Attitudes towards politics

Too true.

 

I made a New Years Resolution to not get so involved and riled up over politics, but its still so tempting.... but it causes me lots of stress.

 

why do politics cause you stress? You have no control over this stuff really

 

it's human nature; having an unsafe or uncontrollable environment which threatens your survival is scary and stressful and traumatic.

 

Freedom exists when one can move from an unsafe or uncontrollable environment to one they feel is less threatening. Sadly, today there is no unpopulated or ungoverned lands to seek refuge and we are left only to find areas populated by those who we have more in common with, but government continues to nibble away at that most important freedom, the freedom to live in an environment of ones own making, in an attempt to falsely create a more 'equal' single society, which only results in a very deeply fragmented society that can only be controlled by numerous and complex laws and regulations, which as a consequence fragment those who are governed even more.

 

Corporations have so embedded themselves in government that they're getting legislative representation while the individual gets only what's good for the corporation. Individual standards of living are on the decline while corporate profits are healthy and growing. The corporate takeover of the individual person is what we are witnessing today. The odd thing is it seems to go unnoticed.

Well, considering that our media is really corporate-media, I guess it's not so odd...

My attitiude towards politics is to follow the money. Politicians want money. Corporations have money. Corporations pay politicians and get political and legislative representation.

By comparison, most individuals have no money for politics so they get no representation, only lip-service.

 

Why is it so difficult to recognize that Centralization of power has created a one stop shopping environment, where laws, rules and regulations are created and imposed upon everyone. Over a lifetime of having lived in 11 different States and more than half a dozen Countries for various lengths of time, I've found that not only people, but the wants, needs, and acceptable social norms vary greatly. There is no single solution to any social or economic question we might ask, which I believe our founders recognized and tried their best to unite us under a Constitution which allowed for the greatest exercise of individual freedom, while allowing a Central government to exercise only powers given by acquiring the consent through a democratic process of a super majority of the people AND the States. Only when sovereignty begins with each individual person who make up the majorities, empowering by their consent the local, State, and lastly the Federal government can control be wrested from those individuals and corporations who have great wealth. Purchasing 51% of Congress is much more easily done than purchasing the vote of 51% of the voting population. We've allowed the Federal government to acquire great amount of leeway over the last century, and it will be very difficult to rein in, and the longer we wait to start the more difficult it will be.

 

I can't answer the question in those terms. I'm not interested in electoral theater, but I am very much interested in chipping into certain interest groups on issues close to my heart at local levels.

 

I vote and I am told my vote is not necessary or important by relatives, I vote usually for big elections anyway. I do not want someone bad in office. Hope we get a good President in 2016. I hope we get someone young with some good strong ideas about improving our country and completely solving the national debt. That would
be great,

 

Sorry. Anyone capable of getting elected [President] will be a devil in disguise. The position is too important for someone with good morals to be allowed (by the powers that influence such matters) to hold it.

Won't happen.

 

We'd fare much better if all politics began at Local levels where the people have the greatest ability to employ control over their government, limiting the scope of control allowed by higher levels of government to only that which the people have given their consent.

There is strength in numbers, and that applies to both persons and money. At a local level the people are much more capable of directly choosing, interacting with, and holding accountable those they elect to govern. As we go up the chain of government, State and finally the Federal, the people are less knowledgeable of those they are given to select from, and much less able to interact directly with or hold them accountable, and we begin to rely on trying to select the less undesirable of what usually amounts to a field of undesirables, who under our form of government should not be assuming greater power over the governed, but only the power extended to them by the people. At the Federal level this is exhibited greatest, as most often the voices of the people as a whole are ignored while those who govern tell us their actions are for the greater good of our society, or to bring about greater equality where it does not naturally exist, which more often than not is done at a cost that far exceeds the revenues collected, and which would create chaos if an attempt was made to collect the revenues adequate to pay for the actions being taken.. Hence, we acquire a debt problem which provides government with a means of showing economic growth, based on a devaluation of our currency, leaving the people to deal with inflation and an increasing cost of living, demanding higher wages to try and maintain a near constant life style, which provides government with greater revenues as they move up the graduated tax tables.

 

I find politics entertaining. Almost as entertaining as Animal Planet.

 

Only 42% of people are interested in politics and only 24% believe the current system of coalition government is working.

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classified website

 

I'm focused on Women's reproductive health, gay marriage, animal activism, and cannabis legalization. Human rights and social issues first. Stop cruelty, hate, and discrimination.

 

In years past I was an active Trade Unionist & Socialist. I'm much less active now but the state of western Democracies concerns me more than the lamentable condition of the left. Whatever our hopes for the future politically, Democracy has to become relevant again to the people as a priority if we are to progress.

This has to be a priority for both the Right & the Left , as no healthy Democracy can function without either. Dominance by either,or by powerful minorities & unelected special interest groups is unhealthy. I see America bogged down in right-left trench warfare,seeing negotiation , compromise and cooperation as weaknesses to be avoided. The result is stalemate & stagnancy.

People are increasingly ignored by the political classes. In the short time I have been a member of this site the sense of apathy that anything can be done about it has saddend me. This site mirrors the political situation in America ,in my view,with fixed polarisation of beliefs,debate,such as it is, is narrow,often refusing to see,empathise,with anothers view or openly explore ideas. Members stay, as if set in concrete,at their political positions,often defending aggressively. I had joined hoping to be inspired & to learn,maybe even change mybeliefs by persuasion. Instead Ive found myself doing as everyone else does. My days here are numbered !

Times & peoples change & Democracy is ever adaptable & will survive. Democracys history & its structure is inherently optermistic & mallable. I hope that the peoples of the West will fair as well.

 

Perhaps it would be helpful to clearly and concisely define the word 'democracy', and also define how it 'should' be applied in properly governing a large and diverse population spread over a large land mass of varying resources, climate, and other natural differences?

 

Go buy a book

 

The point is to understand how YOU or others who are using the word are defining it, and how you think it is (was) meant to be employed in governing the U.S.A. which is a Constitutional Republic.

 

Whatever your politics- -remember Memorial Day for what it is-

 

Well said!