No Permanent Majorities in America
by Michael Barone
As we approach the change from a Republican to a Democratic administration, I have been thinking about the differences in the basic character of our two historic parties — the oldest and third oldest free political parties in the world (number two, at least by my count, is the British Conservative Party).
Democrats are now hoping that their party can achieve something like permanent majority status. They can take heart that their presidential candidate won by a wider margin and t ...
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Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Comment: #1
Mon Jan 5, 2009 8:59 AM
Sir;... I see a couple of things at work here...When candidates are elected they see the great power of money, and the ability of the lie to smear people when blasted from a million televison sets, and so instead of actually standing tall and serving the people, they inevitably play to money and give away their majorities... Now, it is obvious that we are divided... We have too few representatives for too many people, and while this is the perfect condidtion for making representatives expensive it is the perfect one for keeping them both, people, and representatives, powerless... Our over large districts are as evenly divided as will ensure the consistent victory of a certain party, but this is making possible the radicalization of politics, because only a candidate more radical can beat the incumbant in the primary... We have not constructed, and I do mean contructed, -the best system of government for the people... Parties are a hold over from England... When the parties fixed the number of representatives they did it for their own benefit, and not for the people... Is there not one isue that is not a national issue demanding the interest of the whole national party??? To tweak a law for Tinbucktoo Tennessee; national parties must get involved, and local interests must be traded for party interests... Does it work??? Now that all has melted down; does some one want to argue that our government works??? Since this situation: not international trade, nor global warming, nor outrageous healthcare costs, nor want of good education, nor war around the world, and not this depression -is anything the people would vote for; then where is the democracy???We have a system that endangers all rights, and forces people to party up for the defense of rights... If the republicans forced this last election to go democrat it is because across the board they threatened everyones rights until too many were too scared to have them in government... People tend to think of having a decent job that they worked to have as a right... People tend to think of affordable healthcare that they work for as right... If people cannot live without credit because their wages have been driven lower and lower, then they think of credit as a right... Now; being a democrat cannot be easy... They are the party of everyone else... At times like this the republicans should remember the outrageous campaigns they ran against Al Smith, and should count any Catholic in their ranks as a gift from God... At times like this they should remember how they kicked out the Negroes, the black and tans, when they would not bother to support their rights, and thought they could live without them...The country can live without the parties... The parties are ruining us...They are not the answer...The parties are the problem... It would be a blessing to see the republicans destroy the presidency of Mr. Obama at this moment... They are playing for power, and Mr. Obama will be playing for the financial support necessary to win next time... If both succeed; then both should go... And if together they manage to take down the government and the economy, we will all the sooner have freedom, and a new beginning in this land.....What they are doing is fiddling the same old song and dance... Only the profoundly stupid believe they can ever change... No matter how much this country needs change, and no matter how many people know that we need change; only the government has the power to destroy itself.... They can make revolution possible.... All we can do is watch...Thanks...Sweeney
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Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Comment: #2
Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:12 AM
Re: Timothy L. Pennell; ...Jeeezus Tim,... You want to bash people for being poor, so poor in fact that working means they need food stamps, and all the time your responsible party is driving down wages, doing all within its power to import aliens to do work that is only slave labor, and often off the books... Sir; your responsible party is a pack of thieves that is taking for themselves what has long been promised from this government in our constitution... Try to paint the liberal with Mud... Man; They are treating the symptoms... Look at what you are talking about: Drugs, Abortion, Teen pregnancy, disease.... You are describing a failed society, and it is not the people trying to help the walking wounded that are the cause, and you are not going to fix the problem with hate, good wishes, or prayers... You are rooting for the victors, and blaming the victims... People like you are not going to believe it until they see it first hand...This society is living off its future... Our economy is chewing people up, and spitting them out wasted... You want a half way morality to punish the poor and frees the rich to add to their number... Get real...Thanks...Sweeney
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Posted by: Timothy L. Pennell
Comment: #3
Sat Jan 3, 2009 5:01 AM
I gotta tell ya, Michael, I'm not so sure anymore. The demographics have changed so much, over the last 40 years, that I see America starting to change. Too many people are coming in to 'TAKE' what they can GET. They don't assimillate. They're not interrested in our Language, or our Culture. And HARD WORK? Watcha talkin about Willis? Every election cycle, more and more people are taken OFF the Tax Rolls. It's around 41%. So, 41% of the people in the U.S. DON'T PAY ANY TAXES. ONE Political Party, stresses Hard Work, Self Discipline, Personnel Responsibility, and LOWER TAXES. The other Party, stresses Diversity, Same Sex Marraige, Free Needles, Legalized Drugs, Abortions for underrage girls without Parental Consent, HIGHER TAXES, and MORE WELFARE. With SUPER RESUME' BOY in the White House, it's only gonna get worse.
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Posted by: Michael L. Hauschild
Comment: #4
Sat Jan 3, 2009 6:05 AM
Having lived through four decades of voting, politicking, and grassroots Rah! Rah! crap I tend to agree with Tim. However, I attribute the upcoming crash not to an increase in “welfare” or “entitlement” (we have proven time and time again that a powerful vibrant economy tolerates such nonsense), but due to the inertia of bipartisan dishonesty in our governance. While those of us in the honest/responsible middle have suffered a setback, we have not lost the war. The immanent circular firing squad of the newly elected elite and their expectant constituents will be interesting. Expect a lot of “But you promised!” and “Shut up brat, you wanna do this?” Payback is going to be a Pelosi.
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