OT: Talk me out of my anti-partisian views.

[jstoesz]

The cost of Iraq (significantly more than estimated)

“As of February 2010, around $704 billion has been spent based on estimates of current expenditure rates[1], which range from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimate of $2 billion per week to $12 billion a month, an estimate by economist Joseph Stiglitz.”

From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_cost_of_the_Iraq_War

How much was the economic stimulus(s) again…

Lets put things in perspective.

[UCGal]

[quote=XBoxBoy]
[quote=teacherSD]I had a politics professor in college who said that not voting was a waste.[/quote]

I tend to agree. Seems to me if you don’t vote the message you are sending is I can’t be bothered. But that’s not the message I want to send. I want to send the message, “Damn right I care, I just can’t stand the choices you’re offering and I’m fed up with it.”

[quote=teacherSD]The professor disagreed and said a better form of protest was to go to the voting booth and turn in a blank ballot.[/quote]

I think if this was publicized it could be very successful. But in today’s environment, I think it would just be taken as, “Look at this idiot, he’s too stupid to fill out a simple ballot.” If there was an organized movement to turn in blank ballots as a protest, then I’d do that in a heartbeat.

[/quote]

I think CA should adopt the system Nevada has had since 1975. They have a “None of the Above” choice for all statewide races. It is tallied and occasionally makes enough votes to count. (1986 the Reid/Santini race scored a 3.62% None of the above tally). The Reid/Angle race is currently polling with 10% None of the above.

[UCGal]

[quote=XBoxBoy]
[quote=teacherSD]I had a politics professor in college who said that not voting was a waste.[/quote]

I tend to agree. Seems to me if you don’t vote the message you are sending is I can’t be bothered. But that’s not the message I want to send. I want to send the message, “Damn right I care, I just can’t stand the choices you’re offering and I’m fed up with it.”

[quote=teacherSD]The professor disagreed and said a better form of protest was to go to the voting booth and turn in a blank ballot.[/quote]

I think if this was publicized it could be very successful. But in today’s environment, I think it would just be taken as, “Look at this idiot, he’s too stupid to fill out a simple ballot.” If there was an organized movement to turn in blank ballots as a protest, then I’d do that in a heartbeat.

[/quote]

I think CA should adopt the system Nevada has had since 1975. They have a “None of the Above” choice for all statewide races. It is tallied and occasionally makes enough votes to count. (1986 the Reid/Santini race scored a 3.62% None of the above tally). The Reid/Angle race is currently polling with 10% None of the above.

[UCGal]

[quote=XBoxBoy]
[quote=teacherSD]I had a politics professor in college who said that not voting was a waste.[/quote]

I tend to agree. Seems to me if you don’t vote the message you are sending is I can’t be bothered. But that’s not the message I want to send. I want to send the message, “Damn right I care, I just can’t stand the choices you’re offering and I’m fed up with it.”

[quote=teacherSD]The professor disagreed and said a better form of protest was to go to the voting booth and turn in a blank ballot.[/quote]

I think if this was publicized it could be very successful. But in today’s environment, I think it would just be taken as, “Look at this idiot, he’s too stupid to fill out a simple ballot.” If there was an organized movement to turn in blank ballots as a protest, then I’d do that in a heartbeat.

[/quote]

I think CA should adopt the system Nevada has had since 1975. They have a “None of the Above” choice for all statewide races. It is tallied and occasionally makes enough votes to count. (1986 the Reid/Santini race scored a 3.62% None of the above tally). The Reid/Angle race is currently polling with 10% None of the above.

[UCGal]

[quote=XBoxBoy]
[quote=teacherSD]I had a politics professor in college who said that not voting was a waste.[/quote]

I tend to agree. Seems to me if you don’t vote the message you are sending is I can’t be bothered. But that’s not the message I want to send. I want to send the message, “Damn right I care, I just can’t stand the choices you’re offering and I’m fed up with it.”

[quote=teacherSD]The professor disagreed and said a better form of protest was to go to the voting booth and turn in a blank ballot.[/quote]

I think if this was publicized it could be very successful. But in today’s environment, I think it would just be taken as, “Look at this idiot, he’s too stupid to fill out a simple ballot.” If there was an organized movement to turn in blank ballots as a protest, then I’d do that in a heartbeat.

[/quote]

I think CA should adopt the system Nevada has had since 1975. They have a “None of the Above” choice for all statewide races. It is tallied and occasionally makes enough votes to count. (1986 the Reid/Santini race scored a 3.62% None of the above tally). The Reid/Angle race is currently polling with 10% None of the above.

[UCGal]

[quote=XBoxBoy]
[quote=teacherSD]I had a politics professor in college who said that not voting was a waste.[/quote]

I tend to agree. Seems to me if you don’t vote the message you are sending is I can’t be bothered. But that’s not the message I want to send. I want to send the message, “Damn right I care, I just can’t stand the choices you’re offering and I’m fed up with it.”

[quote=teacherSD]The professor disagreed and said a better form of protest was to go to the voting booth and turn in a blank ballot.[/quote]

I think if this was publicized it could be very successful. But in today’s environment, I think it would just be taken as, “Look at this idiot, he’s too stupid to fill out a simple ballot.” If there was an organized movement to turn in blank ballots as a protest, then I’d do that in a heartbeat.

[/quote]

I think CA should adopt the system Nevada has had since 1975. They have a “None of the Above” choice for all statewide races. It is tallied and occasionally makes enough votes to count. (1986 the Reid/Santini race scored a 3.62% None of the above tally). The Reid/Angle race is currently polling with 10% None of the above.

[sd_matt]

The side that loses is the side that learns. It’s a long-term investment. Of course I’m talking long term to Americans….never mind.

[sd_matt]

The side that loses is the side that learns. It’s a long-term investment. Of course I’m talking long term to Americans….never mind.

[sd_matt]

The side that loses is the side that learns. It’s a long-term investment. Of course I’m talking long term to Americans….never mind.

[sd_matt]

The side that loses is the side that learns. It’s a long-term investment. Of course I’m talking long term to Americans….never mind.

[sd_matt]

The side that loses is the side that learns. It’s a long-term investment. Of course I’m talking long term to Americans….never mind.

[XBoxBoy]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]There really isn’t a “Left” or a “Right” anymore. Given the absurd amounts of money needed to fuel a campaign, the politicians are bought and paid for well before they reach office and owe significant “favors” to those moneyed interests, not the electorate.

The Dems and the Repubs are now virtually indistinguishable from one another. [/quote]

But what about the question I’m asking. If the above is true, and I’m unhappy with the above, how should I vote? Wouldn’t a vote for either party be a vote to continue the existing situation? Given my alternatives, what’s the best way to vote? If you believe the above, (and I’m gonna assume you do since you wrote it) don’t you find yourself facing the same dilemma?

XBoxBoy

[XBoxBoy]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]There really isn’t a “Left” or a “Right” anymore. Given the absurd amounts of money needed to fuel a campaign, the politicians are bought and paid for well before they reach office and owe significant “favors” to those moneyed interests, not the electorate.

The Dems and the Repubs are now virtually indistinguishable from one another. [/quote]

But what about the question I’m asking. If the above is true, and I’m unhappy with the above, how should I vote? Wouldn’t a vote for either party be a vote to continue the existing situation? Given my alternatives, what’s the best way to vote? If you believe the above, (and I’m gonna assume you do since you wrote it) don’t you find yourself facing the same dilemma?

XBoxBoy

[XBoxBoy]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]There really isn’t a “Left” or a “Right” anymore. Given the absurd amounts of money needed to fuel a campaign, the politicians are bought and paid for well before they reach office and owe significant “favors” to those moneyed interests, not the electorate.

The Dems and the Repubs are now virtually indistinguishable from one another. [/quote]

But what about the question I’m asking. If the above is true, and I’m unhappy with the above, how should I vote? Wouldn’t a vote for either party be a vote to continue the existing situation? Given my alternatives, what’s the best way to vote? If you believe the above, (and I’m gonna assume you do since you wrote it) don’t you find yourself facing the same dilemma?

XBoxBoy

[XBoxBoy]

[quote=Allan from Fallbrook]There really isn’t a “Left” or a “Right” anymore. Given the absurd amounts of money needed to fuel a campaign, the politicians are bought and paid for well before they reach office and owe significant “favors” to those moneyed interests, not the electorate.

The Dems and the Repubs are now virtually indistinguishable from one another. [/quote]

But what about the question I’m asking. If the above is true, and I’m unhappy with the above, how should I vote? Wouldn’t a vote for either party be a vote to continue the existing situation? Given my alternatives, what’s the best way to vote? If you believe the above, (and I’m gonna assume you do since you wrote it) don’t you find yourself facing the same dilemma?

XBoxBoy

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