Stop moaning .... vote :-p

[shropshire 0]

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[davjohns 1]

As a matter of principle, I have to agree with you. However, there's always that little devil on my other shoulder. He sounds an awful lot like a friend I had in law school. He said, "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards."

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[masterrig 1]

I agree! You're in that voting booth all by yourself... no one can see you. No one will ever know you voted them out of office. Unless of course, you tell someone.



Chuck

[regulator 0]

That being said does anyone know when the vote for Greg Abbot is? His adversary, Wendy Davis, in New York and DC campaigning for rick perry's old job. I personally can't stand what she stands for and hope she goes back to california and stays there.


As with many female political junkies, I’d love to see more women in the halls of Congress and governors’ mansions. As it stand’s there’s a scant 18% of House seats held by women, 20% of senators are women, and just five governors have XX chromosomes.

That said, I’d prefer these women fall on my side of the ideological spectrum, and newly-declared Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, a Democrat, doesn’t. As a pro-life woman I part ways on her signature issue of abortion, but I realize a candidate is more than just one policy question. Yet her state senate voting record also earned her a failing grade in the Fiscal Responsibility Index of the group Empower Texans.

What bothers me about Davis’ declaration is that it rides on the coattails of national exposure during her June filibuster of a pro-life bill. In the end, the measure passed comfortably in both chambers and Gov. Rick Perry signed it into law. Davis’ views are clearly out of line with her would-be statewide constituents on this social wedge issue. Her home district is a more urban area, yet she wants to represent all Texans.

My theory on why she’s made such a splash is that her true, natural constituency is the national, mainstream media, whose members admit by wide margins that they consider themselves to be “liberal” or vote Democratic. To illustrate this, let’s play out a hypothetical situation and role reverse the likely outcome.

Let’s say that an imaginary female state senator from a conservative, rural Massachusetts district stood up on Beacon Hill and engaged in an extensive filibuster against an abortion measure or, say, against an anti-homeschooling piece of legislation. In any scenario would she be held up by the media as a courageous crusader and glamorous policy diva fawned over by Vogue? Not in this universe.

Let’s also imagine that the pro-life and/or pro-homeschooling state legislator then decided she wanted to run for governor over the entire state. She’d face a daunting mountain to scale and would likely be viewed as a gadfly candidate by local and national media (although the big guys might not even deem her worth their time). Blue State voters tend to be inhospitable to homeschooling and don’t take kindly to pro-life types.

On top of that, Massachusetts, for all its hype as a progressive place (and don’t get me wrong, I love the Bay State, having lived there for two years), isn’t exactly a feminist paragon when it comes to electing women. There’s just one female member in the national delegation, and the state legislature is just over a quarter women–though in fairness, the Texas legislature is just over 20 percent women.

What makes the hypothetical a bit less comparable, and even more difficult for Davis, is the fact that Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994. Contrast that with the Bay State’s gubernatorial election of Republican Mitt Romney, who also happened to win the state of Texas in 2012 by 16 points.

The best ace in the hole Davis can hope for is strong voter turnout by her base and lackluster enthusiasm among grassroots of her opponent, Attorney General Greg Abbott. However, there’s only so far the media can carry her when the odds say she’s starts the race with a baked-in 10-point disadvantage.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carriesheffield/2013/10/14/how-journalists-tip-the-scale-for-texas-democrat-wendy-davis/

[OHCHUTE 0]

shropshire

Some people know true power: corrupt campaign financing laws, lobbying, gerrymandering, oligarchy, self interested politicians etc.,
As for the middle class American's glued to Duck Dynasty and the Kardasians, very true: have no idea the power they could have.

Voting is not the only way to have power if you think voting wields power. Not buying Genetically Engineered food as a group, is power. Not driving cars, is power. Shutting down an industry for not buying it's products, is power.

Mass tax revolt: now that would be true power if you could pull it off.

[shropshire 0]

davjohns

As a matter of principle, I have to agree with you. However, there's always that little devil on my other shoulder. He sounds an awful lot like a friend I had in law school. He said, "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards."

I love that too.

BUT I reckon this cartoon would make for GREAT T.V debates :-)

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[masterrig 1]

It's amazing to me, how someone like Davis can do one thing that impresses people enough to vote them into a higher office without really looking into the person's background. People are easily fooled... Obama for example. He came on the scene looking very educated and his speeches were quite impressive. Folks like that get into their chosen office and then go-on to let us down.


Chuck

[Gravitymaster 0]

masterrig

I agree! You're in that voting booth all by yourself... no one can see you. No one will ever know you voted them out of office. Unless of course, you tell someone.



Chuck

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that given how much spying is done on everyone these days.

[masterrig 1]

Gravitymaster

***I agree! You're in that voting booth all by yourself... no one can see you. No one will ever know you voted them out of office. Unless of course, you tell someone.



Chuck

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that given how much spying is done on everyone these days.

Hidden cameras and microphones in the voting booth... wouldn't surprise me!


Chuck

[Gravitymaster 0]

masterrig

******I agree! You're in that voting booth all by yourself... no one can see you. No one will ever know you voted them out of office. Unless of course, you tell someone.



Chuck

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that given how much spying is done on everyone these days.

Hidden cameras and microphones in the voting booth... wouldn't surprise me!


Chuck

Just make sure you vote the right way or you can expect an IRS audit.

[masterrig 1]

Gravitymaster

*********I agree! You're in that voting booth all by yourself... no one can see you. No one will ever know you voted them out of office. Unless of course, you tell someone.



Chuck

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that given how much spying is done on everyone these days.

Hidden cameras and microphones in the voting booth... wouldn't surprise me!


Chuck

Just make sure you vote the right way or you can expect an IRS audit.

That or you just dis-appear!


Chuck

[ryoder 1,590]

davjohns

As a matter of principle, I have to agree with you. However, there's always that little devil on my other shoulder. He sounds an awful lot like a friend I had in law school. He said, "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards."

http://books.google.com/books?id=nI6tDDo5rvgC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[kelpdiver 2]

masterrig

It's amazing to me, how someone like Davis can do one thing that impresses people enough to vote them into a higher office without really looking into the person's background. People are easily fooled... Obama for example. He came on the scene looking very educated and his speeches were quite impressive. Folks like that get into their chosen office and then go-on to let us down.

He was very well educated, there's really no doubt about that. So was Carter. But as we've seen, that doesn't translate into effective leadership and stewardship. With the prior President, we saw that more average intelligence doesn't either. OTOH, McCain had loads of political experience, but was bat shit crazy and supporting a dead regime. Not a good vote getter.

Wendy Davis got herself a name fighting for women's rights. The kind of rights that shouldn't be subject to popular vote. If Texans don't like it, then she won't do very well running for governor.

[wmw999 2,589]

Holy cow -- you're a woman???

Quote

That said, I’d prefer these women fall on my side of the ideological spectrum, and newly-declared Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, a Democrat, doesn’t. As a pro-life woman I part ways on her signature issue of abortion, but I realize a candidate is more than just one policy question. Yet her state senate voting record also earned her a failing grade in the Fiscal Responsibility Index of the group Empower Texans.

a. she's not from California

b. she's the quintessential worked-her-way-from-the-bottom example

c. she has a great first name

She's unlikely to win this time around in Texas. But since the demographics of Texas are changing, as long as the Republicans stand for no-change, well, they're not going to be the only power in Texas forever.

Frankly, that'd be a pity -- I think a balance is good. I don't think we have a balance now, unfortunately. And I was still appalled at Dan Patrick's comment that Wendy Davis should not have been allowed to speak. As an elected representative, isn't that part of her job?

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[masterrig 1]

kelpdiver

***It's amazing to me, how someone like Davis can do one thing that impresses people enough to vote them into a higher office without really looking into the person's background. People are easily fooled... Obama for example. He came on the scene looking very educated and his speeches were quite impressive. Folks like that get into their chosen office and then go-on to let us down.

He was very well educated, there's really no doubt about that. So was Carter. But as we've seen, that doesn't translate into effective leadership and stewardship. With the prior President, we saw that more average intelligence doesn't either. OTOH, McCain had loads of political experience, but was bat shit crazy and supporting a dead regime. Not a good vote getter.

Wendy Davis got herself a name fighting for women's rights. The kind of rights that shouldn't be subject to popular vote. If Texans don't like it, then she won't do very well running for governor.

True story! You never know how voters will go. That might be just enough to get her the job. I've seen folks get positions for a whole lot less. I think it's great that she fought so hard for women's rights but you need more savvy than that to be a governor.


Chuck

[wmw999 2,589]

She may well not be ready (as Obama wasn't). Unfortunately, Greg Abbott (who has also worked his ass off under difficult circumstances) is very much a "I stand for what I stand for, and if you don't like it tough shit" kind of guy from what I can tell. I've had enough of that with Perry.

I am pro-choice. It's not my only voting criterion, but someone who makes pro-life one of their primary tenets is going to have to be awfully good in everything else to get my vote. Or else be the demonstrably only honest one.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[masterrig 1]

I agree about Abbott.
I too am in favor of pro choice. I can respect the woman for fighting for what she believes in. I'm thinking the Governor's race is once again, choosing the lesser of two evils. I'm just thrilled to know that Perry isn't running again.


Chuck

[wmw999 2,589]

We should rename this the Texas politics thread

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[masterrig 1]

Sure is lookin' that way!


Chuck

[regulator 0]

wmw999

She may well not be ready (as Obama wasn't). Unfortunately, Greg Abbott (who has also worked his ass off under difficult circumstances) is very much a "I stand for what I stand for, and if you don't like it tough shit" kind of guy from what I can tell. I've had enough of that with Perry.

I am pro-choice. It's not my only voting criterion, but someone who makes pro-life one of their primary tenets is going to have to be awfully good in everything else to get my vote. Or else be the demonstrably only honest one.

Wendy P.

-------------------------------------------------
I think if a woman has been raped she should have the option to get an abortion. If he hasn't been raped then she should have kept her fucking legs closed and used her brain instead of her vagina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdj7zKGiDNw

Late term abortions like the ones performed by kermet gosnell happen all over.

What a grand policy to endorse.

[Stumpy 284]

Hold on - you just said your views would never impact on other peoples rights.

Hmmmmm.

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[wmw999 2,589]

1.4% of abortions were after 21 weeks (which counts as late term). I don't really think that counts as "all the time."

As far as your other so elegantly expressed opinion, well, we'll have to disagree. If nothing else, the health of the mother and viability of the fetus should be considered exceptions.

I also think that abortion for something like gender selection is awful. Of course, so are plenty of other things, like abandoning one's children and not paying child support.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[regulator 0]

I think all young girls should have to go to birthing classes have other young girls that have already had babies tell them about how much bringing a child into the world at a very young age presents many more burdens and greatly enhances the possibilities they will have a mediocre life unless they are the one in a million that is able to pull off managing a child, working a job and going to school to better ones self. How about a sensible approach with hard reality. It might affect a few girls but in the end there will always be people who do not think about what would happen if they did something. Like what that young man that shot the teacher and himself had to been thinking about. Why do we live in a soceity that is unable to learn from the past because it repeats itself so often its ludicrous?

[billvon 3,120]

> If he hasn't been raped then she should have kept her fucking legs closed and
>used her brain instead of her vagina.

Yes, she should. If she screws up and gets pregnant - what to do next should be up to her, not a government bureaucrat.

[Bignugget 0]

regulator

I think all young girls should have to go to birthing classes have other young girls that have already had babies tell them about how much bringing a child into the world at a very young age presents many more burdens and greatly enhances the possibilities they will have a mediocre life unless they are the one in a million that is able to pull off managing a child, working a job and going to school to better ones self. How about a sensible approach with hard reality. It might affect a few girls but in the end there will always be people who do not think about what would happen if they did something. Like what that young man that shot the teacher and himself had to been thinking about. Why do we live in a soceity that is unable to learn from the past because it repeats itself so often its ludicrous?

So you are for mandated 'birthing classes' for only women?

Makes sense.

Everyone knows it is only women who contribute to a baby getting made....at any age.

So yes, government should mandate girls take these classes you describe, and boys are exempt.

Amen.