Election 2012

[white avenger]

[MENTION=5973]Black Eye Guy[/MENTION]

WA is correct, they are going to call it a landslide but when you look at the overall popular vote it's clear it really isn't in the true sense of the term. Also, Obama won his re-election by a much smaller margin than he won his first term; people will bring that up repeatedly through the next four years.

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Strange, isn't it, that in this so called "land of equality," Obama, or ANY presidential candidate, can either win or lose the election, depending on which state the voters happen to live in? My vote is far less important because I live in Georgia than if I lived in Texas or California, simply because of the Electoral College.

 

[whitewolf]

Strange, isn't it, that in this so called "land of equality," Obama, or ANY presidential candidate, can either win or lose the election, depending on which state the voters happen to live in? My vote is far less important because I live in Georgia than if I lived in Texas or California, simply because of the Electoral College.

Actually your vote could very well count for nothing in all three of those states. If your a Democrat in Texas or Georgia your vote is meaningless and if your a Republican in California your vote is meaningless. The Electoral College sucks.

 

[sisterofmercy]

Very glad to see Obama win.

I've found the election rather interesting to keep up with, it's a lot more exciting than British elections for some reason.

 

[Robb Stark]

I wasn't a fan of either guy, like at all, but America probably picked the best of the bad guys.

On the plus side, did anyone else see what Romney posted on his website shortly after his concession speech? He live streamed Obama's victory speech in what I thought was a really surprising, and classy, gesture. I don't like the guy, but I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[white avenger]

I wasn't a fan of either guy, like at all, but America probably picked the best of the bad guys.

I can agree about the "trying to pick the better of two bad choices" sentiment. That seems to be about all that we can expect anymore. This country hasn't had a truly dynamic leader for as long as I can recall.

As for Obama being the best choice, with the economy in the condition that it's in now, I just can't see how 4 more years of the same thing can be good, and even if Obama did inherit this economy from the previous administration, he should have been able to turn it around a little by now.

Did anyone else notice how the stock market dropped the day after the election? Just when you think things couldn't get any worse... Maybe the Mayans were right about 2012 after all.

 

[Robb Stark]

I can agree about the "trying to pick the better of two bad choices" sentiment. That seems to be about all that we can expect anymore. This country hasn't had a truly dynamic leader for as long as I can recall.

As for Obama being the best choice, with the economy in the condition that it's in now, I just can't see how 4 more years of the same thing can be good, and even if Obama did inherit this economy from the previous administration, he should have been able to turn it around a little by now.

Did anyone else notice how the stock market dropped the day after the election? Just when you think things couldn't get any worse... Maybe the Mayans were right about 2012 after all.

Yeah, I hear you. I like to think that I vote for the best candidate, not a party, and this election, there wasn't a great candidate. I outlined in a previous political thread that socially I'm very left wing, but economically and militarily, I'm pretty right. That kind of creates a difficult voting scenario for me. On the one hand, it would have been brutal to vote for Obama simply because the man clearly has zero idea how to manage the economy. Like, at all. On the other hand though, I can't stand, at all, a number of the social platforms the Republican party advocates. The fact that Romney has switched his beliefs so many times now just compounds my dislike of him.

However, I do realize that the American political system has become so polarized that in order to even win the primaries in the Republican party today you have to heavily emphasize how socially conservative you are to even stand a chance. That drives me crazy to no end, because it naturally creates candidates that will say or do anything to get themselves elected, regardless of what they actually believe.

 

[brinkster130]

I like to think that I vote for the best candidate, not a party, and this election, there wasn't a great candidate. I outlined in a previous political thread that socially I'm very left wing, but economically and militarily, I'm pretty right. That kind of creates a difficult voting scenario for me.

Same here, I def. don't fit into either party which makes voting a bit tough; especially living in a state that is sooo one party. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if we had a third party that actually had a chance; then maybe we could find a candidate that had some economic knowledge as well as a less rigid social belief system. It's a shame we have to pick the "less of two evils".

However, I do realize that the American political system has become so polarized that in order to even win the primaries in the Republican party today you have to heavily emphasize how socially conservative you are to even stand a chance. That drives me crazy to no end, because it naturally creates candidates that will say or do anything to get themselves elected, regardless of what they actually believe.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes the GOP makes over the next four years.

 

[whitewolf]

Well if it makes you all feel any better I don't fit into either party either. I'm too left-wing for either of the major parties. My family says I would be more at home in Sweden or Norway because of my economic views.

 

[SlayerFest]

Same here, I def. don't fit into either party which makes voting a bit tough; especially living in a state that is sooo one party. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if we had a third party that actually had a chance; then maybe we could find a candidate that had some economic knowledge as well as a less rigid social belief system. It's a shame we have to pick the "less of two evils".



It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes the GOP makes over the next four years.

I disagree that California is "sooo one party". NorCal is way more conservative than SoCal. It's like a different planet up there. Also, Torrance CA is full of Republicans. NorCal supposedly wants to become its own state because it doesn't want to be associated with "us" haha...I even know someone who left Southern California and moved to Washington because they were worried that we'd legalize weed here. I wonder where they'll move now. Muahahahaha

Anyway...I do see what you're saying. It's not like CA is a swing state, although if we did have "North California" and "South California" I could sooo see the Northern state being a red state, or at least a swing state.

 

[white avenger]

The thing that I really find objectionable about the whole election system is that, if you are an independent, "third party voter," or whatever, the way that the electoral college is set up, you might just as well stay at home, because only the two major parties count. Except for local elections, the Third Party voters might just as well not exist.

 

[brinkster130]

I disagree that California is "sooo one party". NorCal is way more conservative than SoCal. It's like a different planet up there. Also, Torrance CA is full of Republicans. NorCal supposedly wants to become its own state because it doesn't want to be associated with "us" haha...I even know someone who left Southern California and moved to Washington because they were worried that we'd legalize weed here. I wonder where they'll move now. Muahahahaha

Anyway...I do see what you're saying. It's not like CA is a swing state, although if we did have "North California" and "South California" I could sooo see the Northern state being a red state, or at least a swing state.

True, neither camp is 100%, though California has been a reliable democratic state for the past 30ish years; we do generally vote in democratic candidates for state, federal and local offices. Most of the Republicans, like the governator 😀, that have been voted in are very moderate Republicans. CA hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Reagan in 1984; there was pretty much zero chance of CA going to Romney.

I agree that northern Ca and southern CA are different as night and day. SoCal's coastal citys and OC are fairly conservative, probably for fiscal reasons as those are places with lots of wealth, but NorCal's inland areas and the central coast are conservative as well.

As far as who our electoral votes go to, these days its pretty solidly confirmed for the democrats. As far as state legislature goes, it's all over the place; that's when you can really see just how divided CA truly is.

 

[SlayerFest]

As far as who our electoral votes go to, these days its pretty solidly confirmed for the democrats. As far as state legislature goes, it's all over the place; that's when you can really see just how divided CA truly is.

I totally agree. Yeah when my mom saw how many people voted for Romney in CA, she was so shocked and I mentioned NorCal and she was like, "Oh yeah, I forgot about them" haha. And yeah, pretty much all of the Republicans I know here in LA are fiscally conservative.

 

[Little Miss Muffet]

I'm proud of Obama. He is someone who believes in equality. No matter what the color of your skin, gender, or sexual preference is. I loved his victory speech, like he said we are the UNITED States of America republicans and democrats must unite and make compromises in order to get the country back on track. No matter what party you are in or what your beliefs are Obama is our president; just be grateful you can go online and bitch and moan about him freely.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

Yeah, I hear you. I like to think that I vote for the best candidate, not a party, and this election, there wasn't a great candidate. I outlined in a previous political thread that socially I'm very left wing, but economically and militarily, I'm pretty right. That kind of creates a difficult voting scenario for me. On the one hand, it would have been brutal to vote for Obama simply because the man clearly has zero idea how to manage the economy. Like, at all. On the other hand though, I can't stand, at all, a number of the social platforms the Republican party advocates. The fact that Romney has switched his beliefs so many times now just compounds my dislike of him.

However, I do realize that the American political system has become so polarized that in order to even win the primaries in the Republican party today you have to heavily emphasize how socially conservative you are to even stand a chance. That drives me crazy to no end, because it naturally creates candidates that will say or do anything to get themselves elected, regardless of what they actually believe.

I don't have to face that issue, luckily, because I'm not American. Yet I agree.

The thing is, no matter how much the Democrat candidate sucks, I would never even consider voting for a candidate who's trying to undo all the progress that has been done socially, such as issues like gay marriage, abortion, soft drug laws and generally discrimination. That's why for me, the Republicans are basically out of the race from the start.
I bet a lot of red necks, conservative Christians or whoelse feel the same way about this, just the other way around, desperately voting for someone to reverse all this.

This really makes you think: are those really the most important issues the country has? Shouldn't stuff like saving the economy come first?
I'm not saying social issues aren't important, they are, but it's really a shame when they're pushed so far to the front a majority of people don't even look at whatever else the other party has to offer.

 

[whitewolf]

I don't have to face that issue, luckily, because I'm not American. Yet I agree.

The thing is, no matter how much the Democrat candidate sucks, I would never even consider voting for a candidate who's trying to undo all the progress that has been done socially, such as issues like gay marriage, abortion, soft drug laws and generally discrimination. That's why for me, the Republicans are basically out of the race from the start.
I bet a lot of red necks, conservative Christians or whoelse feel the same way about this, just the other way around, desperately voting for someone to reverse all this.

This really makes you think: are those really the most important issues the country has? Shouldn't stuff like saving the economy come first?
I'm not saying social issues aren't important, they are, but it's really a shame when they're pushed so far to the front a majority of people don't even look at whatever else the other party has to offer.

Economics are important, but social issues are used as to drive a wedge between the two parties, because honestly when it comes to economics there isn't a whole lot of different between them. Obama and the Democratic party aren't really leftwing. From what I've read, Obama and Democrats would be considered centrists or even center-right in many European countries. We don't have a debate between a far-right party and a far-left party, we have debate between a right-wing party and a moderate right-wing party. I keep hearing people see we need a moderate centrist party, but I disagree. We have a strong conservative party and we have a moderate conservative party, we need a strong leftist party to bring some kind of balance to the debate. Again,this is all my opinion and I'm sure some people think I'm completely wrong here.

 

[SinisterPledge]

God damn it, Cthulhu didn't win this year either! 🙁
¨

 

[KellGreen]

Well...looks like we'll have to wait at least another 4 years for the Zombie apocalypse... In the words of Caleb... "darn."

I'm anxious about the economy, but the concensus of the various economists I've read (even those that self-identify as GOP leaning), is that it takes an average of 10 years to recover from an economic meltdown of the magnitude of the 2008 one (looking at US history, as well as similar cases in European countries). I really hope we can get better sooner than that, but I'm not really that hopeful.

I am extremely happy that my state passed marriage equality, though!

Whitewolf: I totally agree with you.

I watch BBC news often, and I try to stay at least marginally aware of what's going on worldwide, but US news doesn't usually ever focus on other country's politics.

 

[Pike]

I am so tired of hearing about the election. I think this year it was a choice between the lesser of two evils, so I voted for the person I thought was less evil (and no, I'm not saying who).
I will just be glad when it's over, because people get so damn mean about politics. I think it's good to be passionate about something you care about, but I feel and always will feel that politics is one of those subjects that brings out the worst in people.

I will agree and disagree here. Politics do bring out the bad side in people. Politics & Religion do. 🙂

It seems this year I heard a lot of people say that this election it was a choice of two evils. I guess I can't agree with this. I am not a fan of the two-party system. However, between the independent parties and the two main ones there was plenty of points of view to look upon 😉

Side note: This election I know many people were passionate about the election. I must say I was much surprised about how many people were apathetic towards the election. 🙄

 

[white avenger]

Side note: This election I know many people were passionate about the election. I must say I was much surprised about how many people were apathetic towards the election. 🙄

I think that a good portion of the apathy felt by some voters is due to the candidates themselves. At least on the Presidential level, it's now more a question of choosing the candidate that seems the least incapable rather that one who we sincerely believe is the right man (or woman) for the job. We used to have dynamic leaders, men who really gave the impression that they had some answers and some solutions, and were really planning on making things better for everyone, not just the "upper class" or the "middle class," but everyone. We voted for people who we believed could actually make this a better nation. Now, we just vote for the one who seems inclined to do the least harm.

Where's Teddy Roosevelt when we really need him?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d8FTPv955I"]All in the Family / Archie Bunker's Place Opening Credits - YouTube[/ame]

 

[whitewolf]

I think that a good portion of the apathy felt by some voters is due to the candidates themselves. At least on the Presidential level, it's now more a question of choosing the candidate that seems the least incapable rather that one who we sincerely believe is the right man (or woman) for the job. We used to have dynamic leaders, men who really gave the impression that they had some answers and some solutions, and were really planning on making things better for everyone, not just the "upper class" or the "middle class," but everyone. We voted for people who we believed could actually make this a better nation. Now, we just vote for the one who seems inclined to do the least harm.

Where's Teddy Roosevelt when we really need him?

All in the Family / Archie Bunker's Place Opening Credits - YouTube

Now there's a Republican I might be able to vote for, though I'd still rather have his cousin.