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Thoughts on this presidential campaign

Posted by $ Abaco 10 years, 9 months ago to Politics
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I'm curious if others feel this way. To frame where I'm coming from...I have spent some time over the past few years dealing face-to-face with politicians in some of my work and in some of my personal time (fighting a law). I have confirmed the reports that they are shallow, narcissistic whack jobs for the most part.

So...I have come to the conclusion that political campaigns are just a form of entertainment. None of these candidates seem very special, very intelligent, for the most part. I do love Rand Paul's position on liberty and smaller government. But, he's not electable due to lack of connection with the average mouth-breather voter (my editorial, sorry). But...really...this is just entertainment. The President is just a puppet, for the most part. Seriously...do any of these candidates even remotely appear presidential to you? Rubio? Hillary? Christie? Trump? Bernie the socialist? It's surreal to me that they've all made it this far. This is the best we can do? LOL

I'll cut this self-indulgent rant off. But, I'd appreciate your thoughts. And, have a great Christmas, everybody. You are a great group of thinkers. Nice to visit with you all.

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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Having read "Republic", Plato didn't really get into how people choose their status in life. Plato rather just assumes that those who are the most capable progress up his hierarchical chain of farmers -> merchants -> soldiers -> politicians. The selection method is rather glossed over and assumes that those who rise to leadership are actually intellectually capable and that there is general honesty all around in identifying the intellectually capable. I think Ben Franklin more accurately ties in the desire to rule to politicians, describing them as knaves who seek for power for power's sake.
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  • Posted by $ blarman 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That's why both George Washington and Ronald Reagan were so great: they didn't really want to make "politician" their job description. They did it as patriots.
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  • Posted by GaryL 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Military leadership experience, only because they already know what a chain of command is and the importance of following orders.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 10 years, 9 months ago
    I think this is the worst collection of leaders we have ever had in front of us. I cannot recall an election so full of narcissists and clowns. I never thought Trump would hold on to any kind of a lead.

    This election makes me want to Shrug more than any other.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 10 years, 9 months ago
    Thanks to WS I've come up with a new commercial value from which you may profit from the national charade.

    Supreme Court ruled Corporations have the rights of persons. Also Person have the rights of corporations.

    Some Corporations including LLCs which have PACs try to buy your vote with a new and legal form of money called free speech.

    Therefore a vote is now a commercial product.

    So..figure up how much your vote is worth and accept bids. So far it's only advertising..another name for free speech.

    Only the two federal positions are nationwide so the question becomes what are you offering for my commercial product?

    Suppose they are a nonprofit PAC under an LLC and are asking for a donation of what is now clearly identified as your commercial product?

    Ask if they are willing to provide a tax receipt which will result in a suitable tax deduction.

    Meanwhile we have one member who can't figure this out and is changing his posting name to clueless. That is humor and not accurate there may be as many as three or five.
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  • Posted by term2 10 years, 9 months ago
    What we need as president is the federal equivalent of the local city manager. There are certain things that need managing, and the president should be in charge of that. The congress decides WHAT is to be done, and the president does it as inexpensively and effectively as possible. We dont need a king, and certainly not an arrogant and petulant Obama. Trump is actually the closest to what we need, in that he runs his own very successful company. The others are politicians who do nothing well.
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  • Posted by johnpe1 10 years, 9 months ago
    Thank You, Abaco, and you have a wonderful Christmas
    also, sir! . the entertainer-in-chief job has one wrinkle
    which bothers me -- force. . if they would abdicate that
    provision and mind their manners, I'd like 'em all. -- j
    .
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  • Posted by SBilko 10 years, 9 months ago
    The Founders unabashedly envisioned a govt by the intellectual elite, but they tried to temper the danger of that by severely limiting govt. We are moving closer and closer to an unlimited govt intituted by an absolute democracy, but one that is controlled by a political elite through the mass media. I can envision almost nothing more dangerous...
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm thinking the USA will have a huge economic collapse followed by dictatorship.
    Hopefully, citizens will have guns to defend themselves from rioting and looting home invaders that will require long term martial law (dictatorship) to control.
    So goes old dino's gut hunch of how things will go down in the future.
    That reminds me, I really need to stock up on ammo.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The libs were very clever. They made a mud pie look like chocolate, but it still tasted like mud.
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  • Posted by SBilko 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "However, we are living in an insane world and honestly believe that a non vote is a vote for the winner because all of those non votes could easily have changed the outcome." Logically correct, but it assumes that a possible desirable outcome exists. Most elections are a choice between two sides of the same coin. And a nickel only buys so much...
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Interesting. You are probably dead right on that. After some time interfacing with politicians I have come to the conclusion that they are insane - that'd you'd have to be to actively search out that job...
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Just two days ago I was listening to a Stefan Molyneoux rant about culture versus ideology in terms of immigration. It was dead on! Everybody should hear it. To guilt our citizens to subject themselves to an ideology that would stone a women to death for driving a car is absolute suicide.
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  • Posted by floreo 10 years, 9 months ago
    Ben Carson is the presidential candidate and the "grown up" in the room. Graham was a mature voice to whom no one listened.

    Get past the media hype that Ben is not tough enough. He is! #bc2dc16
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I don't think military leadership experience should be a requirement. If every, or even most, former military guys I've worked with were worth a s&t I could understand the deduction. But, the worth a s%t ratio hasn't been any better for them as it's been for non-veterans. I also (as crazy at it sounds) am not convinced votes are actually counted. Haha...I'm way out in left field on this, I guess. You are absolutely right about the debt. It is the final straw... It must bring us down before it's ever properly addressed. By then, we'll be back to banging rocks together and sending smoke signals...
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  • Posted by strugatsky 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    A few years ago, I thought that the best hope that America had would be a civil war - at least there was a chance of getting rid of the parasites and rebuilding, as there were still a few of us capable of rebuilding (the Geriatric Division). Too late now. America has too few people left to have the mindset, the skill set and youth to do that. This civil war will simply give birth to a dictator, in exchange for promises of bread and order.
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  • Posted by strugatsky 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes, there is (in tiny amounts, here and there); it is being actively eradicated, by schools, media, government and government policies that force "private" industry to march to the same tune.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You are speaking of American Exceptionalism. Still there in tiny amounts, here and there, nooks and crannies, but long gone as a national description.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Politics has devolved into two simple things: Money and Power. The rest is window dressing.
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