This is why I was so depressed when Bush was reelected. The man is a despot -- or at least an oligarch. He's ruining our democracy We've let our democracy die.
This is why I'd never live anywhere but Australia - it's a criminal offence NOT to vote here.
And why I dispair of America because fewer and fewer people seem to be voting so that the government is elected by an increasing minority of the population. Not to mention that tales of systemic corruption of the 'democratic process' that have leaked out during and after the last 2 US elections.
the turnout for this election, percentage-wise was the highest it'd been in 36 years, and since the country's population has grown considerably over those years, the number of votes each candidate got was record breaking (Kerry got the most votes of any Democratic candidate in history; Bush got the most votes for any Republican).
The fact is, simply, that more people let their votes be swayed by people like the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" (Which actually has its origins in a back-room deal with Richard Nixon, at the time Kerry was testifying before the Senate back in the '70's) than swayed by what the actually believed.
Also, Bush won by the slimmest margin of victory in history...
I personally am going to 'clean up my own backyard' - get out/stay out of unproductive consumer debt (school loans are another matter) and make my $ go farther in various ways.
I'll also never again be as politcally Ignorant as I was for my first 15 years out of college.
It means keeping an eye on the Wall - for the writing's there, for those as can see. It means paying attention to which way the wind is blowing.
It means over-using a lot of @#$%ing Annoying cliches.
Above all, it means staying flexible. And if and when the proverbial sh*t hits the fan....to be ready to move, not taking it so @#$%ing Personally (as I suspect many of us are capable of taking it).
It means, know Yourself, know your Values...and live them.
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*sigh*
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reelected. The man is a despot -- or at least an oligarch.He's ruining our democracyWe've let our democracy die.From:
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And why I dispair of America because fewer and fewer people seem to be voting so that the government is elected by an increasing minority of the population.
Not to mention that tales of systemic corruption of the 'democratic process' that have leaked out during and after the last 2 US elections.
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The ironic thing is:
The fact is, simply, that more people let their votes be swayed by people like the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" (Which actually has its origins in a back-room deal with Richard Nixon, at the time Kerry was testifying before the Senate back in the '70's) than swayed by what the actually believed.
Also, Bush won by the slimmest margin of victory in history...
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Pretty much the same stuff we always do.
I personally am going to 'clean up my own backyard' - get out/stay out of unproductive consumer debt (school loans are another matter) and make my $ go farther in various ways.
I'll also never again be as politcally Ignorant as I was for my first 15 years out of college.
It means keeping an eye on the Wall - for the writing's there, for those as can see. It means paying attention to which way the wind is blowing.
It means over-using a lot of @#$%ing Annoying cliches.
Above all, it means staying flexible. And if and when the proverbial sh*t hits the fan....to be ready to move, not taking it so @#$%ing Personally (as I suspect many of us are capable of taking it).
It means, know Yourself, know your Values...and live them.
And don't be surprised if it's interesting times.
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Re: Pretty much the same stuff we always do.
Why do people act this way? It's so confusing. I don't understand it. Makes no sense.
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Re: Pretty much the same stuff we always do.
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Re: Pretty much the same stuff we always do.
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