quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
I have said before and I firmly believe this. I have never blamed a President or given a President credit for what my lot in life may be at any given time. Everything I have experienced in my life good or bad can be directly traced to my own decision making.

I follow politics closer than most people I know. I make the occasional campaign contribution to candidates I believe in. But i agree totally with this sentiment. Whether I wake up happy or sad, whether I have a good day or bad, and whether I have a successful life or not depends on me, not on any politician. But I am also aware that what politicians do matters. A politician, particularly on the federal level, might be able to help my personal life a little based upon tax policy, law enforcement priorities etc. And I care about national defense. But a politician can sure screw up my personal life a lot by ruining the economy, allowing millions of illegals to come in and drive down wages for my grandson and others entering the workforce who are not college graduates. They can pass mandatory gun buy back laws. I guess what I am saying is that policians actually have more power to screw things up for individual Americans than they do to help individual Americans.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
She might be one to have a discussion with,
Does she have the blanket approach ?where " all things liberal "
have to be correct ,for everyone ?all the time?

Or does she have a particular cause or two that she Rally's for?

She drank the Kool-Aid long ago in Oakland, CA. She's really nice if she stays off politics.

What's even more disenfranchising than the obvious voter fraud for me is how can we count on anything being true anymore?

To make informed decisions one has to first be properly informed. We now essentially live in the matrix where anything can be made to seem real. Second guessing to come to any conclusion is just pissing in the wind, probably always has been and now it's gale force.

What chance do we have?

I voted, and I'll do it again unless some other hideously shitty thing goes down and I just give up, but I do wonder what any of it is really good for anymore.

This from another thread a couple weeks ago.

I just ghosted an old friend and I don't have an excess of friends to ghost.

I've worked on him for four years, not heavy but I know I made some good points along the way. I worked harder the last few months. The best he could do was be a dismissive smart ass, the last time was it. I told him he doesn't have to respect my politics but I won't let him disrespect what is important to me. I'm heartbroken.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Imo, the spineless RINOs and the Dems are all the same. Then BHO took it up a notch, fundamentally transforming America. One only has to look at Obamacare to know what tyranny is. One only has to look at the Trump presidency to know what liberty/freedom is. If you said you personal life has not been affected in any ways from Obama to Trump, then you are a fucking idiot. And, on the local level, try to live in Portland or Seattle, then go live in Sioux Falls or OK City, and come back and tell me with a straight face your life wasn't affected differently in those locations, then I'll call you a liar.

FYI I am NOT a fucking idiot and resent you implying that I am. My quality of life has not changed. I am just doing ok, probably not as well as many members here but better than some. But I live in the same house. Drive the same type vehicle, just a few years newer. And have put some more money in the bank. But from rise and shine until bedtime life is pretty much the same the last 12 years.

fatalism is for the mentally lazy.

Politics hasn’t hurt him enough yet.......but it will.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
If you said you personal life has not been affected in any ways from Obama to Trump...

I stand by what I said. You might not be a fucking idiot, but you simply bury your head in the sand in denial. I challenge anyone here who say they were not affected by Obamacare in some ways. And you can't tell me that, with America energy independence under Trump, you've been paying more for gas than you did under the Obama years. And, I have a little more money in the bank with each paycheck, thanks to the Trump tax cut.

Not hard to imagine someone like "the Dude" just blissed out and not engaging in politics- let the adults decide what goes on, I'll just play. Not recommended but surely a relaxing and child-like (if myopic) worldview.

To me, what is more incomprehensible than myopia is the continuing large discrepancy between the number of registered voters and the number of votes cast.

To be paying attention enough to bother to register successfully, but then not do it? In the age of early-voting, absentee balloting, etc? Of course there are going to be emergencies, travel, etc. but when we celebrate 66% turnouts there's 1/3 of the registered voters AWOL.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Not hard to imagine someone like "the Dude" just blissed out and not engaging in politics- let the adults decide what goes on, I'll just play. Not recommended but surely a relaxing and child-like (if myopic) worldview.

To me, what is more incomprehensible than myopia is the continuing large discrepancy between the number of registered voters and the number of votes cast.

To be paying attention enough to bother to register successfully, but then not do it? In the age of early-voting, absentee balloting, etc? Of course there are going to be emergencies, travel, etc. but when we celebrate 66% turnouts there's 1/3 of the registered voters AWOL.

I dunno about other states, but in Kommiefornia, the process of getting a driver’s license pretty much pushes you into registering to vote. I’ve got to imagine that there are folks who go through the steps on the DMV computer because they want or need that license and aren’t smart enough to figure how to opt out of registering. Once done, they have the license, and probably never think about being registered again. The lowest common denominator is probably a whole lot lower than most of us can imagine...

Age and experience in life affects your political view depth.
I know when I was young I didn't think a lot about it.
The polarizing times have make it harder not to take a side today.
For me it started with Clinton in office and from there it only got more intense.
Now seeing how fantastic we were doing with Trump only intensifies it more with the potential we may be regressing soon.
Yeah it's hard to be apolitical today but understandable it may be on the back burner when you are younger.
IMO

Politics is the religion of the left.

I have a neighbor, the nicest guy, who moved from liberal Tucson. He owns his own business and deals with partners in Asia. He says he's an Independent/conservative. Great so am I. He recently purchased his first firearm and went through the one week training at Gunsite. Great he got excellent training. I don't think he's given that much thought to taking a life so he keeps his new pistol locked up, (probably) unloaded, and in a safe.

He says he doesn't watch any main stream media anymore, which is good. He says he watched OAN and NEWSMAX, but found both to be to much "conspiracy" theory. He says he didn't vote for President Trump because he doesn't like the President's personality. He didn't seem to care for all the accomplishments of the past four years. In our recent discussion he seemed to be unaware of obiden's corruption, but apparently supports him for POTUS.

I walked away shaking my head. We probably won't have anymore political discussions, it hurts my head. Baby steps.

Sometimes people just dont want to talk about a hot button topic. Especially when they have a different view. When someone doesnt engage and gives very blanket responses thats my clue to change subjects. I would not think too much into it. You haven't spoke to this person in a decade. Im sure there is a different topic to discuss.

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
Sometimes people just dont want to talk about a hot button topic. Especially when they have a different view. When someone doesnt engage and gives very blanket responses thats my clue to change subjects. I would not think too much into it. You haven't spoke to this person in a decade. Im sure there is a different topic to discuss.

It seems different than that. I'm very informed politically and follow what's going on like many here, but in every day life I avoid getting into political discussions with most people. What the OP is describing though is someone who deliberately removes himself from anything to do with politics so that he is completely and purposefully ignorant of what's going on in the country politically. In that respects, he reminds of Cypher from The Matrix.

Considering how uninformed he is then I'm glad he doesn't vote. I wish other uninformed idiots would follow suit.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
I'll admit, I don't get it.

This week, I have been emailing back and forth a little with an old friend from years ago, haven't been in contact with each other in over 10 years. He has always been non committal as far as politics, while I have been a political junkie since late high school. But when I broached the subject of the election, he stated that he was not interested in who won, didn't care, they are all the same, political changes have NEVER interfered with his personal life no matter who has been President. Didn't care about election fraud, whether it happened or not, he literally shrugs it away. He says he just "rolls with the punches", whether it is taxes, government restrictions, riots, foreign military action, etc. He literally does not care.

As far as I know, he likely still doesn't vote, he never has in the past. He is a little younger than me, his wife has an adult child from a previous marriage. I can't say we're great friends anymore, too much has gone by in the years.

To me, it is puzzling to live like this, for me, it is a head-shaker. I mean, is ignorance truly bliss when it comes to politics? Or is he being a fool to be out of touch with what is happening around him, around the country he lives in?

Do you guys know people like this?

I repeat, I don't get it at all, I truly don't. I think it is strange in these times to not give a shit when it comes to how politics effects the country.

I have a few thoughts here;
1. ignorance is bliss
2. your friend isn't wrong, a lot of the times the noises I see between various people left or right is a lot like the between match interviews on WWE. At the end of the day there isn't a left or a right there is the ruling class and elites who buy their influence and everyone else.
3. enjoy what clicks

Recently my wife and I had to go to a funeral about two hours from our home. Two of her friends wanted to come with which was great. One was very politically aware, new the issues, was on the correct side of things etc. The other one was quiet during our conversation and finally said she doesn't follow politics, and her husband said it doesn't make much difference who is in office. I couldn't believe it! Not just the ignorance of politics but deferring to her husband! This is a person with a four year degree!

Worse than this is her husband had been a builder( now he is a building inspector). Their lives were influenced more by the federal government than most folks. Interest rate changes regulations etc. These are great people and I consider them friends but I couldn't believe they could be so unaware. Hopefully people like this don't vote. These are the ones that are swayed by ads instead of truly knowing the issues.


Jim

Just because you're massively political doesn't mean other people have to be.

I have a rule that I follow, and always have. If you don't vote (I have a close friend who does not) I don't want to hear you spout anything political at all. I also don't care what part of the political spectrum you are in favor of or oppose. No vote, then I don't want to hear it from you, period. Tell that shit to someone else.

If you do vote, great, that's what I do and recommend. We can discuss it as long as it's sane and does not get out of hand. I vote in all local, state, and federal elections.

My personal life does not revolve around politics. I'm not a political junkie. I vote, and leave it there. I'm tired of the politicization of everything. It used to not be like this. Many people let politics raise their blood pressure, or affect their health. If who I vote for loses, I'm not going cry about it. I see this often, sore losers. I'm not going to do that. Life goes on. And I see far too much of people attacking their own. I have friends right now just pissed and in a bad mood 24/7. They have turned this anger upon me, wishing me to be as upset as them, and I ask why? What good is that going to do for me, my health, and my life? I voted. Take your anger out on someone else. Mostly what I see is what bendable mentioned. People who just want to scream politics to friends, family, colleagues, on the internet, etc. They claim screaming about the shit is akin to being a patriot. Umm, okay.

You can ignore almost anything till it kicks your ass and messes with those you love, then shit gets real and you realize you should have picked a team a long time ago... My guess is we are approaching the time to push the reset button.