After all these years of people demonizing Al Sharpton, I thought he was the generic cause of all things wrong with the world. Especially since they've apparently forgotten about Jesse Jackson who used to be the all-purpose bad guy. Guess poor Jesse isn't relevant anymore. So sad... So, since White People blame Al Sharpton and Obama for everything, I don't see why Black folks can't join in the fun.
Totally down with that. "Ok Cman, so who will it be........ bachelorette #1, bachelorette #2, or bachelorette #3?...." This was a gem - imagine getting rolled on national TV. "Down goes Sharpton!.... down goes Sharpton!!.... down goes Sharpton!!!..."
I was thinking something along lines of... "Wheel Of Sharpton"... Would make a great game show dontcha think?
So the usual Obama haters misread what he said for their own hating purposes. I read the quote and Obama was NOT saying he thinks voting should be mandatory. He merely said IF IT WERE that would curb the negative effects of Citizen's United and of coures the GOP led efforts to discourage voting by voters whose demographics suggest they tend to vote Democratic. Nowhere did he say voting SHOULD be mandatory. It was all what if...
How would it make people care? It would make people simply pull a lever which could have even more damaging consequences This at the very core violates the constitution. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There's no country where actually voting is mandatory. Countries like Australia just say you have to show up. You could write in "The Flying Spaghetti Monster" for all they give a crap.
I think getting people to the polls would make a huge difference even if you allowed them to abstain or vote for the flying spaghetti monster when they arrived. I mean if you have to show up anyway you might as well voice your opinion when you're there.
The US hasn't had a military president since George H.W. Bush. From post-WWII until Clinton, every president served in the military in some capacity. Interestingly pre-WWII it wasn't as common. There were some military presidents, but not a huge amount. I think you'll see it get more rare the more you move away from the draft era. Politicians in today's US aren't the type who would serve.
The idea of increasing the number of voters in US elections instead of suppressing them is something no "freedom" loving American should oppose. The voter registration laws proposed and enacted by Republican legislators across the country are nothing more than voter suppression laws. Why are Republicans for "freedom" but against making it easier for people to exercise one of the most fundamental rights we have - the right to vote? Move election day to a Saturday. Permit early voting in every state. Add more polling places to shorten lines. Why is any of this a bad idea? What are the issues? I'll answer for you. Because the demographics of this country are changing and are rapidly making it increasingly impossible for the current Republican party to win a national election. So, rather than change with the times and move away from some ridiculous stances on issues, suppress the minority and youth vote to remain in contention. Freedom my ass.
I have to say I'm a little disturbed that the military is becoming the new third rail of the government that is essentially immune from any criticism at all. I've never served, but to a man, everyone I've met who has will go on endlessly about how fucked up organizationally and overly-bureaucratic it is. And that doesn't get anywhere near dealing with the systemic corruption and waste inherent in the procurement process is. As Leon astutely pointed out, prior to WWII, when we had presidents that at least in hindsight people think of somewhat fondly, at least comparatively, it wasn't considered common at all to have presidents with military service. The danger is that with an electoral system that produces a political class and a government that people almost universally say they loathe, but seem unable to bring themselves to correct at the ballot box, if the military is the only federal institution that commands broad respect, how far away are we really from a coup? A couple of natural disasters/terrorist attacks? It's closer than you think.
