![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Politcal rant type thing
Jan. 3rd, 2004 03:33 amThe South Carolina Democratic Primary is February 3rd. As far as I am concerned, it cannot arrive soon enough for me. It's not that I don't dislike all of the Democratic candidates, but I'm getting very tired of the politcal advertisements, and more importantly, the tripe they bring into the store to get copied.
Speaking of the advertisements.... I am looking at one from the local newspaper, for Howard Dean, and one of the quotes on there struck me as kind of odd.
Hmmm... could be because there's really no way to blame it on the other party? Nah, that couldn't be it. Because you know, if any politician could say "Company XYZ got rid of 3000 jobs for Americans solely for the reason to save money by putting their tech support in India", well, you know they'd say that. Because they're not dependent on any companies for re-election funds. Not at all. Nope. Nosiree.
You know what I'd really like to see in this primary, and in the Presidential election? I'd like to see something like 85% or better of all U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote actually do so. And if that happened, you know, I wouldn't really care who won. Because... and think about this for a second... if that high a percentage of voters cast their ballots... it would scare the piss out of politicians.
"Holy shit! They're paying attention! What do we do now?"
That's right. Don't vote because you believe in a political ideology. Don't vote to support your party. Vote to make an elected politician wet themselves. Or heck, vote for all of those reasons. But vote. Make the bastards think they're accountable. Because they sure don't think it now.
Case in point: William Janklow, convicted on December 9th, 2003 of 2nd degree manslaughter of motorcyclist Randy Scott. Now, he's not actually resigning from Congress until January 20th, when his sentencing will take place (he could get 10 years. A small price for someone who had a record of speeding and reckless driving.) 17 days from now. A small part of me is wondering... if he hadn't been a Congressman, would there be over a month long wait for sentencing? Would he be allowed to keep his job during that time? Fuck no.
Oh, he claims he hadn't eaten for 19 hours and coupled with his diabetes, that contributed to the death of Mr. Scott. You know what... I'd hold more credence to that, except for the fact that if you get behind the wheel of a car when you know you might be impaired, whether from alcohol, low blood sugar, whatever the cause, that should make you more guilty of anything you do, not less guilty.
Sure, the case proves that even they aren't above the law, but they sure do seem to get preferential treatment. Got to wonder which minimum security prison Janklow will be put in.
Make them understand they are accountable. Read up on your elected officials. Vote. Write them when you disagree with something they do. Almost all of you certainly underestimate the power of a few letters to a politician.
Speaking of the advertisements.... I am looking at one from the local newspaper, for Howard Dean, and one of the quotes on there struck me as kind of odd.
Every time a politician uses the word "quota", it's because he'd rather not talk about the real reason that we've lost almost 3 million jobs.
Hmmm... could be because there's really no way to blame it on the other party? Nah, that couldn't be it. Because you know, if any politician could say "Company XYZ got rid of 3000 jobs for Americans solely for the reason to save money by putting their tech support in India", well, you know they'd say that. Because they're not dependent on any companies for re-election funds. Not at all. Nope. Nosiree.
You know what I'd really like to see in this primary, and in the Presidential election? I'd like to see something like 85% or better of all U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote actually do so. And if that happened, you know, I wouldn't really care who won. Because... and think about this for a second... if that high a percentage of voters cast their ballots... it would scare the piss out of politicians.
"Holy shit! They're paying attention! What do we do now?"
That's right. Don't vote because you believe in a political ideology. Don't vote to support your party. Vote to make an elected politician wet themselves. Or heck, vote for all of those reasons. But vote. Make the bastards think they're accountable. Because they sure don't think it now.
Case in point: William Janklow, convicted on December 9th, 2003 of 2nd degree manslaughter of motorcyclist Randy Scott. Now, he's not actually resigning from Congress until January 20th, when his sentencing will take place (he could get 10 years. A small price for someone who had a record of speeding and reckless driving.) 17 days from now. A small part of me is wondering... if he hadn't been a Congressman, would there be over a month long wait for sentencing? Would he be allowed to keep his job during that time? Fuck no.
Oh, he claims he hadn't eaten for 19 hours and coupled with his diabetes, that contributed to the death of Mr. Scott. You know what... I'd hold more credence to that, except for the fact that if you get behind the wheel of a car when you know you might be impaired, whether from alcohol, low blood sugar, whatever the cause, that should make you more guilty of anything you do, not less guilty.
Sure, the case proves that even they aren't above the law, but they sure do seem to get preferential treatment. Got to wonder which minimum security prison Janklow will be put in.
Make them understand they are accountable. Read up on your elected officials. Vote. Write them when you disagree with something they do. Almost all of you certainly underestimate the power of a few letters to a politician.