other countries instead of worrying about ourselves. Or we're busy making more petty laws instead of working on real issues. Pretty soon we won't be able to order a 20oz soda, oh wait, we can't. hehehe. Both sides need to quit fighting and start working together. But I don't see that happening for the next 4 years.

Ramberta

It's because this country is going down the crapper fast. We're too busy worrying about other countries instead of worrying about ourselves. Or we're busy making more petty laws instead of working on real issues. Pretty soon we won't be able to order a 20oz soda, oh wait, we can't. hehehe. Both sides need to quit fighting and start working together. But I don't see that happening for the next 4 years.

It hasn't been happening, and for way longer than Obama too. As guilty as I may be for hating W. Bush as a person back in the day, at least I respected him on some level because he was the President, and didn't get into that office by accident. But most Democrats didn't view it that way -- they were literally counting down the days until he was out of office. Now, the same thing is happening with Obama, and the same thing has happened for decades and decades. With this sort of partisan clashing, NOTHING is getting done on either side, and all at the expense of the American people!!

Why has it become a crime to want to compromise and go for a more "moderate" solution? Most criticisms of politicians these days -- at all levels, not just national -- is not being conservative / liberal ENOUGH, aka not pandering to the extremists in their party enough. And yet, if everyone digs in their heels and sticks to their true convictions on opposite poles, again... nothing gets accomplished, ever... sigh.

soldier4242

This would be equally true if it said conservatives or any other political view. The way it is being portrayed now it is as if you think that liberals specifically are the intolerant ones. I assume you have listened to a speaker at an RNC or you have watched fox news at some point. Intolerance comes in all flavors.

Ramberta

This is a very sensitive subject and one that I'm sure will be debated, screamed, defended and various other (insert word here) terms until the end of time. No matter what is right to you, someone else views it as wrong. I guess that is what makes me the most upset. I get so tired of hearing how my views are wrong. Wrong to who? Not to me, they are MY views. It's that whole perception thing. My father raised me as a republican. As I grew up, I found my views were a little more on the democratic side. And now, I have returned to being a republican. I can't say I vote the party lines because I don't. I vote for the person who most represents my views.

Facebook this past election year blew up with both negative and positive comments for the candidates. It was enough to make me want to unfriend everyone and start over. But as I sat back and read my friends posts, I valued their opinion. Some more than others, but I valued the right they are given each and every day to have an opinion. I agree with ya Ramberta... I just really would like respect for one another to make more of a return to the world!

I try not to think of anyone's views / opinions as 'wrong', for that reason. Of course I hold my own views, and they are going to be in disagreement with those of other people. But I think that if people started looking for the common ground instead of nitpicking at the ways we're different, we'd be better off. Plus I hate how politicians and zealous party members are practically demonized by the opposition, when they are just people like the rest of us.

I left Facebook entirely because of political posts. Mostly my crazy aunt and uncle making posts about "Rethuglicans" and failing to realize that their intolerance was just as bad as the stuff they were posting about, if not worse!! The whole thing just makes me sick sometimes.

Ramberta

This would be equally true if it said conservatives or any other political view. The way it is being portrayed now it is as if you think that liberals specifically are the intolerant ones. I assume you have listened to a speaker at an RNC or you have watched fox news at some point. Intolerance comes in all flavors.

^This, although I believe the "joke" he was getting at was that liberals are (by idealistic definition) the most "tolerant" of others' ideas.

Ramberta

You're with us or against us!

Honestly, my husband buries himself in politics daily and comes home spouting about this person or that topic and I have just learned to smile and nod. It helps him vent his frustrations, but sometimes I feel like such an idiot for not 'being in the know' like he is on today's political issues. ._.

I feel like the more I know about politics, the more frustrated I get... so I wouldn't consider being "in the know" to be a very good thing.

_noob_

This would be equally true if it said conservatives or any other political view. The way it is being portrayed now it is as if you think that liberals specifically are the intolerant ones. I assume you have listened to a speaker at an RNC or you have watched fox news at some point. Intolerance comes in all flavors.

dude, it was a troll post...it worked...

quirkytizzy

You say you're tired of politics.......and then you post about politics.....

soldier4242

Everyone has a desire to see the world be a certain way and some of them feel so strongly about it that they don't see how anyone could disagree with them without being some sort of villain.

The language of politics is cruel and vitriolic. The passion that people put in to their arguments only sever to fan the flames. It increases the anger and the hatred. People become corrupt with power with their victories and they become bitter and resentful with their failures.

The truth is the world really isn't that bad of a place. We are finding ways to improve our world and make it a better place every day. We are not teetering on the bring of disaster every day. There isn't a high likelihood of WWIII happening tomorrow and the majority of people are actually good or at least trying to be.

I agree 100%, but the question I'm trying to get at is WHY it has evolved into such a cruel and vitriolic language. It's not a recent evolution, either, at least in the United States -- even at the Constitutional Convention, the framers of our nation spewed hate-filled insults back and forth.

I guess it is just very depressing to me that talking about what's important to people not only brings out the worst in them, but has a tendency to imply that there can be no "rational" or "moderate" discussions about major issues-- you're either "with" or "against", no middle ground. I don't understand why the world has progressed so far with this way of thinking.

Rational, moderate discussion comes from people that are willing to delve in to a topic in an effort to discover the best conclusion and actually have real progress. In politics both sides already know the conclusion they are wanting to the conversation so there isn't any effort being made to actually evaluate the argument of the opposition in a favorable way. The only goal is to "win" the argument and reach the end point that you wanted at the start whether it is the best end point or not.

When you are in a country where legislation is achieved by garnering support it all becomes a numbers game. Who can come up with the most votes? We have a two party system here in America so you basically have to pick the side that agrees with you the most. In my case I have some liberal democrat views and some conservative republican views. This means that I don't fit in either party.

People still develop party loyalties and they support things they don't believe in just to make sure they are supporting their candidate so that they can get the majority of things that they want to go through. No candidate ever wants to appear too far in either direction because if you are too radical you will alienate too many moderate voters. That is why people are always trying to figure out where the swing votes are.

All of this strategy and posturing does nothing more than help cement the fact that nobody can afford to take the time to actually evaluate a person's position. It doesn't matter what their position is all that matters is that they are on the other side.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

You say you're tired of politics.......and then you post about politics.....

Werd.

I like shoes. And cheeseburgers. Can we talk about these things?

Although, on this site, those topics are equally divisive.

Ramberta

You say you're tired of politics.......and then you post about politics.....

I didn't say I'm tired of politics. Please actually read posts before you hit "reply".

I think politics is a fascinating thing to study. However, it is extremely depressing that any 'change' that happens not only takes years -- even decades -- of fighting to implement, and even then is usually not implemented to the majority of the population's satisfaction. It is also depressing to watch the trend over time of politicians being able to agree with one another on certain major issues to the present day, where they would sooner die or lose their seat than agree with someone of the opposite party.

The system that was set up by the framers allowed for disagreement that would prevent one group steamrolling everyone else, but it has been warped over the past century and a half to reach the worst stalemate it has ever been in.

Ramberta

You say you're tired of politics.......and then you post about politics.....

Werd.

I like shoes. And cheeseburgers. Can we talk about these things?

Although, on this site, those topics are equally divisive.

If you want to talk about shoes and cheeseburgers make a shoes and cheeseburgers thread. No one is stopping you.

Ramberta

Everyone has a desire to see the world be a certain way and some of them feel so strongly about it that they don't see how anyone could disagree with them without being some sort of villain.

The language of politics is cruel and vitriolic. The passion that people put in to their arguments only sever to fan the flames. It increases the anger and the hatred. People become corrupt with power with their victories and they become bitter and resentful with their failures.

The truth is the world really isn't that bad of a place. We are finding ways to improve our world and make it a better place every day. We are not teetering on the bring of disaster every day. There isn't a high likelihood of WWIII happening tomorrow and the majority of people are actually good or at least trying to be.

I agree 100%, but the question I'm trying to get at is WHY it has evolved into such a cruel and vitriolic language. It's not a recent evolution, either, at least in the United States -- even at the Constitutional Convention, the framers of our nation spewed hate-filled insults back and forth.

I guess it is just very depressing to me that talking about what's important to people not only brings out the worst in them, but has a tendency to imply that there can be no "rational" or "moderate" discussions about major issues-- you're either "with" or "against", no middle ground. I don't understand why the world has progressed so far with this way of thinking.

When you are in a country where legislation is achieved by garnering support it all becomes a numbers game. Who can come up with the most votes? We have a two party system here in America so you basically have to pick the side that agrees with you the most. In my case I have some liberal democrat views and some conservative republican views. This means that I don't fit in either party.

The crazy thing is, there is absolutely nothing detailing a bipartisan government in the Constitution. It barely even implies political parties at all. That was something that was created, evolved, and perfected into what it is today because we have a "winner-take-all" system of elections. No one gets a say for coming in 2nd place. I wish that we would reform to allow for representation based on the percentage that a party or special interest group were to get, or that third parties were more viable. But when they are denied media coverage and funding, it becomes very difficult for their voices to be heard.

rassha01

Media polarization!!! Two groups getting along with no conflict do not make for a good story!

Ramberta

Media polarization!!! Two groups getting along with no conflict do not make for a good story!

Sad but true