losing my (political) religion

So while I occassionally am forced to respond to liberal nonsense (to try and prevent the far left poisoning of more minds), generally I post what “I” think would be best based on the things I’ve seen work (or not) over that 42 years (my adult life). I’ve voted Democratic, Republican, and Independent over those years (twice for Obama as I thought he was the lesser of two evils both tomes like POTUS 45 was in the last election). I think the easiest way to not get burned out is to try and track all sides and do what YOU think is right...not what the talking heads attempting to brainwash you every day tell you is fact!

Another thing is that most have lost the ability to thoroughly read and comprehend because technology is teaching everyone there is no need to do so...if you can’t google it and review it in 20 seconds it doesn’t matter. I am very happy that I learned my research skills in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s before the “internet revolution”.

a reply to: fiverx313

Hang in there buddy! Things are set to take a violent swing to the left IMHO. Big money is on the "Progressive" Leftist side and they're going to make a big difference before long. You have to hang on to hope in the fact that the GOP is as hollowed out as any party Ive ever seen. By the same token, the Leftists havve the Universities, the victim classes of minorities, a million "dreamers", and have created a political landscape based upon identity politics that is utterly toxic to white males.

Look at Alabama for example! 25% voter turnout. Thats a score for the Democrats because it says that traditional Republican voters stayed home. Going forward, my guess is that this will be the big trend going forward.

I'm on the opposite trajectory: I've never followed politics, nor cared, until about the past year. I follow things daily but the thing that is the same as when I didn't follow stuff is that I don't think the little people have any say in it all. In fact, I'm more convinced, now that I pay attention, that we don't have any sway.

It's all just too corrupt. Our entire system is completely infested- both sides right and left. Really, when it comes down to it I think those at the top all work for the same folks anyway.

Lately I've been wishing that I DIDN'T care- like I used to- because it's so frustrating to see BOTH SIDES getting away with crimes all over the place, and we the people are NOT represented. They are not working for us.

And just a scroll through any of the political threads- heck even any of the non-political threads- and it's perfectly easy to see that we are past the point of fixing it, because we the people are beating up on each other instead of focusing on the assholes who are supposed to be working for us.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Freedom baby.

I like to think of it as exercising my right to pursue happiness in the form of buying and owning crap I want but don't need.

a reply to: fiverx313

I would say to expect to be hated and attacked more than you ever have been before. The lefty folk I know will even go as far to stop communicating with you - totally. And I mean totally. You are an embarrassment to them and they don't want anyone to know that they know anyone that doesn't think "correctly". Yes, it has gotten that bad.

a reply to: fiverx313


As some said work in the local area, or better yet (imo) find a third party that you like and assist them with expanding their footprint to try and break the 2 party strangle hold.

Veterans Party of America

“The mission of the Veterans Party of America is to not only place candidates in office who will uphold the Constitution of the United States but who will also hold all other elected and appointed officials to the same standards.”

We are always looking for more people to help raise money, help candidates and generally help us spread our footprint.

We need candidates, at any level, we are not rolling in money and what money we get goes towards infrastructure, and candidate advertising.

The only people getting paid are those sitting in office, everyone else is doing it because we do not like where the country is going and we want to change the direction.

You do not have to be a veteran to be in it, just believe in the Constitution and the United States and we can build on the common ground.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Good for you man. I give you grief here and there but that is the real stuff.

a reply to: TonyS

You honestly think that 3 out of 4 voters staying home is a win? Cause for celebration? Really?

...and we wonder why we are where we are? We shouldn't, we really, really shouldn't.

Either blindly partisan, or blindly apathetic. Woo-hoo for our side!!

a reply to: luthier


Its all good mate, I may get heated on occasion online, but within 5 mins I am typically over it.

Bottom line American or not, republican or democrat we are all in the same boat... not sitting at the table making bank.

So for me that means anybody from these boards no matter where we stand on the political spectrum I would cheerfully sit and have a beer and shoot the breeze with because we have something in common, and that can lay a foundation for something more if people have the will and the desire to change things.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Totally agree and glad to see we share that 100 precent.

I am becoming more anti party pro America by the day.

I don't buy the outsider politician bs either. I mean it's up to we the people not government.

a reply to: Irishhaf

a reply to: luthier

Amen. The problems are not "political", as such, they are "people" problems. Folks get so tied up in their ideology, that they seem to forget everything else...or they're so blinded by it as to render all else invisible.

"There are no other answers than the ones my party provides."

Does that sound vaguely familiar to anyone?

a reply to: fiverx313

What age are you now? It is not uncommon to take the opportunity to review ideals, premises and long hold beliefs after years of life.

Allegedly Francois Guizot said something akin to what seems to be your first step in your review and other men of repute have since then espoused similar thoughts:
"A young man who isn’t a socialist hasn’t got a heart; an old man who is a socialist hasn’t got a head." the main theme being that over time we change our perspective on things due to life experience. The more past you have, and the less future, things will be valued differently. it is a natural course.

It reminds me of a line of a song from a left wing social comedian I heard some time back, roughly translated:
I am counting my ideals,
and I am losing them one by one
I am familiar with regret
losing against time

He could not have written this in his twenties, but wrote these lines later on in life.

It may seem a process of dying, but what really is going on is through your experience in life, you see more.

Do you remember the first time you saw snow falling? Or the moment you woke up and your whole world was covered in a blanket of white? Or perhaps you remember you showed it to your kid for the first time and recall the response you saw on the child's face? Can you still connect to that and feel it when you are confronted with the same scenery now? Or is it, when you see it, that you wonder how to get to work? To clear the drive way, hoping the roads are clear and no accidents have, so you can get to work unmolested.

In such scene's what happens is, we immediately name things. Look snow! out of the goodness of our hearts we label it. Bam! Done and dusted. What if, we would simply enjoy the scenery without naming it. Would not then the sense of wonder remain longer, engrave deeper into our psyche?

To live in our world, our dimension is to be subject to forces bigger than us, we cannot (yet?)control and direct. Yet, we have come to belief that all dynamics we are subject to can be controlled, molded, directed. We plan, scheme, extrapolate, the works only to drop tired on our couch zoning out at a game of football for all the toils of the day.

An analogy would be to be lost in a city without having a map or having your phone die on you. There are several options. You can panic, and run around like a chicken without a head, mourn the fact you are in this situation, blame yourself for being so stupid not to charge your phone, or having forgotten to take your charge cable with you, or ...

you can simply take a deep breath and look at where you are with different eyes.

Enjoy the ride. ;-)

a reply to: fiverx313

You should not keep any spark with regards to engagement in daily politics . That isnt "living".

a reply to: fiverx313

Well... there's a reason why it is being called "The Swamp".

There's always jerks and those who engage in fair play in politics... or used to be anyway.

Not anymore. Just rot an the stench of rotting garbage.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Quetzalcoatl14
Repiblicans don't want small government, they just want their kind of big government. For example, a strong global military which most republicans vote for IS big government. Same with law and order type voting, for prisons and police.

That's what I mean. If you listen, it isn't about making it smaller. A lot of each side only wants to run what's there "smarter." There are very few who actually talk about making it smaller, and there are never enough of them to make any real difference.

Right. Agreed. Although I'm a liberal, this is why I respect libertarians on the right. I find their positions more consistent in this regard. Liberals rarely clamor for cutting government now days, so there isn't the same hypocrisy on this topic.

originally posted by: Quetzalcoatl14
Although I'm a liberal, this is why I respect libertarians on the right. I find their positions more consistent in this regard.

Biggest problem with Libertarians is that in order for their plan to work people have to treat each other equally and fairly, and a lot of people just aren't interested in that. A lot of people just consider everybody else something to prey on.

Another big problem with Libertarians is that a lot of them are not just about "leave me alone with my guns." A lot of them are also pushing for teaching the Laws of Jesus in home school and riding out the Apocalypse. With guns. So basically religious extremists who are two steps away from being a home-grown Christian ISIS.

Goes to show you how easy a potentially good, simple idea can be corrupted by fanatics.

a reply to: Blue Shift

You have so much incorrect information in this post.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
You have so much incorrect information in this post.

Don't shoot me.