Does anyone else hate politics as much as I do?
 

It's not that I don't want to know what's going on in the world of people making decisions for me... It's that honestly, none of us know what's really going on. We know what we're told via media and politicians, etc.

And everyone seems to think that we still have a say when it comes to voting?! What kind of bullshit is that. I try to explain this to people, but I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall.
I was raised pretty moderately in politics. I mean, I'm from NH originally, which is fucking conservative as hell, and now I live in mass, which is the most fucking liberal state in this asshole of the world.

if I'm going to vote for someone, its not gonna be because of their party, but because they are doing the right thing, and are proving it with their actions. (Which is hardly ever)

This isn't a new song and dance either... We all know that politicians are the top bullshitters of all bullshitters, but I just don't understand how even in our tiny little spot in the world, we let people lie to our faces, and BELIEVED them, even when it was obvious. Are people really that fucking blind?

So I digress.

I don't involve myself in a losing battle with politics because I observe how people are, and we'll never change, we'll never think for ourselves, we'll always hand over responsibility to anyone who will take it out of our hands.

Sorry for ranting, I just have a huge issue with governments, politicians, and world orders, because none of them work. We've all been living in failed systems for so long, that now it's "okay" to turn away and pretend like everything will be taken care of for us.

I'm tired of people making my decisions. Fuck that.

Who the fuck do they think they are, interfering with your economy like that?

our economy wouldn't be in the shitter if people had taken personal responsibility a long time ago. There's no getting around it now, I'm just tired of hearing about how one candidate is better than the other. Mass just had these fucking elections with Scott Brown and Whats her face for Ted Kennedy's seat and I just think that people place way too much value on voting for equally fucked up people. Politicians are not to be trusted. Ever.
They do not keep their promises, they do not care about the betterment of society. It's personal gain, power, money, authority, status... and honestly, I don't give a fuck about their agendas. We should be concerned about our agenda as an entire race of beings, not as a country or an ethnicity, or an individual. But like I said, no one wants to get their hands dirty, no one wants to correct the mistakes that have been made, so we end up in this shithole of a life because everyone is so goddamn apathetic.

I'm just as guilty JCC, it's just that I recognize it now, and I'm trying to fix shit even if it's a losing battle.

It's not politicians who are ruining this country . It's "woe-is-me for having to stay informed" idiots like yourself who stand by and whine about not giving a fuck, and then stand by and whine about how the country's going down the shitter and noone did anything about it. This country is full of you people. Look what happens in the U.K when the government cuts benefits, there's fucking riots in the fucking streets and buildings getting burned. Here people just roll over and take it in the ass.

You disgust me. Grow some fucking balls (figuratively, of course) and get with it.

I'm sorry if you misinterpreted my rant for "woe-is me" because I'm not pitying myself, or anyone for that matter, I'm merely stating that politics are fucking stupid, and all it is now is a show at who can toot their own horn the loudest...
Politicians don't give a shit about you or I, our government doesn't give a shit, and it just feeds into everyone living like cattle. No one does shit to help anyone else, and in your words... everyone here just takes it in the ass, and although I'm a fuckin champ, I'm not gonna let someone else dictate my behavior because they can't even control theirs. It's like elementary school all over, Politics=School ground Temper Tantrums.

I'm not asking for a pity party, I'm just saying what's on my mind, and when I hear people going on and on about fucking candidates and voting and all that democracy bullcrap I feel nauseous because it doesn't fucking matter what any of us has to say about how shit is run, they do what they want, and everyone IS taking it in the ass versus saying FUCK YOU and doing something different. It's pathetic.
You should be disgusted, but not at me for knowing the problems because I'm sure you know it just as much as me.

In a nutshell.... I don't vote. I don't give a shit about politics, because they have no value anymore, even though everyone likes to pretend that they still have a fucking say.

Welcome to reality.

Any attempts to stifle a global recession born of dirty business deals and greed would require more politics, not less. Precisely why do you think the economy is 'in the shitter', and how do you propose that it is removed from aforementioned shitter?

I used to think that politicians were all representatives of a faceless evil that is entirely corrupt too. It's remarkable how many people do, really; we don't know why we've abandoned politics, we just do. It's easy to look at the current political playing field and conclude that all politicians are venal and self-serving, but politics isn't the kind of field that attracts people that are without ideology. If people want that kind of power, business is much more welcoming. Politics is a difficult life; people dedicate years to reaching the most insignificant of posts. The real issue isn't that politicians don't care or that politicians are all the same, the problem is that the electorate doesn't give a shit about politics so real policies get left in the dust as charisma storms past right into positions of power.

Politics is the same as anything else, some people will have the collective interest at heart and some will have individual interests at heart. The solution isn't to get pissy and turn your back on the system altogether: what's your alternative?

Don't say things like that, if Rage Against the Machine read it they'll make another album.

touche JCC... I do understand that not everyone is going to share my disdain for politics, and that is fine, and you were right about the following statement:
I think a lot of my dislike is fed by the crap we all deal with everyday, for example, the health care shit... People die because insurance companies turn people away who cannot afford health care (like myself although I work 40 hours a week, more explanation later if you'd care for one)

Did you know that A kid who had a heart condition for some reason (uh hem a pre-existing condition) couldn't qualify for health care covered by his insurance provider, and he was told he had to get heart surgery or he would die.... so long story short, Trent Reznor found out and tried to donate every penny required for this child's surgery and the insurance company WOULD NOT ACCEPT the donation because they would not profit from it. Needless to say, this child died... There's even a whole story on it on the kids sister webpage. A Spanish family... Velasquez or something of the sort (his name eric) I have to find it later...

Anywho this is one of a million instances in the health care area alone. I lose faith because we as people just take it instead of doing something about it. I would love to throw some shit in people's faces. I wish there was a way to make our government actually listen to us. It's the middle class that suffers the most. I work hard, I work often and I still am behind in everything.

Tell me that you don't feel that something needs to change.

As for an alternative, I don't know honestly, I am one person, I don't know what to do, but I want to do something... These are just things I think about...

I know there would be chaos without rules, I know that we need some semblance of order, but the way we're doing things is ineffective and corrupt, and no amount of campaigning bullshit spewing from their mouths is going to change anything.

Oh, and LOL

Healthcare reform is politics.

I know it is... but one of the reasons I don't care for politics would be because they don't change these things that are so important, they talk about it a whole lot, but nothing ever happens....

Health Care Reform is a joke, I would probably shit a brick if something actually happened to better that system alone. ( like blowing up all of the insurance companies and their bank accounts... that would work I think lol)

It's hard to spin people around when they're so misinformed. Look at Massachusetts. You guys just voted a Republican who's firmly against health care reform into a seat held for 20+ years by the biggest Senatorial advocate for health care reform since WW2... And the state is always pro health care reform in polls. You guys need more Micks to move back.

This. It's why the 'politicians are all the same' mantra of apathy fucks the people over, despite how satisfying it may be to draw that conclusion.

well my last name is Murphy so I'm one Mick accounted for ;)

and by the way, I did not vote any shithead into the senate... Fuck. That.

Massachusetts is the most fucking corrupt place next to DC that I've personally been at the disadvantage of knowing.

but you see what i was trying to say now right POS?

I get so angry about the "situation" (no guido plug intended) we're all in that i rant about it. I don't mean to come across as a whiny bitch but well I am a female, and our emotions do tend to be overbearing. lol. whatever. I just wish that I could personally take on responsibility and do something to change how we all live. Obviously that's not possible, but one can wish.

I've lived in Boston for pretty good periods of time, and believe me, it's hardly even on the scale of the most corrupt cities in the U.S. Even Chicago, which is pretty notorious for it, pales in comparison to places like Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas.

well then I'm thankful I don't live in any of those places. Don't get me wrong, NH has it's shit too, but it seems like there are more people there who are "honorable" if that is even an applicable word at all anymore...

I didn't really bother replying to this thread because JCC and PoS had already said what I was thinking of.

Until I came across this little gem:

How the fuck can you not vote and still maintain a clean conscience? I presume you are aware that in some countries people don't have a vote at all, get killed for voting, or get their hands cut off for voting. IF you are granted such a gratuitous liberty, for absolutely zero effort, I strongly suggest you take that opportunity, however small it may seem to you, to at least have your say.

I don't think you really hate politics. You just hate it when things get fucked up. You're not anything special in that respect. Take an interest & do what you can to change things instead of just deciding everything sucks.

How the fuck can people not spend superfluously and still maintain a clean conscience? I presume you are aware that in some countries people barely have possessions at all, get killed for profit, or get their hands cut off for stealing to survive. IF we are granted such a gratuitous liberty, for absolutely zero effort, I strongly suggest you take that opportunity, however superfluous it may seem to you, to hoard useless stuff.

....?


There's many reasons to vote, dude, but saying you should because you can is stupid.

Very much agreed.

There are many times when I have abstained from voting because I do not believe in choosing the lesser of two evils- I choose neither.

When I do not vote, though, it is still a vote of no-confidence in our government.

Here's a question for those who don't question the legitimacy of voting.
In America, is voting for a third party as enraging to you as not voting at all? (Hint: they're equally useless)

choosing whom to vote between two equally useless politician is more of like taking a risk. You choose and if it wins, just see what he can do. people has the power to vote and to evict someone out of position.

Ditto, I didn't like our NDP candidate last election, and I don't like the Liberals and I will never ever vote Conservative so I ended up not voting. Apparently doesn't make a difference seeing as how our conservative prime minister who over 60% of the country did NOT vote for keeps shutting down Parliament willy nilly.

That said, its not like voting is the only political action you can ever take. Its not the most you can do, its really the least you can do.

I think that TV campaigning should be illegal, as should public appearance. I think that you should only be able to campaign via radio, text, and the Internet. This would cut down on the "Vote for me; I'm handsome, eat beans and make sweet consensual American loving with my wife" kind of campaign. Of course, there should also be something that keeps candidates from talking about their personal life, which should not matter. They should only be allowed to talk about their politcal views and policies, how they would change things, etc.

There should also be severe backlash if their promises aren't kept. Riots, children being kicked in the chest, you know, general chaos.

Actually, I didn't really think about that for long enough. Yeah, you're right, voting just for the sake of voting gets unwanted candidates in office, something we saw with the BNP in Britain.

Washing the pesticides off fruit with………..more toxic chemicals

I'm glad that more people started to post in this topic... and some of you echoed what I believe. Still Jack, to address your first comment, I'm going to tell you a little more about my position,

When I turned 18, it was in an election year, Bush term 2... The ONLY thing I was excited about was voting because I legally could and that was an exciting chapter of adulthood for me...
needless to say, I voted for the person who other people were convincing me was the best candidate and because I was lacking in the knowledge about either candidates enough to make an informed decision, I voted for a person who I wouldn't have voted for again if I had it all to do over.

Bottom line is, I don't believe in voting for someone just because I can, but because I know enough about them as a person to trust them to lead our country in the best way humanly possible.

I do understand that in other countries they have no right to vote, and I have several close friends and family fighting for our freedom as we speak.

Like someone had mentioned, I do not want to vote for the lesser of two evils, I would rather shoot myself in the fucking head, to be frank.

and obviously you thought about it after too and understand that people (especially young people who don't keep themselves informed) should not vote just because they have the right to. If you are voting because you truly believe that the candidate is the best for the job, based on their character and past actions, then by all means use that freedom.

But this isn't necessarily about voting itself. I don't like what politics represent anymore, campaigning means bashing the other person, slandering, lies, deceit... Nothing is honorable anymore.

I don't honestly believe that we even have a say anymore anyways, I really think that we have minimal input when it comes to who holds office or a seat in congress, etc...

I thank you all for your input, I think it's refreshing that you care about this topic enough to discuss it, thus proving this crowd is much more intelligent than most.

I have no confidence in the way things are as of now, I try my best to help with what I can, and I hope you all do the same.

If I ruled the would corruption in government would be tantamount to high treason and carry the same penalty...lucky for everyone, I don't rule world. Or is it...

Politics, as defined as the exercise of power, exists in every social relationship. Like it or not, it's going to affect you. So I think it comes down to asserting yourself, or rolling over and letting yourself be exploited.

No man is an island, as it were.

well if I must, I will not be rolling over and taking the proverbial dildo,

that you can be certain of. ;)

You shouldn't be allowed to campaign on TV? You mean that the solution to voter apathy is to withdraw from one of the only mediums where politics can connect with the people?

I think a computer program should just generate a random name from a database of people recorded by the Census Bureau.

wins best answer!

I hope they pick Englebert Humperdink

This reminds me of something.

thats actually funny.

and it is easier to blame someone else than to fix the prob yourself,
but this is what I'm trying to get away from... if anyone actually got that at all from previous posts...
I hate that people are all talk, and I don't want to be one of them. But I don't need to vote for incompetent people to take action and the fact is people have placed a value on voting that is no longer applicable. most votes come from stupid people who don't weigh their options but just go along with the vast majority,

McCain got votes from a shit load of college age boys... why?
Because Sarah Palin is hot.

Howse that for an educated America.

(pukes on computer screen)

Who the fuck do you know in college who voted Republican because Sarah Palin is 'hot'?

Bahahahahahahah. Has anyone heard about the whole Sarah Palin/ Fox thing?

several people actually. I've actually had acquaintances of mine tell me this, and I don't know about you but I watched the news at the campaigning rallies and there were a HELL of a lot of frat boys who actually stated that they were there for her on national television. This disgusted me. Obviously this is not how everyone is, but the vast majority of voters are swayed by other influences when voting versus the candidacy purpose.

It goes the same for Obama, I guarantee you this because I lived in Hawai'i and I know this to be fact, that many people voted for him because (and I quote) "He's a good speaker" and because he promised change, and because he's from Hawai'i and we have to represent him...
blah blah blah.


I have not talked to many people at all who have thoroughly researched EACH and EVERY candidate that is running for whatever position they happen to be running for, and determine which person will be the best at the job description.

Listen JCC, I'm not demeaning your views on this issue, you have them, I have mine and I'm not trying to convince you to agree with me, just that you see my point, and you know why I've made the decision that I have made.

I'm not some college kid who hates the world and who says fuck the man because he's cramping my style. I'm an adult woman who is disappointed in the way things are done now, because no one thinks about the long term goals, they let emotion and surface issues cloud judgment, and they hand over the reigns of their own lives to someone else. No one should have that power, except for you.

Whoa ... And Obama won the election because a bunch of people didn't want to see that hot chick Sarah Palin get in office? Or could it have been that besides doing a good job of fund raising and optimizing internet exposure, Obama's campaign got a few more African Americans voting that usual? And swayed a lot of independents to vote for him or against McCain.

By the way, the battle has never been about the masses. It has always been about swaying the hearts and minds of a smaller constituency that DOES think about the issues and does weigh a candidate for more than just their sex appeal. Why do you think the analysts in the last couple of elections have gone on so about the independent voters.

right, I got to that in my last post. I didn't vote for either. I contemplated voting for Mickey Mouse... (Did you know that he is the most commonly used write in lol)

It goes to both sides most definitely. read below post

I don't hate politics, quite the opposite in fact. I just hate elitist assholes who think that only their system is the right way. Much like "Agree with me or face my wrath" kind of thing. Now I wonder who I could possibly be referring to here, some people from a past thread on here perhaps?

You know who you are.

Sarah Palin has a chin like Schumacher.

Sadly I too know people that voted for McCain because they wanted to bone Palin. And I know people that voted for McCain because all they saw in Obama was a black man. Is it any wonder that I hate people and no longer believe in using the carrot? The only thing for such petty minds is the welcoming embrace of the void. Vote for me for dictator!

Yeah, remember how those votes won him the election?

Are you actually suggesting political illiteracy is acceptable so long as it doesn't affect you?

No, don't be stupid.

Likewise, man. I refuse to believe that you don't understand why she would be disappointed that someone would vote because the think a VP is hot.

Why would you think I didn't understand it? She was using the fact that stupid people vote to argue that the system doesn't work and justify not participating in it.

That's fucking dumb.

This thread makes me sad, even though most of the posts are insightful (or at the very least not idiotic) I hate seeing any go off about how they hate politics, especially when they do nothing to show why. Hating a corrupt system? I can get behind that, but how can anyone hate politics in general?

I, personally, love the process that we have in place. Sure it gets a bit fucked up, especially on the national level, but we still have plenty of ways to voice our opinions. Don't just bitch about problems, learn the ins and outs of the issue and get involved.

Write to your congressmen and governor. Hell write to the president, sure he wont read it but and aide will and if you have anything truly insightful then it may get passed on, at the very least they keep a tally of what issue people write in about and what side they are on).

Go to public hearings. Seriously these things are actually quite important and it saddens me to say that I know less than a dozen people who have been to one.

Get involved on a local level, it is by far the easiest and most direct way to affect your daily life. Even when it comes to big issues these guys frequently have connections with state and in many cases federal officials so if you can get one of them to really listen to you then you can make a big difference.

Lastly if something is really pissing you off then get off your ass and do something about it. As Americans we have a right to protest and we damn well should take advantage of it. Sure protesting can lead to fun things like tear gas and getting thrown in jail if this get out of hand but I figure if my parents could handle repeated experiences with crowd control then what the fuck am scared of?

Hear hear!


Also, who thinks Sarah Palin is hot? She looks like a GI Joe had a bad sex change.

stupid people says they will vote.
more stupid people votes.
the most stupid people are those who fly when they vote.

can't say im stupid yet.

I never understood why people said she was hot either. Maybe it was just my horror to a lot of the things she's done and stands for, but she always looked psycho to me.