I hate Politics

uggh, voters are the worse, they keep electing all those horrible politicians

and then there are those volunteers that work the polls....they enable the voters

I know a couple of decent politicians quite well (not at the national level) and they are sharp and sincere people capable of changing their minds with reason.

I also know several people with whom I disagree on politics (such a simple word for a complexity), that are pals. I think the commonality is that these people, in or out of politics, spend time thinking about issues - at the same time they have some openness to view understanding, and occasional view modifying.

I hate Agriculture.

An old friend just popped up in the "people you may know" section of FB, and he has no privacy settings so I was clicking through, seeing what he's up to, thinking of friending him and already not sure (I try to only friend actual friends who I want to be in continual contact with, not just people I'd like to say "hi" to), and then I saw that he'd become a fan of Sean Hannity, and I was like yeah, no.

Bah-dah-dah-ching!

I generally only discuss politics with people I know to be 1.) liberal or 2.) conservative but in the possession of a cool head and a sense of humor. I never make political statements in public unless it is at a forum . . . and, even then, I hold my tongue.

Well, on another internet forum, I posted a link to a petition from a web site called The Pen. Alright, I have some doubts about that organization but the link was to a petition to be sent to the WH to inform Obama that his politics are too far to the right. I posted it in a group within said forum that is called, "Liberals and Progressives."

What I got in return was not a thanks . . . not a polite statement that a particular writer does not feel comfortable with the petition. . . but something new from people supposedly embracing liberalism: outright abuse.

I was told that I had to be a right-wing crasher whose purpose to sabotage the Obama presidency. I was told that no one likes me.

I have not completely made up my mind to withdraw from this forum . . . but . . . I am thinking of it.

I don't know, I met georgeob for and exteneded dinner (first time) we argued about everything except religion) ran out of time) there was never a harsh word (well maybe "you're a ******* idiot" but besides that we had a wonderful time and I would repeat the event any time any place.

True

Facebook has done that for me too. Someone I knew in high school will go on a political rant and it makes you cringe. People tend to act like they are anonymous even when their name is clearly visible.

Told this joke a couple of times today. I love the responses. It generally takes a few seconds for people to make the connection, but they love it when it clicks.

I have had that experience with Facebook as well. I find myself cringing a bit as I write because I know who will read it. I am not a believer in conversions.

That's interesting, plainoldme. I have a built in thing about not being here to convince people, in this forum or in life ordinaire. This is probably some reaction from a childhood where my home and school very much admired missionary activity, no pun intended. Part of my motivation for being at a2k is to figure out what I think in some kind of ongoing progression, always sort of tuning, and occasionally changing my mind entirely on something (not that I can remember what right this minute). I enjoy reading our able arguers..