You could send the best candidate to Washington, with the best of intentions, and they will be corrupted
by the system. The Government is broken. The whole political process is broken. The president's hands are
effectively tied by congress and the senate. Yet he still has to take ultimate responsibility. It's a mess.

Chester wrote:


I agree with all this and yet I still vote in every election. Why? Because it's a priviledge so few in this world enjoy.

I do to. And for the exact same reason. It's all we can do, so we have to.

patchmyfurthur wrote:

First of all, the White House has already said they will veto SOPA, and clearly it will never get out of Congress anyway. I agree with you on NDAA, and even Obama's signing statement saying he will not allow detentions is small comfort. it is still less destructive than the original Patriot Act, though.
However, given what he has had to work with for a Congress, I'd say Obama has accomplished some good things. Don't overlook the importance of his reversals of the Bush policies on EPA regulations, stem cell research, family planning availability and health care. I believe you're under 26, Patrick, which means thanks to Obama (and many, many others) and his health care reform act, you can hang on to your parent's insurance for several years longer. Anyone on the forum who has had previous health problems can now get the insurance that they would previously have been denied. Insurance companies can no longer cancel your policy after you're diagnosed; this alone is literally a life saver. I've seen patients diagnosed with cancer who then get their insurance yanked the minute they need it, effectively handing them a death sentence. He's ended Don't Act/Don't Tell, ended enforcement of DOMA, and appointed 2 progressive women to the Supreme Court. Most of our troops are out of Iraq, Osama Bin Laden and Muhammar Gaddafi are dead, and we've supported uprisings and significant change in the Middle East. Is it enough or everything I want to see from our government? Not even close, but it's a hell of a lot better than the previous 8 years or more.
It's easy to lose faith in the system. But voting isn't a sign of support for the status quo, imho, it's the only way to start changing it! Take care who you vote for, make it count! That's going to be a whole lot more helpful to everyone than not voting at all.

SunshineSue wrote:



Sunshine Sue, it could not have been laid out more clearly....THANK YOU!

Hey we all helped phil pay for that ferrari! Go phil! That's a nice car.

I vote JK

Obama just came out against the keystone pipline too. Although he hasn't been as good as he could be on the environement, he is much, much, much better than what Ron Paul would do. The Dead has a very long history of political involvment around the environment (not to mention their benifit for the Black Panthers back in the day).

patchmyfurthur wrote:


and our goverment has lost faith in the voters ablitiy inform themselves as well.

Win/Win

I wouldnt goe to a single show... Not a damn penny to the obama administration! Stay out of politics. This will be my first year elgible to vote and most likely i wont vote or il write in Jesse Ventura. Vote independant if anything

PLEASE READ BOOKS !!!!!!

who was that directed too?^

Was not directed at you just the general convo and my point was that the voting populous should read more to make better informed decisions on who they vote for.