Wild West Politics?

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It's always been that way here, Dana, but it was sort of kept under wraps, an open secret that was only discussed in boring political tracts. For all the freedoms we extol, the real power, the important decisions, were always made by the insiders. In the last 20 years the money/power cadre has become more brazen, more visible, but this whole left/right wing, dog & pony show, is just to distract the peons, and doesn't affect the real power brokers.
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I always knew there was an element of that. But I didn't think it was as entrenched as it is in our system. I began to get an inkling of it during the Bush years of course.

[Lamplighter]

Yesterday there were two political speeches based on the Tuscon shooting.

Here is Sarah Palin's video: (7+ minutes) from CNN



Here is President Obama's: (34+ minutes) from PBS

[Nirvana]

It doesn't take a genius to figure out who the hate mongers are ...

[glatt]

Obama's was on in the background while I was surfing the internet. I was half listening. I mostly didn't like the tone. Too much like a pep rally, and not enough like a serious memorial. Mostly it was the crowd's fault. They were awfully excited. I wonder how often Presidents have visited Tucson?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by glatt

Obama's was on in the background while I was surfing the internet. I was half listening. I mostly didn't like the tone. Too much like a pep rally, and not enough like a serious memorial. Mostly it was the crowd's fault. They were awfully excited. I wonder how often Presidents have visited Tucson?

I too was bothered by the RaaRaa atmosphere because of the President, but I think he tried hard to give a good message and his tone was positive. I think all the cheering just gave it more of a campaign speech environment. Kudos to him.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I always knew there was an element of that. But I didn't think it was as entrenched as it is in our system. I began to get an inkling of it during the Bush years of course.

Your previous post was very good. I am glad that you noted when the majority of the evilness in our political process started, in the Bush years. And here we are.

[Sheldonrs]

I do not condone violence, not even upon people I hate.
However, when certain people die of natural causes, "When that day comes I shall futterwacken... vigorously."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Your previous post was very good. I am glad that you noted when the majority of the evilness in our political process started, in the Bush years. And here we are.

No, she said she started to notice it as an across-the-ponder, during the Bush years, not that it started then.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

No, she said she started to notice it as an across-the-ponder, during the Bush years, not that it started then.

I guess I was sort of agreeing with her because that is when I noticed it the most. It goes back over 100 years in our national politics. It just seems to really have peaked at that time in my life. To be honest most of us in the military don't pay that much attention to it when you are just taking your marching orders on a day to day basis. But if we look at the Vietnam era you could almost say it was actually much worse in the late 60's and early 70's.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

I guess I was sort of agreeing with her because that is when I noticed it the most. It goes back over 100 years in our national politics. It just seems to really have peaked at that time in my life. To be honest most of us in the military don't pay that much attention to it when you are just taking your marching orders on a day to day basis. But if we look at the Vietnam era you could almost say it was actually much worse in the late 60's and early 70's.

Vietnam brought about a great divide (my father and myself ), but the violence at Chicago, and Kent State were more the exception than the rule. But after 9-11, the violent political rhetoric seemed to ramp up considerably, for me. Just before the 2000 election, I noticed the big money, and their lobbyists, who used to try to maintain a low profile, coming out of the shadows and asserting their muscle. I think this was encouraged by the Rove/Cheney duo.