Election Rants, Stories and Thoughts (Non-Partisan)

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Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:36 pm

GomerPyle wrote:

... and to show how cynical I am. What price on the Republicans having a Hispanic nominee next time round ?

A woman! We want a woman next time! I was so fond of Hillary...

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:43 pm

GomerPyle wrote:

... and to show how cynical I am. What price on the Republicans having a Hispanic nominee next time round ?

but she has to be at least as sexy as Obama to have a chance Wink

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:22 am

Regarding the electoral college:

I can understand that the concerns that otherwise the candidates would focus on areas with many voters only. But the point is, that now they focus heavily on the swing states, don´t they? So in either system, they cannot and will not rally the whole country. Plus, I think the "winner takes it all" system is very unfair, and would really need to be changed.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

So you all excited about the Glenrothes by election?

Thought not

I was reading some posts on another forum from a guy visiting Kenya.
On a dirt road in the middle of nowhere he met a Masai in full tribal gear.

"Hello. Do you think Obama will win ?" said the tribesman.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:05 pm

I'll just state it upfront.... Obama was not my guy.... BUT he won so I think now the purpose should be to rally behind him and hope that we can get out of this economic crisis that not only the US is in, but the rest of the world too.

I think that YW post is an excellent point. If, as a result of Obama's election, race relations in the US can take a major step forward that will be an awesome legacy for him to leave.

Regardless of whichever party takes the White House I hate it when that party also has control over Congress because then there is no real check and balance from that particular party ramming through some half brained idea. At least when the other party has some power both sides have to think about what they want to do.

As for the Fox news comments "fixing" things, it is NOT Fox that fixes things for the Republicans, it is Diebold who makes the majority of the vote counting machines, get it right! Laughing

/many emoticons added so you realize I am joking.

Elite Baiter Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 1407

breadcrumb wrote:

Regarding the electoral college:

I can understand that the concerns that otherwise the candidates would focus on areas with many voters only. But the point is, that now they focus heavily on the swing states, don´t they? So in either system, they cannot and will not rally the whole country.

To some extent you are correctly. Here is a smaller example.

I live in Illinois. Olbviously, our largest city is Chicago. 70% of the populace lives in the area north of Interstate-80 and the city proper.

However, the state is very diverse in its economy. The north is more industrial/big city. The lower half is agriculture and state government. (Although our currrent Gov doesn't realize that).

We that live south of I-80 are constantly crapped on by the folks that live in Chicago. And we are constantly outvoted on issues that are important to an agriculture economy. State parks are closing, programs are being cut, and yet in the Chicago, they are pressing the legislature for squeezing more money out of downstate to support the CTA (chicago transit agency) and other programs.

That is what would happen without the EC. Without forcing politicians to confront issues of smaller populaces they never would. Iowa wouldn't even be on the map if it wasn't for the EC.

I don't think that it is perfect, but it does help smaller interests stay relevant.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:23 pm

Also, realizing that the Union is a collection of states, it is not the populace who elect the President; it is the states, which "vote" (via the EC) as dictated by the majority of their voting citizens.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:55 pm

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to [email protected] so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Sorry, couldn't resist. Laughing

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:00 pm

I encourage EVERYONE to register independent.

Being from California (and it's 55 electoral votes a lock for the Dems) I am truly the disenfranchised voter. I am sick of feeling that my vote is as worthless as a fart in the wind. There are many people like me in this state, and I am completely pissed that the Dems feel they can always count on California due to the majority ruling the electoral votes, and the Reps writing it off because of that. There are enough "Republicans" here to represent at least 15-20 electoral votes, based on the makeup of the state, but God forbid politicians (on either side of the aisle) try.

The only way to get politicians to stop counting on votes and actually addressing issues is to not give them the satisfaction that they can count on the electoral votes from certain states.

The only way to do this is by registering independent. Make them work.

Thank you and goodnight. Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 5905

lotta wrote:

4X1X9 wrote:

Nope, not even Fox News could fix this one for the Republicans

That statement is pushing the envelope and is only going to make some people angry.

I apologise if anyone of a varying political persuation to me took offence to my statement. I do have strong political views and I do indeed lean to the left and sometimes I do put my foot in it.

I am aware moderators on this forum want to stop a huge political debate from errupting and ruining the good atmosphere on Eater; We're ready with a mop and bucket - Roy Smile

as do I. My statement was based on a strong belief I have but I do accept, in retrospect, that Eater is not the place to air such a view and I had no intention of flaming members on here.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:36 pm

Flicking through the channels last night I came across a program that showed people from all over the world dancing in the streets and gleefully waving the stars and stripes. Shouldn't those flags be on fire I thought to myself? Must be some kind of parallel universe has been discovered. It turns out the times are indeed changing. Wink

Trophy Videos · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 pm

The next election is in four years...Obama better get the new re-election commercials out quickly, there is not much time left.... Laughing

I'm gonna have to get a Netflix subscription before this next round starts up again. Smile

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:48 pm

windypops wrote:

It turns out the times are indeed changing. Wink

As a friend put it, "We just went down one leg of the Trousers of Time".

America is still the most powerful nation on Earth and is still in so many ways the shaper of destinies. In choosing Barack Obama as President it has shown a greatness of spirit that people around the world recognise and applaud.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:23 am

in the face of the turnout rate, let me present the big looser of the 2008 PotUS election:

the only true Non-Partisanship (youtube vid SFW)

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:31 am

I had one pet peeve (well, apart getting 8, 9 calls a day, some automated, some live, to vote for so and so...glad that nonsense is over).

My peeve were the "free tickets" for the Obama rally in Grant Park that were given to 60,000+ people who applied by email. Many were snapped up by opportunists who wanted to make a quick buck, and when the tickets turned out to be "personalized", the companion tickets went up on sale or trade on ebay, craigslist and other such places. On the day of the rally, some tickets were going for as much as 500 dollars....for a free companion ticket.

Local Chicago Fox affiliate carried the story but received "no comment" from the rally organizers. Well, whoever it was, that person was a real moron by opening the doors to their "supporters" to make a "quick tax-free buck". Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:07 am

4X1X9 wrote:

I apologise if anyone of a varying political persuation to me took offence to my statement.

No problem... I just wanted to be sure that our members who felt differently would not be offended. Very Happy

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:41 am

New Zealand just took a jump to the right, dismissing Helen Clark, Prime Minister for the last 9 years and 3 elections, in favour of a vitually unknown National Party John Key.

Personally, I think it was because of the MMP system we have here, where a coalition govt is formed, and the minor parties wag the tail, I voted against Labour, for the first time in my life, because I am sick of the Nanny Govt policies being forced on us to placate the minor, (less than 6%) parties that make up the coalition

Being told we have to dump brightlight bulbs for so called energy efficient dim ones, change our shower heads to low volume water trickle, for everyone to become self sufficient in every way, without considering the financial loss became too much to consider going on any further with the present Govt.

It's a pity in some ways, because I still believe in the *principles* of the Labour party here, but seeing the way ahead that the Greens want to take us, I am pleased that they have been effectively muzzled for a while till the dust settles, and reasoned and informed argument can continue again, without the hysteria and diatribe

419Eater is my life Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 441

The Electoral College, in my humble opinion, is a relict from the past. The past (hopefully) when Americans just loved any kind of games, and so they decided to turn their Presidential Elections into one. One with ridicolous rules, that is.

The problem that often minority interests are ignored by majority opinions is not truly addressed by the EC system. It is a shortcoming of democracy itself. Democracy, by the way, was described by Immanuel Kant as a "dictatorship of the majority over the minority". So in his humble opinion, a democracy wouldn't be such a wonderful thing (opposed to what he considered a "republican" system of government).

Today, just a few years after the age of enlightenment, I truly can't see any reason whatsover why any vote by any citizen should be taken into account more or less (or not at all) than anyone else's.

I don't think a rural area needs any campaign happenings. It needs clear statements on issues. And the game-like EC-system doesn't really help focussing on those.

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 4:19 am

irishemigrant wrote:

I voted against Labour, for the first time in my life,

Re: New Zealand Election

I have to admit that I voted for the National (local version of the Republicans) candidate for the first time in 13 elections. But then I live in the Tauranga electorate in New Zealand. Voting that way was the only way to get rid of Winston Peters - and was I pleased when NZ First (Peters party) didn't get any seats in Parliament either.

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:16 pm

I was editing an old bait for publication and found this exchange, posted on this forum on 20 June (Scammer in italics).

Quote:

...WHO PAID FOR THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SAID?THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FROM YOU.LAST TIME YOU TOLD ME SOMEBODY IS TAKING CARE OF IT...

Quote:

Who the hell do you think paid for the gorram documents – Barack Obama? I did, of course! Holy snapping duckshit, you really should think things over before you hit the send button.

Quote:

...I DONT KNOW WHERE YOU GET THE NAMES THAT YOU ARE GIVING ME.L1BERTY CHAMBERS,MR GORAM BARRACK OBAMA AND WHAT HAVE YOU...

Quote:

... Barack Obama is the African-American guy who's probably going to be the next President of the USA. I was using his name sarcastically...

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:47 pm

@ Windy.. Nah mate just going back to the way they were! Slick Willy in Dublin!

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:12 pm

^ Nice video. Very Happy

I was just wondering the other day how long it would take before they discovered Obama's Irish roots:! If it isn't Barack O'bama to be sure!.

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:24 pm

They were partying there before the polls opened!!
Moneygall election party

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:31 am

Sort of off topic,but not too far.I vote where I went to elementary school.Always have.This year,like every other year,I cannot escape feeling that in the last 40 some odd years,this place shrank!It was so much bigger when I was in the first grade.

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:46 am

It is always so strange going back to the junior school, first days are almost always vividly etched on your mind, climbing up on the 'big kids' seat, it brings it all back with a shock when you go back and see the same colour seat only goes as far as your knee!

Edit: I think off topic is good in this thread!!

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