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CyberSurvey: Revise term limits?
-- But I'm curious: How do you do your own research if not through the media? Do you meet and talk to the candidates in person? Go out drinking with them? Read their autobiographies? Visit their own campaign websites? Talk to their neighbors and fellow church congregants? Check the state's sex-offender database? Consult far-right or fundamentalist-Christian sites?
If you don't do any of that, then what sources and resources do you use? Everything else, it seems to me, is part of the media. (So are many partisan websites, for that matter.)
As you know, I make up my own mind, too. But before I can do that, I try to consult as many diverse sources as possible (including foreign ones, in some cases) and, within reason, across the ideological spectrum---because that's the ONLY way I can learn enough to make an intelligent choice.
Do you have a better way? Or do you just pay lip service to objective research and end up voting with the party?
Drew 3.0, Eden, Michigan--
Being a little facetious, are we? :-)
But clearly I miscalibrated my words (funny, spell checker still doesn't recognize Obama's descriptive term, mmm).
Many, many people rely on television for their 'research'. They rely on the pundits, celebs and popular posers for their opinions. When I talk about media that's what I mean,
For myself, I read newspapers, magazines, I do internet web searches (I am a computer geek, after all) I listen to some radio (not all -- I have a low tolerance for noise) And I have never voted a party ticket in all my years. I know you claim to be an independent...so do I. I won't insult you any more than that.
Call it what it is: A Terrorist Attack
-I agree...in principle.
In practice, though, I no longer believe that does any good. Most of our elected "representatives" don't really care what you and I think and don't give a flying F about our calls and letters. (I've received enough irrelevant and pablum-laden form-letter responses to realize that.)
The only thing the politician pukes care about, and the only thing they lose any sleep over, is holding on to power---their own and their party's.
That's why the only way most of us regular snuffies can influence government action (short of armed insurrection, of course) is to vote out the bastards we don't like---and vote in the bastards we do like...and start the process all over again.
But, hey, I'm just a cynic, so what do I know.
Drew 3.0, Eden, Michigan --
Being a cynic myself, I agree with you too. But that doesn't stop me from writing/calling/whatever. Make the effort. What's it going to cost you other than some of your time and possibly a postage stamp...unless you don't want to be on the list :-)
CyberSurvey: Revise term limits?
-- The biggest problem is that when we go to vote, a lot of times we know very little about the candidates we are supposed to vote for and that's why an extensive media coverage of the candidates is so crucial.
Pradeep Srivastava, Detroit, MI --
That's fine if you're content with the media deciding who you should vote for. As for me, I do my own research and make up my own mind. My choice may not always win but I can honestly say I voted my conscience.
The media is too often in the back pocket of one of the parties or a candidate. If you place your trust in them, you get what you pay for.
Call it what it is: A Terrorist Attack
-- Have any of you demanded change or written a letter to one of your lawmakers? The Federal Government has gone too far in getting involved in our lives.
ericn, Spring Hill, FL --
Yeah, two or three times a week. We all need to call, write, or email these people and remind them they work for us. I've now added Term Limits/Ending Lifetime Health care Benefits to my protests on Health Care Reform, Cap and Trade, Illegal Immigration, and the various Stimulus bills (which never seem to be read).
I'm on their sh!t list and proud of it.
Mammograms
-- You got it partly right, you should have said, "Welcome to Dems, Repubs, Cons, Indys, forced health care."
They are ALL taking bribes from their corporate owners. It's a pandemic. There is no vaccine.
Muddy Road, Waterford, MI --
AT LAST!!! You've said something we can agree on! Well done, Muddy!
None of these politicians are working for us, or, at least, very few of them are. They have an agenda either from their string pullers or their party and it sure doesn't bode well for US, the People.
CyberSurvey: Revise term limits?
I'm sending my 'Senators' and 'Congressman' a letter advocating term limits AND an end to lifetime health care and lavish retirement packages. It might give them an idea of how poorly they're performing and it might give them the idea that they should listen to their constituents. (And another protest regarding the Health Care Proposal)
As for having 'term limits' by voting them out of office? Most of the electorate votes based on name recognition. You can see how that's worked out -- Look at Detroit. Then look at Michigan.
CyberSurvey: Revise term limits?
-- It's way past time to reign these parasites in. They have all forgotten who they are supposed to work for and their loyalty is reserved for themselves and their political party-not you.
Paladin, San Francisco, CA --
Absolutely right!
CyberSurvey: Backing Palin?
-- Had Mccain and Palin won, real change might have happened in government, instead the rats in office simply went on a power trip, stealing and funding everything and anything they wanted with money meant for other non wasteful purposes like real jobs and necessary infrastructure. Meanwhile Obama has no clues, and is the most praised do nothing president, who will gladly take credit for the fact that the sun has rised on yet another day.
Mr. Bo Jangles, Detroit, MI --
I doubt very much that we would have had real change with McCain/Palin. McCain was too much of a liberal-at-heart and d*mn near as wishy-washy as Obama. And I don't think Palin would have had the experience to know how she could get around the old-boys-network IF the party would have even let her. TBH, it was a lose-lose elction which is why I voted for the Libertarian Party - iow, a vote of 'who would do the least damage'.
An absolutely stunning real life comparison!
Refract:
Perhaps I should have asked: How long have you been a Beck follower? I admit, I just heard about him back in April or about the time all you liberals were advocating contacting his sponsors and demanding they withdraw their support for his show. That, naturally, made me curious so I had to find out for myself what the brouhaha was about. I can honestly say I agree about 50% of the time with Beck. About 25% of the time, I question his ideas (and that makes me do a little research to learn more) and the last 25% of the time, I disagree completely with him.
I find it very interesting, though, that you and many of your fellows spend so much time trying to discredit Beck or Limbaugh or Hannity or whoever the day's target might be...keeping in mind that these are entertainers rather than news reporters.
Regarding his rants against anti-war activists...we have many people on this forum and in the celebrity sphere who actively voiced their opinion against the war (though that no longer seems to be the case).
I don't have time to do more than a cursory search on two of the points you listed.
--Or maybe this oldie but goodie:
In 2004, Beck called Michael Berg, whose son had been beheaded in Iraq, "despicable" and a "scumbag" because Mr. Berg dared to criticize George Bush and the Iraq War. ((Mediamatters.org, 5/17/04).)--
Here's the excerpt from the article.
---Following are two excerpts from the May 14 broadcast of The Glenn Beck Program:
BECK: It is truly amazing to see the photos of uh -- of Nick Berg's dad out on the lawn just preaching to the choir about how he's gonna be on stage for an International A.N.S.W.E.R. [Act Now to Stop War & End Racism] rally that is uh, rallying the people against racism and the war in just a couple of weeks -- don't forget the date. It's truly amazing stuff. Then he came out yesterday also and said, "Well, ya know, al Qaida MAY be as bad as the Bush administration." [long pause] I'm supposed to feel bad for this guy. I'm supposed to say at this point, "You know, he's grieving, and so you can understand how upset he is." But I really can't. Um, I -- I -- I -- I could get on and I can fake that I'm really -- you know, that I understand his statements and I, you know, feel bad for him. And I do feel bad for him. Some of the statements I do understand. I can give him the benefit of the doubt on some of the statements, but not the -- not the collective whole. I'm beginning to really dislike this guy .I'm beginning to question, you know, "Can you let your son's body become the same temperature as your son's head before you turn this into a political campaign against the president -- could you do that?"
BECK: I find this guy [Michael Berg] despicable. Everything in me says that. The want to be a better person today than I was yesterday says he's a dad, he's grieving, but I don't buy that. I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I think he is grieving, but I think he's a scumbag as well. I don't like this guy at all."â€"
Beck is talking about a man using his son's horrendous death as a publicity ploy, yes, against the war. IMO, he was harsh but then I don't have the benefit of having heard the entire show. I only have this snippet from Mediamatters which is not always a fair or balanced site. I have to admit, at the time, when I heard about Berg, I sympathized with his grief, but, reading this snippet and doing a little more research, I have to question Berg's motives myself. Did you know he ran for a Congressional seat, taking Nader's place on the Green ballot?
I don't remember Beck calling Sheehan a 'prostitute', again not having known of his existence before about April.
-- Beck referenced Sheehan during what he called a "search for the biggest prostitute," which, he said, sought to answer the question, "Who'll do anything for power or money?" The game initially pitted former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss against Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), and suspended Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.
(At the behest of his producer, he changed that to 'tragedy pimp'.)
On the July 5 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Glenn Beck labeled anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan a "tragedy pimp" for going on a hunger strike to protest the war in Iraq. Beck added of Sheehan:--
Again, this is a little different context than it sounded in your response as it speaks to her quest for publicity. And again, it's from Mediamatters.
From what I can see Beck became a television personality at CNN in May, 2006 where he had a very large audience. Then this year he moved to Fox, presumably taking many of his followers with him (hence giving him a large audience there).
It's perfectly within your rights to not like Beck. Just as it's perfectly within some other person's rights to like him. I won't argue that with you. But I will point out that his hyperbole is no different than yours or the other posters here. It's an exaggeration that provides 'color' even as it attempts to prejudice the subject under discussion.
What we all need to do is learn to recognize the hyperbole, do a little research of our own, and form our own opinions...while we still can.
An absolutely stunning real life comparison!
-- Did Glenda Beck pull out the 342 page Patriot Act and put the Constitution alongside of it back in 2001?
No, our Academy Award winning cry baby was too busy calling fellow Americans traitors and cowards because they disagreed with with the invasion of Iraq.
Guess it made uncommon sense at the time.
Refractometer, Grand Marais, Michigan --
How do you know this? Did you research it? Can you provide links to it? Or is this just supposition? Just wondering.
Stabenow
-- Too many in Washington feel as though they don't owe us an explanation.
In short...Don't let them ignore you. Keep up the good work.
Juan Motime, Phoenix, AZ --
Thanks and you too. You're right about those in Washington. They seem to believe they're the aristocratic elite who aren't beholden to us lesser peons. One of the other posters here offered the notion that all incumbents should be voted out of office. With very few exceptions, I agree completely.
Repay Tax Credit
Refract,
True on your points...but no one can prove Jefferson didn't say it :-)
Seriously though the gist of the quote appears to be Ford's but the wording isn't exact. I wonder if some student might have paraphrased it or even something of Jefferson's and attributed it to him. If I had time, I'd do a search but unfortunately I don't.
Stabenow
-- The problem is, they have nothing but contempt for the voters. They don't care what you think. They refuse to listen to you. They insult you if you disagree with them.
BTW, remember that when they come asking for you to vote for their re-election.
Juan Motime, Phoenix, AZ --
So what? Keep after them. Don't give up. As far as them 'insulting you', man, I wish one of them would insult me (I know I'm on the enemies list, lol). I'd advertise it from here to Kingdom come.
Repay Tax Credit
-- "A Government that is big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have."
-Thomas Jefferson
False.--
Refract, there's also 'rumor' that Barry Goldwater said it as far back as '64.
Stabenow: Michigan will benefit from health care reform
-- Pa: My experience so far in writing my congressperson has been an argument why they are right and I am wrong.OK I did not expect they would immediately change their mind by my arguments; but I did expect a form letter stating that they would carefully consider my comments.
An argument says to me: "that I don't care what you think".
GIG, munising, mi --
Don't listen to their arguments (which consists mostly of the propaganda they want you to believe). Just keep sending them email or letters or calling them on the phone. Show them that you're not their brain dead puppet.
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