Fun Stuff > CHATTER
2012 Election
ackblom12:
--- Quote from: Omega Entity on 06 Nov 2012, 23:01 ---
--- Quote from: Papersatan on 06 Nov 2012, 20:22 ---
Also I am sad the emergency manager provision seems to be passing in Michigan. But glad that the 2/3 vote for a tax hike and popular vote to build bridges ones are failing.
--- End quote ---
Have to admit I voted yes on all of those. I can see the reasons for disagreement on the first, but why the last two?
--- End quote ---
With the tax vote, it would essentially mean that absolutely nothing would ever get done. The fact is, taxes are the main source of revenue for states, and a state that is in ridiculous dire straits being clipped at the legs in being able to raise revenue (because it's hard enough getting a 2/3 majority popular vote for anything at all, much less taxes) is basically guaranteeing that it'll just never happen.
Also it comes up with the ridiculous scenario that taxes can never be lowered, because there is no chance of them ever being raised again, especially since repealing consititutional amendments is a lot more diffcult than dealing with a normal bit of legislature.
As for the bridge, the only reason it was even up for vote is because the current private owner of the only international bridge in the state (giving him a monopoly) doesn't want a state owned option or competition. Also Canada is covering most of the costs of the new bridge and it's kind of insulting that a state constitutional amendment was put up to protect an individual's monopolistic business interest.
Omega Entity:
Huh. Well, guess I screwed the pooch on that one.
Carl-E:
--- Quote from: Jace on 06 Nov 2012, 23:22 ---
--- Quote from: mustang6172 on 06 Nov 2012, 22:52 ---How does a president with 50% approval ratings squeak by, but a Congress with approval ratings below 10% goes unchallenged? Sounds backwards.
--- End quote ---
This right here! I was surprised at the amount of Republicans taking house seats still.
--- End quote ---
Tip O'Neill was well known for saying, "All politics is local". It's pretty well known that people want high ideals in their national leaders, but when it comes to the folks who actually represent them locally, they want someone who will work for things that they think will be to their advantage.
Like cutting taxes.
Our state legislature race was between two professors at the local Penn State branch campus. Both educated, well spoken men, neither one stupid. The democrat promised to work hard to solve local problems, and had a lot of good plans to get the region working again, improve infrastructure, and improve life in general. The republican promised things that made no sense - abolish property taxes, and cut income tax, and cut government services beyond the bone. My favorite was "return control of our schools to the community" (does he even know what a local school board is?) But he used all the emotional triggers, and so you knew he was going to win.
Oh, and I used to work with both of them. The Democrat is a Physics professor, a smart, nice, down-to-earth guy. The Republican is a political science professor, a pompous git, very condescending and pretty rude. And, with republican backing (read: money) he sent out a whole stack of incredibly slick mailers full of emotional, button pushing gobbledeygook. The democrat really never had a chance.
Akima:
--- Quote from: mustang6172 on 06 Nov 2012, 22:52 ---How does a president with 50% approval ratings squeak by, but a Congress with approval ratings below 10% goes unchallenged? Sounds backwards.
--- End quote ---
Gerrymandering works better at the local level.
snalin:
Hehe, you can vote against paying taxes. Great idea. Why has nobody thought of that before*?
I, too, am perplexed that you could get close to a 50% for Romney. He hates women, gays and immigrants, and that should cover at least 60% of the voting population. His stance on the middle east should make anyone with an arab or iranian background avoid him, anyone who's ever needed any kind of welfare should be running... Is 49% of the voting population of the US either white, rich, male bigots, or are there really that many stupid folk?
* (click to show/hide)because it's a fucking shite idea.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version