What do you base your political decisions on?

[Giselle]

I'm a little discouraged. Every day, I hear of folks who keep switching who they plan to vote for or decide to abstain from voting altogether ---- all based on info interpreted by the media.


And, honestly, I find this incredibly upsetting. The media rarely presents the full story. They often take the most trivial details and sensationalize it to the point of an exaggerated rumor. I know the media is having a field day with McCain's recent admission that he doesn't know how many houses he has. Umm...who actually listened to the rest of the sentence? Who actually paid attention to the context of the question and the answer? And who immediately disliked McCain due to this small trivial detail?

Sometimes, I wonder: Exactly WHAT do people base their political decisions on? Are they ever rational?

(I'm almost afraid to ask... Has anybody ever even read Obama's and McCain's books?)

[IRescue452]

This election is age and how much of a religious nutcase you are.

Age because I'm so sick of hearing solutions for FAMILIES that are struggling, and old people. What about the young adults who don't have a family yet? Lately, with all the economic solutions they've been trying, I feel that the welfare myth is true. The myth being that if you have a dozen kids and drop out of high school and don't even try to get a job, you'll get a free ride. People like me who did not marry and have kids at age 16, instead tried going to college and find they still can't get a good job, we're screwed. There is not a program in the world to help us. And its not just me whining about me, there are thousands like me. I worked this summer with several college graduates who can't yet find a career. I figure the younger candidate is closer to the age of todays young adults who are struggling, and maybe more likely to help better.

Religious nutcase speaks for itself. I could see one of the candidates (guess which one) in a KKK uniform chanting "Christians and Whites! Christians and Whites!". He scares me. He's like the jesus camp people.

Honestly, I don't like any of them. I think we need a whole new set to choose from.

[Pam]

This election is age and how much of a religious nutcase you are.

Age because I'm so sick of hearing solutions for FAMILIES that are struggling, and old people. What about the young adults who don't have a family yet? Lately, with all the economic solutions they've been trying, I feel that the welfare myth is true. The myth being that if you have a dozen kids and drop out of high school and don't even try to get a job, you'll get a free ride. People like me who did not marry and have kids at age 16, instead tried going to college and find they still can't get a good job, we're screwed. There is not a program in the world to help us. And its not just me whining about me, there are thousands like me. I worked this summer with several college graduates who can't yet find a career. I figure the younger candidate is closer to the age of todays young adults who are struggling, and maybe more likely to help better.

Religious nutcase speaks for itself. I could see one of the candidates (guess which one) in a KKK uniform chanting "Christians and Whites! Christians and Whites!". He scares me. He's like the jesus camp people.

WOW! There's a lot of venom in your post, not to mention the face that it is totally offensive to those of us who are Christians.

[IRescue452]

This shouldn't offend normal Christians, it should only offend those people who believe in killing in the name of their religion and oppression in the name of their religion. If you are one of those people I'm sorry you have to be, but if you are a Christian who is not like that, than you've got nothing to be offended by. As I said, he makes me think of the crazy nutcase Christians that don't believe I have a right to live.

[Pam]

This shouldn't offend normal Christians, it should only offend those people who believe in killing in the name of their religion and oppression in the name of their religion. If you are one of those people I'm sorry you have to be, but if you are a Christian who is not like that, than you've got nothing to be offended by. As I said, he makes me think of the crazy nutcase Christians that don't believe I have a right to live.

You'd better do a little more research on Christianity. I have no idea what you are talking about. I am sorry but you are really "out there!"

[pomtzu]

This election is age and how much of a religious nutcase you are.

Age because I'm so sick of hearing solutions for FAMILIES that are struggling, and old people.

You need to wake up and smell the coffee!!! Someday you just might have a family, and you definitely will get old!!!
You need to try living on Social Security for a while. Believe me - it's not easy street. I had to retire on disability at 62 and could not get Medicare for 2 years after that. And out of my big (ha-ha) Social Security check I had to pay my own medical insurance for those 2 years to the tune of almost $500 per month - not to mention the car payment, insurance, mortgage, utilities - and oh yes - food - and any other expenses that might crop up. The expenses far outweighed the income and fortunately I had a small nestegg (very small) to draw from. Some seniors don't even have that!!! I should have been an illegal alien in this country since they fare far much better. Be thankful for what you have and pray that when you have a family and when you are old, things will be rosy for you!

[rosethecopycat]

Ahh, back to the question.

Q: What do you base your political decisions on?

A: The candidate that best represents the tenets of the Constitution.
A candidate the supports: freedom, liberty and security.

A: A candidate the supports the Free Market economy, and does not support Socialist causes.

A: A candidate that supports Free Enterprise, and does not condone Nationalization

I listen to what comes out of candidates own mouths- Note to candidate Obama: a windfall profit tax (on oil) IS a seizure.
What right does government have to seize funds from private companies? Even it is "Big Oil" (computer companies realize higher profit rates, why not them too) Jimmy Carter did this, and what good became of it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windfall_profits_tax


Note Maxine Waters (D-CA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUaY3LhJ-IQ

A: I base my political decisions on the belief that I will oppose that which is furthest from my viewpoint. Liberalism is closer to Socialism, Communism and Marxism than Conservatism or Libertarianism is. My viewpoint is Libertarian.

A: I do not base my political decisions on social issues such as:
abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, global warming, death penalty, or how many houses a candidate owns, etc.

A: I base my political decisions on who will best stand for a small national government, that will get out of the way and let the people thrive.

[caseysmom]

Okay sorry to go off track again but IRRESCUE I am a democrat but I find some of your statements pretty offensive, you are implying you could picture McCain in a KKK robe???? What is that based on?

I actually think McCain is a decent human being, he adopted an orphan from bangladesh and he has a ton of pets he can't be all bad, was that just because he is white or what?

What I base my vote on, well yes I did read Obama's book, to be honest I didn't know McCain had a book, I think its time for a change basically and I am against the war and hope a democrat will be also.

[Grace]

My decisions this time around will be based on, and not necessarily in this specific order -

1. the disaster in Iraq
2. the economy
3. the Supreme Court
4. The Constitution of the United States

[IRescue452]

Yes, I'll get old one day. I'm not saying old people and families don't need help. I know they do. But so do other categories of people. There are plenty more categories out there that get nothing.

And I think you are the one who needs to research things like Jesus camp, Pam. If you don't know what I'm talking about. I know plenty about Christianity. I went to a Christian college and I've been ordained. If you could step into the shoes of a person who is a member of several minority groups, you'd be scared all the time too. Its especially the religious nuts who drive hate crimes, and McCain just reminds me of one of them. So he adopted a trophy orphan from Bangladesh. Do you think he'd have done that if he were a regular Joe Schmo not in the limelight?

Obama's no great guy either. He doesn't believe in equality, he believe's in seperate but [un]equal for some groups. Hello modern black Jim Crow.

[RockyRoad]

(I'm almost afraid to ask... Has anybody ever even read Obama's and McCain's books?)

I have read two of John McCain`s books, which were both quite excellent. He is a stand up character, and I would never, ever even dare to picture him in a KKK outfit. I have not read any of Senator Obama`s books, although I intend to. Regardless of political views, I like to educate myself on the candidates. After all, there is always the chance that the one you do not support is elected, and it is nice to know about them and how they stand as well.

I echo everything that rosethecopycat mentioned; well said. This is the first time I will be voting, and have been tracking this race since day one. I have made my decision already, but I have made it based upon my beliefs. My main reasons for my decision were the Iraq war and economical issues, not social issues. I do have my views on those issues, but I think the former two fronts are more important right now than the latter.

I quite agree with you, that sometimes people base their opinions on such trivial things such as the thing with Senator McCain`s houses. The media is definitely a large part of it; highlighting rumors and small mistakes about the candidates that override what they stand for. The media rarely ever presents one hundred percent of anything to the public, regardless of political view ("conservative" station, "liberal" station, whatever).

[RICHARD]

I have to go large on this because of the OIL COMPANIES


I am up night late-insomnia and the radio-talk shows mostly.

Recently I got caught up in a talk show and the two guys that host it are the straightest shooting pair I have ever heard.

(It's called the Midnight Radio Network or MRN)

They broke down exactly how much money that the oil companies make per gallon.....8 cents.

Out of 4-3.50 dollars a gallon they make a nickel and three pennies! Why?
Go to the pump and look at the breakdown of state, local and government taxes per gallon.

Then think of the exploration, studies, drilling, pumping, transport of a barrel of oil, then look at what the company needs to do with keeping up the platforms, derricks and delivery systems as far as preventive mainanence goes.

----

I don't really care for either candidate, but do not put more of an economic burden on the companies. It comes down to our lazy effing arses. We have been talking about ecology and the earth since Rachel Carson in the late 70's,
And what have we done?

Nothing. Those stupid commercials were the parents are on a TV screen telling their children about some legacy to clean up the earth....what a crock of crap.

No one cares.

And it brings me to the war effort in the 40's. We had people growing gardens, recycling, rationing to fight a war. It didn't kill us, it gave us the power to believe in ourselves and win the war.

THese days we could do the same thing - really ration, recycle and get over our 'oil addiction'. But we have too many bleeding hearts and morons that believe a few oil rigs will kill the polar bears, whales, seals.


We didn't do anything before -ten years ago, so ten years from today we'll be in the same s hole that we are in now, except worse.

---------

So, How do I make my political decisions?

I go for the candidate that doesn't make that many mid course corrections to win a vote.

The first idiot that uses the line about having to wait ten years for drilling in the U.S. to be productive has no vision for the future or desire to help us out now.

We can only prepare for the future by starting to do something today.

-------

Oh and talk about racists!

Maxine Waters is nothing but a hack, race baiter and moron.


I know because I live in Cah Lee Fuh Nee ah!

[pomtzu]

I went to a Christian college and I've been ordained. If you could step into the shoes of a person who is a member of several minority groups, you'd be scared all the time too. Its especially the religious nuts who drive hate crimes, and McCain just reminds me of one of them. So he adopted a trophy orphan from Bangladesh. Do you think he'd have done that if he were a regular Joe Schmo not in the limelight?

Ordained as what? - and did they teach to judge a book by it's cover? McCain reminds you of a religious nut and you can picture him in KKK robes - just because you don't happen to like his looks and the way he appears to you? Take off your blinders! And by the way - I don't remember him being "in the limelight" when he adopted that child in 1993!!!!! How many people really even heard of him 15 years ago - not the majority - that's for sure!

[rosethecopycat]

I have to go large on this because of the OIL COMPANIES


They broke down exactly how much money that the oil companies make per gallon.....8 cents.

Out of 4-3.50 dollars a gallon they make a nickel and three pennies! Why?
Go to the pump and look at the breakdown of state, local and government taxes per gallon.

Then think of the exploration, studies, drilling, pumping, transport of a barrel of oil, then look at what the company needs to do with keeping up the platforms, derricks and delivery systems as far as preventive mainanence goes.

----
We have been talking about ecology and the earth since Rachel Carson in the late 70's,
And what have we done?

Nothing. Those stupid commercials were the parents are on a TV screen telling their children about some legacy to clean up the earth....what a crock of crap.

No one cares.

Right on.

I grew up in the "crying Indian" commercial generation. NOT LITTERING was the major focus back then. Do you think we all could cooperate on that one?
Seems rather simple, throw your trash in the basket.
But no, get out of your car in any parking lot and you'll see cups, wrappers, and people who think the world is their ashtray, literally.
As a kid, and even as an adult, I used to go out picking up litter. Now it's pretty apparent that nobody cares, some 40 years later.

People are always wanting a new 'cause'. In the 80's it was "feed the world" "we are the children", in the 90's it was homelessness. Now it is "Global warming", "current climate crisis"
I tell you that no one will be talking about this in 10-15 years.

The real crisis is our dependance on foreign oil.

[Pam]

I'm not going to comment on IRescue's posts any more. If I didn't see that she had almost 4,000 posts I would think that this was a troll posting.

Back to the original question. I have not decided yet who I will vote for. I want to closely analyze their answers to questions in the coming weeks and watch the debates. Neither candidate thrills me but I will give Obama credit for selecting Joe Biden. I guess he can make a good decision now and then. Personally I would prefer that Biden be at the top of the ticket.