BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 06:20 AM

You obviously don't live in Australia mate! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 09:36 AM

"Facism" is being prejudiced against people just because of the way their faces look. It shouldn't be confused with the political ideology with a somewhat similar name.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 05:09 AM

Fascist Johnny leads The Liberal Party - and is always pointing fingers claiming that the Opposition Labour Party are Far Left (it's no longer fashionable to call them Commos!) - which means that he must be Right!

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Wordsmith
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 02:23 AM

If this were true...about the character issue...then how did GW get elected in the first place? Oh, yes, the Supremes!

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Slag
Date: 13 Mar 07 - 12:18 AM

I love the way the facists all point to the other guy and call him a "facist"!

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Greg F.
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 07:55 AM

I dunno about a cockroach, Bruce- That may be going a bit too far. But certainly an earwig.

And I think Mr. Newman would do a MUCH better job than the incumbent.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 09:47 PM

Funnily enough, after a period Fascist Johnny and his mindless cohorts of sinking the boot into Rudd and Labour (personal attacks - they DO have ex-US failed advisors!) labour now has a 60% approval and Johnny has nosedived... :-)

Aussies DO NOT like pollies making personal attacks - whether founded or unfounded - they tend to prefer to 'play the ball, not the man' - which funnily enough American Football concentrated more on playing the men, not the ball - in Aussie ball games, too much contact with the 'players' especially those not actually carrying the ball, is likely to get you sent off the field...

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 03:21 PM

Yep, Peace....The Shrub still has a 30% approval rating. Cockroaches, Rats, Alfred E. Neuman....if it's registered Republican.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Peace
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 02:14 PM

One of the things some folks miss in the whole election game is this: Them what's committed is committed. They would vote for a friggin' cockroach if it was nominated for their political party. Reality is that fewer than 15% of the voting population has the say as to who becomes President. That's the 15% who have to be convinced.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Cymreiges
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 01:58 PM

About voting against your own interests - George Lakoff has a excellent book out "Don't think of an Elephant!". It is about American politics, but he talks more generally about voter choice as it relates to cognitive science. People like things that appeal to their existing view of the world, that fit within the so-called "frames" in their mind. Neurological studies show that people's synapses will fire in certain patterns when they hear an idea repeated. When that idea is said over and over again, the reactions between synapses are stronger and more frequent. (I'm sure my explanation is inaccurate; Lakoff is a linguist and cognitive scientist, so it's a bit over my head).

So if you have a certain frame of the world -- "Security for the US is a priority", "Washington is inherently corrupt", you'll be drawn to a candidate who uses that language, because what they say literally fits in with the existing patterns in your brain. If a candidate appeals to those frames, you'll generate a favorable impression of him or her. And if the candidate is really good at framing (a lot of US pols are), this general impression becomes more important than the pols' position on issues -- in other words, you'll be readily to vote against your personal interests. (as the blue-collar class did with Bush, etc)

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 11:02 AM

SRS...that's the situation in a nutshell. When you ponder just how hard it is for those of us who try to be informed, intelligent voters to balance the issues, imagine trying to get the 'morons' to vote anything beyond their prejudices and whims.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 10:46 AM

You'll never go broke underestimating the [collective] intelligence of the American public.

Unfortunately, the morons vastly outnumber those who think, of any of the political parties, so when morons are inspired to vote, you end up with Bush and Reagan. The skill of these folks is to convince a lot of "little" people to vote counter to their best interests. It's amazing how good they are at it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: bobad
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 10:19 AM

Ahnold for president.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 10:12 AM

I think it's even worse...I am convinced a lot of voters are influenced by things like looks (haircut, dress style, facial tics) and speech patterns..("I ain't gonna vote for nobody what cain't pernounce Gawgia proper!")

It also helps if one has famous relatives, or used to be in "B" movies.

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Greg F.
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 10:10 AM

Almost-

Except for the fact that the "character test"- [passed by Dumbya up until very recently, and by Gingrich, and by Cheney & by all the rest of the Neo-Con BuShite mmoral bastads and fundalegical ranters] is entirely bogus.

Oh, ye generation of morons........

Subject: RE: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 09:48 AM

Post-Watergate, this would also be why voters are so quick to discard candidates who "fail" the "character test." Whether initially supported for character-- or for positions on issues-- that character thing is burned into voters' thought processes now for the foreseeable future.

The pendulun used to swing the other way-- famously, for instance, widespread support for JFK despite his later-documented philandering.

It's always been a balancing act, as the pendulum swings, probably ever since there WAS such a thing as "political science." LOL-- it's seldom even an art, much less a science.

~Susan

Subject: BS: Now THERE'S Your Problem !
From: Greg F.
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 09:44 AM

Poll: Character trumps policy for voters

By RON FOURNIER and TREVOR TOMPSON, Associated Press
Sunday, March 11, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- For all the policy blueprints churned out by presidential campaigns, there is this indisputable fact: People care less about issues than they do about a candidate's character.

A new Associated Press-Ipsos poll says 55 percent of those surveyed consider honesty, integrity and other values of character the most important qualities they look for in a presidential candidate.

Just one-third look first to candidates' stances on issues; even fewer focus foremost on leadership traits, experience or intelligence. [ emphasis mine ]

Any wonder the U.S. of A. is going to hell in a bucket?