what's up with all the politician bashing? I mean hell, everyone knows they're all full of shit anyways; so why should it be a surprise when they do something completely retarded? (and yes, that even means the ones you're so fanatically supporting for the next election).

8/2/2007 3:04:05 PM

didn't even read the sentence.

[lock]

8/2/2007 3:04:38 PM

actually it was a serious question.

8/2/2007 4:14:55 PM

Then perhaps frame it as such

8/2/2007 4:29:11 PM

he's basically saying why do people always make threads any time a politican (democrat, republican, independent, whatever) does something wrong...since pretty much all politicians fuck up stuff all the time

but I'm the one with no reading comprehension apparently

thread title certainly could've been more descriptive though

8/2/2007 4:30:34 PM

Perhaps because politicians should be and are held to higher standards than the general populace?

8/2/2007 4:32:14 PM

sure but they're also human

8/2/2007 4:32:51 PM

great thread title

8/2/2007 4:35:40 PM

Quote :

"Perhaps because politicians should be and are held to higher standards than the general populace?"

Should be? Yeah. Are? Give me a break.

But then again, the psychological profile it takes to be elected, namely a type-a, ego-centrist who isn't used to being told no, lends itself to all sorts of bizzare dysfunctions.

8/2/2007 5:03:00 PM

the problem is that people focus on the fuck ups instead of the shit they do right. they do actually get a lot accomplished and a lot done that is beneficial to us.

8/3/2007 1:07:39 AM

^^ i'm gonna run for office when i get out of the Marines

but yeah, i'm a type-A ego-centrist who hates being told "no".


^ even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. it's amazing how consistently they manage to fuck the dog.

8/3/2007 2:00:38 AM

I would estimate only 10% of our politicians actually know what they're doing. The rest are just old people trying to get some jollies from power before they die.

8/3/2007 2:09:46 AM

ok, I admit the title sucked, but at least the point of the thread wasn't lost.

8/3/2007 2:53:50 AM

^^ Probably not far from the truth. I've been following the Edwards campaign from the inside, since I have a friend who works there, and it is interesting to see how little control a candidate has over his own campaign. The campaign's (not just John's, but in general) job is to sell the candidate as a product, and it is the candidate's job to be the best damn product he can be for the most people possible. They aren't selling policy positions or principles, those are just the features on the back of the box that they list in three different languages.

So essentially, from day one, they're a shill and a shell for the interests who put them where they are. Granted, this doesn't hold true at all times and for all politicians, but it'd be fair to say that its true most of the time for most politicians. Politicians are merely a conduit through which real power is exercised.

8/3/2007 8:18:38 AM

Let me make it clear, as well, that the above observation is a generalization and not specifically aimed at the John Edwards campaign.

8/3/2007 10:41:13 AM

funny how it seems like they try to sell a political candidate like a product as if the voters are consumers...when in reality the voters are kind of the owners of the presidency

8/3/2007 11:44:42 AM

Quote :

"funny how it seems like they try to sell a political candidate like a product as if the voters are consumers...when in reality the voters are kind of the owners of the presidency"

more like "on paper, and technically, the voters are kind of the owners of the presidency, but in reality, they are consumers of a product."

8/5/2007 4:57:03 PM

Quote :

"I would estimate only 10% of our politicians actually know what they're doing. The rest are just old people trying to get some jollies from power before they die."

This is very true.
When I was much younger, I met many state and national politicians; congressmen mostly...
They are not smart.
They are not "aware".
They all look exactly the same, like those guys at church.
They just stand around with stupid grins, shaking hands, and telling stories about lobbyist-funded vacations.
My dad, who worked with many of them, would tell me about how worthless they all are....
....and I've seen it first hand, behind closed doors, no press.

Our country has become a sham.

8/5/2007 5:12:05 PM

^ on some levels I agree with that.

8/6/2007 10:02:05 AM