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geo 
Experienced
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Location: Asheville, NC
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 Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:48 am Post subject:
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I don't believe the US electorate is idiotic. They are just people who don't have the time or inclination to study politics too deeply. They want simple answers to complex questions, which is why ridiculous ideas like "pull all of our troops out of Iraq right now" or "force American companies to stop shipping jobs overseas" actually find traction. Your average Jane or Joe doesn't understand the long term value of nation-building or the historical failures of protectionism; they just want soldiers to stop dying and their neighbors to stop losing jobs. Convincing people that the long, painful, expensive, and complex solution is the right one can be exceedingly difficult.
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"Collective idiocy" does sound awfully harsh, doesn't it? I wish I hadn't said it like that. And yet it's probably true that politics must be dumbed down for the masses. Individuals are not idiots, but collectively they are a lumbering beast with a low IQ. Even so, this lumbering beast can determine that it doesn't much like the war, doesn't much like the current president (approval rating) and knows the economy isn't doing so well. "Republican bad, Democrat good" indeed!
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<snip> This is a democracy, and in a democracy your guy doesn't always win. When you disagree with our leaders, you dissent when you feel you must. The rest of the time you support our country and try to be an intelligent, productive, and responsible citizen. I don't want Senator Obama to win the election, but if he does he'll have my loyalty even if he doesn't always have my agreement. |
Very well stated. I like your attitude. |
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Dissident Heart
Wisdom Personified
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject:
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McCain will be consistent with most, if not all, Presidents: serve the wealthiest (and tiniest) constituencies while bamboozling the majority through fantasies of military might and fears of homeland insecurities.
He will enable our worst delusions of national identities, playing a worn out tune of American exceptionalism at the expense of any rational, intelligent, or moral allegiences we will require to actually survive.
He will encourage our basest appetites by continuing the ignorance that consumption equals democracy: that the more stuff you have the freer you are...a growing economy equals a healthier planet kind of bullshit...the mantra of more is better with a slight maverick tinge.
He will bolster the lie that wealthy, white, militarist males are our only real suitable leaders...thereby making a farce of any pretentions to democracy we express or wage war to defend.
He may very well be the swan-song of the American Empire: the last hurrah and final belch. |
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Greg Neuman
I can enter The Chamber
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:03 pm Post subject:
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| Dissident Heart wrote: |
McCain will be consistent with most, if not all, Presidents: serve the wealthiest (and tiniest) constituencies while bamboozling the majority through fantasies of military might and fears of homeland insecurities.
He will enable our worst delusions of national identities, playing a worn out tune of American exceptionalism at the expense of any rational, intelligent, or moral allegiences we will require to actually survive.
He will encourage our basest appetites by continuing the ignorance that consumption equals democracy: that the more stuff you have the freer you are...a growing economy equals a healthier planet kind of bullshit...the mantra of more is better with a slight maverick tinge.
He will bolster the lie that wealthy, white, militarist males are our only real suitable leaders...thereby making a farce of any pretentions to democracy we express or wage war to defend.
He may very well be the swan-song of the American Empire: the last hurrah and final belch. |
And he'll get his ring back, destroy Gondor, and cover Middle Earth in a second darkess. Don't forget those. |
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Mr. Pessimistic
Professor
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject:
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| Greg Neuman wrote: |
And he'll get his ring back, destroy Gondor, and cover Middle Earth in a second darkess. Don't forget those. |
I think you are confusing McCain with Karl Rove.... |
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Greg Neuman
I can enter The Chamber
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Location: Tampa, FL USA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject:
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| Mr. Pessimistic wrote: |
| I think you are confusing McCain with Karl Rove.... |
No, Rove wants to disband the Galactic Senate, have his revenge against the Jedi, and rule the galaxy from an armored space station. Easy mistake to make though; lots of people get those confused. |
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Frank 013
Embodiment of Reason
BookTalk.org Moderator
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:25 am Post subject:
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Greg
And he'll get his ring back, destroy Gondor, and cover Middle Earth in a second darkess. Don't forget those. |
Dude that is pure comedy!!!! 
I'm giving you some Karma!
Later |
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