My take on the current political situation...

[daddyusmaximus]

So I'm scanning through stuff on another forum, and I see a new thread. It was in the political section, and of course it was started, by one of the "not my president" people... in fact, it was titled just that. The very next post was a mod, who closed it. Obviously, the poster was trolling, looking to start a fight.

Well, this is it... our current political situation. Very few people (and I must say, mainly on one side) take the time to have a discussion about what they're upset about, or why, or Heaven forbid show proof of any wrong doing... The whole thing is just a "pick a fight contest". Go straight to the name calling, and accusing.

I don't think we as a people are doing our nation (and the world... who look to us) any good by all this.

Let's take a look at the current President, and no... it didn't start with him. He's just the one they're blaming it all on. To do that we have to look at the makeup of the country as well. We're a diverse bunch, with people who believe a lot of different things. Problem is, there are only ever two real choices in our system come voting time, as an independent candidate never seems to garner enough support to take on a democrat or Republican candidate. So, we have to go one of two ways, and hope for the best.

Last time around the choice was Clinton, or Trump. I'm a complicated guy and have feelings that go with the democrat side on some things, and the Republican side on others. On most things, however, I'm very conservative, so I tend to vote Republican. Now I didn't really have anything against Trump. He's been a popular famous guy for years. That is, up til he decided to run for office. However, Dr. Carson was still on the ballot in IN, so I voted for him. I felt Dr Carson was the most intelligent person on the stage at every instance. Well liked, and respectful to others. I figured he'd be good to go at making friends with other world leaders.

Here's what I didn't realize at the time. Dr Carson wasn't very aggressive. I hadn't even noticed how his being quiet, and respectful could be seen as a weakness by other bully world leaders, and even the opposition within our own government. Well, no sooner that he was sworn in, Trump was hit by a wave of attacks that have not only kept up, but have intensified to this day. Not sure how or if Dr Carson could have handled this kind of hatred.

Here's the kicker... other than being a bit of a big mouth who likes to toot his own horn too much... Trump hasn't done a single thing that I know of that was immoral, or illegal.

Claim: He's a racist.

Fact: No proof of this exists. In fact, he's always been a champion of the oppressed, and has been awarded for his work with minorities in the past... Oh but now all of a sudden he's a racist. Well, I know why they call him a racist. Because it's one of the most despicable things one can be labeled as.

Claim: he's gonna destroy the economy.

Fact: Once again, just the other day, the Dow closed at a new all time high. Also unemployment is down to a 50 year low, and an all time low for minorities. Not bad for a guy who's a racist.

Claim: He was a "loose canon" that was going to get us into a nuclear war.

Fact: He brought N. Korea to the table after 60 years. Hell, we're even getting the remains of our war dead back since he's been in office.

Every claim, that has ever been made about him, has facts that can disprove them, yet the "not my president" crowd just won't quit. This guy may be a braggart of a loud mouth, but man... he's doing a pretty good job... at his job. Taking care of our country. He's putting "America first". By the way, that's another thing that seems to bother the people on the other side. Now, all of a sudden, it's a bad thing for an elected leader to want to put the country he was elected to lead... first. Isn't that his job? Would they be more happy if he were to fly around the globe, and apologized to the world? The same world we have saved time, and time again... the world that couldn't live without our support, and aid?

Somehow, the people that are watching the left controlled media, listening to crap on the internet, and just aren't able to think for themselves... proving, as Goebbels did for Hitler, proving as Stalin did, that propaganda works...

And here we are... picking fights with each other because we are angry at lies we believe to be true.

I will add a couple of things.

1.Trump is, in fact, your president. Hey, I didn't like his predecessor one bit. Don't vote for that idiot for sure... but I got out voted, and he WAS my president. Twice in a row.

DEAL WITH IT.

2. Though I did not vote for him last time, I will support President Trump in his re-election. Not looking for him to be a nice guy I'd like to hang with... just looking for a guy who will take care of my country, and I think he will...if people get off his back, and let him do his job.

 

[Twangbanger]

The current occupant has created a noticeable lack of political chatter at family gatherings. We play games now; we catch up. Crazy as it sounds, 45DT unintentionally generated an improvement in people's conversational ability. The Obama Lovers had to learn to STFU & listen to the boring sxxt the uneducated people around them talk about. So there's that.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

This Christmas was rather peaceful at my folks house.
Took them a while to learn though. Last couple weren't.

 

[edporch]

Our Christmas and Thanksgiving were both good, and we discussed politics plenty.
Of course no party drones or Hillary lovers attended.

 

[Vigilant]

Orange Man BAD must resist!

 

[Libertarian01]

I believe a significant part of our problem comes from the media, not just main stream but all of it.

Years ago most people got their news from the same sources, there weren't that many. I am not saying that is good, it's just the way it was.

Almost everyone respected Walter Cronkite. When he spoke democrat or republican would listen. We have no one like that today.

Today the media is more of an economic industry than a public service of information. The old phrase "if it bleeds it leads" has been taken to a new stratosphere! They chase the dollars by chasing ratings. Look at the headlines in any story, they're almost always over dramatized, and often misleading. But hey, it sells.

Three (3) little kids die falling through the ice in Podunk, Oklahoma. It's sad. It will make national news, but why? What do any of us outside of that small community really need to know about those kids? Nothing, but HEY! It's a tear jerker, people will watch, click, comment and our ratings will go up! What? The national debt will hurt everyone? But that's boring. Show the kids! Dallas Texas will have problems paying their police pension, and they're just the first? That takes real work to show the economics, and ... boring. Show the kids friends.

The other problem is the massive amount of opinion pieces that are in the media. Rush Limbaugh was the first, and biggest, but there are dozens more now on both sides, ranting about the other! Obama's a traitor and should have been impeached! Trump is racist and should be impeached! Evil democrats. Vile, uncaring republicans. "THEY" are the enemy! Just take it from Rush, or Rachel, or Sean, or Chris, or....

And now that we have determined that the other side is the enemy life becomes easier. We don't have to think on either side, just other side bad, oppose. Hate. Impede.

The problem is that problems are difficult, complicated, and hard to fix. That is why they are problems. But we want them fixed and we are lazy. We don't want to have to consider the few, or several, or many good points on the other side because that makes us wrong to some degree or another. That hurts our ego. So, other side = bad. Oppose. Impede. Hate. That is easy. Easy = good.

There was a story about how a group up in Wisconsin was brought together from across the political aisle by controversy over Gov Scott Walker. Several people who were liberals couldn't understand how folks could support Gov Walker, so they decided to try to meet up and have a friendly dinner with conservatives. The basic requirement was that folks remain civil and polite. It was an open invitation. So something like four (4) or six (6) couples would get together at someone's home who would serve dinner, then politely discuss what was going on in Wisconsin. My understanding was that it worked, it eased tensions for those folks a bit. One side didn't change the others minds, at least not completely. But both came to understand where the other was coming from, and in that open and friendly tone could think about the issues in a more nuanced way. The other side was no longer the enemy, just a person with a different point of view.

Regards,

Doug