Perry Norton
Cyburbian Emeritus
- Messages
- 89
- Points
- 4
I was going to write something of a political nature, but it doesn't look as though that will happen until about Easter. Suppose Clinton will be asked to carry on for a month or so?
-
We're a fun, friendly, and diverse group of planners, placemakers, students, and other folks who found their people here. Create your FREE Cyburbia ID, and join us today! Use your email address, or register through your Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Microsoft account.
The Message
- Thread starter Perry Norton
- Start date
Earl Finkler
Cyburbian
- Messages
- 190
- Points
- 7
I would suggest you write it now Perry. Our country seems to need some sage advice. I worry that we are getting polarized into at least two camps and that the new president, whoever he is, will find it extremely to lead the nation and to innovate and take major steps when they are necessary.
I played the song "We Shall Overcome" on my KBRW radio show last week
.....and listened to the words. Including:
"We shall live in peace...."
Wouldn't it be great if the world could reach that state.
Also in this country if people in the suburbs and the gated communities could identify with the poor, such as single mothers in the inner city who have to arrange daycare, and then transportation to jobs in the suburbs. Also, as we discussed, adequate care for our increasing population of elderly.....affordable care and with respect for the elderly.
Thanks for listening and I eagerly await your comments Perry.
Earl Finkler
I played the song "We Shall Overcome" on my KBRW radio show last week
.....and listened to the words. Including:
"We shall live in peace...."
Wouldn't it be great if the world could reach that state.
Also in this country if people in the suburbs and the gated communities could identify with the poor, such as single mothers in the inner city who have to arrange daycare, and then transportation to jobs in the suburbs. Also, as we discussed, adequate care for our increasing population of elderly.....affordable care and with respect for the elderly.
Thanks for listening and I eagerly await your comments Perry.
Earl Finkler
Perry Norton
Cyburbian Emeritus
- Messages
- 89
- Points
- 4
I will TRY to write something germane, but it will take some time. Gosh. Maybe you could get it started. Does the native community up there have any kind of literature which describes their thinking on the function of the aged?
- Messages
- 17,045
- Points
- 49
Our country _needs_ that sage advice, but whether it wants it is another thing entirely. Judging from conversations with friends, and talk radio and editorial page page banter, I'm beginning to think that people are beginning to think of their political ideologies as something akin to gospel, to religion. "My party is infallible." People voting Republican because their parents were Republican, their grandparents were Republican and their great grandparents were Republican. Being single, I'm also seeing it in personal ads -- "no Democrats," "no Republicans."
I think that there are few true liberals anymore, people who are willing to consider ideas from both the left and the right. I wonder whether the percentage of voters who vote straight party tickets has increased or decreased over the poast 50 years?
Some final thoughts -- JFK and Lyndon Johnson, both Democrats, were "hawks" in their outlook towards Vietnam. Richard Nixon, a Republican, worked to end the war, and also pushed through the Clean Water Act. He also proposed the "Family Health Insurance Plan," which was essentially national health insurance. Hmmmmm ....
I think that there are few true liberals anymore, people who are willing to consider ideas from both the left and the right. I wonder whether the percentage of voters who vote straight party tickets has increased or decreased over the poast 50 years?
Some final thoughts -- JFK and Lyndon Johnson, both Democrats, were "hawks" in their outlook towards Vietnam. Richard Nixon, a Republican, worked to end the war, and also pushed through the Clean Water Act. He also proposed the "Family Health Insurance Plan," which was essentially national health insurance. Hmmmmm ....
- Messages
- 28
- Points
- 2
Man, are you guys depressing!
The good news is that judging by voter turnout less than half the country is polarized. The other half doesn't care or thinks it doesn't matter who gets elected. This may be good news too. As my grandmother said, "Don't vote, it only encourages the rascals". Actually the only political statement my grandmother ever made was that she prayed every night for FDR because he instituted social security, without which they would have had a very, very difficult old age. Now there was a practical woman. But I digress.
Seriously, though, I don't think people vote simply the way their father or mother did. But I'm not sure the reasons are much better. We just went through the Hilary Clinton election in my former (and adjacent) home state. You wouldn't believe the invective against her. And not much of it based on fact as far as I could tell. (I can't wait for T day dinner tomorrow. I have a sister in law who was a BIG supporter of the other guy.)
Having observed local government first hand for thirty years, and recognized that the Washington types were, for the most part, were locals once, I tend to lean toward the "it doesn't matter camp." Now before you start writing me back in all capitals let me add that I think it doesn't matter because as voters we have difficulty identifying the important issues and how we feel about them. I read an interesting book once that felt that balancing the budget was the most important issue we face and that if we could do that, solutions to most other problems would flow from the interest saved on the national debt. It further suggested that we simply let every candidate for congress or preseident know that that was the single item we were concerned about and we would vote them into or out of office accordingly. Simplistic? Yes. Naive? Maybe. But only, I repeat, because we have such a hard time focusing on issues.
I think we send so many mixed messages to our elected officials that we give them little choice but to pander to the largest possible audience.
I could go on ....and on...and on, as my former dissertation advisor Perry can tell you. But for now, let me wish you all a most Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season if we don't speak again before the new year.
Cheers,
John
The good news is that judging by voter turnout less than half the country is polarized. The other half doesn't care or thinks it doesn't matter who gets elected. This may be good news too. As my grandmother said, "Don't vote, it only encourages the rascals". Actually the only political statement my grandmother ever made was that she prayed every night for FDR because he instituted social security, without which they would have had a very, very difficult old age. Now there was a practical woman. But I digress.
Seriously, though, I don't think people vote simply the way their father or mother did. But I'm not sure the reasons are much better. We just went through the Hilary Clinton election in my former (and adjacent) home state. You wouldn't believe the invective against her. And not much of it based on fact as far as I could tell. (I can't wait for T day dinner tomorrow. I have a sister in law who was a BIG supporter of the other guy.)
Having observed local government first hand for thirty years, and recognized that the Washington types were, for the most part, were locals once, I tend to lean toward the "it doesn't matter camp." Now before you start writing me back in all capitals let me add that I think it doesn't matter because as voters we have difficulty identifying the important issues and how we feel about them. I read an interesting book once that felt that balancing the budget was the most important issue we face and that if we could do that, solutions to most other problems would flow from the interest saved on the national debt. It further suggested that we simply let every candidate for congress or preseident know that that was the single item we were concerned about and we would vote them into or out of office accordingly. Simplistic? Yes. Naive? Maybe. But only, I repeat, because we have such a hard time focusing on issues.
I think we send so many mixed messages to our elected officials that we give them little choice but to pander to the largest possible audience.
I could go on ....and on...and on, as my former dissertation advisor Perry can tell you. But for now, let me wish you all a most Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season if we don't speak again before the new year.
Cheers,
John
Perry Norton
Cyburbian Emeritus
- Messages
- 89
- Points
- 4
Happy Thanksgiving to you too. The only thing I was going write, about the candidates, was that there is not much between them so it doesn't matter whose on first. We made our choice, and ever since then the battle has bee statistics and Double Chads, or whatever. I've seen 'em all since Woodrow Wilson. (Well, I actually didn't SEE much of Wilson.)