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.

Ignorance is bliss. Don't you want bliss ? However, stupidity hurts. You just need to find the sweet spot

I'm not at all like him but I get his point. 8 years of Obama wasn't as good as 4 years of Trump but I can't say that my quality of life changed significantly the last four years. You could argue it was better for the future of my grandkids but someone will come along and take backward steps. And I guess your friend is better than someone you know would vote against you. But that doesn't mean you can't be friends and care about each other.

Your friend is a Fucking idiot and I admire their level to ignorance. That truly is bliss....seriously, that’s not a jab. I envy those who have managed to truly stay apolitical.

quote:

they are all the same

There's some truth to that. There was very little difference between Daddy Bush and Clinton, Sonny Bush and Gore, McCain and Obama, Romney and Obama. They were much more alike than different. In each case, and many more before that, we voted for the former because they were the lesser of the evils. Put South Park style, it was like a giant douche vs. a turd sandwich. Donald Trump is the first in many years who has been truly different.

They are all the same. I keep reminding people that Trump is not the GOP. The GOP are still a bunch of Democrat lite, spineless wishy washy idiots, half of which are never Trumpers who are just as happy he lost as the left is.

He won because we were tired of both sides. He lost because the right and the left had to get rid of him. He upset the status quo and had to be stopped. That's why you haven't seen many GOP dbags support him now

Ask him if he went to rent a car, would he want to test drive one of the 539 white Civic sedans, or the red Hellcat?

Yup. One of my sisters fits in to this. The few friends I have are political citizens, some on the left unfortunately.

Me, political, since I could speak, perhaps even crawl.

My 10th grade English class, everyone has to write a term paper, was on the first 2 years of the Carter debacle. Was to be neutral, but.... Today I'd be expelled or at least suspended.

Got an A on it, even with my misspellings - being an ESL, while at least being consistent in my misspellings, earned me a little slack.

Being politically / current events informed is a duty of each citizen. Knowing more about the Kardashians than current events should be automatically disqualification from voting and procreating.

There are "political people"
who have all kinds of opinions that love to expound endlessly ,
in person , on the phone and on the internet,
But will never do anything but yak, Yammer and proclaim.

Then

There are the political people who actually get of their asses and produce results for their political cause through time , effort, sacrifice and diligence.

I think the ratio is in the neighborhood of 91 yakkers to 1 political doer.

I.m.o. ,calling yourself "political" because you tell everyone your opinions about people and their opinions is tantamount to calling one's self a designer because you can dress yourself.

The term "All hat and no cattle"
Comes to mind.

quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
He won because we were tired of both sides. He lost because the right and the left had to get rid of him. He upset the status quo and had to be stopped. That's why you haven't seen many GOP dbags support him now

How did you come to this conclusion, "He lost"?

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I think the ratio is in the neighborhood of 91 yakkers to 1 political doer..

Your opinion must be based on some data?

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.

It's not the same. Perhaps the change is gradual and the impact on his (voting eligible) life is not significant for HIS context. But there are macro trends that he may care about for his descendants.

If he's not materially affected and doesn't care about what happens to descendants, if any, then fine. But it's stupid to say it's all the same because it's not. There are trends, no matter how material they may be to him.

Do politics really impact his daily life? He wakes up, goes to work, comes homes, goes to bed on repeat. His taxes move a little bit not enough to hurt or provide a windfall. His job is his job. His local government keeps the streets paved and the water running and the garbage picked up. If violent crime doesn’t land on his head what’s there for him to really care about. Yeah, maybe it’s death by a thousand cuts but he’s the frog in the pot that’s slowing coming to boil. By the time he notices it’s too hot he’s already cooked. A lot people are apathetic because the red meat issues that tend to get some people riled up are things they don’t prioritize.

quote:

Your opinion must be based on some data?

Based on what I see on the tv and on the internet.

Imagine the ramifications,

If all those protesters,
all the talking head "experts" and all the arm chair "politically oriented" people
spent 12 hours per week going to an organized , productive work place that actually aided the political cause of their choice.

Instead of just typing or protesting about what they want to happen.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
There are "political people"
who have all kinds of opinions that love to expound endlessly ,
in person , on the phone and on the internet,
But will never do anything but yak, Yammer and proclaim.

Then

There are the political people who actually get of their asses and produce results for their political cause through time , effort, sacrifice and diligence.

I think the ratio is in the neighborhood of 91 yakkers to 1 political doer.

I.m.o. ,calling yourself "political" because you tell everyone your opinions about people and their opinions is tantamount to calling one's self a designer because you can dress yourself.

The term "All hat and no cattle"
Comes to mind.

Clear and insightful post, bendable (are you really bendable?). I consider myself "political" and I support favored candidates with small donations and my sacred vote. BUT! a liberal ex-friend showed all of us up by writing 200 personal get-out-to-vote letters. She passes the bendable test with flying colors.

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?

I would rather someone like that than someone that votes based on feelings instead of facts.

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.

The important part is to retain the freedom of making you're own decisions good or bad.

quote:

Do politics really impact his daily life? He wakes up, goes to work, comes homes, goes to bed on repeat. His taxes move a little bit not enough to hurt or provide a windfall. His job is his job.

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.

The important part is to retain the freedom of making you're own decisions good or bad.

A lot of people are apolitical. That's OK, in the abstract, and in the individual case.
The problem is that these decisions really do affect everyone, although you may not notice any change in your daily life for decades to come. Good decisions take time to implement. Poor decisions too have a corrosive effect but over time. A healthy Republic requires an informed and active citizenry.

Americans gathered on the steps of Independence Hall to await the news of the government our founders had crafted. They asked Benjamin Franklin, ‘What do we have, a republic or a monarchy?’ Franklin replied, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ Our responsibility is to keep it.”

Well, Mr. Franklin, we've had a good run. The first 200 years were really good, in fact. Thank you for that. But I'm not sure we're up to the task of keeping it anymore.