Full Version: Mainstream Politics and values in America?
On a different thread it is currently being debated whether or not John Kerry is in the Mainstream of American politics and values.
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
QUOTE(cultureofgreed @ Jul 22 2004, 02:45 PM)
On a different thread it is currently being debated whether or not John Kerry is in the Mainstream of American politics and values.
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
I really believe that American politics today are really out of the mainstream as far as relating to the average American. Most politicians have no idea whats it like to live paycheck-to-paycheck and hoping you'll pay the next bill on time. Take family values as an example, you hear most of these politicians (example: Bush, Kery) all the time say they can relate to the average American and there problems
concerning raising a family. The answer to family problems according to them is tax cuts, tax cuts and more tax cuts.
On the religion side, its being used for political gain. Take the article below about what the Bush-Cheney campaign are telling most churches:
QUOTE
People United complains about Falwell's tax exempt status while campaigning
The New York Times reports: Hoping to send a warning to churches helping the Bush campaign turn out conservative voters, a liberal group has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service charging that an organization run by the Rev. Jerry Falwell has violated the requirements of its tax-exempt status by endorsing Mr. Bush's re-election.
"For conservative people of faith, voting for principle this year means voting for the re-election of George W. Bush," Mr. Falwell wrote in the July 1 issue of his e-mail newsletter "Falwell Confidential'' and on his Web site, falwell.com. "The alternative, in my mind, is simply unthinkable. To the pro-life, pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, pro-America voters in this nation, we must determine that President Bush is the man with our interests at heart. It is that simple." ...
Mr. Falwell, who helped lead conservative evangelical Protestants into politics 20 years ago as the founder of the Moral Majority, also asked for contributions to a political action committee run by the social conservative Gary Bauer. "It is the organization that I believe can have the greatest impact in re-electing Mr. Bush to the Oval Office," he wrote.
Yesterday, the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argued in a letter to the I.R.S. that one of Mr. Falwell's religious organizations, Jerry Falwell Ministries, had disseminated the message in violation of tax rules, which restrict tax-exempt religious groups and charitable organizations from engaging in politics. -- Citing Falwell's Endorsement of Bush, Group Challenges His Tax-Exempt Status (The New York Times)
The New York Times reports: Hoping to send a warning to churches helping the Bush campaign turn out conservative voters, a liberal group has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service charging that an organization run by the Rev. Jerry Falwell has violated the requirements of its tax-exempt status by endorsing Mr. Bush's re-election.
"For conservative people of faith, voting for principle this year means voting for the re-election of George W. Bush," Mr. Falwell wrote in the July 1 issue of his e-mail newsletter "Falwell Confidential'' and on his Web site, falwell.com. "The alternative, in my mind, is simply unthinkable. To the pro-life, pro-family, pro-traditional marriage, pro-America voters in this nation, we must determine that President Bush is the man with our interests at heart. It is that simple." ...
Mr. Falwell, who helped lead conservative evangelical Protestants into politics 20 years ago as the founder of the Moral Majority, also asked for contributions to a political action committee run by the social conservative Gary Bauer. "It is the organization that I believe can have the greatest impact in re-electing Mr. Bush to the Oval Office," he wrote.
Yesterday, the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argued in a letter to the I.R.S. that one of Mr. Falwell's religious organizations, Jerry Falwell Ministries, had disseminated the message in violation of tax rules, which restrict tax-exempt religious groups and charitable organizations from engaging in politics. -- Citing Falwell's Endorsement of Bush, Group Challenges His Tax-Exempt Status (The New York Times)
My main point is I think its time for the American people to find a way to kill this 2 party system before it kills our democracy. Corporate America does not represent the values of the people in this country.
Republicans love to say that they are the party of mainstream values and politics. If it were true republicans would win every election. Since that isn't true there must be an alternate meaning. To find that I look at who Bush is talking to when he talks about values. During a a recent values speech Bush was in
QUOTE
hard-core Republican territory.
Values are always message from the republican candidate to his base telling them not only he shares their values but their values are the values of America. That makes the right feel closer to the president and feel farther apart from the Americans on the left. Mainstream American values and politics in such a divided country don't exists politically. Republican values are no more American than democratic values. Some republicans however use the idea of shared american political values to fire up the base with hatred for those without mainstream American values(a right wing political view) like Howard Dean, France, the NAACP, John Kerry and celebrities in radio city music hall. I just hope more Americans realize that we all have a shared history and shared values that have nothing to do with what you think about gay marriage or abortion. Being American should be more than that.
QUOTE(cultureofgreed @ Jul 22 2004, 10:45 AM)
On a different thread it is currently being debated whether or not John Kerry is in the Mainstream of American politics and values.
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
My question is what are mainstream american politics and values?
Okay, I guess I will take a stab at that question.
I don't give a darn about POLITICS(which is almost nigh impossible to avoid). I always vote for the person not the party.
Now for the second part of your question, which I am very interested.
My values are:
1. Honesty from a person. Tell me what you think or believe, not what you think I want to hear.
2. Integrity(adherence to a code of values). Don't trash your values just to appeal to a wider range of people.
3. Your word. One piece of advice my Grandfather always repeated to me was "you are only as good as your word". If you say you are going to do something but nothing ever happens or if you promise aid or help in time of need but nothing comes of that pledge. Than your word is worthless. I believe most politicans are placed in this catageory. A few days before the primary(in Georgia), the candidates promised us the moon, knowing they couldn't deliver. It is so disheartening to hear this rhetoric from our politicans.
4. Everyone is going to say there is no politican that you can trust. I am aware of that. I guess our only choice is to pick the lesser of the 2 evils. Isn't that disgusting!
5. I could go on and on but that would be too boring to most people. Thanks for letting me give my view.
What are mainstream politics and values? I'd say:
clean environment (nobody likes being harmed by pollution), peace (I think the majority of those who don't vote and vote don't like going to war and the Iraq War itself), adhering to one's platform (not flip-flopping), being polite & kind & nice, caring about those that don't have much money, honesty, open-mindedness, a willingness to bring forth a true utopian society, allowing women to be pro-choice with their bodies in regards to abortion rights, pro gay lesbian bisexual transgendered marriages, signing the mine ban treaty, workers' rights, animal rights, allowing people to gamble (most states do), legalizing prostitution (most people according to polls believe it should be legal), high quality housing & food & water & jobs & health care for everybody
clean environment (nobody likes being harmed by pollution), peace (I think the majority of those who don't vote and vote don't like going to war and the Iraq War itself), adhering to one's platform (not flip-flopping), being polite & kind & nice, caring about those that don't have much money, honesty, open-mindedness, a willingness to bring forth a true utopian society, allowing women to be pro-choice with their bodies in regards to abortion rights, pro gay lesbian bisexual transgendered marriages, signing the mine ban treaty, workers' rights, animal rights, allowing people to gamble (most states do), legalizing prostitution (most people according to polls believe it should be legal), high quality housing & food & water & jobs & health care for everybody
This is a simplified version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.