shihonage wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 20:13:beremot wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 11:02:InBlack wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 09:41:
As an outsider I guess I will never understand the U.S. two party democracy and it's intricacies...*sigh*
It all revolves around:
A: General stupidity on the part of the voting public, particularly in the more conservative states, and
B: A highly complacent mass media that sticks to a "he said/she said," style of reporting, as in "Republicans say they are only trying to protect consumer rights in their efforts to stop internet regulation, while Democrats say they are trying to ... bla bla bla."
In other words, unless you do your own due diligence on an issue, which many voters, of course, do not, you have no real way of knowing what's really going on, politically, in the U.S. So if one political party is willing to openly lie, again and again, about their true intentions for any given issue, that party will pay no penalty for this, and will have a sizable advantage over the party that more or less tries to play it straight.
I will leave you to guess which party is which.
The most lying party is the one governed by the Obama Administration.
A rational observer would come to this conclusion after following all the incredible scandals they've been involved with, their anti-semitism and bungling of world affairs, war-mongering with Russia, betraying Egypt and Israel, spitting on Veterans healthcare because it wasn't PR-friendly, converting IRS into Stasi, willing to sacrifice 40 Americans in Benghazi to get Obama re-elected, and generally Obama turning to shit absolutely everything he touches, as well as betraying every single even remotely moderate position he held during the 2008 elections.
It takes a special level of brainwashing at this point, in the age of freely available information, to keep your head in the sand and believe the Republicans are the Greater Evil.
You really have to wonder about a party where violent thugs shot by police have names and racial background and were oh, just about to get their doctorates in Physics, while a targeted attack of Muslim Extremists on a Jewish deli is described by Obama as a "random attack on a bunch of folks".
Maybe with Jon Stewart gone some of you will actually be forced to seek out actual news sources instead of listening to Obama Court Jesters on TV, where Comedy Central, CNN and MSNBC have become indistinguishable from state press in my home country of USSR.
Only with more giggles this time around.
G'day Komrades.
beremot wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 11:02:InBlack wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 09:41:
As an outsider I guess I will never understand the U.S. two party democracy and it's intricacies...*sigh*
It all revolves around:
A: General stupidity on the part of the voting public, particularly in the more conservative states, and
B: A highly complacent mass media that sticks to a "he said/she said," style of reporting, as in "Republicans say they are only trying to protect consumer rights in their efforts to stop internet regulation, while Democrats say they are trying to ... bla bla bla."
In other words, unless you do your own due diligence on an issue, which many voters, of course, do not, you have no real way of knowing what's really going on, politically, in the U.S. So if one political party is willing to openly lie, again and again, about their true intentions for any given issue, that party will pay no penalty for this, and will have a sizable advantage over the party that more or less tries to play it straight.
I will leave you to guess which party is which.
HorrorScope wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 18:55:Seventyfive wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:45:
If democrats know so much about economics and employment, why are Detroit, Cleveland, and other liberal strongholds so blighted?
What's funny is when we have democratic power the overall economy does better. Google it. And the past two administrations it has held up once again. Joe is taking it in the shorts, big biz has never done better... not sure why big biz is so pro Repub, history.
Seventyfive wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:45:
If democrats know so much about economics and employment, why are Detroit, Cleveland, and other liberal strongholds so blighted?
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:00:
I would say that this last Republican landslide was not a function of people thinking that Republicans suddenly have an answer but a general disgust with the Democrats' inability to do anything about stagnant wages and the loss of higher wage jobs in favor of low wage jobs.
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 15:03:Beamer wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 14:26:
The economy is doing well for white collar workers. If you have great experience and a degree or three it's a massive boom.
For the remaining 80% or more of the country, the rebound hasn't really happened.
This, exactly. For us blue collar workers things still suck. My wage barely keeps up with inflation, everything (except gasoline) is getting more expensive, and the income gap is widening steadily. It's a race to the bottom for the middle class. Me, I didn't vote and I doubt I ever will again in my lifetime. None of the clowns in DC - and no, not Democrats either; spare me the BS rhetoric about how things get better when they are in charge - give a shit about anything but keeping their job, living like royalty, and trading favors with corporate interests.
Orogogus wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 14:07:Seventyfive wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:45:
If democrats know so much about economics and employment, why are Detroit, Cleveland, and other liberal strongholds so blighted?
Because of population decline due to US manufacturing jobs moving overseas over the last 60 years.
I wasn't aware this was something that was even up for debate. There are people who blame this on politics? Pretty much every US metropolitan area is a liberal stronghold.
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 15:03:Beamer wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 14:26:
The economy is doing well for white collar workers. If you have great experience and a degree or three it's a massive boom.
For the remaining 80% or more of the country, the rebound hasn't really happened.
This, exactly. For us blue collar workers things still suck. My wage barely keeps up with inflation, everything (except gasoline) is getting more expensive, and the income gap is widening steadily. It's a race to the bottom for the middle class. Me, I didn't vote and I doubt I ever will again in my lifetime. None of the clowns in DC - and no, not Democrats either; spare me the BS rhetoric about how things get better when they are in charge - give a shit about anything but keeping their job, living like royalty, and trading favors with corporate interests.
Beamer wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 14:26:
The economy is doing well for white collar workers. If you have great experience and a degree or three it's a massive boom.
For the remaining 80% or more of the country, the rebound hasn't really happened.
Beamer wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 14:26:
The economy is doing well for white collar workers. If you have great experience and a degree or three it's a massive boom.
For the remaining 80% or more of the country, the rebound hasn't really happened.
Paltry wage gains help keep overall inflation in check but also limit household budgets and blunt consumer spending. Average hourly earnings for private-sector workers fell 5 cents, or 0.2%, to $24.57 in December. The average workweek held steady at 34.6 hours in December.
...
The mix of jobs created since the recession also may be restraining overall wage growth. Lower-paying positions in the retail, temporary-help and leisure and hospitality sectors have seen some of the strongest job growth, while the better-paying construction and manufacturing sectors have been slower to make gains.
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:00:
I would say that this last Republican landslide was not a function of people thinking that Republicans suddenly have an answer but a general disgust with the Democrats' inability to do anything about stagnant wages and the loss of higher wage jobs in favor of low wage jobs. As always, in elections, as the saying goes "it's the economy stupid!" In two years when the Republicans remind everyone how utterly ineffective they are the balance will swing back to the Democrats. It's the Political Pendulum of Futility.
Verno wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 12:41:
Or because America has a highly polarized political system where you might not agree with either party but you don't have a lot of other options. People vote with issues and sometimes the issues swing republican.
Democrats received 1.4 million more votes for the House of Representatives, yet Republicans won control of the House by a 234 to 201 margin.
Seventyfive wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:45:
If democrats know so much about economics and employment, why are Detroit, Cleveland, and other liberal strongholds so blighted?
Cutter wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:15:Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:00:
I would say that this last Republican landslide was not a function of people thinking that Republicans suddenly have an answer but a general disgust with the Democrats' inability to do anything about stagnant wages and the loss of higher wage jobs in favor of low wage jobs. As always, in elections, as the saying goes "it's the economy stupid!" In two years when the Republicans remind everyone how utterly ineffective they are the balance will swing back to the Democrats. It's the Political Pendulum of Futility.
Yeah, but that's the thing, you economy is actually doing well. Obama and the dems had a shit ton of stuff to unfuck after 8 years of Dubya and pals. Just like Clinton did with 8 years of Reagan and 4 years of Bush Sr.. When he left office your country had never been in better shape. You had a surplus of money, you had record low unemployment, you had peace, etc. Historically if it's about the economy and jobs you vote Democrat. Conservatives just don't know how to govern or don't care because it all comes down to funneling money to the elites/big biz.
It's the same with us, after 2 terms with Mulroney and the cons, the country was in the shitter, then we get 2 terms of Chretien and the libs and things are rosy again, now after 2 terms with Harper and the cons our economy once again has tanked. It's not rocket surgery.
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:00:
I would say that this last Republican landslide was not a function of people thinking that Republicans suddenly have an answer but a general disgust with the Democrats' inability to do anything about stagnant wages and the loss of higher wage jobs in favor of low wage jobs. As always, in elections, as the saying goes "it's the economy stupid!" In two years when the Republicans remind everyone how utterly ineffective they are the balance will swing back to the Democrats. It's the Political Pendulum of Futility.
Verno wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 12:41:
Or because America has a highly polarized political system where you might not agree with either party but you don't have a lot of other options. People vote with issues and sometimes the issues swing republican.
Prez wrote on Feb 12, 2015, 13:00:
I would say that this last Republican landslide was not a function of people thinking that Republicans suddenly have an answer but a general disgust with the Democrats' inability to do anything about stagnant wages and the loss of higher wage jobs in favor of low wage jobs. As always, in elections, as the saying goes "it's the economy stupid!" In two years when the Republicans remind everyone how utterly ineffective they are the balance will swing back to the Democrats. It's the Political Pendulum of Futility.