Why does it seem like only a small minority of people pay attention to politics?

[BoberFett]

Uninformed = both parties the same = why bother getting informed?

You can tell who the complete and utter simpletons are when they make the claim that both parties are the same. The two parties disagree on almost every single issue and policy.

The two parties disagree on window dressing. If you believe otherwise, you're deluded.

Oh that's right, you believe the Democrats care about you, LOL. Poor dumb fool, you'll believe anything if it's marketed properly.

 

[dank69]

The two parties disagree on window dressing. If you believe otherwise, you're deluded.

Oh that's right, you believe the Democrats care about you, LOL. Poor dumb fool, you'll believe anything if it's marketed properly.

Yeah, window dressing like gun control, taxes, civil rights, immigration, education, environmental policy, foreign policy, healthcare, "entitlements," net neutrality...

 

[Fern]

Usually I'm surrounded by "educated" people most of the time. From what I've noticed, on campus, off campus, among students, and most professors, nobody really cares about politics at all. Hardly anybody can name our senators, let alone our house representatives or anybody else of any importance besides the major celebrities you hear about on TV. It's frustrating how many people just have no clue about something so important.
Thoughts?

1st: Even if you pay attention to the national news, heck the local for that matter, one's state politicians are rarely mentioned. We hear about maybe a dozen or less yet there are 465 members of Congress.

2nd: Issues? Mostly the SOS day in and day out.

3rd: Frustration.

4th: The above helps lead to rational ignorance. If there's virtually nothing one can do about it, why bother?

Fern

 

[xXandra]

Because in the end none of it matters. Our government is bought and paid for by the highest bidder.

:thumbsup:
Indeed, paying too much attention to political circus is like watching soap operas

 

[Nebor]

Yeah, window dressing like gun control, taxes, civil rights, immigration, education, environmental policy, foreign policy, healthcare, "entitlements," net neutrality...

That's all window dressing, trotted out as significant issues because they're emotional & divisive. The end state of both parties is that the vast majority of Americans are modern slaves, going to work in exchange for a pittance while the wealthiest .1% grow ever fatter. Tell me how much you'll care about gun control when you can't afford a gun anyway, or civil rights when the police can kill you on sight because the entire justice system is designed to protect the interests of the ultra wealthy.

Neither party is doing a thing to change the widening wealth inequality in the US because every politician is bought and paid for by the top .1%.

 

[Spungo]

The two parties disagree on window dressing. If you believe otherwise, you're deluded.

Oh that's right, you believe the Democrats care about you, LOL. Poor dumb fool, you'll believe anything if it's marketed properly.

You gotta pick your rapist. One party wants to rape you one way. The other party rapes you another way. Sometimes one rapist is better than the other. The fat white guy with a small penis might hurt less. The guy with slender hands might hurt less.

 

[BoberFett]

That's all window dressing, trotted out as significant issues because their emotional & divisive. The end state of both parties is that the vast majority of Americans are modern slaves, going to work in exchange for a pittance while the wealthiest .1% grow ever fatter. Tell me how much you'll care about gun control when you can't afford a gun anyway, or civil rights when the police can kill you on sight because the entire justice system is designed to protect the interests of the ultra wealthy.

Neither party is doing a thing to change the widening wealth inequality in the US because every politician is bought and paid for by the top .1%.

:thumbsup:

 

[blankslate]

And Carlin is wrong. The goverment is NOT making us stupid. ANYBODY can go online and see whats happening in current events and how things work. Instead they keep tabs on Kim Kardashian.

In this case Carlin isn't wrong, he's taken out of context... if you see or listen to the whole bit you'll realize that George Carlin is talking about the government that has been bought out by the truly wealthy people who are fine with the fact that they are in "the big club" and the vast majority of people aren't...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsL6mKxtOlQ


In addition to the Government Mr. Carlin also notes that most of the media has been bought out as well.


.....

 

[dank69]

That's all window dressing, trotted out as significant issues because their emotional & divisive. The end state of both parties is that the vast majority of Americans are modern slaves, going to work in exchange for a pittance while the wealthiest .1% grow ever fatter. Tell me how much you'll care about gun control when you can't afford a gun anyway, or civil rights when the police can kill you on sight because the entire justice system is designed to protect the interests of the ultra wealthy.

Neither party is doing a thing to change the widening wealth inequality in the US because every politician is bought and paid for by the top .1%.

Actually, Democrats want to raise LTCG taxes, estate taxes, corporate taxes etc, but stupid middle class idiots keep voting in enough GOP to stop those things from ever happening because they think Dems are gonna take their guns and build abortion complexes. And even bigger idiots don't even bother to vote because they are too stupid to see that Dems might actually make things a little better instead of worse, so the huge advantage the Dems should have at the polls is negated.

 

[Nebor]

Actually, Democrats want to raise LTCG taxes, estate taxes, corporate taxes etc, but stupid middle class idiots keep voting in enough GOP to stop those things from ever happening because they think Dems are gonna take their guns and build abortion complexes. And even bigger idiots don't even bother to vote because they are too stupid to see that Dems might actually make things a little better instead of worse, so the huge advantage the Dems should have at the polls is negated.

Seems like the democrats have been in a pretty good position to change all that stuff for a while now. And back in the 90s. Instead they used their power in the 90s to pass the 1994 Assault Weapon Ban, which cost them the next couple elections and expired to no effect.

Do you not realize that the .1% (finance industry) donates equally to both parties? Do you really think the Democrats are going to bite the hand that feeds them? What the democrats are proposing is to take from the "rich," being those who make up to a million dollars a year, usually through professional or trade skills or small business entrepreneurship. These guys are already paying the highest percentage of their income in taxes. The "wealthy" making $10m+ a year will be totally unaffected.

In the end, you have a sliding scale of government dependency, with those at the bottom living off those in the middle, and those in the middle supporting the whole system. Everyone below the 1% are essentially slaves, with the government operating as the middle-man, taking from the middle & bottom, redistributing a little, but pumping tons of it out to selected members of private industry (finance, defense, etc.) and giving the bottom just enough to stave off a revolution.

 

[BoomerD]

Because the average person has no ability to impact anything in politics. At very best, you might be able to get one person elected instead of another. But they're two sides of the same coin, so you're not really accomplishing much. In short, the sort of educated people you're talking about realize there are far more important things to spend their time on.

Yep...a truly smart person realizes that politics is a game that's rigged so that "we the people" always lose...no matter who runs for office.

I was getting ready to say because they're smart but your paragraph will do.

I'm at the point that I realize that all this stuff just gets my blood pressure up for no reason and I would be better off just banning myself from anything political and just focusing on life in general. Fat, drunk and stupid sounds pretty good right now.

HEY! I resemble that remark!

 

[blake0812]

Same reason someone made a forum for Politics and News

 

[dank69]

Seems like the democrats have been in a pretty good position to change all that stuff for a while now. And back in the 90s. Instead they used their power in the 90s to pass the 1994 Assault Weapon Ban, which cost them the next couple elections and expired to no effect.

By pretty good position, do you mean filibuster-proof majority? That's what they need to make any significant changes. That isn't happening unless you dumbasses get the fuck out to the polls.

I agree that they need to get gun control out of their heads but that is the only issue where I side with the GOP. That's it. Every single other policy goes to the Dems.

Do you not realize that the .1% (finance industry) donates equally to both parties? Do you really think the Democrats are going to bite the hand that feeds them?

First of all, the GOP are the ones who made sure money got into politics and stays there.

Second of all, yes I know they are all bought and paid for. The difference is that on issues where they aren't being paid, the Dems will vote in your best interests while the GOP will vote to fuck you. The GOP will vote to fuck you no matter what. All of their policies are specifically designed to fuck you.

What the democrats are proposing is to take from the "rich," being those who make up to a million dollars a year, usually through professional or trade skills or small business entrepreneurship. These guys are already paying the highest percentage of their income in taxes. The "wealthy" making $10m+ a year will be totally unaffected.

Estate taxes are designed to address the "wealthy." LTCG taxes are designed to address the "wealthy." Corporate taxes are designed to address the "wealthy."

In the end, you have a sliding scale of government dependency, with those at the bottom living off those in the middle, and those in the middle supporting the whole system. Everyone below the 1% are essentially slaves, with the government operating as the middle-man, taking from the middle & bottom, redistributing a little, but pumping tons of it out to selected members of private industry (finance, defense, etc.) and giving the bottom just enough to stave off a revolution.

It doesn't have to be this way if people could just see through the GOP bullshit and stop blindly accepting the rhetoric that liberals just want to expand government and enact socialism.

 

[touchstone]

i agree, but i'm one of these people. i don't know a ton about politics... this is the second time i've posted in p&n. for mepolitics just don't seem to have real effects on my life as an individual. there is also a sense that no matter what you cant really change the system. so people tune out.


the media has built up this news-delivery amalgamation they use to manipulate public opinion. my parents are doctors and they both keep up with politics, so at least some educated people do.

 

[Nebor]

By pretty good position, do you mean filibuster-proof majority? That's what they need to make any significant changes. That isn't happening unless you dumbasses get the fuck out to the polls.

I agree that they need to get gun control out of their heads but that is the only issue where I side with the GOP. That's it. Every single other policy goes to the Dems.


First of all, the GOP are the ones who made sure money got into politics and stays there.

Second of all, yes I know they are all bought and paid for. The difference is that on issues where they aren't being paid, the Dems will vote in your best interests while the GOP will vote to fuck you. The GOP will vote to fuck you no matter what. All of their policies are specifically designed to fuck you.


Estate taxes are designed to address the "wealthy." LTCG taxes are designed to address the "wealthy." Corporate taxes are designed to address the "wealthy."

It doesn't have to be this way if people could just see through the GOP bullshit and stop blindly accepting the rhetoric that liberals just want to expand government and enact socialism.

And the democrats have never come close to enacting or even seriously imposing any of those changes to the wealthy except for the estate tax, which had plenty of loopholes for them and their buddies.

I guess I just tend to have more of an internal locus of responsibility than some. I don't want the government to solve my problems, and I don't believe they're capable of doing so. I'd rather ignore the voting system as it is (basically useless) and work hard to become one of the guys at the top of the pile fucking everyone over.

To be fair I grew up in a 1% city, so I had a few advantages to start, but there were some .1%ers there that came up from much lower.

 

[dank69]

And the democrats have never come close to enacting or even seriously imposing any of those changes to the wealthy except for the estate tax, which had plenty of loopholes for them and their buddies.

I guess I just tend to have more of an internal locus of responsibility than some. I don't want the government to solve my problems, and I don't believe they're capable of doing so. I'd rather ignore the voting system as it is (basically useless) and work hard to become one of the guys at the top of the pile fucking everyone over.

To be fair I grew up in a 1% city, so I had a few advantages to start, but there were some .1%ers there that came up from much lower.

Oh yeah, all it takes to become .1% is hard work.

You know who works really hard? Illegal immigrants.

 

[nickqt]

That's all window dressing, trotted out as significant issues because they're emotional & divisive. The end state of both parties is that the vast majority of Americans are modern slaves, going to work in exchange for a pittance while the wealthiest .1% grow ever fatter. Tell me how much you'll care about gun control when you can't afford a gun anyway, or civil rights when the police can kill you on sight because the entire justice system is designed to protect the interests of the ultra wealthy.

Neither party is doing a thing to change the widening wealth inequality in the US because every politician is bought and paid for by the top .1%.

Solution:

More tax cuts for the .1%, and more tax increases on the 99.9%.

Because freedom.

 

[Nebor]

Oh yeah, all it takes to become .1% is hard work.

You know who works really hard? Illegal immigrants.

Obviously it takes a certain amount of luck, but as you point out, even being born in American makes you one of the luckiest people on earth. Even those living in poverty in American enjoy a lifestyle superior to 75% of the world's population.

I'm guessing that you'd rather be part of the 100% of people who are equal and enjoy a mediocre lifestyle than be part of the .1% while most of the world lives in abject poverty. Interestingly, even those who claim to espouse similar views, like George Soros, live in opulent decadence themselves.

Personally, I'd rather live in the system we have now, where I can hope to wind up at the top and be the one buying and selling politicians.

 

[Zaap]

Pretty much this. I follow politics because I like to know what's going on, and I also write 2-3 letters a year to my congress-critters about various issues, and I'm a member of multiple lobbyist groups so I get the newsletters.

That said, I don't "enjoy" reading about politics and I certainly don't find it relaxing, aside from the rare story where something rational and good happens. I'd much rather do other things, and for people without my borderline-obsessive need to know the details I can see how avoiding politics altogether would be preferable.

^ Pretty much the above.

Eventually you notice those over-invested in polititics... are crazy as hell, and just angry all the time.

This forum often is a great example on full display. Lately I peek in here and just the same clearly-driven-crazy people have started 90% of the threads, arguing and spinning the same old circles of mindlessness, as most of the more sane people seem to have moved on to more productive things.

In every day life, people groan and duck out when they see the resident "politically-obsessed and has to spout to everyone about it" types coming.

 

[xXandra]

^ Pretty much the above.

Eventually you notice those over-invested in polititics... are crazy as hell, and just angry all the time.

This forum often is a great example on full display. Lately I peek in here and just the same clearly-driven-crazy people have started 90% of the threads, arguing and spinning the same old circles of mindlessness, as most of the more sane people seem to have moved on to more productive things.

In every day life, people groan and duck out when they see the resident "politically-obsessed and has to spout to everyone about it" types coming.

Imho in most cases they do it like sports and try to be number one by posting and showing their extraordinary opinions. Dull kind of life thread creators have

 

[el padrino]

usually most people don't care about anything around them and don't want to know about something that is not in their ghetto

 

[Mursilis]

No, I would prefer it if everyone voted.

Actually, Democrats want to raise LTCG taxes, estate taxes, corporate taxes etc, but stupid middle class idiots keep voting in enough GOP to stop those things from ever happening because they think Dems are gonna take their guns and build abortion complexes. And even bigger idiots don't even bother to vote because they are too stupid to see that Dems might actually make things a little better instead of worse, so the huge advantage the Dems should have at the polls is negated.

So you're saying you want more people to vote, but some of those who do vote are, according to you, stupid idiots because they vote GOP. Still, you want "stupid idiots" voting. I'm sure that's helpful in a democracy.

But then you say the bigger class of idiots is the non-voters, a class which, if they actually voted, would give a "huge advantage" to the Dems. So you're saying that bigger idiots favor the Dems. With that, I have no quarrel. [Not that I don't agree with "stupid idiots" voting for the GOP either; I just think GOP voters are the lesser brand of idiots.]

 

[dank69]

So you're saying you want more people to vote, but some of those who do vote are, according to you, stupid idiots because they vote GOP. Still, you want "stupid idiots" voting. I'm sure that's helpful in a democracy.

It is the foundation of democracy. Even stupid people deserve the right to vote for what they believe is in their best interest. Smart people might not think about what stupid people actually want out of life.

But then you say the bigger class of idiots is the non-voters, a class which, if they actually voted, would give a "huge advantage" to the Dems. So you're saying that bigger idiots favor the Dems. With that, I have no quarrel. [Not that I don't agree with "stupid idiots" voting for the GOP either; I just think GOP voters are the lesser brand of idiots.]

I didn't say bigger idiots favor the Dems. I said that because they remain willfully ignorant they don't realize that the Dem policies are actually better for them.

 

[werepossum]

Because the average person has no ability to impact anything in politics. At very best, you might be able to get one person elected instead of another. But they're two sides of the same coin, so you're not really accomplishing much. In short, the sort of educated people you're talking about realize there are far more important things to spend their time on.

This, exactly. I still enjoy arguing about it and reading people's opinions; I no longer pretend it makes much difference either way. Obama's gone much further in "fundamentally transforming" America than has any modern President. How many of our lives materially changed? How much difference would we really have seen with President Romney or President McCain instead of President Obama? Probably damned little.

 

[dank69]

This, exactly. I still enjoy arguing about it and reading people's opinions; I no longer pretend it makes much difference either way. Obama's gone much further in "fundamentally transforming" America than has any modern President. How many of our lives materially changed? How much difference would we really have seen with President Romney or President McCain instead of President Obama? Probably damned little.

See, I'd say the Patriot Act fundamentally transformed America more than anything Obama has done, but whatever floats your boat there chief.