Well done to all in the political threads!

[Shwenn]

I see a lot of complaining about all the fighting. I see a great deal of complianing from both sides about how the other side comported themself in debate. I see hurt feelings and bitterness.

I have taken it and I've certainly dished it out. And this from both sides of the argument.

Am I the only one who feels heartened by the ubiquitous arguing?

That is sort of what a democracy is supposed to be like.

My only real problem is that there are only two sides.

It's enough of a cacophony for me.

I'd like to say Well done to everybody who had the courage and the passion to defend your ideas to the bitter end. If anything, I am disapointed with those who didn't take a stance and fight for it. Harmony and unity are dangerous things to mandate. Being quiet because you fear conflict is pointless and it doesn't get us anywhere. Discord is the way to the truth. You challenge ideas to test them for veracity.

Look at the one system that seems to have acheived unbridled success, the scientific community. ALL those people do is attack each others ideas. It's so fundamental to the community, they don't even take it personally anymore. They know it's what makes them thrive.

I would like to thank every person who came at me with guns blaring. And I encourage you to continue doing it. You do a service to me when you disagree with me. And, if you lose your temper, as I surely do, so be it.

We're human.

 

[sr71plt]

My only real problem is that there are only two sides.

As I noted on another thread, there most certainly weren't just two sides (that was just something that was asserted by posters about others). Severusmax most definitely was trumpeting a third side, for instance--and amicus to some extent and JBJ to a greater extent were just jabbing in with whatever would stir the pot. And some of the others of us were seeing things to both admire and deplore about multiple sides of the issue.

 

[Shwenn]

By two sides, I mean that there were only two candidates who had any chance at all of making it into the white house.

I would like it if all the people you mentioned had candidates to root for who are actually viable candidates.

As you well know, mine was a third side as well.

But, only having two viable candidates was what I meant.

 

[sr71plt]

By two sides, I mean that there were only two candidates who had any chance at all of making it into the white house.

I would like it if all the people you mentioned had candidates to root for who are actually viable candidates.

As you well know, mine was a third side as well.

But, only having two viable candidates was what I meant.

No, I didn't (don't) know yours was a third side. I didn't put a lot of energy into charting out the "side" of all of the posters to political threads here. A few I picked up because they got into everyone's face about it.

There were seven choices for president on my ballot. If any of the five choices that weren't from one of the two major parties had garnered enough adherents (which is their responsibility to effect), they would have been viable candidates. Just because you hold a philosophy and put a candidate on the ballot doesn't give you any more right to either play with the big boys or have a gripe that you didn't convince enough voters to go with you.

I've been in countries with multiple "viable" parties, and if you think it's a mess putting a functioning government together in the States, you're welcome to see what happens when there are five different "viable" parties yammering for a majority slice of power.

 

[Shwenn]

If any of the five choices that weren't from one of the two major parties had garnered enough adherents (which is their responsibility to effect), they would have been viable candidates.

But they didn't.

And I wish they had.

It's not a difficult concept.

And I gave up weekends and weeknights to grass roots organizing so please refrain from any accusations about Lazy-Boys. I don't even own a recliner.

 

[sr71plt]

But they didn't.

And I wish they had.

It's not a difficult concept.

And I gave up weekends and weeknights to grass roots organizing so please refrain from any accusations about Lazy-Boys. I don't even own a recliner.

So the complaint is for yourself, not for the forum, right? If you can't fit in with a mainstream party, that's sort of your tough. What do you expect the forum to do about it?

 

[Shwenn]

So the complaint is for yourself, not for the forum, right? If you can't fit in with a mainstream party, that's sort of your tough. What do you expect the forum to do about it?

Absolutely nothing.

It wasn't even the point of my thread, here.

I mentioned that only to illustrate how very much I welcome discord.

That's the only reason I wrote that.

 

[sr71plt]

Absolutely nothing.

It wasn't even the point of my thread, here.

I mentioned that only to illustrate how very much I welcome discord.

That's the only reason I wrote that.

Oh, OK. I guess I was just thrown off by your hazy reference to there only being two sides. There were a lot of sides included in the "discussions" here. "Viable" didn't seem to be a precondition for voicing a side.

 

[epiphany65]

No, I didn't (don't) know yours was a third side. I didn't put a lot of energy into charting out the "side" of all of the posters to political threads here. A few I picked up because they got into everyone's face about it.

There were seven choices for president on my ballot. If any of the five choices that weren't from one of the two major parties had garnered enough adherents (which is their responsibility to effect), they would have been viable candidates. Just because you hold a philosophy and put a candidate on the ballot doesn't give you any more right to either play with the big boys or have a gripe that you didn't convince enough voters to go with you.

I've been in countries with multiple "viable" parties, and if you think it's a mess putting a functioning government together in the States, you're welcome to see what happens when there are five different "viable" parties yammering for a majority slice of power.

Here in Canada there are 17 recognized political parties. Slightly less than a third of them gain seats in Parliament, yet somehow it works. I think the benefit of minority governments is that all parties have to work together for the common good. It may not be expediant (sp?), but it's democracy.

 

[Shwenn]

Oh, OK. I guess I was just thrown off by your hazy reference to there only being two sides. There were a lot of sides included in the "discussions" here. "Viable" didn't seem to be a precondition for voicing a side.

I clarified that statement and you still came after me.

You and I both know you're stalking me.

Let's not be coy.

 

[sr71plt]

Here in Canada there are 17 recognized political parties. Slightly less than a third of them gain seats in Parliament, yet somehow it works. I think the benefit of minority governments is that all parties have to work together for the common good. It may not be expediant (sp?), but it's democracy.

Doesn't work quite that smoothly in Europe and Asia where the systems have multiple splinter and issue-based parties.

 

[sr71plt]

I clarified that statement and you still came after me.

You and I both know you're stalking me.

Let's not be coy.

Stalking you? *wow*

 

[Shwenn]

Stalking you? *wow*

Yes.

Prove me wrong and leave me alone.

It's getting very annoying.

 

[shereads]

Yes.

Prove me wrong and leave me alone.

It's getting very annoying.

Irony.

"It's like bronze-y, but with iron."

~ Baldrick

 

[sr71plt]

Yes.

Prove me wrong and leave me alone.

It's getting very annoying.

In keeping with not even knowing what "side" you were on, as noted earlier, I couldn't pick you out of a crowd, let alone put any energy into stalking you. But it's a deal: You don't post to me, and I won't post to you.

(Your "explanation" of "sides" was as fuzzy as your original post.)

 

[Chantilyvamp]

If anything, I am disapointed with those who didn't take a stance and fight for it. Harmony and unity are dangerous things to mandate. Being quiet because you fear conflict is pointless and it doesn't get us anywhere. Discord is the way to the truth. You challenge ideas to test them for veracity.

On behalf of one of those who stayed quiet and didn't get involved in the throw downs and debates...

Bite my goddamn ass and piss off!

How dare you put those of us who didn't stand up and debate to hell and back with any of you down.

The fact that we didn't argue does not mean at any point that we do not know both sides. Or that we haven't done any research. Or know who we wanted to vote for and what we stand for. Nor does it mean that we don't care or are complacent in anyway. It also does not mean that we have to argue every goddamn point. We can read for fucksake and we can hear.

So take your disappointment and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!

So how's that... argumentative enough for you?

 

[rgraham666]

Well done, Chantily! http://bestsmileys.com/clapping/2.gif

 

[foxseeker]

Well done, Chantily! http://bestsmileys.com/clapping/2.gif

What a gutter response to what had been an interesting discussion (even for us non-contributing lurkers!)

 

[Safe_Bet]

What a gutter response to what had been an interesting discussion (even for us non-contributing lurkers!)

WTF???

 

[cloudy]

Yay to the people who were passionate enough to argue.

Yay to the people who had the restraint not to.

We all win.

 

[fieryjen]

WTF???

Yeah that's what I was just thinking too.

Yay to the people who were passionate enough to argue.

Yay to the people who had the restraint not to.

We all win.

Wise words, and all that.

 

[foxseeker]

WTF???

Where did you crib that mind boggling eloquence from, shorthand for shit-heads?

 

[cloudy]

Where did you crib that mind boggling eloquence from, shorthand for shit-heads?

Are you lost? The GB is that way.

<======

 

[Guest]

Yay to the people who were passionate enough to argue.

Yay to the people who had the restraint not to.

We all win.

Yes.

Exactly so.

 

[foxseeker]

Are you lost? The GB is that way.

<======

Thank you, but I think not. People there are even more vulgar than those who just had to insult me here.