Great Day For American Polotics

[Don Corleone]

Reagan!

And I don't see how you could be a Democrat, either. If you think they're for "a balanced budget, smaller government, and less government interference in peoples lives" you've been misled. Or you've taken to heart the libertarian position on personal drug use.

Just thought I'd point that out.

DC - at least the RCC isn't consistantly partisan. The requirements for pro-life combined with pro-welfare (and such) and such rules out a lot of Democrats and Republicans.

At least it's not like the whole Church is in thrall of one party...

You're right. They're not partisan. In fact, according to many accounts, they've been chomping at the bit to weigh in on the illegal immigration question, just so they could disabuse the notion that they're pro-Republican, which they would assure anyone they care to ask they most certainly are not. Why would they be?

The Republicans favor national sovereignty. The Democrats advocate for placing the USA under the authority of world government bodies (such as the UN). The Vatican is on record as supporting a world government which all nations must answer to.

This actually tickles me in a different direction... rather than derail this particular topic, I'll start another one.

[Goofball]

Reagan!

And I don't see how you could be a Democrat, either. If you think they're for "a balanced budget, smaller government, and less government interference in peoples lives" you've been misled.

The difference is that the Democrats don't claim to be the champions of those things, while the Republicans do.

That's what really drives me crazy about the Republicans. They have themselves convinced that they have to pander to the religious right in order to retain power. And by doing so, they have to abandon their own long held principles and turn off a huge portion of the electorate: fiscal conservatives who are socially progressive.

If they were to just ease up on all the religious/moral crap they spout, they would entice way more voters away from the Democrats than they would lose. Because let's face it: it's a two party system. If the religious right gets pissed at the GOP, what are they going to do, vote Democrat? The party of abortion and sodomy?

Get real. They'll hold their noses and keep voting Republican while praying for a plague of locusts to smite their enemies.

Stepping closer to the middle right now would be the best way for the GOP to ensure another 8 or 12 years of power. It would completely nail the Democrat coffin shut.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

They've tried that in New Jersey. Believe me, they have.

It generally hasn't seemed to work. Perhaps we're a bad example, or maybe NJ Republicans are just particularly inept, but they're uselss over here.

If the Republicans stop backing the "religious right", the religious right will find a third party to ruin the Republicans' election day. Or just not vote. This too has happened.

And I'm not sure about the whole "religious right is a minority" thing. There are a lot of people out there (if we're going by polls, anyway) that seem to be opposed to homosexual marriage - a "socially progressive" ideal. It makes sense politically to try and tap that. I imagine that the numbers are closer than you think on some issues as well.

Though, yes, mainstream America (and myself) are not in tune with Pat Robertson.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Ah yes, the political state of New Jersey...

Scandals in the Democratic administration everywhere. Former Governor McGreevey resigns right before his ex-gay lover (NOT a typo) will hit him with a sexual harassment lawwsuit. Corruption everywhere.

Gubinatorial Election of 2005 nears. Republicans have lots of ammo to hit the Democrats with. And they come out firing. They pick a moderate candidate, Doug Forrester, who slams Democratic contendor, then-current US Senator Jon Corzine, every chance he gets. What happens? Corzine wins in a landslide, and the Dems solidify their hold on the state.

What probably went wrong there is that Forrester went overboard on the attack ads. At one point he brought out Corzine's ex-wife. I read somewhere that the voters didn't like that.

Anyway, the Religious Right is somewhat trapped. If they do form their own party, the votes will be split between them and the current GOP, thus allowing the Democrats to reign supreme. Surely some of them realize this. They really have no choice but to back GOP candidates and pray that they push a family agenda once elected.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Hardly. If they don't have a good candidate in a race, particularly local ones, they just won't vote.

And NJ GOP has more problems than just missing the Guv seat. They're helpless in the Assembly, and the Dems own the Courts, which rule with the help of the Guv.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Hmm, living in the South of NJ it's a bit more balanced/contested here so we generally get higher turnout in order to tip the scales. Don't know if it's the case where you live, but it's probably somewhere in NE Jersey, where it's a Democratic stronghold so that would make sense.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Hmm, living in the South of NJ it's a bit more balanced/contested here so we generally get higher turnout in order to tip the scales. Don't know if it's the case where you live, but it's probably somewhere in NE Jersey, where it's a Democratic stronghold so that would make sense.

What exit?

I was born in Atlantic City and raised in Margate til the family moved South.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Psssh, Turnpike jokes don't have any effect on those who live below Trenton, you should realize that.

Wow, this post certainly went off-topic.

PS- 4, I believe.

[Redleg]

Psssh, Turnpike jokes don't have any effect on those who live below Trenton, you should realize that.

Wow, this post certainly went off-topic.

PS- 4, I believe.

So do you hang out with Tony Soprano?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Sorry couldn't resist a bad joke

[KafirChobee]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/....ap/index.html

Thank god flag burning amnedment and the marrige amendment. O happy day. Screw the economy. Screw illegals. Screw outsourcing. America turns ablind eye yet agian to the real issuses. I cant wait boys we may declare bakrupcy but by god our "morals" will be there granted we will gain these illegaly and it will completly go agianst the enlightenment princples we founded this nation on but hey small price right?

Someone once posted the "contract with America", and it seems that power over rules substance or commitment to values. Still, it is traditional in American politics that the people that vote (lowest percentage in the free world, btw - recall how the Israels' were aghast that only 68% attended their elections this year, we are lucky to break 40%) toss out the liars every 10 - 12 years or so.
Fact is, the old addage of Lincoln's still holds true; "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and a some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" [or words to that affect] The GOPs' new doctrine is, fool 50.01% and we win. What with the gerrymandering and illegal contributions (though about everything is legal today - 2008 we get the first $Billion$ dollar presidency race) they might be right, except that most Americans will cross party lines to vote - if only to shake their party up 'til the next elections (as will Dems).

That all these non-issues, or "button" issues (pushing the morality buttons of the weak minded) have any substance at all in the American political theatre is ..... well, dumb. If a person votes for a candidate simply because they say they are against _________ (fill-in-blank; abortion, gay rights/marriage/adoption, the war / or for it, etc), then they become lured into becoming a one issue political lacky. They lose account of the real issues of the day, of the future, of the true needs for one's nation.

Oh, well.

On the lighter side, and the real problem with the GOP (aside from the corruption - or including):

http://www.whitehouse.org/news/2005/092805.asp

Sorry, the devil made me do it.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The GOPs' new doctrine is, fool 50.01% and we win. What with the gerrymandering and illegal contributions

Time honored political "traditions" applicable to a percentage of the members of the party in power throughout our history. I am saddened that the Republicans did not rise above the previous standards.

(though about everything is legal today - 2008 we get the first $Billion$ dollar presidency race) they might be right, except that most Americans will cross party lines to vote - if only to shake their party up 'til the next elections (as will Dems).

I think 11/06 is gonna really suck for the GOP. Too many regular GOP voters are going to stay home and the Dem stalwarts will be out in force. Too earlier to predict the sentiment of the '08 voters until we have some sense of the fallout from '06.

I agree with you that our voter turnout is hideous. In 2000, with roughly 198 million eligible to vote, only 123 million registered and only 102 million or so voted. That's an 83% turnout among registered voters -- not too shabby -- but barely 52% of those who could have voted. And 2000 was a hotly contested Presidential election year with two significant "3rd party" candidates. The paltry numbers during "off" year elections are sickening -- and I have always been annoyed since the 468/469 rapscallions we elect in an "off" year can do just as much damage as a Pres and her/his Veep. Many of my countrymen just don't give a <insert crude synonym for bowel movement here> about anything further off than next weekend.

Sorry, the devil made me do it.

Sorry Kaf' with us Republicans in power we now punish such thought crimes or morals violations grounds. Save "lusting in your heart" or novel exercises in cigar use for Democrat-controlled eras.

Remember, so far, while most individuals serving have been honest, none of the parties in power in our nation's history have lived up to the level of correctness they should.

[Brenus]

Can I say that is how election goes now, in all democracies?
One week before the vote, hop, big tittles in newspapers and breaking news in TV; A young foreigner killed an old pensioner to steal his very well deserved money in earn fighting for the country few years ago.
So, suddenly, nobody speak about economy, unemployment, health system, pension, school and university, in brief, politic (life of the city). But every body is speaking about how our streets aren’t safe today, that there is no respect today, these bladi (in French in the text) Foreigners who invaded our motherland, death penalty is too good for them etc…

That is what Pascal (Blaise, 1623-1662), French Philosopher, described as a divertissement. It doesn’t matter what the preacher is saying if he is just half shaved. Our attention is diverted from the real problems.