Losing Patience

[Fierce Critter]

I think it's pretty damned clear that I'm liberal, and while not a registered Democrat, I tend to vote that way.

And I give a LOT of thought to who gets my vote, and when.

Chances are, you'll never see me vote for a Republican. My favorite president - Lincoln - was a republican. But republicans in this day and age are very different from Republicans of the mid 1800's.

And chances are, I'll never vote 3rd party, either. Scratch that. I would have voted for Hart in '88. But, well, we all know what happened. And I will admit it was the first election in which I was eligible to vote, and it sure as shit would have been a TOTALLY uniformed decision based on someone being "more cute than the other" probably.

And I tend to be real frustrated with hardcore conservatives. And I know they sure as shit are frustrated with hardcore liberals like me.

And I admit I have had some pretty strong things to say about particular politicians. I have used major foul language in reference to dubya. I don't have any respect for the man.

But as much as I disagree with them, I do respect the people who voted for him. I may think their reasons are not great. I may even wistfully wish they didn't feel the way they did. I may think that what they think they're voting for, they're really not getting.

I may have generalized, as my father does, that Republicans are for big business and the rich. And that conservatives really don't give a shit about the people around them. I have definitely been vocal about what I think are the things republicans and conservatives consider important. And I have been vocal about thinking their philosophies are wrong.

But I have never, in my recollection, generalized republicans as idiots, assholes, ignorant, stupid, beneath me, or sheep. Or anything of the like.

I have never called names.

I do not like it when Democrats do so. And I sure as shit resent it when I cast my vote for a democrat based on information, discussion, gut and definitely emotion - and am referred to as any of the above.

And it's been happening a lot lately. Maybe indirectly, but maybe not so.

People are going to keep doing it. I'm sure. And I'm not calling for any action.

But I really think it would behoove all of us to be a bit less overly generalizing - and a lot less insulting and rude.

/fruitless rant

[Steven]

you'd vote for me if I was running.

[Fierce Critter]

you'd vote for me if I was running.

It would depend on your stance/intentions on programs that benefit the poor/needy in this country.

I'm all for the republican stance on "give the people their money and let them handle it." Even though I think a majority of people in the US don't know shit about how to manage money correctly - myself included.

But I do not like how they like to cut programs that benefit the lower classes that really need help to get by.

I don't like how people take advantage of welfare. It disgusts me. But I think programs like that are necessary.

Other than that, yes, you probably would be the type of Lincoln Republican who might just get my vote.

[machine]

It's most unfortunate that people have such thin skin that they take Internet message boards to heart.

This is akin to people taking offense to the word "Christmas".

What ever happened to freedom of speech and expression? If an opinion or point of view 'offends' someone, they could always change the channel, turn the page, leave the room, or ignore the post.

I didn't know that the Internet needed a kindness filter.

[the eternal]

I hear what both of you have to say. They each have validity.

I think above all the din and name calling, we are not a nation of red or blue.

We are truly purple.

There was a sweeping change and people threw "all the bums out"

That was the GOP victory in 1994.

THEN, There was a sweeping change and people threw "all the bums out"

That was the Dems victory in 1996.

People are generally looking for leaders, and ones that show concern and compassion.

And they're looking for answers: to the economy, the health care crisis, and presently most significantly to Iraq.

Whoever seems to have the answer, we as a nation will gravitate toward.

People like machine are important, because however infantile and simplistic terms like "dummycrat" are, they fire up the base and give them solidarity over a common enemy.

We like our enemies to be simple and easy to mark.

The Reds.

Them bad, we good.

And if the base is fired up, it can influence others.

Unfortunately, it can also alienate the majority.

Both Republicans and Democrats truly think what they are doing is best for the country.

If both sides listened a little more to the American people and spent a little less time firing up the base and pointing fingers at each other,

we may actually get somewhere.