So I ranted to my wife the other day about how frustrated I am with politics in this country. I felt like I talked enough to annoy her, so I thought I'd just post my thoughts here. Don't expect too much coherency, because its not a reasoned out argument, just what I'm feeling.
I seriously feel like there is a big disconnect between me and everyone else that is in the media for political reasons. I just don't feel as though there's any party or organization out there for me. I don't identify with Republicans or their goals, Democrats and theirs, Chris Matthews, Rush Limbaugh, Slate Magazine, CNN, or anything. They all seem like crazy extremists to me.
I guess I'm just frustrated that it seems like a big deal is made out of things that don't seem to matter so much and not enough attention is paid to those things that do. I'm an active news reader (ok, probably news junkie) but seriously I just feel like pulling the plug. Is anyone else just weary of it all? I'm at the point where I just despair voting as well because I just feel like I'm having to choose the lesser of the two evils as the saying goes.
Edit: I guess my point is I feel that all the politicians and media are so caught up in their self important games that there's no connection to real people out here.
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
You're not the only one. I've been thinking of switching my voter registration to independent.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
My answer to your subject line is, "Only all the time!"
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
Quit wasting time on the news and go out and serve your community. You'll feel better about yourself and the world, largely because you'll be improving both.
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Welcome to being a moderate in today's political climate. Register as an independent and you'll be able to vote in either of the partie's primaries in most states.
It really does seem that our political parties cater to the extremes more than the centers anymore.
Posted by BaoQingTian (Member # 8775) on :
quote:Originally posted by jeniwren: Quit wasting time on the news and go out and serve your community. You'll feel better about yourself and the world, largely because you'll be improving both.
Absolutely jeniwren, that's great advice for anyone. I'm actually very involved in my church and becoming so in Scouting. I'm not suffering from depression or lack of meaning in my life. I have a very rewarding career, a loving wife, and fantastic family. Its not just the political news, its the way these policies (or lack thereof)that I have zero control over affect so many aspects of my life and those I love. And this is the world my children (and myself, I'm only 25) will grow up in, and I don't feel like I have any say in it. Its just frustrating at times I guess.
In response to the others, its not sure that registering as an independent will make a difference-but I'll probably do it anyway just out of principle.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
You sound just like me, although I'm not as much of a news junkie. Posted by tern (Member # 7429) on :
Nah.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I don't register as an independent. I register as "unaffiliated" (or in CA, "decline to state a party.") That way, in most states, I can choose which primary to vote in. Not that that makes much of a difference, but hey.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
Doesn't indepependent mean unaffiliated? I'm confused. What's the difference?
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
When I registered to vote, they didn't even ask me to declare a party.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
In each state I've registered in or looked at registration for, there's an option for "American Independent Party"-- sometimes shortened to "Independent Party". It's not the same thing as "unaffiliated voter."
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
Wierd. I've never heard of the American Independent Party (or the 'Independent Party' for that matter). I still remember my eighth grade American history teacher asking us to list all the political parties we could and saying that 'indepedent' by definition means no party.
In DC, you can register Democratic, Republican, Green, or independent (which means unaffiliated, not the AIP). There's probably an 'other' option as well.
I think that's what most people mean when they say they're registered as 'an indepedent', as opposed to the 'Independent Party'. I could be wrong, though.
Edit: Now that I've looked at the AIP's platform, I don't much like them. I'd really rather not (as an independent) be associated with them.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Quit wasting time on the news and go out and serve your community. You'll feel better about yourself and the world, largely because you'll be improving both.