I know this sounds super cynical, but it’s the way I feel about the current presidential election.
Based upon the debates I have watched, the Republicans still (vehemently) hate Democrats and it appears that they will not bend one iota to work with them if they are elected to office.
Conversely, if a Democrat is elected as the next President, I fear we will have four more years of government infighting and gridlock, especially with the current Republican-controlled Congress.
And the choices this go-round? I can’t say I’m in love with any of them. Honestly, if I could Frankenstein multiple candidates together, maybe that would be satisfactory.
Wish upon a star, right?
I for one believe nothing will change until there’s a radical change in election laws and procedures. How or if that will ever happen is beyond my very limited understanding of how things work. Until then, I suppose it will be politics as usual.
I know everyone has an opinion about politics, and I’d love to hear yours. Thank you for giving mine.
Cynicism aside …. I do hope you will register to vote and vote. Count me in as doing both.
P.S. Extending a “thank you” to Nicolas Raymond for offering his free stock image.
After seeing the behavior of the Republicans these past eight years, I will never vote for a Republican again. I voted for Bush (the first time–I’m a fast learner) so I don’t want you to think I’ve always been anti GOP. Even if they did have a candidate not on the clown car. Well, they do. They have Kasich. I don’t agree with his ideas–he wants to give tax breaks to the corporations because he thinks if they have to pay less, it will trickle down to us. I don’t agree with that at all, but he’s not crazy or mean. The Democrats might have a hard time continuing the improvements they’ve started but I’m not going to give up on them because the Republican Congress has made it their mission to see our president fail, though he was voted in by the majority fair and square and this is supposed to be a democracy. I’m not going to reward the GOP for their temper tantrum.
Also, this is key. The Republicans are the ones who implemented Citizens United, the legislation that says corporations are people and they can give money to a candidate without restrictions. How can your dollar compete against GE’s or Big Pharma’s dollars? That’s when things really ran amok. When that passed. The Democrats want to overturn that, plus the Democrats want campaign finance reform, meaning, they want to get rid of the bribery. The Republicans are fighting against campaign finance reform. They’re making too much money.
And we need to get up off our asses and vote in the mid-term elections too, not just the big elections. I think we’re all getting a good dose of how this all works now and these “little” elections matter. Congress is filled with nut jobs! It boggles my mind that people that mean and ignorant and selfish can get so far in our government. It’s our fault for not being informed and not voting.
Don’t give up because you think there is no hope. If these rich guys get any stronger of a hold on us, it will be too late. It’s almost to the point of no return right now, by evidence of the gridlock we’ve been seeing. If they get any stronger, we will never be able to fight them. They will be too strong. They want you to believe there is no hope so you will give up. That’s why you’re hearing, “Bernie will never have a chance.” To get people scared about giving him their vote. They’re very tricky, the rich guys. They even have us fighting each other, at each other’s throats, manipulating us to think that the mess we’re in is because of welfare mothers collecting foods stamps. Divide and conquer.
You owe it to yourself to watch some videos of Bernie Sanders and then see if you feel like it’s politics as usual.
#BernBabyBern
I’m feeling the Bern.
Debbi Kelly
Wonderfully written. I have been a Dem my entire 57 yrs on this earth. An I tell my kids I have never seen such hatred in my life as I have in the years our President has been in office. I am so ashamed of what the Republicans have done to sabotage his presidency. They blame the issues on him, when they blatantly have tried to make a one term Pres by blocking everything he proposes. I do not know if the Rep party knows the youth is watching and they are our future. And they are not happy. Many of my Rep friends are switching sides because of the crazy on the right. Esp Trump. And believe me they have a bitter pill in their mouth when they say they are turning on their party.
I, like Debbi really like Bernie, but I would take Hillary as well..any one is better then the other side. It is a carnival act and they are attacking each other like vipers.
It is nice to have a mature conversation here unlike some of the nasty things I see on Facebook.
Thanks Kim!! Love Love your blog!
LOL and the Democrats have embraced the Republicans?????? Give me a break!!! How vey disappointing that you have taken your blog to politics. smh.
You comment seems to me be an illustration of the problem. You don’t agree with what was said in the original post. That’s fair. But instead of being rude, why not state clearly and courteously exactly (factually, I mean) why you don’t feel the Democrats have embraced the Republicans? I for one would like a calm and factual discussion that would allow people with differing points of view to meet and discuss and perhaps actually learn and change, instead of just screaming insults at each other from opposite sides of the divide.
I could not agree more Sarah. You are spot on…gosh what has happened to this world where we feel we have no rights to speak with out an argument?
Years back we moved to our farm and I was a proud Dem and we moved into a Rep county. I put my bumper sticker on my car and it was scratched so many times my hubby had to remove it. The damage was over $300. Sadly I will not be putting one on during this election. Signs were stolen off of our yard and there are only 3 on this road of 4.
I embrace my Rep friends and we all agree to disagree, yet we are still remain friends. Sad….
It’s a shame when we’re afraid of our neighbors. I’ve met people who are actually afraid to drive across this country (our country) because they are afraid someone will hurt them for how they look or their political affiliation. It’s a state of affairs we all need to work to remedy together. I have friends who are liberal and friends who are conservative, but I judge them by who they are in their lives, not by what their political affiliations are and they do the same for me. I wish we could expand this to somehow start talking about what’s important, instead of how wrong anyone who isn’t us must be.
Wow, I am shocked at the comment Mary. Kim was not stirring anything up she was asking how people felt. In a very civilized manner. I am always interested in having a mature discussion with other adults. Esp since I live in the Midwest and know how I feel but want to know how other parts of the country feel. We do not have to agree to others beliefs but be opened to what others have to say. Sadly you obviously do not!
I’m sick of the hatred we’re seeing in this country. Of course there’s always been hatred. We forget that. Those that remember the sixties and early seventies will remember the way the country was divided and the terrible hatred we experienced then. People died. So, hatred of other Americans for being different is not new, but I’m sick of it. I’m sick of putting personal agendas and power grabs ahead of the actual best interests of the country. I’m sick of twisting facts or just flat out lying to make “the other side” look bad. But most of all, I’m sick of the way this works. They wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work. I’m so very tired of the electorate buying into the hate, the lies, the demonizing and degrading of other people, and especially other Americans (since we’re talking about our own political process here), and being too lazy to actually educate themselves and think about what’s real and what’s important. I’m sick and sad and sorry at the way the environment continues to be degraded and lost. I’m almost hysterical at times about the way the earth is being destroyed. We’re loosing species today at a rate not seen since the ice age. Why aren’t we talking together rationally about that, about national security, about education? Why aren’t we talking rationally at all? Sigh. I’ll vote, of course, but I’m terrified about the outcome. Still, what heartens me is that I feel pretty confident there are a lot of people that feel like me, and if we all vote….well, I try to stay hopeful even though it doesn’t sound like it in this rant.
I could not agree with you more!!! 100% spot on.
Thank you for having the courage to open up a peaceful place to share our thoughts about the current state of our political presidential race. I see already you’ve had one unkind comment. It frightens me to see the hatred behind the politics. It frightens me to see the disrespect for our president. It frightens me to see the worship of money over all else. It frightens me to see what other countries have to say about our political candidates. It frightens me to see how politicians are funded by the powers behind the lobbyist…and in debt to them for getting elected. It feels like hatred…and a need for power. I can assure you that I will be “spending” my vote to make as an informed decision as I can on someone who has a voice of reason in all this madness.
100% in agreement Cindy. I hope it stays one comment, one comment that stands alone!
Division does no one any good.
Oh for the love of God!!! Praying that God intervenes as I am so very sad and furious with what I have read above. Democrats are good – you cannot be serious.
Obama has done everything to destroy our Country and you freeking support that? My medical insurance has tripled because my husband and I work for a living and pay our own way in life. Obama has astronomically increased social services that taxpayers pay for to increase their voter base. He has opened all doors to our country to illegal immigrants that want to kill us or get free stuff.
I love my country and it breaks my heart to see such ignorance. Please for the love of God stop watching the liberal news and inform yourself. Did you know that the Democrates have 2 candidates — One Socialist and One Crook —. I guess General David Petraeus and Benghazi does not mean anything. I guess Bill taking advantage of women and having a blow job in the oval office while his wife supports it and does everything she can to destroy the women he (Bill) has abused it OK.
So very sad also that this blog that I love has taken this turn. I guess ignorance is bliss as I “choose” to believe that Followers were like minded. Wow, was I ever wrong. I respect other people opinions but ignorance is hard to comprehend. I guess Ronald Reagan said it best — “It is not that Liberals know so little it is that they know so much that isn’t so”. God Bless this Country.
I am so very sad and angry but will not Unfollow for now.
Again, here is the problem. Obama has not done everything to destroy our country, any more than Bush did everything to destroy our country. Obama has made some mistakes, and done some good things, and done some things that have the potential to be good but need work. We here at my house also works for a living. Hard. I imagine everyone that reads this blog works for a living. We all care what happens in America. I hope we all care what happens in the world. If we want this country and this world to be a better place (or survive at all), we need to be better ourselves, and insulting and harassing fellow Americans and indeed other people who have expressed an honest opinion that happens to differ from yours is making everything significantly worse, not better. I assume you refer to Bernie Sanders when you say “one Socialist”. You seem to think that’s an insult. It’s not illegal or wrong to be a Socialist, it’s just not what you are. OK, don’t vote for Bernie. I’d like to know your specific reasons, actually, because capitalizing the word socialist as if it explains everything tells me not much about why specifically you don’t think he’d be a good president. Don’t assume I think he would, I’m just asking for real reasons. Then, you say the other Democratic candidate is “A Crook”. I assume you mean Clinton? That’s actually slander, unless you have proof. What is your proof? I know a lot of people think this, I’d be curious to know why you do? Also, why do you appear to be making a voting decision based on Ms. Clinton’s husbands personal sexual habits? Why is that our business? In my opinion, our business is what kind of political decisions Ms. Clinton would make for both domestic and foreign policy as evidenced by what she says and what she has actually done (facts please, not rumor, innuendo or slander).
Everyone knows so much that isn’t so, Debbie, not just liberals. Do you recall when the Swiftboat vets claimed that John Kerry was not a real war hero? You can claim a lot of things about John Kerry legitimately, and you could probably make a case for why he shouldn’t be president (it’s also possible to make a case for why he should be, if you see my point) but it was disingenuous in the extreme to claim that he was not a legitimate war hero. Yet, lots of folks believed that the swiftboat vets were telling the truth and the men that served actually with Kerry in Viet Nam were not, because it’s what they wanted to believe. I’m here to beg that we will all leave our preconceived agendas behind and just try to dig down and get real facts, discuss them with clarity and calmness, and try to respect each other in the process so that we can perhaps get a president and a congress that can work together to improve our country for all of us and the world at large. We may not all agree on how, but compromise is what the theory of a democracy is all about. We have to respect each other for it to work. And yelling at and insulting each other just makes us all angry, so that we spend our time trying to score off each other instead of working together to make all of us better.
Well said.
Ooh, thank you!! So pleased!
Spot on!!! Great understanding and explanation of the situation.
Thank you Shelly!
I am a 57 yr old Dem and I am insulted that you believe we are not good people???
I respectfully am not a fan of the Rep agenda or party but would NEVER condemn every single one of them, which you apparently are doing to us.
I have MANY rep friends and we do not speak to each other that way. We agree to disagree. I would Never condemn their beliefs, nor would they mine.
Maybe I am from the Midwest and we don’t say things such as you. I feel the hatred through your key board and that makes me sad.
No need to shame the author of this blog. It is her blog.
I am an independent. My husband isn’t. Even though he says he will vote for the best candidate he seems to stay with his party.
Out of the forerunners I don’t think I can vote for any of them.
The Republicans are so disrespectible to our Presdient. We wonder why our kids are that way. Look who ther forerunner is. Are you kidding me.
Then the Democrats. The Clintons have already been in the White House for 8 years.
We need to make changes in Congress. Set terms for them. Change rules as need be. When most were written the thought of a woman as president was not even thought of.
I can only hope an independent will pop up soon. But who would want to be raked over the coals and invest all their money on a campaign.
I never discuss politics but I feel better getting to vent.
Sorry for the typos.
Bernie’s really an Independent but the way our system is, you have to join a party to have any chance to win an election. So he switched to Democrat.
The author of this blog should have stopped this type of craziness. I didn’t come to read this blog to see these Liberal types of comments. Nothing anyone says on this site will change my feelings or beliefs.
Sorry you feel that way Carol. It is small minded if you believe you are the only one right.
I would not care or change my mind if Kim had shared this on her blog. I do not care who she supports, it is her business. If she said she was a full blown Republican or Democrat I will still enjoy her blog. It is lovely and entertaining and she seems to be a sweet soul. I will not judge ANYONE for what they believe. Unlike you obviously.
I will not judge, I feel blessed in this great nation we have the right to express our feelings and not be condemned for them. It is a sad state when we cannot do that.
I am not sure your grievance, or anger besides Liberal type comments, so should we all believe the same? What a boring world it would be.
I’m sad you feel that way. I am a very nice person and yes I am one of those Liberal Types you speak of. I am a loving mom, wife, daughter,….My friends are Baptists, Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Christians, Buddhists. An guess what? I love them all!!!
I wish you well Carol but give us all a chance…we don’t bite!
Oh, boy. Can of worms opened. No rational conversations here. Too bad. Nothing changes. I look away and don’t want to be part of the in-fighting. Nothing accomplished by talk, anyway, I think. I vote and hope for my choice to win. I know what I believe is right, but don’t talk about it much, except with family members who seem to understand. You may think standing aloof is wrong, but for me, my energy is wasted and my outlook becomes depressed by trying to convince someone else that my position is right. In my own life I do what I believe to be the way to live–with love, generosity and compassion for all others, regardless of who they are or what they do or say. Of course, I don’t always succeed at doing this, but I believe wholeheartedly in that path. Am I a recluse? No, I don’t think so, but my sphere of focus is, perhaps narrower than most. I try to demonstrate love and compassion wherever I can. I believe the old saying that folks–not just children–learn from example more than words. Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker that reads: BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE. I take that seriously. And I don’t listen to the news. It brings me down and when I am down it’s harder to demonstrate love and compassion. The politicos will do what they will do and we all will hopefully find ways to live our lives in a positive way. Or not.
What an interesting and diverse group of opinions. Living in Texas, I am surrounded by people who do not share my point of view. I would be stoned to death or treated as I had the plague if my co-workers knew my thoughts on politics!! But as a seasoned nurse, I can share this: all people put their pants on one leg at a time. I read comments here and on other sites that disgust me, truly make me sad. In this country we do not have compassion for one another, we are quick to judge and follow stereotypes. I’ve cared for people of all walks of life, and I can assure you, it isn’t just “immigrants” who abuse the system or people of color who are alcoholics and drug addicts. You never know what life has in store and I’ve seen people at their most vulnerable. I’ve seen people denied healthcare because they have no insurance. DENIED healthcare people. People having to make the decision to pay for living expenses over medication to keep them healthy. People losing their life savings to pay for cancer treatments while the pharmaceutical companies make billions. So much needs to change in our country. I do my best to stay informed on what’s happening in DC, but obviously working in healthcare, I have strong feelings and concerns on how the next president will deal with these important issues. If these politicians had to be the one to look a patient in the eye, a human being, someone for example who has worked 25 years as a great employee for the same company but was laid off and can’t afford the whopping $1800 a month in cobra insurance because they are trying to put two kids through college or the dutiful wife who ran her husbands law practice for 15 years but now he left her and she has no insurance and because she has no beefy resume can only get an entry level job with no benefits and has just been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, yes let’s see if these politicians would still be on their high horse.
Hi Julie. I’m a retired nurse too, and couldn’t agree with you more. Well said.
That’s sad that Carol feels like she can’t read someone’s blog because commenters have differences of opinion. I guess it’s because people are just so angry. People are out of their minds with anger because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of bad stuff going on. And like I said, the rich guys, want us at each others’ throats. So they cultivate and even orchestrate this. Another thing they are doing is trying to keep us stupid. Notice how they are defunding education and banning books like it’s 1950. They are even changing textbooks to reflect the locals’ religious persuasion. I swear, sometimes it reminds me of Nazi Germany. Hitler got the people to believe it was the Jews who were messing things up just like they’re trying to get us to blame the poor people or the black people. And if you don’t read or if you’re reading propaganda or you refuse to read anything that doesn’t support the preconceived ideas you already have, how can you do any critical thinking? I don’t even know if they teach critical thinking anymore in the schools! And in people’s defense, we’re TIRED. Folks are working themselves to the bone trying to keep the roof over their heads and when they get home, they just want to kick back and passively play on Facebook or watch TV. You can’t blame them for being too tired to read.
And one more thing. Be on your toes about this. Net Neutrality. They’ve been trying to get rid of Net Neutrality, meaning the rich corporations want to control how much internet we can get. The internet, though full of a lot of crap, is also full of real information. Going back to Hitler, in the beginning, he took the people’s radios away. They didn’t protest. They didn’t think the trouble they would get was worth protesting. But later they learned it was very hard to fight with no communication.
High 5 Debbi!!!
I agree with all you have written…and it is scary to read those words out loud considering that they are spot on true.
Thank you Shelly!
Wow –Politics and religion rile people up. I was a Democrat for many years – starting in college –
Well, actually my father was a union man, so “Republican’ was a dirty word in our home. Then I had kids, and the Democrat party starting going more and more Left. So, actually I think they left me more than I left them. I don’t call myself a Democrat anymore, but not really “Republican” either–I am so disappointed in the current Congress. I suppose I am an Independent who only votes Pro-Life- so far that has eliminated most Democrats I know. I do believe in CIVIL, respectful, kind, but spirited debate which seems to be an oxymoron these days! We need to teach our kids better. I have not eliminated any Democrats as friends, but I have seen them distance from me- so sad, but that’s ok. I won’t yield my heartfelt beliefs nor try to push them on others. So far, I like Rubio best – He is optimistic yet firm- so I hope he prevails. I hope I have the opportunity to vote for him. I do understand the anger in this country which has resulted in such a backlash–not sure most politicians “get it” —yet.