The joking exchange on the Electoral College threat got me thinking about how much the average voter knows. Everyone who responded to that thread understands what the electoral college is, but there are many voters who don't. I also listened to something on the radio recently quoting random people on the street when asked about the positions of the various candidates. Almost no one knew anything about the candidates positions other than vague stuff like "Obama is for change" or, "McCain is strong on defense". Granted, the producers of any one radio show can seriously skew stuff like that. But it's consistent with other stuff I've heard and with conversations I've had with people. The average voter frequently doesn't even know who the VP is right now, much less the fact that many speakers at the recent NRA convention excoriated McCain. How do we expect change in this country when the average voter (someone who actually takes the trouble to vote) has almost no knowledge of what the issues are, much less where the average voter stands on them.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Okay, would this tie into the majority of people choosing evil? Or is it just the majority of people being clueless? I guess the end result would be the same, wouldn't it?
Makes me think of the quote - Evil flourishes when good people do nothing. Could it really be that simple?
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
I had Girl's Night Out this week with some of my high school friends. Our talk turned to politics and I was so surprised at some of the comments made. Three of them struck me more: 1. Obama is THE anti-Christ (only one and Obama is it), 2. Obama is Muslim, and 3. no socialist agenda with any of the candidates.
I'm not well read on political stuff. I try to be, but I would judge myself as a little more knowledgeable than the average person. But, frankly I couldn't believe some of the things coming from my friend's minds. I actually had to explain what socialism was to them and why it's wrong (and that's with my limited knowledge). I don't have an answer to how the average American can become more knowledgeable...heck, I don't think most people know what our Constitution is or says. Other than freedom of religion, freedom of speech and something about guns, I'm sure they couldn't tell you anything more about it.
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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
I have often debated whether to start an elaborate voter education website, where any American could go, plug in their address, and a) be told exactly who and what will be on the ballot in their district, b) the voting record, CV, and general qualifications of each of the candidates, and c) read interviews with each candidate on each of the issues. oh and ETA d) where their voting place is w/ directions on how to get there and e) what is required in their area as proof of residence to vote.
I think that this sort of thing is vital because it is SO HARD to find even what's exactly on the ballot, let alone relatively unbiased information, for each election. The problem is, it would take massive amounts of money and effort to run, even if I achieved non-profit and tax-exempt status and just started in my little state of Idaho, which would require a massive amount of donations because there's no way we could earn enough money from ads to run since most people aren't interested in elections for more than 1 month a year, if that. And no matter how we ran it, we would be accused of being biased or of taking bribes in the form of donations. It's very frustrating. Honestly, I think the government should run an education site like that if it weren't for the fact that it would be voted down by any incumbent in office. Heaven knows the process is mostly about obfuscation, not education.
Beefie, I've seen similar things from our local news channels but they never have enough information for my tastes. And I would eventually like to have something on a country-wide scale so ANYONE can know EXACTLY where to go for information. Not to mention that having something that big would give us the clout so that candidates would actually agree to answer questions for us.
Go for it, Dy! I'd be on that website for sure! I'd like to see key issues with all the candidates compared and contrasted... and voting records, not just their "talk" about issues.
I need to make this a higher priority... going to have my older kids start reading The Making of America or something this summer, I think... (yikes - is that Skousen?!?)
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
BTW, about the "Is Obama Muslim?" issue, the answer, as far as Muslims think, is an unequivocal yes. His father was Muslim, and so according to Muslim law he is, automatically, a Muslim. Now he professes Christianity, but the fact remains that the Islam faith considers him to be one of theirs.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Ok, so does that make me a Bulgarian Orthodox? I was baptized as one and according to them, you don't just shrug it off. A priest and godfather baptized me so it was official.
I will accept what the man says his religion is. He may have been born and raised Muslim, but he claims Christianity as his religion. Perhaps being Muslim is a lot like being a Jew--not just a religion, but a way of life/culture. And perhaps Obama is being a politician and saying he is one to gain the American people (largely Christians) vote. But, until his actions show he is Muslim, I'll accept his word. I have enough on him to view him catastrophic to our country.
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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
Have his actions shown him to be Christian? All his actions have shown me so far is that he's good at talking about vague notions and throwing out promises of "change!", but bad at actually standing up to people who he claims he disagrees with.
Beef, it may seem like splitting hairs, but in this case it's very important that Muslims consider Obama to be a fellow Muslim, whatever he now professes. First, we haven't had any recent terrorist events committed by Bulgarian Orthodox extremists. Second, as far as I know, it is not traditional amongst Bulgarian Orthodox practitioners to kill those who leave the faith. The Middle East right now figures strongly in our foreign policy. How will they treat Obama? Either he is a fellow Muslim, or he is an apostate who must be killed.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Bok, we're going to judge Christians by their actions? Ooops, um...don't look at my actions too closely. He's attended a Christian church for 20 years, married by a Christian preacher, and had his children baptized by Christian preacher.
Arbi, don't Muslims have some kind of dealie where if a Muslim joins another church, then they are to be killed? So, by his actions I noted above, he sounds like a Christian (or at least professes to be one) to me. Thus, I don't see how Muslims would consider him a brother. If anything, I would expect he would need increased security for assassination attempts.
How will they treat him? As a weenie who doesn't know squat about foreign relations and how to play with the big dogs.
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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
Wha? Has your head been in a pile of horse manure? "Rev" Wright, the man who loves America, white men, and thinks aids is a horrible disease not caused/promoted by a conspiracy of the government.
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It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.
