Should I bite the bullet and....

Leenie, My husband is very much into politics and news. He follows this stuff almost religiously (although he and I are not into religion lol). I tend to avoid most of it and stick my head in the sand - but not lately. We do agree on a multitude of things, but I differ on things that keep the power with the individuals - such as the notification about abortions and gay marriage. He isn't against gays and civil unions, but he did vote yes on 8. I always think of myself in a position when things could be dicey and that's how I decide. I also know the way some of these props were written, they act like they will help a particular group but the problem is it stomps all over the rights of another group in the process.

Lexus, I couldn't have said it any better!! Thanks for saying it for me. congrats on your passing 200!! leenie

mboo, I think I get too emotional to debate topics about politics and religion. I find that I would rather discuss the issues with my husband because we both agree on most of the same issues and if we don't agree on something we discuss it anyway without getting emotional. Most of the time I find it difficult to articulate my thoughts. Then I don't handle attacks about my beliefs well. I admire people who do though, and that includes you. leenie

The 'star' system here is also a political statement but I won't get into that. It seems to be much more of a popularity thing and people use it negatively in order to take out their anger or frustrations on others lol. I'm not sure what is wrong with me, recently I have kind of found out that SOME politics is interesting, and lawyers are too - but everybody hates lawyers. I just have always shied away from these man-made things because they seem to cause more trouble than they solve. I think my husband is rubbing off on me and I might even find it to be useful.

Thank you for the compliment, I am glad I met you too. I must admit that I think my star was tarnished in religion more than politics and I do not go there very often now. Opinions seem so inflexible there. I like reading political discussions and I hope they go on being interesting as we watch the start of the new presidents first term. Such times are always interesting. I am still angry at the backwards step taken in California. I cannot believe they took away their right to get married. I mean in Australia we are still fighting for them to get that right but to have had it and lost it is terrible. I am also glad that body language does not carry across. I cannot type very well when I am angry so it takes me longer to type the post. That may be a good thing.

I don't go looking for religion related threads, but sometimes I come to them because friends have posted in them, they show up on the current thread page, or it happens to be masquerading as another type of thread. I have noticed a lot of inflexibility there too, as well as people who spout 'God loves you' and infinite passages from the Bible to try and convert people. I certainly did not join a message board to be converted. I also did not join in the thread to be bashed for disagreeing, as is what happens sometimes. I do have to say I will be watching a lot of political threads to see what others are saying. I watched a little of the press conference, not much but a bit. I can stomach listening to Obama speak, I really could not listen to Bush. I liked how he answered one question about whether he will 'confront Bush' if he disagrees with something. What an odd question for someone to ask, or perhaps just a terrible way to phrase it. I honestly do not think that this will be the end. California to me has always seemed to be a progressive and liberal state. Progressive and liberal to ME would mean Prop 8 should have failed. I suppose it's a matter of a small minority having a louder ruckus than the majority, or they just knew the right people and stuffed money in their pockets. Religion is always a dicey thing to dance around, as if you try to shut them up, they cry that religion is protected. Sure, protect religion but don't remove rights in the NAME of religion.

Since I believe I met you in a political thread, indeed it was a good place to 'dip my toes'. I find it a little funny that people mention the star thing, since I have already been involved in political threads, my 'star' is out there for people to tarnish already, it can't possibly get too much worse. I am probably a bit more eloquent and uh.. less anger inducing when I state my case in written form. If I'm talking, sometimes I let emotion get away from me and that tends to hurt my position. Sometimes it is a good thing that people cannot see body language, hear volume, tone, or other factors on a discussion board.

It's refreshing to know that people see humor in my predicament AND that I am not alone. I always knew I was not alone, it's just hard to find people who feel the same when most are right wing and left wing mcain-obama flingers who don't even shut their pie holes for two seconds to hear a view that doesn't go in line with either one of them lol. Believe it or not, there are a couple things I agree with Obama about, and a couple things I agree with McCain about. It just so happens that all of the bad things that both of them ALSO had in their platforms overshadowed the few good things. I am just hoping that the next four years go quickly and that most things get bogged into legislature forever and ever and nothing really changes, because too much change in this volatile situation is not what the country needs right now. The economy nosedived as far as the stocks again today, things ought to be tackled one thing at a time.

You know, based on the proposition that the last person who should be elected to government is the one who wants to be elected, then the political forum could be very well served by people who feel this way about politics. Perhaps something really valid might turn up. Lash

Thank you . It's hard for me to be in the political environment anyway because I am not democrat and I am not republican, I am more of a libertarian. Because of the way the system is set up, we will likely NEVER have an independent or libertarian candidate who makes it to the top and even has a glimmer of a chance. I have been posting a lot in these interests lately because all that has been going on lately is economic disaster and campaigning lol. This is the first election where the results mattered so much to me. This is the first election that I ever felt disaster was coming. At least it is only 4 years but I worry what can happen in four years. I don't recall feeling this way about Clinton, but then again Clinton was not Obama. I guess we'll just have to see. I'm sure I will feel less disappointed in a few days. It's all just too fresh right now.

I consider myself Independent but only registered as Rep because Paul was on in our primaries as a rep and that was the only way i could vote for him. Honestly I do not see much difference between the two parties anyhow, after all we have all seen the skits where two politicians are saying the same thing only in a different way...well we witnessed it somewhat during this election and we witnessed a lot of stuff from our biased media. The real lesson here for anyone to take from this election is if we do not doour our research and only go by what we hear through a slighted source then we will get what we do not understand as a result. But Obama said he would work for the support of those who he did not currently have support of....and yes it is a scary four years ahead or he can actually work for the people and prove to us he should be in that office. I have to hand it to McCain. He gave a very enlightening speach and as expected was very respectful. But as I have over the last year or so I will be paying attention to not ony our President, but Palin as well. As far as I concerned if she keeps her head in the game I think she just might be a good choice in 2012 also.

I try not to get too overly emotional in debates, and I also try to either have some sort of fact as backup to support my view, or I let people know it is strictly my view and WHY I feel that way. I don't try to say my view is the only way, or that it's better (although I will say that it's more tolerant if it is) but I do believe I have the right to have my view and not have it trashed by someone who disagrees. I don't mind if they disagree. I just expect them to allow me to do what I want even if they disagree since I extend that courtesy to those who disagree with me. Have I confused you yet?

I do debate, quite frequently in fact, about things I am passionate about. This doesn't mean everything of course. I'm not sure I enjoy debating though either. I am pretty assertive and I speak my mind, no matter where I happen to be and who is around. I dont' think it serves people well to blend into the wall and keep quiet. Anyway, I don't speak my mind because it's necessarily a fun thing to do. I do it because to not do it would make people think I agree or disagree with them when I don't, and that is the worst thing - to have someone make an assumption about you that you don't clear up.

Hi mboo, I replied to your response under lexus. Like I said I too often get emotional about things that I'm passionate about. I'm not a good debater. If I was, I might be more inclined to take part in more political discussions. I think you need to do whatever you enjoy. Go for it. leenie

Yes, I just feel wrong about claiming to enjoy something or call it an 'interest' when I really just hate it but HAVE to speak up, know what I mean? LOL! My new avatar is my daughter in her halloween princess costume! Bought it cheap from her dance studio, she was the one and only snow princess which was SO much better than being one of THREE snow whites and one of FOUR Ariels!

if you don't care more about it,nothing annoy you.

LOL! I'm interested but I don't enjoy it. That's the problem. It asks - do you want to add 'Politics' as an interest you enjoy' or something of that nature.

Maybe that's taking the wording a little too literally!

Well I am going to be involved in doing my part to keep away infringement on our rights and freedoms, I am part of a site - or I get news and info from them - called EQCA. It concerns equality for California, where I live. I'm going to contact them and find out what I can do in order to help begin lawsuits against the government for the passage of Prop 8. I hope that with enough support and help, this can be overturned for GOOD and we don't have to worry about any more of this discrimination going on. This is 2008, not 1932. This is horrific, the behavior of people wanting to discriminate in this day and age. This will be the first time I get involved in government, I hope for my sake and everyone else's that it is worth it.

Well, if the average person could stand up and say 'we don't want it this way' and the 'ruling politicians' would HAVE TO LISTEN TO US, then I would feel inclined to get involved. As it is, they swipe and steal money from us for their 'programs' that most of us don't even use OR qualify for, they have their own agenda even when we do not want something, and in the end it gets us nowhere whether we agree or disagree. This is supposed to be a democracy, run by the people, where the PEOPLE make the decisions. Then you have the constitution, wht this country was founded on. Because of that, IF the people make a decision which disagrees with the constitution, then the government gets to step in and say that they cannot do that. Checks and balances for both, see? Unfortunately this is not how things have been running and as more time passes, it will only get worse.