What do you base your political decisions on?

[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.

[Oggyflute]

wow! Presidential elections in the states are pretty intense.
It's somewhat different down under. The Obama's nomination has been on the news of course, and I was rather taken back a tad on how big it was. I presume that McCain will have a similar one. I had to chuckle actually because after showing Obama's big bash with Stevie Wonder etc, they showed a clip of our current Prime Minister in his election campaign, doing a jig with a busker on the sidewalk! (well you have to budget costs you see. Can't be seen to spend too much on the entertainment).
In regards to this election, what I look for is basically any reaction that will filter down to our own market & economy, interest rates etc. Things that would have a direct bearing on myself and my lifestyle. Which is also how I look at elections locally, both State & Federal, at least at first. Then of course, you might afford yourself the luxury of thinking about issues in a wider outlook, like troops at war & global warming. But essentially, I believe most people are worried about their jobs, feeding their family, health care, schooling, basically the things that allow us to function in society. OK, now who's the best person and party to do that!?? Can be a tough choice, but I'd rather have to have that choice, than to never have it.
In my younger days, I actually flew a lot of politicians around when in the RAAF, and I'm well aquainted in how fallible they actually are. So when you are in that voting booth, you just hope that tick you place on that form was the right one for you & your family.

[RICHARD]

In regards to this election, what I look for is basically any reaction that will filter down to our own market & economy, interest rates etc. Things that would have a direct bearing on myself and my lifestyle. Which is also how I look at elections locally, both State & Federal, at least at first. Then of course, you might afford yourself the luxury of thinking about issues in a wider outlook, like troops at war & global warming. But essentially, I believe most people are worried about their jobs, feeding their family, health care, schooling, basically the things that allow us to function in society. OK, now who's the best person and party to do that!?? Can be a tough choice, but I'd rather have to have that choice, than to never have it.

Ahem, at the risk of offending my "fellow 'Murican's"-


At 232 some odd years old the Untied States (pun intended) in some cases is way too young to really know what we want in a politician.

It's great to hear opinions, without the well deserved snickering, about how we look to other people in other places.

There are many, more qualified men than BO that could run for the Democratic nomination. The fact is that money fueled 'extravaganzas' and wasteful spending is part of the plan to get into office. All politicians have the inner megalomania -as you may suspect and know. So spending money on elaborate stages with giant screen TVs, fireworks and speeches that captivate but do not flesh out any political standings are the norm.


About Barack-
There is a certain novelty about his being black, being a good speaker (BS shoveler) and having rock star good looks. I really don't care about that. being a little more insightful is always a good thing! The Republican-LOL, you may know the answer to this.....Why not just call them PUBlicans? - isn't any better. He does have a bunch of minuses on his dance card. But he's what we have to look at.

In the end it's a popularity contest that includes the spouses, the issues and how many lies you can get away with.

You can equate the campaigning to a clown car you see at a circus.

Except it's a limo and and the pinstripe suit is the costume of the day.


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One day I hope we can meet, I'll explain American football to you in exchange for some pointers on what happens on the pitch with the Aussie style FB? It's far more exciting than stupid politics.


I'll buy the first round!

[Edwina's Secretary]

and having rock star good looks.

You had better be careful RICHARD. There are people who get VERY upset if you comment on the looks of a candidate!

[sparks19]

really now

No apparently Obama's good looks make him MORE qualified for some reason. He makes the ladies *swoon* so I hear. He's not my type though. I just wouldn't vote or not vote for someone based on their looks either way... but some people do and that's kind of sad

it's also kind of sad that Obama is ALREADY receiving death threats many because he is "black" Really makes me wonder how many people are voting because of superficial things.

personally for me... if I could vote here... the biggest thing I look for are things that are most important for me in a candidate... does he/she support the things that mean the most to me? What is their plan for it (although this has become increasingly difficult to find out because not many these days want to lay their plan out for you... they just want to tell you what the OTHER guy is doing wrong. that doesn't help anyone) After that I look at how much money they are going to likely want to take from me in order to put their "plans" into action. Are they going to cut costs only to jack up taxes to the point that we are paying more than the costs they cut.

I try to listen to both sides speak... although sometimes listening to either side makes my brain go "BUZZZZZZ". Again... I DON'T want to hear about how the other guy is doing it WRONG. I want to hear about how you are going to do it right.

but in the end... and I'm sure I will get lots of 's for this... I have to go with my heart. they can tell me anything they want but if I really don't believe it then I just can't go along with it.

But... none of this matters because I can't vote.

[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.

[Bonny]

Voting is a game of chance. You think you are picking the right person but maybe you aren't? They get you all excited about what they are going to do for us & then there is also the rest of the world out there too waiting for their handouts. I hate any kind of negative campaigning dirt slinging crap. I want to know what, why, how, & when they plan to accomplish their promises. The neat thing about voting & thinking you are picking the right person is you can slam dunk them if they don't hold to their promises. If you don't vote you lose that right.