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Old 10-02-2008, 11:37 AM
 
Location: Home is where the heart is
15,402 posts, read 28,828,599 times
Reputation: 19090

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LOL, I think this forum is a ghetto for political junkies.
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Old 10-02-2008, 11:44 AM
 
12,867 posts, read 14,852,227 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TnHilltopper View Post
Well as noble of an idea as talking about issues and facts are, it is not what people want, even if they say so.

There have been a number of "deeper" and more academic angled topics, threads, and post offered up but more often than not, they get a handful of responses and then fade quickly into a sea a diatribe.

Journalist have a saying, "If it bleeds it leads", and one look around here or any forum that is offered to the public, confirms this. Given a choice, people will almost always choose emotionally driven presentations because it appeals to the most primitive portions of the human brain and are the most reactionary. Same reason why political attack ads are meant to invoke an emotional response as opposed to appealing to logic or higher reasoning.

Keep in mind, this is an information site and relocation guide that happens to have a political section in its forum. If you are seeking a more academic discussion, then this is probably not the place for you. However, I tend to look at things from a chaos up as opposed to a perfection down perspective, so be that as it may, I'm pleased to at least see people discuss contemporary issues and politics at all, because most people simply avoid the subject all together.
yes, even ebay has a forum that discusses the political issues in more depth and that is saying something.
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Old 10-02-2008, 11:58 AM
 
11,135 posts, read 14,140,533 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floridasandy View Post
yes, even ebay has a forum that discusses the political issues in more depth and that is saying something.
That is because politics in America isn't about discussion it is about placing blame. People could care less if Obama or McCain themselves produced the most comprehensive solution to the Wall Street crisis or the best energy plan that 95% of all the worlds economist claimed was sound. They would still spend the next weeks pointing and saying it was the "Dumbocrats/Reptilicans" fault that we are in this mess.

This applies to just about every topic or subject and for a reason. People don't want to be troubled or bothered with actually thinking, that requires effort. Much easier to lean against their partisan wall and blame the other guy. This way each side only has to remember a set of talking points handed down by the given party. Life is blissful this way.
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Old 10-02-2008, 12:02 PM
 
438 posts, read 828,383 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TnHilltopper View Post
That is because politics in America isn't about discussion it is about placing blame. People could care less if Obama or McCain themselves produced the most comprehensive solution to the Wall Street crisis or the best energy plan that 95% of all the worlds economist claimed was sound. They would still spend the next weeks pointing and saying it was the "Dumbocrats/Reptilicans" fault that we are in this mess.

This applies to just about every topic or subject and for a reason. People don't want to be troubled or bothered with actually thinking, that requires effort. Much easier to lean against their partisan wall and blame the other guy. This way each side only has to remember a set of talking points handed down by the given party. Life is blissful this way.

Very well said. I could not agree more!
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Old 10-02-2008, 12:05 PM
 
1,372 posts, read 3,750,243 times
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America's love affair with Obama will end when he starts to enact a bunch of 1960's-era Great Society 'hand out' programs that cost us a fortune and only exacerbate the situation. The guy is going to be the new 'black Santa Clause' of the ghetto.
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Old 10-02-2008, 12:44 PM
 
11,135 posts, read 14,140,533 times
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Another favorite pastime in American politics, predictions. If Obama/McCain gets elected it will be horrible/great because ___<insert reason>___. While discussing past actions we have a frame of reference and a record, but this isn't even good enough. Predictions on the other are awesome because they are so vague and generalized and when the future does arrive, whether we are right or wrong in our predictions (or both) we can then rationalize the reasons.

This isn't to say that there is no room for discussing the possibilities of various policy decisions and what impacts they may have, we never seem to get this deep. Instead predictions tend to be dire warnings about apocalyptic consequences of the person and not their policies. Enter again, partisan ad hominen and the tossing of enough things on the wall that the mathematical odds ensure that at least something will stick.
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Old 10-02-2008, 02:17 PM
 
Location: The 719
17,875 posts, read 27,269,911 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrbob View Post
I agree - it's getting pretty ugly - lots of ranting - people talking past each other...

I tried to be positive with this thread I put out - I am voting for Obama for these reasons; http://www.city-data.com/forum/2008-...his-stand.html
Thank you for your input. I will check that thread out.
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Old 10-02-2008, 02:23 PM
 
Location: The 719
17,875 posts, read 27,269,911 times
Reputation: 17128
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach50 View Post
If you think this forum is "ghetto", check out the immigration forum, it is like a backyard brawl at a kegger.
I believe you! Thanks but no thanks. I can't even handle the Religion forum, much less that.

I can no longer handle this sub-forum to be honest. Maybe if my candidate was winning, but they are getting spanked hard now. Obama in a landslide is probably closer to the truth than fiction, so I'm preparing myself. This little thread here will be my save little sancuary.

To TNHilltopper: I agree with you; I'm glad that I'm at least thinking about it and talking about it. My little thread title seems to pull on the emotional strings a bit. I'm not happy that I've been called a racist over it but I'm also glad that it's still up on the first page. I'm not a very good thread starter, historically.
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Old 10-02-2008, 02:25 PM
 
30,907 posts, read 32,837,689 times
Reputation: 26919
Roll-in' with ma ho-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.... (whistling to self)
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Old 10-02-2008, 02:38 PM
 
11,135 posts, read 14,140,533 times
Reputation: 3696
Quote:
Originally Posted by McGowdog View Post
I believe you! Thanks but no thanks. I can't even handle the Religion forum, much less that.

I can no longer handle this sub-forum to be honest. Maybe if my candidate was winning, but they are getting spanked hard now. Obama in a landslide is probably closer to the truth than fiction, so I'm preparing myself. This little thread here will be my save little sancuary.

To TNHilltopper: I agree with you; I'm glad that I'm at least thinking about it and talking about it. My little thread title seems to pull on the emotional strings a bit. I'm not happy that I've been called a racist over it but I'm also glad that it's still up on the first page. I'm not a very good thread starter, historically.
Heck, I've been called a racist, antisemitic, loony pointed headed liberal, fascist right winger, and many other things too disgusting to post. Doesn't bother me one bit as I have found that more often than not, this is often a means to redirect a given discussion from someone who has run aground in their own.

Anytime we inject personal beliefs into a discussion, there is a strong chance that it will become contentious and even virulent. I can only suggest that folks engage with those that wish to discuss at the same level and ignore those who don't. Remember that program called Crossfire on CNN? Now if you recall it was pretty heated at times, now imagine that kind of format being applied to a group that contains everything from high schoolers to scholars.
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