Poll-atics 2.0

[DailyDi]

Poll-atics 2.0

[DiaperBoyKR]

The Economy, both US and worldwide, is my single biggest concern. I don't buy this concept of the economy needing to be bailed out by the Federal government. What we are seeing now is not simply the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market (which has always presented an insane risk), but also the result of the lack of a true market correcting recession in my own lifetime. Recessions, as painful as they are, are necessary to maintain a healthy market. They let the market take up the slack in the economy and get us growing again at a good rate. The more the government interferes, and keep the pain away in the short term, the more its going to hurt when the whole house of cards collapses (as it appears to be in the process of doing). As far as whether or not the bailout is going to work, we won't know for sure for quite awhile. The economy is a darn big ship, and it doesn't change direction all that easily. Usually it takes between 4 and 6 months to respond to economic stimuli. In the meantime we keep pumping more and more taxpayer money into the banks and financials when the market doesn't immediately correct and turn around.

We just need to let the market make its correction with a minimum of government interference. That interference is what got us here in the first place, and its only going to make the situation even worse that it is now.

[Pull-ups man]

well, this will take some time to digest my toughts and produce at least some minor though pattern...

there are a number of concerns at the moment. I will thus only briefly comment on some of the major ones I deem necessary. First off, the financial crisis now going on is a terrible thing. However, I am not very knowledged in this matter, so I cannot comment much. I live in a small country with little world significance as far as economics go, so luckily this crisis hasnt been so rough on our population, though the rest of western Europe is in quite a lot of trouble.

Basically, all the poll choices could be commented in great length, but I dont have the time to write an elaborate piece of writing. Womens rights will always be a problem, because thats just the way it is. In the "western world" we may view this issue very differently then, lets say, the Middle East for example. One has to remember though, that not so long ago we in our culture (in the States as well as in GB) also were dealing with womens rights and the result can be seen today (thank god that it ended in our current society). I very much despise the discrimination of women, for instance, on the workplace. Then again, some women rights groups sometimes overdo it with the talk about womens right. I mainly feel over critisized by them, how men are etc.

And most recently this affair with the famous writer Kundera if some of you have heard about this issue, this is a great concern for my nation...I will be very much interested how he faces those accusations and the whole situation as it evolves will be crucial to view.

then there is always the terrible past of comunism, current politics, wars and all other things that dissrupt modern living...

Oh dear, this is just the first part

In the second part I am undecided...

and the third, well it would depent on what the fetish was, but I generally have nothing against it. It is always difficult to come out with such a fetish, I know this myself. The anxiety is very strong and it is not easy at all to confront oneself with the society that my be very rejective to such "disorders"...

Well, I do hope that my thoughts have been expressed at least a bit understandably, I will be keen on viewing the ongoing situation and answers to this poll.

Talk to yall again soon,

Pull-ups man

[Vic]

What we are going through now, economically, is something that we'll be feeling for a few years yet to come. I don't know where the bottom will be but, it could be even deeper than it is now.

It seems that the whole world is feeling the effects, I wonder where it's all going.

Peace,

Vic

[DiaperBoyKR]

Agreed Vic.

This economic mess has been coming for several years now, honestly since the "recession" that we had in 2002. Fed interference and manipulation of the interest rate to keep the economy "growing", but GDP growth has been relatively anemic compared to what it could have been if we had had a true correcting recession. They hurt, most definitely, and in some cases almost certainly will wipe people out, but if they occur as part of a normal business cycle, they pain can be kept to a minimum. I seriously think that what we are going to see here will be comparable to the Great Depression of the 1920's and 30's. The question is how we are going to deal with it. Government intervention could make it last considerably longer and prolong the agony we're going to have to deal with. If we let the market correct itself, we may only see a recession of 5 or 6 quarters before be get back on a recovery. As with anything in life, the medicine tastes horrible going down, but it is better for the economy in the long run.

As for the other issues, the only ones I feel strongly on are the war and taxes. First, generally speaking on the war, I think its better that we're fighting Al Qaida on their own turf as opposed to fighting them on ours. And if we let them rest on their heels, thats exactly what we'll end up doing. Right now they're too busy looking over their shoulders to organize and significant cells or activities in our backyard. Take the pressure off of them.....

As to taxes, I believe in small government, so I think taxes should be minimal, and at a level that will support only the legitmate purposes of government (i.e. defense, infrastructure, disaster management, diplomacy, etc.) We do not need a burgeoning overweight bureaucracy that inflicts itself on every aspect of a citizen's life. I support a flat tax rate with no exemptions (for example, 10%) No loopholes, no getting out of what you owe. You earn it, you send 10% to the government. I guarantee you with the lower marginal tax rate, the government will see a massive increase in marginal tax revenues. Now of course, I would support a minimal income level before you start having to pay taxes.

Overall, the solution to the problems ailing us in my opinion is less government, not more of it. Our founders saw us as a free people, not one yoked to a domineering federal government.

[poor_newborn_baby_2007]

i just registered to vote last Saturday at a library, I'm going for Obama/Biden. Why? Here is why: http://www.therealmccain.com

[Vic]

Whoever wins this election is going to have a real hard time of it. The economy isn't going to right itself overnight, and whatever they do is going to be scutinized by just about every economic guru that's out there.

There are going to be downsides to any plan that gets passed, so there are a lot of people who will be pissed off no matter what they do. I just hope that it doesn't last any more than four or five years, but I'm afraid that it might be even longer than that.

In the meantime here in my household we're going to hunker down and pray that we will be able to ride this out. Whatever the outcome of this is, I see a long hard road to reach it.

Peace,

Vic

[diaperpt]

I voted 'other' because no one election should be about a single issue. We are all concerned about the economy and the huge bailout, but we've largely forgotten the enormous sums of money we're piling up in debt as we fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Regardless of whether you are in favor or opposed to these military actions, it's foolish to worry about the bailout and ignore the debt of war.

As for whether I would vote for someone with an 'exposed' fetish, it not only depends on what the fetish is, but who the person is - no one of us is inherently good or bad; suitable for office or unsuitable solely because we happen to enjoy diapers.

Complex issues - seemingly simple answers for each of us, yet we are separated so much by what we believe those answers to be...sigh.............

[sarah_ab]

1. other - education and healthcare are my two biggest concerns

2. i can't remember the question.. oh yes i'm going to vote

3. NO! i do not feel that people should bring their private lives into a public forum in any sense of the matter (a fetish ball or other such gathering does not count as a public forum as it is still an intimate gathering in a sense of like minded people). However if an oponent purposely exposed the fetish as a way to slander the other person, then i think it would depend on how the person responded to the accusations and what type of fetish it was.

[redneck diaper boy]

I felt the same way as you in 1976. Carter was singing the same song as Obama. I fell for Carter's bullshit and voted for him. Carter was the worst president of my lifetime. When Carter left office, we had double digit inflation, double digit un-employment and double digit interest rates. Try making a house payment at 18 percent.

Obama is a liar. Obama says he will give most people a tax cut. Low income people already pay no income tax. How do you give a tax cut to people who pay no income tax?

Obama says he will cut the capital gains tax on small business. The problem with that statement is that business does not pay capital gains. Business pays income tax.

Obama is a total bafoon. He has no idea as to what makes America work.

I realize that I will not change minds. If Obama is elected, it will be a hard lesson for the next few generations. It will take a total fucking bafoon, like Obama, to teach young American's Economics 101. The record will show that the financial nightmare began a long time ago. Liberal politicans forced banks to make risky loans to low income people and minorities so that they could have a piece of the American dream. When the Republicans blew the whistle, in 2004, the Democrats cried "foul"! If you don't believe me, watch this C-Span video. It was the Democrats that created the problem!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p1Wc2NFa3w

i just registered to vote last Saturday at a library, I'm going for Obama/Biden. Why? Here is why: http://www.therealmccain.com

[underwhere]

1. The economy. I've been unemployed for over 2 years now. It's tough when I am financially totally dependent on my mother for survival. I got to say that corruption is a close second, but that's not going to ever go away. Very few politicians are not corrupt, and most of those tend to get smeared by the people who would like to corrupt them.

2. I vote in every election I am able to vote. I lack an understanding of people who complain about the process and the results if they also fail to exercise their right to vote. (For those people who are legally unable to vote where they live for whatever reason, my vote affects their future ability to vote by way of international political choices which my vote has the potential to help decide.)

3. Yes. However, lifestyle (any personal lifestyle choices) should be conducted on personal time (vacations, for example) and not on time I, as a taxpayer, am paying them to perform. Do what you want, but keep your professional life professional, and please, let the media keep private lives private. Nobody deserves to have their dirty laundry aired publicly for everybody to judge what is none of their business in the first place. A politician should be judged on political views and effectiveness, and nothing else.

[Skywolf]

1. There are a multitude of issues I am concerned with, all equally important, and NEITHER candidate fills the gap for any of them. Neither of them care about the constitution as a whole. They pick a couple parts of it, and throw the rest to the side. I find it sad that these are the two main choices, considering what Bush has done the past 8 years.

Never, NEVER listen to campaign promises, as they are empty ones. Look at the candidates record on how they do things. Where is the stuff Bush promised in his campaigns? Where is all the multitude of things the Democrats promised when they ran for office 2 years ago? This has been a consistent thing for politicians for a long, long time.

My main ones are gun rights (which isn't mentioned in the options, and is the most important constitutional amendment, hands down), the IRS, Homeland Security, the Patriot Act, government programs, government spending, states rights, and economics.

Citizens should legally be allowed to own any guns they want

Paying taxes in its current form is unconstitutional and should therefor be abolished, taking the IRS with it

Do away with Homeland Security, as it does nothing but infringe on our rights and waste money

Abolish one of the most unconstitutional acts ever (Patriot Act)

Get rid of any government programs that aren't absolutely necessary

Make massive cuts to government spending by cutting wasteful programs, stop pork barrel spending, stop aid to countries that don't like us, and so on

Stop blackmailing individual states, by demanding something or you will cut off funding (example: Federal Government forced Montana to implement a speed limit or it would cut off highway funding)

And finally, Economics: Politicians have little knowledge when it comes to economics, period. Most have law degrees, not economic degrees. Politicians should stay out of the economy, because anything they ever try and do only screws it up worse. One of the most massive screw-ups ever was when Woodrow Wilson helped get the Federal Reserve started. Get rid of it, which can be done by the congress. When their Charter comes up for re-approval, deny it. Bring the power of money back to the people. Do you know how much of our taxes go to pay off the Federal Reserve? Get rid of it, and debt will shoot way down. The Federal Reserve meddles with the economy for its own gain. They support large spending bills "to help the economy" but in the end, its because the Federal Government will owe them even MORE money.

The Federal Government is also behind the current economic crisis as well. The Community Redevelopment Act, originally enacted to help low income families to own their own home, was butchered in the '90s by the government, by making it mandatory for financial institutions to supply sub-prime loans. This forced banks to make these loans to people, even if the people couldn't afford it, to meet their quota. If they didn't do this, they would be fined by the government. There are countless other acts enacted by the government which interfere as well. They limit imports on certain foods, while also limiting the production of the same food (sugar is one example. Why do you thing they use "high fructose corn syrup" in many things to sweeten it?). They make it cheaper for a company to outsource their work overseas, which causes more unemployment.

The monetary system is a failed one, but its what we have right now. The best alternative, while not perfect, is a much better alternative to the current system, and that is the Venus Project. http://www.thevenusproject.com/

I can keep going on and on and on, but I'll spare you guys the book-length post (as if it isn't long enough already)

2. I support the constitution, and as a result, will not vote for either candidate, but I WILL be voting. I am voting for Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) this year.

3. As far as an exposed fetish is concerned, it would have to depend on the fetish. I am assuming that seeing as you used the word "exposed" you mean another candidate or lobbying group found out and plastered it everywhere. I am open to most fetishes, and am into many of them myself. What a person does in their private life has no place in a campaign. Honestly, I would probably shun the other person for actually bringing it out into the open.

-Sky

[redneck diaper boy]

Look I agree that Barr is the best of them all but don't throw your vote away. Barr has no chance of winning. I liked Ron Paul as well.

This is a serious election. Obama is a Communist and he needs to be kept out of the Oval Office. Today's generation doesn't pay attention to Communist. I remember the bomb drills in elementary school because of Communist nuke threats.

1. There are a multitude of issues I am concerned with, all equally important, and NEITHER candidate fills the gap for any of them. Neither of them care about the constitution as a whole. They pick a couple parts of it, and throw the rest to the side. I find it sad that these are the two main choices, considering what Bush has done the past 8 years.

Never, NEVER listen to campaign promises, as they are empty ones. Look at the candidates record on how they do things. Where is the stuff Bush promised in his campaigns? Where is all the multitude of things the Democrats promised when they ran for office 2 years ago? This has been a consistent thing for politicians for a long, long time.

My main ones are gun rights (which isn't mentioned in the options, and is the most important constitutional amendment, hands down), the IRS, Homeland Security, the Patriot Act, government programs, government spending, states rights, and economics.

Citizens should legally be allowed to own any guns they want

Paying taxes in its current form is unconstitutional and should therefor be abolished, taking the IRS with it

Do away with Homeland Security, as it does nothing but infringe on our rights and waste money

Abolish one of the most unconstitutional acts ever (Patriot Act)

Get rid of any government programs that aren't absolutely necessary

Make massive cuts to government spending by cutting wasteful programs, stop pork barrel spending, stop aid to countries that don't like us, and so on

Stop blackmailing individual states, by demanding something or you will cut off funding (example: Federal Government forced Montana to implement a speed limit or it would cut off highway funding)

And finally, Economics: Politicians have little knowledge when it comes to economics, period. Most have law degrees, not economic degrees. Politicians should stay out of the economy, because anything they ever try and do only screws it up worse. One of the most massive screw-ups ever was when Woodrow Wilson helped get the Federal Reserve started. Get rid of it, which can be done by the congress. When their Charter comes up for re-approval, deny it. Bring the power of money back to the people. Do you know how much of our taxes go to pay off the Federal Reserve? Get rid of it, and debt will shoot way down. The Federal Reserve meddles with the economy for its own gain. They support large spending bills "to help the economy" but in the end, its because the Federal Government will owe them even MORE money.

The Federal Government is also behind the current economic crisis as well. The Community Redevelopment Act, originally enacted to help low income families to own their own home, was butchered in the '90s by the government, by making it mandatory for financial institutions to supply sub-prime loans. This forced banks to make these loans to people, even if the people couldn't afford it, to meet their quota. If they didn't do this, they would be fined by the government. There are countless other acts enacted by the government which interfere as well. They limit imports on certain foods, while also limiting the production of the same food (sugar is one example. Why do you thing they use "high fructose corn syrup" in many things to sweeten it?). They make it cheaper for a company to outsource their work overseas, which causes more unemployment.

The monetary system is a failed one, but its what we have right now. The best alternative, while not perfect, is a much better alternative to the current system, and that is the Venus Project. http://www.thevenusproject.com/

I can keep going on and on and on, but I'll spare you guys the book-length post (as if it isn't long enough already)

2. I support the constitution, and as a result, will not vote for either candidate, but I WILL be voting. I am voting for Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) this year.

3. As far as an exposed fetish is concerned, it would have to depend on the fetish. I am assuming that seeing as you used the word "exposed" you mean another candidate or lobbying group found out and plastered it everywhere. I am open to most fetishes, and am into many of them myself. What a person does in their private life has no place in a campaign. Honestly, I would probably shun the other person for actually bringing it out into the open.

-Sky

[Skywolf]

Bob Barr has "no chance of winning" as you say, because people still blindly vote for the "lesser of two evils."

When is everyone going to wake up and realize that voting the lesser of two evils is the WRONG way to vote? The only way that will happen is if people start spreading the word. The Democrats and Republicans have a stranglehold on the voting system, and aren't letting go.

I would have voted for Ron Paul if he decided to run as an independent without a hesitation, as well as many others. The media screwed him over, and got people to vote for another moron instead of someone who knows what the hell he is talking about.

-Sky

[DiaperBoyKR]

Skywolf, I agree with you in principle, however the problem remains that it is in fact the truth that Bob Barr has no chance of winning. I am sick to death of voting for the lesser of two evils, which is what I've had to do ever since I became old enough to vote. I am a constituional conservative, not a Republican, and I agree with everything that you said in your previous post. I believe that the government should have an absolutely minimal role in the day to day lives of the citizenry. I don't like McCain given his previous positions on things such as the Campaign Finance Reform (violation of Freedom of Speech in its purest form) and illegal immigration, but I seriously think it less likely that he will destroy our country. Whether or not we liked it, when Carter was in power, we actually had power that the world for the most part respected. Now however, there is alot of anti-American sentiment worldwide, and having a weak-willed president in the office whose policies are economically ruinious could mean the complete collapse of the country. At this point, I will do what it takes to keep such a man out of office.

My view is that the primary is for voting your conscience (I voted for Fred Thompson in the primary) and the general election is swallowing your gorge and doing what is best for the nation as a whole. I can't change the minds of the other millions of voters out there, so I have to do what I can to make sure the person who is the closest to my views is going come out on top.

Given what I've just said, however, I can see major rifts in both the Democratic and Republican parties that are coming pretty close to crisis points. It wouldn't take much to break those parties apart. If and when that happens, the two-party system will fall apart overnight, and then we will have a much more sensibly organized political system.

[redneck diaper boy]

I voted for Romney in the primary because I knew Ron Paul had no chance.

I was a big fan of Patrick Buchannan years ago.

The Republicrats have it set up to make third parties taboo.

It is a shame that we only have the lessor of two evils to choose from!