It's again election time in the USA and American (and to some extent many non-American) citizens are faced with political promises and dozens of random statistics about economic issues and opinion polling because of the selection of the president of the world's most influential country.
As you can see below my avatar I don't vote in that election. However, I have many relatives living in the US and this particular election has called my attention because it's likely that I'll soon be an immigrant living in the United States.
So, after being surprised by the extremely polarized media coverage of the election, I decided to ask people here what they think. Do you think Obama is a God hating liberal who's trying to destroy America? Do you think Romney is a brainless pawn of an elite trying to revive Bush's failed policies? Do you think America has degenerated into a plutocracy and the two major candidates suck? Or do you think this topic is just another excuse for pointless arguing in the forum?
Share your hate below!
I want to vote for Romney, but he will kill Public Television and he's a Mormon.
Then I want to vote Obama, but he will stick to his Health care plan, so it's complicated.
I think I'll be undecided and vote randomly.
I want to vote for Romney, but he will kill Public Television and he's a Mormon.
Then I want to vote Obama, but he will stick to his Health care plan, so it's complicated.
I think I'll be undecided and vote randomly.
Obama, because at least he doesn't want to destroy our freedoms and subjugate the poor and the queer.
He's not the best Presidential candidate running, but some serious structural issues with our system of campaign finance cause both parties to run and govern significantly to the right of where polling firms show our people are on the issues, and as a result make our country out to be evil.
I want to vote for Romney, but he will kill Public Television and he's a Mormon.
Then I want to vote Obama, but he will stick to his Health care plan, so it's complicated.
I think I'll be undecided and vote randomly.
Vote 3rd party? If you're in Florida, you can vote for Rosanne Barr. Yes, the actress who butchered the national anthem.
And as for Obama and Romney, voting for them is going to be a case of voting for the lesser of two evils. While Obama has definitely made some mistakes, there's been a lot of issues with Republicans in congress voting against a bill just because they don't like him and not because of any particular issues in the bill. That's how awful politics are right now. Romney is going to bring some massive tax cuts, which at last check will really benefit anybody making $1m+. We can't afford the kind of tax cuts he's proposing. (Mind you I have not heard any Obama proposals, it's just the one Romney one that I managed to find at fact checking site.)
That and those big companies (like the Koch Brothers) who are putting out those memos basically saying "go ahead and vote who you want, but if you want your job, vote Republican". Seriously, voter intimidation is disgusting. I think I've seen 3 or so of those memos...and that's just what's made the news.
Then I want to vote Obama, but he will stick to his Health care plan, so it's complicated.
Yeah, dammit if poor people get free (or even inexpensive) healthcare. It will be destruction of society! Just look at how Europe is in ruins because of the free healthcare system there! Poor and sick people must be kept poor and sick. Clearly this evil must be eradicated at its roots.
OTOH, otherwise Obama doesn't seem to be a good candidate, looking at what he actually accomplished during the past four years. (In some aspects he made matters worse than even Bush did... which is no small feat.) However, none of the other candidates are any better either. In fact, they are all worse. At least Obama isn't trying to create a totalitarian theocracy, like 90% of the other candidates.
(Although, thinking about it a bit more positively, probably 90% of what those politicians are promising is pure BS anyways. They are just pandering to the average voter and saying what they want to hear. With luck they will promise a theocracy but not actually deliver if they actually get elected. Ironically, in this case politicians not delivering what they promise would be a good thing.)
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From what I've seen, if Romney were to get in office, it would be for the benefit of nobody except the rich people who get more money but don't really need it. At least Obama cares the slightest bit about the rest of the people in the country.
I've noticed Obama has been getting a lot of flak for not having much done during the past years, but I think much of that has to do with worldwide issues (economic etc.) and the fact that the Republicans in Congress are doing everything to their power to stop Obama's plans from getting anywhere.
That said, even if Obama would be a poor president, he's still the best option the Americans have, in my opinion.
Of course, I don't live in the United States, so I can't say I know everything about what's going on there.
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So, after being surprised by the extremely polarized media coverage of the election, I decided to ask people here what they think.
I recently heard that U.S. politics have been relatively mild within recent decades compared to how they were throughout the history of the country, so maybe we're just getting back to "business as usual." It's been too long since I took a U.S. history course, however, so I'm not sure how accurate that statement is.
p4wn3r (numbers added) wrote:
[1.] Do you think Obama is a God hating liberal who's trying to destroy America? [2.] Do you think Romney is a brainless pawn of an elite trying to revive Bush's failed policies? [3.] Do you think America has degenerated into a plutocracy and the two major candidates suck? [4.] Or do you think this topic is just another excuse for pointless arguing in the forum?
1. It seems likely.
2. Not enough info about possible conspiracy theories et c. to determine who is/is not a pawn, if that's what you meant with the question.
3. I'm not sure that there was ever a time in which the wealthy weren't largely in control, so I wouldn't say it has degenerated.
4. Definitely.
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
I think I'll be undecided and vote randomly.
I was under the impression that you're too young to vote.
Sir VG wrote:
That and those big companies (like the Koch Brothers) who are putting out those memos basically saying "go ahead and vote who you want, but if you want your job, vote Republican". Seriously, voter intimidation is disgusting.
Based on the info on Snopes, I think those were reasonable warnings. The companies are as free to close down as the voters are to vote for whomever they want to be president. I would prefer warnings about possibly losing my job rather than just being fired some day. They wouldn't change my voting habits, though.
I'm voting for Romney, btw.
Something interesting is coming to light: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/10/20/romney-family-investment-ties-to-voting-machine-company-that-could-decide-the-election-causes-concern/
Basically the big concern for those that don't wanna read the article is that a company that is making new electronic polling booths for several states (including Ohio) is being directly funded by Mitt Romney and his family. To me this seems to be a MAJOR conflict of interest. Can we trust these to not be rigged? Will they be truly 100% fair? Or is this an attempt to compromise the integrity of the election? It's hard to say, but regardless of party, if this is the case, it should be investigated.
Basically the big concern for those that don't wanna read the article is that a company that is making new electronic polling booths for several states (including Ohio) is being directly funded by Mitt Romney and his family. To me this seems to be a MAJOR conflict of interest. Can we trust these to not be rigged? Will they be truly 100% fair? Or is this an attempt to compromise the integrity of the election? It's hard to say, but regardless of party, if this is the case, it should be investigated.
I think that's going to the conspiracy theory realm.
Politicians are often stupid, but not that stupid. Imagine if Romney were to really pull the strings to have the booths rigged, and it was later discovered. Nixon's Watergate scandal would be nothing compared to that. It would not only be a political suicide, it would be the end of his life. I don't think even Romney would be that stupid (no matter what you think of him.)
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Warp wrote:
it would be the end of his life
Let's put aside everything else wrong with what everyone was saying till now, I'm not even going to bother with it.
But "end of his life"? I don't think there's capitol punishment for rigging a popular election.
Warning: Opinions expressed by Nach or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Nach himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.
Joined: 3/9/2004
Posts: 4588
Location: In his lab studying psychology to find new ways to torture TASers and forumers
adelikat wrote:
Nach wrote:
Warp wrote:
it would be the end of his life
But "end of his life"? I don't think there's capitol punishment for rigging a popular election.
I interpreted it more metaphorically. Going to prison would be the end to his way of life, etc.
I wonder how long the sentence would even be for such a thing.
Being a "white collared" crime, I imagine for not long.
Warning: Opinions expressed by Nach or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Nach himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.
