Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

gavrielle — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:55:04 +0000

Because I'm not really happy with any of the politics going on right now. Everything is too partisan. What's up with that? Also the whole Susan G Komen thing. Isn't SGK supposed to be non-partisan? I've always liked it BECAUSE it was non-partisan. We NEED nonpartisan organizations or we're not going to get anything done, since the parties can't seem to settle down in government and agree on anything other than censoring the internet... GAHH!

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:26:53 +0000

I've heard it said that SGK is a pretty corrupt/inefficient charity as it is, but that's mere hearsay from those more involved in cancer research circles than I, for which I have no evidence to substantiate. But, yeah - I was really disappointed too. (And I'd bet the President was as well, considering she resigned.) This also just reminds me of a book I wrote a paper on a week and a half ago. Politics is really screwed up because there's way too much money in it, so representatives follow the money and allocate time and votes accordingly. They'll listen if people make a big enough stink, but most people are too ignorant, unaware, or disorganized to make any impact on politics. If we want to change politics as usual, there's two things we have to do: 1) campaign finance reform and 2) increase political education and activism among the masses. I definitely feel you, though. And I kind of wish the Religious Right would just shut up (at least for a while) so we can focus on more important issues. Like, seriously? Why on earth would you care about defunding Planned Parenthood (which pretty much will only do harm) when as much as 10% - or more - of our country is unemployed?? Ugh. I mean, sure, there will always be disagreements on some issues, but there are MAJOR issues that affect all of us & that we can all agree need to be dealt with. Given how pressing those are, you think maybe we should focus on THAT rather than try and rehash all the same old ideological disputes? And don't even get me started on that whole SOPA/PIPA business. That such a bill would even get the level of consideration it got shows just how bought our Congress is. It's not surprising that they have an approval rating lower than 'the US going communist'. [/rant over] But I totally get where you're coming from - especially given that I've basically spent the past through weeks reading/writing about how corrupt the US political system is - and when I actually sit down and think about it it really kind of makes me want to tear my hair out.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:56:18 +0000

It doesn't matter where you live, politics SUCK! Politicians scramble for imaginary power, and so many people let them get away with it. One of the founding ideas for America was NO PARTY POLITICS!!! When it came down to elections, the guy with the most votes was president, and the guy with second-most votes became vice president. I think we need to go back to that system. Maybe that would help get things bipartisan again. I doubt it, but maybe. Obviously, I'm focusing on the problem of elections (if I got into everything else right now, I'd go nuts). Of course, the other problem I have is that there is no one I want to vote for this year. President Obama appears to be the only Democrat running, and I think it's time he got out. But none of the Republican candidates appeal to me either. And I know that a lot of people that are going to be voting for a president JUST to get Obama out. No, we should be voting for the person we feel will get things done right! Why can't Vetinari be a real person and not just a character from Discworld? I'd rather have a tyrant that keeps things working than party idiots attempting to run things.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

beanza3 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:47:07 +0000

Brazil's president had a 4th grade education and turned the economy and everything for the better. American presidents who have gone to Harvard are playing mind games. If I spoke portuguese, I'd so move... :D "Under Lula, Brazil became the world's eighth-largest economy, more than 20 million people rose out of acute poverty and Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first time the Games will be held in South America." — The Washington Post, October 2010[17] Us? We're getting worse and worse. Good thing we have a long way to fall! :D

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

harrypoter4ever — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:10:46 +0000

I hate politics! All of it. I don't care if it's voting for governor, president, or mayor, I DON'T CARE!!!! One example why I want to move over to Scotland. America is in a horrible economical position. If I was old I would move to Scotland or somewhere over in Europe. I've been there three times, I could deal with it. I just want to get out of America for a few years!!!! I agree with beanza3. We are getting worse. If we stay this way we WILL fall into the abyss that we have already fallen in once.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:38:44 +0000

Careful! Objects tend to accelerate in a free-fall.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

harrypoter4ever — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:21:33 +0000

*older*

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Hikiro-Lauren — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:33:21 +0000

I'm not involved much with politics because usually politicians just annoy me. I mean, they're supposed to be the people's voices right? So why do they try and pass laws like SOPA, ect. That many people oppose? Ah well. I believe our Democracy has gone down hill a bit from where it began. What really gets my goat Is Scott Walker and all this business in Wisconsin. So we elect him and not even a month after, we are trying to recall him. I just walked down State Street last weekend and they're still protesters. Gosh, yeah so there's my little rant/ Like I said, I don't keep up with politics because I don't like politics. Yeah...

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:41:47 +0000

Any particular reason you like Scotland? Just wondering because I spent the last semester in Edinburgh. :)

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:49:42 +0000

The main reason SOPA/PIPA got Congress' attention was because of intense lobbying on behalf of the RIAA/MPAA (record industry and motion picture associations of america - basically record company and movie studio organizations). And I'm sure money had something to do with it. Honestly I can't blame you for staying out of the fray when it comes to politics. Especially if you can't vote, but even if you can, there's so little you can do as an individual to change the way things are that it definitely seems - and might be - hopeless. Sad thing is that the only way we're going to get things to change is if we can get people paying enough attention and get them angry enough so that they'll vote and act en masse. Sigh. There's no easy answer, so sometimes the best thing one can do is to work outside the system to get the results one wants.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

harrypoter4ever — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:10:12 +0000

It is very beautiful. Especially the Highlands.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

gavrielle — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:03:50 +0000

Europe isn't much better economically than us. In fact, I'm not so sure I would say they're better than us at all right now... And people have to care. A nation can't sink unless it's allowed to sink. And America is letting itself sink by people not being invested in their government, and also by the people who are invested being too far from center.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:16:28 +0000

The thing about Europe is (if you're a citizen at least) they have a safety net. One accident or trip to the emergency room is not going to drain your bank account, because (in the UK at least) emergency treatment is free. (Compare that to when my mom had to go to the emergency room recently and it cost several thousands of dollars...). There's also much more support for those who are unemployed or otherwise at economic risk. So, sure, as a whole they might not be doing much better than we are, but the situation's a lot more stable for individuals. And that's HUGE. That's the difference between just getting by and being homeless. So I can totally understand why someone would want to move over there, provided they could get citizenship/permanent residency. People caring is a prerequisite to change but it's not a guarantor thereof. That is to say, we need people to care if we're going to change things, but people caring doesn't mean things will change. So if there isn't a guarantee of change, people are a lot less willing to care because they don't see anything good - and they see plenty bad - coming for it.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

beanza3 — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:59:43 +0000

And the annoying thing with America is to fix anything... We'd have to completely re-do the entire system... And no one in power wants to do that. O.o

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:14:21 +0000

That's because no one in "power" wants to loose that power.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Christina Huling — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:11:16 +0000

Sigh.... It feels like American politics has gotten less and less reasonable over the past decade. I know a little about past politics, and it seems like we've gone from "I disagree with you" to "I oppose you because you're you and I'm you're sworn enemy" on both sides. That is the thing I find most frustrating. I also find the lack of moderates to be frustrating. Everyone has to identify with an extreme or be shunned by both for trying to compromise. No one can admit that their opponents might have a point or a good idea. Also, Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, who are basically the extremes of each side. Neither movement seems to really understand America. I get really annoyed at people who seem to make their voting decisions based solely on abortion. Can't you see that that's what they want you to do? If they really cared, they would have made it illegal while Bush was president and they had a Republican majority. Republicans don't really want to change anything, they just want to use it as an issue. I could say much more, but I'll just end by recommending the book Faith and Politics by former Republican senator John Danforth (and I mean modern Republican, not like Democrats referencing Lincoln to sound bipartisan, which annoys me). As a self-proclaimed Democrat, I don't agree with everything he says, but he makes good points and does so in a reasonable way. It was a very good read.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:04:42 +0000

"If they really cared, they would have made it illegal while Bush was president and they had a Republican majority." Um... you can't just overturn a Supreme Court ruling by passing a law. If the Supreme Court decides it's in the Constitution, you need a Constitutional Amendment to overturn it. You can also overturn Roe with another Supreme Court ruling, which the President can influence indirectly through Supreme Court nominations, but people have to resign first. So there's really not much they could do. And considering what they can do, they've done a lot... but moving on. I'll admit I won't vote for anyone but pro-choice candidates, or candidates who I know will just leave the issue alone. (That is, when my absentee ballot doesn't get lost in the mail.) So I can understand people taking it seriously and wanting to vote based on it. But at the same time it's not by any means the only thing important to me, and I would be willing to vote for someone who was 'pro-life' if I knew they weren't going to do anything about it because they had more pressing concerns. (But I'm going to stop now because I don't want this to turn into a convo that's actually about choice etc rather than how people vote and why. No more explosions!)

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

leeleewolf — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:20:03 +0000

My best friend is going to move to Finland, and I am going to move to Switzerland. We're both pretty fed up with things here.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

gavrielle — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:34:52 +0000

I would totally move to Switzerland but my one attempt at understanding Swiss German left me so confused I decided it wasn't worth it... I think I'm just going to move to Canada if necessary. Or Israel but Israeli politics is making me mad right now too. Also, I can't see my parents ever allowing me to serve in the IDF... At least California ignores a lot of federal laws anyway...

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:35 +0000

I'd go with Canada. At least they currently seem to know how to make a country work.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Stazz — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:56:09 +0000

I'll just form an island nation, you know. You're all welcome to come along. I really just wish everyone could get along. All the partisanship just drives me up a tree, and we could get so much more done if people were just willing to cooperate and compromise instead of being so stubborn about everything. And then there's the fact that one of the few times Congress does manage some semblance of cooperation, they use it to try and push SOPA and PIPA on us. WHAT. I never used to be involved in politics at all. Those were totally the good days.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Christina Huling — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:15:09 +0000

All I meant was, it's never even mentioned except at election time. While they might not have been successful, IT WAS NEVER EVEN BROUGHT UP. I'm tired of it being used as a platform point, then being ignored once they get re-elected. It's not a valid issue and shouldn't be used as one.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:25:08 +0000

... there were plenty of restrictions enacted in 2011 in state legislatures as well as on the federal level - actually, several times more restrictions than any year prior (for reference: http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2012/01/05/endofyear.html). DC lost their right to choose to use their own public funds for that sort of healthcare because of a Congressional decision. The whole onslaught on Planned Parenthood was in large part related to it, though also in part based on veiled contempt for contraception and women's health. And do I even need to mention the "Personhood Amendments" (Prop 26 in Mississsippi)? The anti-choice/pro-life rhetoric may be loudest come election season, but that doesn't mean that they're not acting on it in between elections. You just have to listen harder. It definitely is a sort of 'rallying cry' for evangelical voters especially, though, and it's overdone come election season. But that doesn't mean they don't actually do anything about it.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

leeleewolf — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:20:25 +0000

But they don't have Cheez-its or cheese curls or cheese balls or anything like that D:

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:38:06 +0000

You must like cheese. I figure we can figure out how to move the Tillamook Cheese Factory out of Tillamook and bring it to Vancouver or someplace. That way, not only will we have cheese, but ice cream as well.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

LilyLariaLaton — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:30:05 +0000

Stazz I am totally coming with you! I think teens should take over the government, adults are not doing a very good job! (I don't really mean that seriously except the part about the adults) I just don't get it, it almost seems as though we are making everything more complicated than it needs to be, but then that's human nature. And I know he had a pretty good reason (ther is a rant coming, Just so you know) but who here is upset that Herman Cain dropped out of the race and disappeared off the face of the planet? (I am) He was by far the best candidate in my opinion, his values were great. And he was African-American so if he got elected we couldn't be accused of not voting for President Obama simply because he's black! We really are NOT racist!! But the social media can't get it through their heads. Ok that was my rant for the day, thank you ever so much:D

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

beanza3 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:08:20 +0000

Not a big fan, personally. I don't really agree with many republican ideas (so, obviously... :D)... But what did you like about him? By the time I checked into the fact that election stuff was going on, the negative ads and stuff were pretty heavy on him. And then practically right after I learned who he was, he left. So, I know next to nothing about him... *shrugs*

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

gavrielle — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:45:46 +0000

My main problems with him were I don't know if I can view him as a super moral guy (I feel the same way about Gingrich) and also he doesn't seem to understand the 1st Amendment (a problem a lot of people seem to have, and as a member of a minority religion, something I feel strongly about).

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

pandoraparadox — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:52:15 +0000

[quote=gavrielle] and also he doesn't seem to understand the 1st Amendment (a problem a lot of people seem to have, and as a member of a minority religion, something I feel strongly about). [/quote] This is FAR too true of basically all of the Republican candidates - Santorum's the scariest, though. (And, uh, he just won 3 primaries...? Better start packing the car for Canada...) If I was upset about Herman Cain dropping out of the race, it was because of the loss of material for my favorite Comedy Central news shows =) Though I'll admit he seemed the most moderate when it came to social issues & that's where I'm most liberal, so. I did like John Huntsman, though. He seemed to be the only one in the race who actually knew anything. It says something about the American public that he never got more than 3% - and that was *after* the Colbert fist-bump :P lol

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

gavrielle — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:21:04 +0000

[quote=pandoraparadox] If I was upset about Herman Cain dropping out of the race, it was because of the loss of material for my favorite Comedy Central news shows =) [/quote] But the way he dropped out led to that great segment about Pokémon quotes (which was definitely in my top 5 segments this year. Number 1 is on the Republican Jewish Coalition) [quote=pandoraparadox] I did like John Huntsman, though. He seemed to be the only one in the race who actually knew anything. It says something about the American public that he never got more than 3% - and that was *after* the Colbert fist-bump :P lol [/quote] He was the only one I liked. Plus his daughters were hilarious. (Yes. I follow Huntsman's daughters on Twitter and had a whole fangirling session about this with my journalism friends. We have no shame.)

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:53:34 +0000

Funny thing about the 1st Amendment, Freedom of Speech: it does NOT cover saying hurtful and harmful things about another person. Remember that the next time you see a political ad attacking someone. And honestly, we should just send every politician back to elementary social studies to relearn the Constitution.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Christina Huling — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:37:27 +0000

[quote=Angryman] And honestly, we should just send every politician back to elementary social studies to relearn the Constitution. [/quote] In my social studies class, we were coming up with a list of things we thought should be added to the list of requirements to be president, and it was suggested that they pass a citizenship test.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:43:34 +0000

Me likey! Let's do that!

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

TreefrogWarrior — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:41:44 +0000

In my opinion, politics is getting a lot like middle school. The people never care about anything other than making the other candidates look worse, and they do that by spewing lies. I wish they would try and make the country better instead of creating drama. There's no one that is running that I really like. Im kind of scared for our country, considering how this campaign is going. I always thought that the freedoms I have were a given, but now I don't now. So yeah.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:16:38 +0000

Again, they aren't running for the country, they're running for a job that gives them both money and power. I say all politicians should have their payments cut by at least 75 percent. All that left over money can be used for funding something important, like taking care of America's infrastructure or just alleviating the deficit a little.

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XVisiEX — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:01:56 +0000

I am so frustrated with how unreasonable some fellow teens/people are about politics. Why is it SO ridiculous for people to understand you can agree with some aspects of a party but not others. I registered as independent but I planned to vote Democrat. I don't think President Obama is Jesus (I have a hard time listening to people who CLEARLY thought he was), I don't expect him to clean up every little thing in one term but I do believe he has accomplished some things. The Republicans have just...I don't even know how to word it. I am at least paying attention, trying to study the facts and reading into as much of politics as I can. I'm just gonna run around screaming "THAT PARTY IS OF SATAN" or worst, copying and pasting someone elses Facebook spam thing as my opinion. Are you serious? I mean you want me to take your opinion seriously when you couldn't even form it yourself? The problem is politics is like someone said, becoming like middle school. There are to many greedy politicians that think about their pockets. They act like a bunch of children instead of trying to reach a friggin compromise that will benefit the whole country. Regardless of party, broke is broke! Unemployed is unemployed! The amount of general IGNORANCE i have seen displayed TOWARDS our President...is unnerving to me. I thought things might JUST be improving a little but....I have been sorely disappointed in several comments, jokes and statements made by people I once considered friends. Also, Citizenship test? Uh, we are destroying ourselves as a country. What is that going to do? Americans become Presidents, America has gotten it's self into this jam.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:30:17 +0000

What was meant by the citizenship test was that the politician most prove that he knows everything about America the same way anyone trying to get citizenship does.

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

beanza3 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:14:44 +0000

The main problem with all the loathing and disrespect towards the president is... Hello? Dude running the country? You may disagree with his politics, but unless he's running around killing people (and sometimes even then) it's not a great idea to say a flat out "no" whenever he has an idea. The democrats did it with Ex-president Bush, and the repubs are doing it with President Obama. It's childish and idiotic! Why can't the adults grow up? >.< Compromise, working together. President Obama tries it, never works. Because Congess doesn't care. Can we have a dictatorship? *gets pelted with rocks* I know it's easy to be corrupted, but... At least they get things done! As opposed to politicing and bickering. O.o

Re: Teens who are frustrated with the current state of American politics

Angryman — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:35:15 +0000

Like I said, if we could have Havelock Vetinari as a dictator, that would work. He likes to keep things working.