What do you base your political decisions on?

[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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

[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.

[RICHARD]

The crying Indian was Chief Iron Eyes Cody.

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I just want to say something about the issues of age and politics.

One of the most wonderful things about this government is the fact that you can make a statement as to what your beliefs are. We fall short when we are challenged for what we think, we take things much to personally but need to remember and look at someone else and why, how and what they think.


This is not an endorsement of one side or another, standing by one opinion or challenging what is being said.

When I was young I had my peace sign stickers, cloth emblems sewn on my jeans. I still flash a peace sign when I drive and someone let's me into their lane.

I thought the ACLU was a just endeavour and the "Man" really sucked because he was spending my money on 300 dollar toilet seats and hammers.

As I get more worldly, wise-maybe not-and smarter about my world and the politicians that will do anything to try and run it. I've figured out that I was played for a dummy a few times.

My bumper sticker, "One nuclear bomb can rule your whole day." went the way of my World Wildlife Federation and Greenpeace ideas.

Why?

Greenpeace was sinking fishing ships in harbors to keep the fish alive.
What happens to all the oils and solvents that leak out of the ship into the harbor?

The Earth Liberation Front set fire to cars at a dealership here in CA a few years ago-what happened to the water, full of contaminants, that was used to put out the fires? It went into the sewers and into the ocean.

Same thing with the Animal Lib Front. They break into labs, set free the animals and burn the building down.

Same results. More trash to clean and water to pollute.

I do not advocate the use of animals for testing but I hate the fact that people with such good ideas and hearts can be so stupid.

I would love to younger again - only if I could be smarter.
It's great that young people will speak out in a calm, intelligent, informed manner.

We can sometimes excuse them for how they think, then take a look at why us experienced folks are set in our ways.

Of course, we are smarter than any 'whippersnappers'. We struggled with 13 channels of TV, had to read newspapers or listen to radio to get our news and eating at a drive thru eatery was a treat, not an everyday meal.

My only consolation is the fact that one day they will get close to where we are and they will ask themselves the very same question-

"What was I thinking when I said/did that?"

In the end we all talk a great game and the problems we have with our politicians are the same, just dressed up in techno flash and non guilty sounding terms.

Lying or changing your mind is reassessing your position.
Getting misquoted means you were caught speaking what you really think..
An affair with a child as the by product is a dalliance with a love child.
Racism replaces human stupidity.
Illegal aliens that pick crops are now non-citizen migrant workers.

What were we thinking?

[Marigold2]

I try to find someone who seperates church and state. That is the most important thing for me.
America became a country because people wanted and needed to pray and live freely.
Too many people don't understand that church and state have to be seperate for all to have freedom.
Abortion might be against your religon but it's not against everyone's.
Same with the death penelty.
Perhaps in 10 or 20 years we will have a Jewish president. Should our beliefs, holidays, way of life be changed because of that? No.
America is a free country and even though we don't all agree at least we have the right to disagree and raise our children with or without prayer in the home.
We can celebrate Christmas or not.
We can use birth control or not.
We can marry or not.
We can have same sex relationships or not.
We can dance, wear jewelry, listen to rock music, have sex before marriage or we can decide none of those are right for us.
If any leader tries to control us through his or her religous beliefs our freedom is lost.

[Grace]

I try to find someone who seperates church and state. That is the most important thing for me.
America became a country because people wanted and needed to pray and live freely.
Too many people don't understand that church and state have to be seperate for all to have freedom.
Abortion might be against your religon but it's not against everyone's.
Same with the death penelty.
Perhaps in 10 or 20 years we will have a Jewish president. Should our beliefs, holidays, way of life be changed because of that? No.
America is a free country and even though we don't all agree at least we have the right to disagree and raise our children with or without prayer in the home.
We can celebrate Christmas or not.
We can use birth control or not.
We can marry or not.
We can have same sex relationships or not.
We can dance, wear jewelry, listen to rock music, have sex before marriage or we can decide none of those are right for us.
If any leader tries to control us through his or her religous beliefs our freedom is lost.

BRAVO - I totally agree with what Marigold has said.

[Miss Z]

Not going to weigh in too much on this - because American politics confuses the heck out of me and to be honest I'm not that interested in British politics either...

I just have to say I was slightly surprised by the way IRescue's post was abhorred. I can see why some people took it the wrong way, but honestly she did make valid points.

Yes, someday I will be old and maybe someday I'll have my own family to look after and yes, probably I will find it hard. But IRescue is right in saying that the young teenagers and adults who clench their teeth and bust a gut studying to get a place at university often have far less luxuries than the drop-outs pushing Vicky Pollard-style prams, because they are not leeching off government benefits. I just don't see the fairness in that. You want to pump out as many kids as your body can take? Fine. Just don't expect every other tax payer to finance those kids' playstations and your hair straighteners and whatever else.

Families and old people do need help, I am not denying that, but politics is all about saying what people want to hear - if you're seen to take pity on certain groups of people then the masses are supposed to like you. If you dare to care about those who are trying to make their way in the world, like university students, and are cleverer and more strong willed than perhaps the average person, you may not get the support of the masses. I suppose that's why the polcies are the way they are.

I'm dreading the bills I'll face at university. No matter how rich you are, you'd have a job on to pay it all quickly. I know that I will have to sacrifice a car (there's no way I could pay road tax and insurance for a young driver on top of fees) and take out at least one student loan which I'll probably still be paying way into my career. And yet my government would not want to help me because that money has gone to rehabilitate drug addicts and pay for some nineteen-year-old's tenth child.

On the topic of religion - quite frankly politics and religion should be in no way related, but studying some US politics I have seen it plays a surprising influence - way more than in the UK, in fact I would say religion is far too taboo to bring into British politics nowadays.

IRescue was referring to shove-it-down-your-throat preachers and people who have a very warped view of religious faith, not a true Christian. I have respect for people of every religion who practice their faith in a fair and loving way (which, all religions are supposed to be like anyway), but I do not respect brainwashers and people who tell me I'll burn in hell for being an atheist. In my opinion, people like that have more in common with Al Qa'eda than a true Christian faith.

I didn't quite understand the point made about John McCain being a closet racist, but no doubt there are people in the US who will vote based on racist beliefs.

End of lecture. Just a further note, I have had vehement disagreements with IRescue before, but I just don't see any reason to flame her here.

[Lady's Human]

Why are the elderly and people with families targeted as key consituencies in elections?

Very simply, they vote.

Young people by and large don't, they are a very, very risky demographic group to go after, as they vote in the primaries, but tend to disappear in the general elections.

[RICHARD]

I didn't quite understand the point made about John McCain being a closet racist, but no doubt there are people in the US who will vote based on racist beliefs.

I am proud to say I love racism. Formula One, GP and am starting to follow saloon cars. I also like NASCAR and fancy the Paris to Dakar.

Lewis Hamilton for Prime Minister!

[Cincy'sMom]

I am proud to say I love racism. Formula One, GP and am starting to follow saloon cars. I also like NASCAR and fancy the Paris to Dakar.

Saloon cars? What are those?

[RICHARD]

Saloon cars? What are those?

http://www.bsccoc.ca/

It's a racing class popular in GB and Canada.

They take road cars, jazz them up and race.

I don't know enough about them to equate them to a NASCAR series-if there is one.

[Miss Z]

Lewis Hamilton for Prime Minister!

LOL!

If the Banana party can beat Gordon Brown's labour representatives then I'd say he's in with a fighting chance.

[Freedom]

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.

I smiled reading this. See, it is my basic belief that people, left to their own devices, will do the most stupid thing possible. And that government has to set some boundaries in order to keep people focused on the best thing possible.

I try to find someone who seperates church and state. ....If any leader tries to control us through his or her religous beliefs our freedom is lost.

I agree and this points out why I find it all so difficult. I do want someone who has SOME beliefs, some moral compass. Many (but not all) people get this from their religious beliefs. So it's a fine line.