No More Politics For Me

[G-Man]

Only 32% of the registered voters in New York State voted in this last election.  Even though the offices of Governor, both Senate seats, Congressional seats, state comptroller, etc, were on the ballot, New York ranked DEAD LAST on the list.

We get/have the government we deserve.   

[alph]

i agree with you.  we do get what we deserve.  but, if you become part of the 68% that didn't vote, then you can only blame yourself.  i had to drag my wife to the polls, before we got married she NEVER voted in her life.  i believe too many people have given up, i also believe that once they are aware of the INSANE debt we have, many quite trying to fight for what little rights they have left.  maybe that's what our government wants?  maybe they want 100% not voting?  if i remember right, didn't saddam husain will his presidential election with a 100% approval rating in iraq?

[R J]

Ya ever heard of an absentee ballot?

That's what I and the better 1/2 used.

Our county where we vote, mailed us a request for one.

[G-Man]

i agree with you.  we do get what we deserve.  but, if you become part of the 68% that didn't vote, then you can only blame yourself.  i had to drag my wife to the polls, before we got married she NEVER voted in her life.  i believe too many people have given up, i also believe that once they are aware of the INSANE debt we have, many quite trying to fight for what little rights they have left.  maybe that's what our government wants?  maybe they want 100% not voting?  if i remember right, didn't saddam husain will his presidential election with a 100% approval rating in iraq?

I didn't say I wasn't voting any longer.  THAT would never happen.  Just not getting involved in political posts and threads.  These latest figures have really upset me, and it shouldn't....or I shouldn't let it.  I'll listen and watch the news, make my own assessments, and cast my ballots, but I can't do the back and forth when so few even turn out to vote.  I'm not changing anyones opinions and the name calling just adds to the crappola.

What sucks even worse,....now that I'm anti-political posts, the admins took away the Boobie thread   

[Garfield]

[/quote]


Now those are hot biker chicks 

[Psycho]

Only 32% of the registered voters in New York State voted in this last election.  Even though the offices of Governor, both Senate seats, Congressional seats, state comptroller, etc, were on the ballot, New York ranked DEAD LAST on the list.

We get/have the government we deserve.   

I have a different take on that.  The less people that vote, the more my vote counts.  I would rather have a handful of INFORMED voters than droves of the politically naive.  The 2008 election results are a perfect example of what happens when the uninformed find their way to the polls.  I stood in line for almost 3 hours to vote in 2008... I spoke to quite a few people in that 3 hours; the number of people that didn't have a clue was astounding.  Most didn't even know who the VP candidates were, let alone the senate and congressional candidates.  A few didn't even know who the "other" presidential candidate was... a senator from their own state.

[FLAVALK]

Ya ever heard of an absentee ballot?

That's what I and the better 1/2 used.

Our county where we vote, mailed us a request for one.

I have. A guy here is central Florida requested 900 of them. That's Nine zero zero. When they busted him, he said he was only getting them for people who didn't know how to get one themselves. Sounds reasonable to me.... I don't trust absentee ballots for several reasons 

[FLAVALK]

Only 32% of the registered voters in New York State voted in this last election.  Even though the offices of Governor, both Senate seats, Congressional seats, state comptroller, etc, were on the ballot, New York ranked DEAD LAST on the list.

We get/have the government we deserve.   

I have a different take on that.  The less people that vote, the more my vote counts.  I would rather have a handful of INFORMED voters than droves of the politically naive.  The 2008 election results are a perfect example of what happens when the uninformed find their way to the polls.  I stood in line for almost 3 hours to vote in 2008... I spoke to quite a few people in that 3 hours; the number of people that didn't have a clue was astounding.  Most didn't even know who the VP candidates were, let alone the senate and congressional candidates.  A few didn't even know who the "other" presidential candidate was... a senator from their own state.

They walk amoung us.........and their vote counts just as much as yours

[Bama Red]

And, they're allowed to breed.....

[alph]

Ya ever heard of an absentee ballot?

That's what I and the better 1/2 used.

Our county where we vote, mailed us a request for one.

I have. A guy here is central Florida requested 900 of them. That's Nine zero zero. When they busted him, he said he was only getting them for people who didn't know how to get one themselves. Sounds reasonable to me.... I don't trust absentee ballots for several reasons  

i'll start voting absentee when i'm dead.  and i'm sure my party choice will be different then when i was alive.

[SANDMAN5]

I stopped a guy at work from complaining about Uncle Hussein. Even tho I
agreed with him, I knew he didn't vote. If you don't vote you're not allowed
to complain about elected officials, IMHO.

[czuch]

I vote every time. Not along party lines but what I think will affect 10 years down the line.
A nonvote is a vote for slavery.
They'll do it to you.
If you vote, at least while youre in the line to the gulag you can complain.

[G-Man]

Nobody said anything about NOT Voting.  Just disillusioned when only 32% vote in such an important election.

[Oss]

cant cancel the wife's vote unless I vote

Seriously I dont tell her how I vote and vise versa  makes for more domestic harmony

Riding Saturday Gman? or how about coming up and helping me rip apart the beemer.

[RedValk]

Only 32% of the registered voters in New York State voted in this last election.  Even though the offices of Governor, both Senate seats, Congressional seats, state comptroller, etc, were on the ballot, New York ranked DEAD LAST on the list.

We get/have the government we deserve.  

I have a different take on that.  The less people that vote, the more my vote counts.  I would rather have a handful of INFORMED voters than droves of the politically naive.  The 2008 election results are a perfect example of what happens when the uninformed find their way to the polls.  I stood in line for almost 3 hours to vote in 2008... I spoke to quite a few people in that 3 hours; the number of people that didn't have a clue was astounding.  Most didn't even know who the VP candidates were, let alone the senate and congressional candidates.  A few didn't even know who the "other" presidential candidate was... a senator from their own state.

that's a huge part of the problem in this country............folks either not voting....or like Michael said...PERHAPS WORSE....voting uninformed (all my friends say i need to vote for xxxx....he/she is going to change everything for the better....so....like a good sheep, that's who i'll go and vote for). How sad is that....that so many decisions and policy ULTIMATELY may come down to people put in office who were chosen by....folks without a clue.................

IF ONLY THEY KNEW........

If you don't vote you're not allowed
to complain about elected officials, IMHO.

Amen.............I'll even let the clueless ones who vote (though they may be full of it?)...complain some....IF THEY VOTED........

Been a LONG time since i posted on  a political post. I'VE BEEN REAL CAREFUL HOW I WORDED EVERYTHING...trying not to offend any over sensitive folks      Hope i don't regret posting later....

[RedValk]

cant cancel the wife's vote unless I vote

Seriously I dont tell her how I vote and vise versa  makes for more domestic harmony

Riding Saturday Gman? or how about coming up and helping me rip apart the beemer.

that's ANOTHER interesting thing the guys in my office and i talk about. just about everyone in this military office votes the same way ( I won't say which way...though some probably know). we're all pretty die hard believers in one party. We all pretty much can't live with the policies of the other party. and when we go to lunch, we often talk about the "how does your wife vote/could you live with it if she voted for the other party". MOST of us, feel too strongly about our beliefs and that the other party doesn't represent our beliefs. MOST of us, felt if our wives voted for the other party, we'd have to kick her out of the house! I'm just telling you the truth. We just feel that strongly about SOME of the policies and platform.........  And yes, ALL of our wives....vote the same we do. again, you'd have to sit in this office (a bunch of Engineers working for uncle Sam....all of our viewpoints are EXTREMELY similar....our beliefs and concerns extremely similar...because we're all from the same walk of life for the most part...college education, ex-military, pro gun, etc.).

We talked one day at lunch about a guy we knew who voted (and strongly believed in) one party...and who's wife voted (and felt just as strongly) for the opposite party. we related a story where he put "vote for this guy" signs in his front yard...and she came home...saw em'....and pulled them down and burned em' and said "don't you ever put that crap in my front yard again!". Too funny...........to us anyway....but probalby kind of not so funny to him?  

anyway, interesting topic...."i vote this party/my wife votes that party". I kind of put it in the same areas as "i smoke and love smoking/my spouse doesn't smoke and hates smoke"......ditto drinking....ditto owning guns vs. not ....etc. Makes for some interesting conversations....and situations no doubt!  


Ok, TWO political posts in ONE YEAR?!?!?!?!  i've far exceeded my quota for ONE YEAR! i've got to stop...i'm now living on a dangerous slippery slope on the board  

[3fan4life]

Ok, TWO political posts in ONE YEAR?!?!?!?!  i've far exceeded my quota for ONE YEAR! i've got to stop...i'm now living on a dangerous slippery slope on the board  

 That's OK, EVERYONE knows that you're "HERE for THE PARTY"  

[fstsix]

Please G-Man...It is much worse in Rhode Island..We just got a new Liberal Governor with 36% of the State voting pool...64% DID NOT WANT THIS POS,,, Instant raise in Sales Tax on the way,,11 Restaurants just pulled out of this State this week,,Bugaboo creek just announced today they are also leaving....When the State is The Largest employer in the State....well they could care less about the Private sector,,should be Insolvent real soon. http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/politics/local_politics/ri-gov-elect-lincoln-chafee-focuses-on-power-transition 

[SANDMAN5]

Ok, TWO political posts in ONE YEAR?!?!?!?!  i've far exceeded my quota for ONE YEAR! i've got to stop...i'm now living on a dangerous slippery slope on the board   

Don't worry!! It's almost January and you can start all over1

[JimL]

Gary, I will follow up here from our Facebook discussion.  I can certainly understand your disgust with the apathy in NY politics, however this may be a good thing when it comes to NY.  NY is the melting pot of the world, and up until recently the EU and a great many other countries have taken irresponsible positions in fiscal matters.  With the obvious problems in Greece, Ireland and others that haven't yet reached critical mass....EU leaders such as Merkel, Sarkozy, Cameron, et.al. have finally been forced to take a postion that governments can't be a "nanny state" and still remain solvent. The US always seems to follow Britans lead, and we just saw this earlier this month.  Hopefully the trend will continue in 2012.   Many of the voters in NY came from the "nanny state" mentality that flourished during the EU's old regime....and it is the result of this mentality that the current EU leaders are having to clean up.  Be thankful that more NY voters did not turn out. 

Things will not get better in NY, NJ, California and other "nanny states" until enough voters leave those states in protest overs the ridiculous tax burden; and the an administration at the federal level forces them to be responsbile by refusing to bail them out with our federal tax dollars.

As far as many voters not being informed, this is no doubt the case; however I don't think their ignorace on the minute details would influence their decision.  They many not understand how the electoral college works, the protocol of moving a bill through the House and Senate, how a filibuster works and the other myriad of details of how our government works; but most voters do understand the 1 or 2 key issues which ultimately sway their vote:

(1) What is the candidates policy on taxes?
(2) What is the candidates policy on entitlements?
(3) What is the candidates policy toward illegal aliens?
(4) What is the candidates policy toward labor unions?
(5) Abortion?
(6) Gay rights?
(7) Affirmative action?

Be assured, every voter that casts a vote has an interest in a least 1 of the above issues...and 1 or possibly 2 of these issues will be the SOLE BASIS for determining their vote.

I certainly can't argue with your decision to avoid discussing these issues on this forum.  The truth of the matter is that we are an older demographic, we have all been around the block a couple of times and fully understand...and are comfortable with where we stand on the issues.  You are correct, there will be no changing of opinions on this forum.  However, it is important that you remain vocal in expressing your opinions in other forums.  We are in the midst of an ideological war, and it is important that both sides of the discussion get heard.  You are an intelligent man and your opinion does make a difference, especially on the young.  Case in point.....I remember reading Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto as a youngster and was quite impressed with it, my ideological conclusions were not contradicted by the extreme liberal environment in which I grew up as a youngster.  Fortunately, after I left the influence of my family and talked to other well educated people I was able to form my own conclusions.....which did not coincide with Karl Marx.

Winston Churchill understood this dilemma as well as anyone, "Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains". 

It is important, as frustrating as it might be, that intelligent people such as yourself discuss these issues with as many young people as possible.  They will be the ones running this country in 30 years.

[Charlie]

Please G-Man...It is much worse in Rhode Island..We just got a new Liberal Governor with 36% of the State voting pool...64% DID NOT WANT THIS POS,,, Instant raise in Sales Tax on the way,,11 Restaurants just pulled out of this State this week,,Bugaboo creek just announced today they are also leaving....When the State is The Largest employer in the State....well they could care less about the Private sector,,should be Insolvent real soon. http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/politics/local_politics/ri-gov-elect-lincoln-chafee-focuses-on-power-transition  

64% DID NOT WANT THIS POS  Factually, my take on this statistic isn't the didn't want the (as you call him POS), but that they could care less one way or the other.