Amurica...

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Channeling my inner wiff.

 

This country has what.. 300 million people give or take.

 

Think about going to the store..like wal mart etc.

 

99 percent are just trying to get by. They dont care about democrats and republicans...they see all that as another world that they have no control over.

 

Our media...the talking heads on both sides..are mostly tuned out by the general public.

 

Now come election time...the majority of people care about 2 things...maybe 3. Taxes and the military/national security...and jobs.

 

The news media is so out of touch with what people care about in their daily lives.

[penultimatestraw 473]

I understand taxes, but why are most people concerned about national security and jobs?

 

We have the biggest military by a long shot, and havent faced a legitimate domestic threat since 9/11.

 

Meanwhile, the economy is great and unemployment is low. Im sure most dont love what they do or enjoy geek club wealth, but are job concerns justified?

 

I think just as many voters choose based on party affiliation, or relatively inconsequential hot button topics like abortion, gun control, LGBTetc. rights and immigration.

 

Other, more relevant issues IMO include health care coverage, funding retirement and the national debt. Where do these rank for the average Joe?

[supermike80 1,285]

P"People drink the water...because they don't know the difference"

[wiffleball 4,639]

Think you guys are missing something more basic; Trust and likability.

 

End of the day, I really think that's what it boils down to for a lot of people.

 

Both sides say their tax plan is blah blah blah. Both sides say their insurance plan is blah blah blah.

 

End of the day, it's about who they would hire or who they would want as a co-worker.

 

George Bush Senior was arguably very strongly arguably, the last truly qualified president. But hey, Bubba played the saxophone. And George was too nasally for people.

 

Bernie very likely got it right in many regards, but he looks like a raving lunatic.

 

And Hillary? , she was condescending 2 regular people back before bill was even a president. Her unlike ability factors are through the roof.

 

So yeah, you're definitely going to have some single issue voters when it comes to things like abortion and gun control. But beyond that? I really think it boils down to people's guts. That may not be what the answer when the pollsters talk to them.

Nobody wants to say you know I don't know much about tax plans, but he seems like somebody I want to have a beer with.

 

But more often than not, I bet it's true.

 

And it's far more true when it comes to women. They're more likely to admit as much. That's why Hillary can't win with women even when she is allegedly one of them. She's just unlikable and condescending and untrustworthy - even if she might be qualified more than most women.

 

In short, don't overthink it.

 

We elected Trump for Christ's sake.

[penultimatestraw 473]

Think you guys are missing something more basic; Trust and likability.

 

End of the day, I really think that's what it boils down to for a lot of people.

 

Both sides say their tax plan is blah blah blah. Both sides say their insurance plan is blah blah blah.

 

End of the day, it's about who they would hire or who they would want as a co-worker.

 

George Bush Senior was arguably very strongly arguably, the last truly qualified president. But hey, Bubba played the saxophone. And George was too nasally for people.

 

Bernie very likely got it right in many regards, but he looks like a raving lunatic.

 

And Hillary? ######, she was condescending 2 regular people back before bill was even a president. Her unlike ability factors are through the roof.

 

So yeah, you're definitely going to have some single issue voters when it comes to things like abortion and gun control. But beyond that? I really think it boils down to people's guts. That may not be what the answer when the pollsters talk to them.

Nobody wants to say you know I don't know much about tax plans, but he seems like somebody I want to have a beer with.

 

But more often than not, I bet it's true.

 

And it's far more true when it comes to women. They're more likely to admit as much. That's why Hillary can't win with women even when she is allegedly one of them. She's just unlikable and condescending and untrustworthy - even if she might be qualified more than most women.

 

In short, don't overthink it.

 

We elected Trump for Christ's sake.

There's something to this, as most people don't spend the time to truly understand all sides of an issue. An there is no perfect candidate. But aside from brand recognition, do you think people like and/or trust Trump? Not the Greek Club, regular people.

[cbfalcon 824]

This actually has the potential to be the best political thread we've had in awhile. While almost all of the issues we debate are very important in regards to the long term health of our country, most don't affect us on a day to day level. We mostly care because certain media outlets have 24 hours to fill and they can't do so without getting people worked up.

 

• Taxes: I'm of the opinion that a large percentage of Americans (obviously the ones living right on the line notice it more) wouldn't even get too worked up about the relatively small tax differences our paychecks see from year to year if everyone would stop yelling about it. The emotional impact of being told we are paying more or less probably outweighs the actual impact by quite a bit.
• Jobs: No big deal. In a good year, 96% of us have jobs. In a bad year, 92% have jobs.
• Military: We will either spend as much as the next 8 countries combined or as much as the next 10 countries combined.
• Healthcare: I believe it's a major urgent issue due to the fact who gets insured is so in play and that medical expenses = instant bankruptcy for someone without insurance...but 75% of Americans probably don't even worry about this issue day to day because they are mostly healthy.
• National Debt: Lets face it, nobody seems to think its even a real thing. Otherwise someone would be saying we need to raise taxes a ton and cut spending a ton. But nobody is hearing that.

 

Basically....Before 24 hour news and the internet, I believe we voted in large part on likeability/trustworthiness of the candidates. Now I believe we've been trained to despise the other side and most of our investment is in seeing them hurt.

[trumpurethra 42]

Channeling my inner wiff.

 

This country has what.. 300 million people give or take.

 

Think about going to the store..like wal mart etc.

 

99 percent are just trying to get by. They dont care about democrats and republicans...they see all that as another world that they have no control over.

 

Our media...the talking heads on both sides..are mostly tuned out by the general public.

 

Now come election time...the majority of people care about 2 things...maybe 3. Taxes and the military/national security...and jobs.

 

The news media is so out of touch with what people care about in their daily lives.

 

Close but not quite. I don't think you're giving the average person much credit. I know people at Walmart look like they are dumb as dirt. But it is not always the case. In fact I feel it is the opposite. I think the average person has a lot of common sense. Call me an optimist.

 

I think most people are pretty smart and do understand politics. I think most people think it is corrupt, the whole system is rotten to the core, and there is nothing they can do to change it because they do not wield enough influence. I think a lot of people feel that politicians are paid far too much and just serve the interests of other rich fockers.

 

I think it is indifference not ignorance. But yeah if the politicians start focking with the stuff you mentioned; social services and protection, social security, Medicaid, food stamps, etc, etc people will riot on a HUGE scale.

[Cruzer 1,992]

More people care about the Kardashians, Dancing with the Stars and the Bachelor than they do politics.

 

Which given the obsessed wackiness that some have for politics - I'm not sure I wouldn't rather know who won the dance off.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

 

Close but not quite. I don't think you're giving the average person much credit. I know people at Walmart look like they are dumb as dirt. But it is not always the case. In fact I feel it is the opposite. I think the average person has a lot of common sense. Call me an optimist.

 

I think most people are pretty smart and do understand politics. I think most people think it is corrupt, the whole system is rotten to the core, and there is nothing they can do to change it because they do not wield enough influence. I think a lot of people feel that politicians are paid far too much and just serve the interests of other rich fockers.

 

I think it is indifference not ignorance. But yeah if the politicians start focking with the stuff you mentioned; social services and protection, social security, Medicaid, food stamps, etc, etc people will riot on a HUGE scale.

I didnt say dumb as dirt...i just said they arent consumed with it like the media trying to force it in their face every day. They will perk up around election time but most of thwm are trying to exist.

[SenatorRock 708]

But muh trannies, muh illegals, muh gender, muh Russia, muh mean tweets, muh unpresidential, muh abortions, muh free college, muh banged playmates and porn stars 10 years ago.

 

Literally nobody other than deranged lunatics give a about any of that stuff.

[Drizzay 645]

More people care about the Kardashians, Dancing with the Stars and the Bachelor than they do politics.

The sad thing is, for how fake and out of touch these people/shows are, they are more "real" than any of our politicians.

 

That is saying something.

[tanatastic 2,061]

People only care about that stuff when they are told to or they can get attention from it. Day to day people care about one thing, their business and you minding your own.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

I think there is a definite divide between our generation and todays young people.

 

They flaggelate themselves over things that they have no control over. Social media has warped perspective in a really unrealistic way. I dont know how they focus on anything long enough to properly make any reflective or cogent analysis of events.