Public Opinion of Congress at an All-Time Low

[Zalis]

Look, asshats will elevate to positions of power no matter what.

See, we can agree from time to time.

My personal experience with this is from about ten years ago. My father was a local District Justice. (or justice of the peace, whatever they're called near you) He was nearing the end of his second six-year term when the state decided to reorganize the districts. What happened then? The people he had known, served and been supported by were suddenly the minority of his reorganized district. Not entirely, but dramatically enough to mean he had lots of new territory to campaign for re-election in.

So, what happens? An ambitious, local "good ol' boy" gets lots of support, popularity through connections and some deep-pocketed friends. Some folks see that he's on a path and going to use this as a stepping stone to a political career, but he claims otherwise. He's always wanted to be a District Justice and will serve the yadda yadda, etc.

Anyway, fast forward. This guy wins, my Dad loses. He goes on to be really into the job for about a year, then rumors of his in-and-out-ness surface... and he runs for a higher office before even three years of his six-year term are done. Now he's since gone on to another job, even higher, but the rumors of his unsavory character and slightly shady conflict-of-interest issues continue... Yet he also continues to be elected. By all appearances, he's well on his way to being a career politician.

[MoonUnit]

The only way anything will change is to get a whole new set of people in. But will it change for better or worse, that is the question..

[RD]

It makes me really angry because I KNOW I don't live in a Democracy, even though we're supposed to be this shining example for the rest of the world. It's sad because this country really is starting to slip and it's all the fault of politicians' avarice.

I want to stand on top of a building and scream my head off at politicians and scare them all into cleaning up or getting out. Or I want to run for office and fix things myself. But neither of those things are realistic and it really feels like there is absolutely nothing to be done except move to another country.

Oh, and, our credit rating got downgraded anyway. I'm almost happy about it because it serves us right.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...7746VF20110806

EDIT: Erasmus posted this elsewhere.

[Erasmus]

EDIT: Erasmus posted this elsewhere.

I was going to post it here too. But here's more about how the whole fiasco was GOP sabotage just as we talked about before.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/danie...021622372.html

[Buddah]

George Washington once warned us about political parties. Imagine his reaction to the past decade of U.S. politics, let alone the past month.

I think the right-left-division between the two parties is severely hampering the USA's capability of solving problems. Neither of the parties is okay with compromises and the priority is not finding a solution but rather making THE OTHERSSSSsss... look bad.

Pretty much the National Committees of each party have one real objective, to be in power.

He was nearing the end of his second six-year term when the state decided to reorganize the districts. What happened then? The people he had known, served and been supported by were suddenly the minority of his reorganized district. Not entirely, but dramatically enough to mean he had lots of new territory to campaign for re-election in.

All too common of a practice. Part of Nebraska's 2nd district (Omaha and the suburbs) was exiled too the 1st district in the recent redraw of congressional districts. Reason why, the states GOP felt slighted that the electoral vote from the 2nd District went to Obama, thanks to our state not being winner take all. I'd also add that Rep Lee Terry (R) also has been severally challenged in several elections. In response the GOP redrew the lines and placed a minority heavy portion of the old 2nd District into the predominately white 1st District. Basically, politically sanctioned racism.

[Manwithtwohands]

I think what needs fixing is the situation. The system.
From how the government works to how it gets it's monies.
I really don't like how much money politics can waste in projecting an image.
That shouldn't be how favour is gained. It just gains favour from lazy brains.

[jmervyn]

True, true.

I didn't know you did drugs?

1. Obama has an idea and presents it to the public and the congress or whatever decides the stuff.

Obama has not and will not present a plan, because he doesn't have one. Nor is it necessarily his duty to provide one, though Presidents usually do. His Democrat allies, who you'll recall still control the Senate, failed in their only core task to make one. They didn't even try.

2. The Republican party wins the voting about the subject and therefore prevents Obama's idea from passing and getting executed.

Obama refused to negotiate the vast bulk of issues that would supposedly be "on the table", and insisted on increasing taxes. Thing is, America doesn't <HAVE> a revenue problem; we take in plenty of taxes. As for the Republicans winning, how exactly does one party "win" when they only control one third of the process?

3. The voters of the Republicans start bashing Obama and the Democrats for not giving what they promised.

Yeah, and they called Obama a terrorist, hostage taker, and various other things for not doing so. Oh wait... well, tone is a one-way street in your world.

It seems to me that America needs some more parties and less division. Instead of the "infrared and ultraviolet" they now have they should have more "colours of the spectrum" in the political field.

Sure. Problem is, that idea is often intended to strengthen the socialist wing of the Democrat party, the conservative wing having been chased out over a decade ago (yours truly) and the moderate wing being treated with derision and not gathering much voter support (the "Blue Dogs"). The GOP, however, would split into several factions:

1. The lunatic religious Progressives, your beloved EBIL totalitarian boogeymen who believe in State-run religion. They'd share the bus fare between them, and might even get a single congresscritter to their name.
2. The "RINO" Progressives, who are the power-brokers behind this compromise. They run the GOP machine, are exemplified by John McCain, and are only really liked by the Liberal media because they're not terribly different from the Blue Dogs. In fact, they're frequently interchangeable, like Arlen Specter. I despise them from the depths of my soul.
3. The Conservatives, who are on-again-off-again, typified by Goldwater's campaign and back in vogue since Reagan rescued the nation from the last Progressive Democrat elected as President. They're sensible, rational, TEA Party types who really believe to a degree in the "Don't Tread On Me" motto, and they're about as organized as a herd of cats.
4. The Libertarians, who are the best of the lot, and who make the herd of cats look like an organized operation.

First it's four years of the Democrats ruling, then four years of the Republicans, then the Dems, the Reps, over and over again. Of course the nation is not going to get anywhere, since everything the parties do in the office is hampering the actions of the other party.

Since you're a damned furriner, you don't know that this is by design. Because if they still teach history where you live, you'll recall what happens when you elect someone to "get things done" and make the trains run on time.

This again? Really, nothing better to say?

What could be better? I mean, demanding the State run beauty pageants? I'm going to beat you with that every time I find it amusing.

It makes me really angry because I KNOW I don't live in a Democracy,

That's because you live in a Republic. But then, I don't expect much from a fellow NYC resident.

even though we're supposed to be this shining example for the rest of the world.

Yeah, people are starving to death trying to make it to Portugal.

It's sad because this country really is starting to slip and it's all the fault of politicians' avarice.

No, it's because of YOUR avarice. It wouldn't matter if you taxed the so-called "rich" at 90%. It doesn't matter that you'll gut the DOD by effectively cutting their budget by 1/6th (God knows why the Republicans agreed to this, since the Democrats will simply not agree and automatically cause the cut). The problem is that you, and even many TEA Party people, like your Gov't cheese and demand it continue untouched.

Oh, and, our credit rating got downgraded anyway. I'm almost happy about it because it serves us right.

Of course it does. The Democrats, the President, and a significant portion of the GOP kicked the can - overhauling entitlement spending is the <ONLY> way this issue is resolved, and that means people being more responsible.

And you folks hate that with a deep, bubbling hate.

[Manwithtwohands]

It's difficult for people to be more responsible in a system that cares less about HR than it does about profit, prestige and growth.

[OhFrustration]

I didn't know you did drugs?
- -
Since you're a damned furriner, you don't know that this is by design. Because if they still teach history where you live - -

And you folks hate that with a deep, bubbling hate.

Man, you're so desperate! That drug-doing accusation is such a lame thing to throw at someone! You're the only one who needs to resort to name-calling and the likes... You probably think you are the only one here who knows the absolute truth, don't you?

[RD]

Our founding fathers warned against pretty much everything that our government does these days... They'd almost certainly be disgusted and would probably sail somewhere else and start another new country if they had to live in the US.