Your level of political engagement?

[El Presidente]

Your level of political engagement? 

This was a fascinating Friday deck discussion 

Now Nobody knows what your political persuasions are. This is simply about your level of political engagement. 

You all know the rules. Please abide 

[jakebarnes]

Very engaged.

[Nevrknow]

Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often. And for the same reason.

[RDB]

Politicians are simply people. I have known many over the past 25 years. Many of them are fine people, more are ordinary, a few are awful. In other words, just like any other profession or group of people. They need votes, because we (most of us) have chosen democracy as our political system. So they behave accordingly…

[Hypersomniac]

I am extremely engaged. Then again, I am in law school, focusing on political and election law. I've also interned for the state Supreme Court and am currently working as a legal intern in the state legislature.

I still think most of the politicians are absolute morons.

[Cigar-Therapy]

I enjoy talking policy and events- honing my understanding of topics and sometimes changing it - I’m a natural contrarian, so even if I might agree with someone - I’ll play devils advocate to test the mettle of ideas  

- Politics has degraded into a dumb popularity/celebrity contest completely taken over by hyperbolic characters. 

I won’t broach politics with anyone though - believing that keeping religion and politics close to the chest.  Most cigar smokers I’ve met can handle a good verbal sparring -

Small minds discuss people  

Average minds discuss events

Great minds discuss ideas 

 

[westg]

In Australia one party  has a blue tie the other a red tie. The rest are bible bashers and racists or some type of family first peanuts . Our boy at the helm is embarrising. Extremely difficult for me to cast a vote for any of them. 

[Chibearsv]

I’ve surrendered to “my vote doesn’t count”. I live in a state that has elected felons, no joke. Some after they held office and some that were convicted but still won their election. How can I reconcile that?  Real corruption has ruled this state my entire life. 
 

Portions of headlines - no link to the articles though:

4 of Illinois' last 7 governors went to prison 

and,

CHICAGO — U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., who has made no public appearances since for several months amid illness and who faces a criminal probe into alleged misuse of public funds, easily won re-election to his Chicago-area district on Tuesday.

was sentenced to 30 months shortly after gettin re-elected. 

[GoodStix]

1 hour ago, Cigar-Therapy said:

Most cigar smokers I’ve met can handle a good verbal sparring -

Great minds discuss ideas 

Well said. Have enjoyed many a “debate” with cigars smokers, swayed some minds, had mine swayed, always fun, and no one walks away bent.  Good times 🙂

I suggest now’s the time for sleeping folk to get more politically aware and engaged.  We’re at an important turning point in history.

[Ken Gargett]

i saw a stat the other day, and forgive me if i am a little out with timing as just shook my head in horror and tried to forget it. i think it said that more than 50% (not much more but still!!!!!) of leaders or former leaders this century have been convicted or charged. i may be out on the exact timing but not the 50%. 

in a great many cases, we the people, elected these morons. what does that make us? I've said it before and i'll say it again, humanity has no chance. 

[Ken Gargett]

1 hour ago, Chibearsv said:

I’ve surrendered to “my vote doesn’t count”. I live in a state that has elected felons, no joke. Some after they held office and some that were convicted but still won their election. How can I reconcile that?  Real corruption has ruled this state my entire life. 
 

Portions of headlines - no link to the articles though:

4 of Illinois' last 7 governors went to prison 

and,

CHICAGO — U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., who has made no public appearances since for several months amid illness and who faces a criminal probe into alleged misuse of public funds, easily won re-election to his Chicago-area district on Tuesday.

was sentenced to 30 months shortly after getting re-elected. 

hey, that is amateur hour. i lived in DC during the Marion Barry era. the guy is filmed doing coke with a hooker in a bedroom and wins in a landslide? 

always remember being on the platform at a metro in DC and this wild homeless guy came up (think robin Williams in the Fisher King) and in his best muhummed ali tones, 'i am jesus christ and i sell coke to marion barry'. and then walked up the tunnel, arms waving like windmills, never to be seen again. 

[BoliDan]

  I don't consider myself liberal or conservative, just a fan of liberty and a opponent to authoritarian policies.

[ayedfy]

On-the-books member of a political party.

(Will never aspire to become a politician myself though because I don’t want Rob to stop selling to me!)

[Vetteman]

I vote. Always. But people are basically stupid and politicians are people. That, and watching the news, is the extent of my engagement.

[99call]

7 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

in a great many cases, we the people, elected these morons. what does that make us? I've said it before and i'll say it again, humanity has no chance.

I always find this dynamic interesting, as the message is "we get what we deserve". Or the politicians we elect are a reflection of society.  I think that notion fails to account for Murdoch pumping a relentless stream of lies and bile into the lives of the poor, and also the inequality of quality education in poor areas. 

Ken, you strike me as someone who's received a decent eduction (despite your cigar lighting skills),   you are easily able to look as the front page of any tabloid and navigate the wheat from the chaff, in terms of what is and what is not BS.    But thats not true of huge swathes of the UK, with underperforming schools, and communities that aren't even going to school.  Lies are dangerous in these communities, and lies get results. 

It was heart breaking for me to see large areas of the north of England vote both for Brexit and the Tory's, but desperate, poor communities often vote for change, regardless of whether it's just a much larger whip to be flogged with.    They were bombarded by the tabloids, the BBC, the Russian funded 'Vote Leave' campaign posting fake NHS leaflets to their homes, telling them of land of plenty to come. 

In short, I think people with a decent standard of education deserve the politician's they vote for, and that a completely fair comment,   but poor communities do not deserve A, the underinvestment. B, Murdochs lies, and C, the politics of pain that follows.     It's a cycle that keeps on revolving.       I would suggest these people are not getting what they deserve.

I don't think this will ever be bettered as a political cartoon, it perfectly sums up what the Fox news network has done to so many countries. It has made poor communities fearful and hostile to immigrants, when the real architects of their miserable life are politicians, and white collar criminals.  Whether it be pumping crap into the rivers for a quick buck, or similarly getting highly flammable building cladding through dodgy regulation.

 

[El Presidente]

11 minutes ago, 99call said:

I always find this dynamic interesting, as the message is "we get what we deserve". Or the politicians we elect are a reflection of society.  I think that notion fails to account for Murdoch pumping a relentless stream of lies and bile into the lives of the poor, and also the inequality of quality education in poor areas. 

Ken, you strike me as someone who's received a decent eduction (despite your cigar lighting skills),   you are easily able to look as the front page of any tabloid and navigate the wheat from the chaff, in terms of what is and what is not BS.    But thats not true of huge swathes of the UK, with underperforming schools, and communities that aren't even going to school.  Lies are dangerous in these communities, and lies get results. 

It was heart breaking for me to see large areas of the north of England vote both for Brexit and the Tory's, but desperate, poor communities often vote for change, regardless of whether it's just a much larger whip to be flogged with.    They were bombarded by the tabloids, the BBC, the Russian funded 'Vote Leave' campaign posting fake NHS leaflets to their homes, telling them of land of plenty to come. 

In short, I think people with a decent standard of education deserve the politician's they vote for, and that a completely fair comment,   but poor communities do not deserve A, the underinvestment. B, Murdochs lies, and C, the politics of pain that follows.     It's a cycle that keeps on revolving.       I would suggest these people are not getting what they deserve.

I don't think this will ever be bettered as a political cartoon, it perfectly sums up what the Fox news network has done to so many countries. It has made poor communities fearful and hostile to immigrants, when the real architects of their miserable life are politicians, and white collar criminals.  Whether it be pumping crap into the rivers for a quick buck, or similarly getting highly flammable building cladding through dodgy regulation.

 

Stef, poor doesn't mean you are stupid. There are plenty of cashed up bogans, wannnabe middle class, and saville row pretenders who are dumb as soup. 

I know a section of society likes to give away "free passes" based upon demographic, but it irks me. I find it intellectually lazy.  

One is poor for many reasons. One is uninformed by choice. 

[99call]

40 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Stef, poor doesn't mean you are stupid.

Rob, it's not in comment to suggest I think poor people are thick, and that in a weird way was the mistake that the 'Remain' campaign either made, or was shown to have made by the other side.  That said, I can't tell you how many (it seemed like hundreds) of vox pops there were of people in poor communities, that when questioned "why are you going to vote leave" and the answer was invariably "I don't know... I just want to leave".     

In terms of the communities I'm referencing, I would also count myself in their number.   There was nothing in my eduction or curriculum that covered any form of political content, and as an adult I really wish that it had.   From the ages of 18 though to 25 I had never voted, and didn't really understand how important it really was. 

It's to say I think people who are under the pressure of poverty often are susceptible to being triggered into voting for parties, who will only worsen their life conditions.  I have been in debt and had little in the past,  it does make you desperate, envious, and very susceptible to poor decisions.     I think improved levels of financial and political education can improve peoples personal outcomes greatly, and give them a great sense of poise, and nouse when it comes to ticking a box when it comes to an election. 

[ElJavi76]

A buddy sent me this awhile ago… it says a lot about the ilk of politician here in the US. I get my “bad news” from Twitter or independent/freelance writers. I haven’t turned on a newscast in 3 years. I’m not uninformed but I did get off the 24 hour news cycle hamster wheel. The fat cats don’t want debate… they want people arguing and screaming over each other. Possibly throwing turkey legs at each other over Thanksgiving. We all have political persuasions and personal reasons why we arrived at those. Politicians seem to remain fairly $hitty people. 

[dominattorney]

4 hours ago, 99call said:

I always find this dynamic interesting, as the message is "we get what we deserve". Or the politicians we elect are a reflection of society.  I think that notion fails to account for Murdoch pumping a relentless stream of lies and bile into the lives of the poor, and also the inequality of quality education in poor areas. 

Ken, you strike me as someone who's received a decent eduction (despite your cigar lighting skills),   you are easily able to look as the front page of any tabloid and navigate the wheat from the chaff, in terms of what is and what is not BS.    But thats not true of huge swathes of the UK, with underperforming schools, and communities that aren't even going to school.  Lies are dangerous in these communities, and lies get results. 

It was heart breaking for me to see large areas of the north of England vote both for Brexit and the Tory's, but desperate, poor communities often vote for change, regardless of whether it's just a much larger whip to be flogged with.    They were bombarded by the tabloids, the BBC, the Russian funded 'Vote Leave' campaign posting fake NHS leaflets to their homes, telling them of land of plenty to come. 

In short, I think people with a decent standard of education deserve the politician's they vote for, and that a completely fair comment,   but poor communities do not deserve A, the underinvestment. B, Murdochs lies, and C, the politics of pain that follows.     It's a cycle that keeps on revolving.       I would suggest these people are not getting what they deserve.

I don't think this will ever be bettered as a political cartoon, it perfectly sums up what the Fox news network has done to so many countries. It has made poor communities fearful and hostile to immigrants, when the real architects of their miserable life are politicians, and white collar criminals.  Whether it be pumping crap into the rivers for a quick buck, or similarly getting highly flammable building cladding through dodgy regulation.

 

There's a bit more to it than that, as @El Presidente points out, however I do believe your point is well taken. let us also not forget that in the states we only get two choices, and those choices are carefully collated by moneyed interests. It comes down to a wedge issue usually also, like abortion or how to treat people who have sex with one another differently than most. That's how the cartoon you posted resonates with me these days. The real ruling classes hide in the background while their hired marionettes keep the citizenry arguing over non-issues. Poor or affluent. Makes no difference. Just keep us blaming things other than rampant criminality of the finance elite/billionaire class for our problems, and don't talk about union organizing, universal basic income, or any other disgusting communist drivel. 

[SCgarman]

17 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Your level of political engagement? 

This was a fascinating Friday deck discussion 

Now Nobody knows what your political persuasions are. This is simply about your level of political engagement. 

You all know the rules. Please abide 

What is your engagement as far as US politics go? Does US politics affect your personal life or anything as far as life in Australia? I hope you don't mind me asking. 

[BrightonCorgi]

I was a Political Science and Philosophy double major.  May dad worked for the Federal Govt.  I've had an interest in politics for a long time.  Many relatives are quite active/vocal on politics as well. 

Have to restrain my opinion or my aunt reminding some of the Seder table that we all do not share the same views.

[BEVOSREVENGE]

2 hours ago, dominattorney said:

There's a bit more to it than that, as @El Presidente points out, however I do believe your point is well taken. let us also not forget that in the states we only get two choices, and those choices are carefully collated by moneyed interests. It comes down to a wedge issue usually also, like abortion or how to treat people who have sex with one another differently than most. That's how the cartoon you posted resonates with me these days. The real ruling classes hide in the background while their hired marionettes keep the citizenry arguing over non-issues. Poor or affluent. Makes no difference. Just keep us blaming things other than rampant criminality of the finance elite/billionaire class for our problems, and don't talk about union organizing, universal basic income, or any other disgusting communist drivel. 

Once the cold war was over there was no one left to fight with but ourselves.  Evidently, we are doing a good job of tearing each other down.

[Chibearsv]

14 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

doing coke with a hooker in a bedroom

Is this a path that none have trodden? 🤐

[joeypots]

I’m engaged. My old man told me that politics is the art of the possible. In my life the increase in binary political thinking has made the debates louder but far less interesting and productive. 

[dominattorney]

3 minutes ago, joeypots said:

I’m engaged. My old man told me that politics is the art of the possible. In my life the increase in binary political thinking has made the debates louder but far less interesting and productive. 

It depends how you define politics as well, doesn't it?  I love "the art of the possible."  One could as easily define it as the art of demanding the impossible and both would be correct.  Hunter Thompson described it as the art of controlling your environment.  In the context of this post, I think of "politics" as the reality game show that is the cyclical western election entertainment factory, and for that reason I voted I am "disengaged."  In another light, that's not true at all.  I consider my career as a trial lawyer to be imminently political but only on a very local level--every time I argue in front of a jury I am either dealing with "the art of the possible," "demanding the impossible," or trying to control my environment.