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Post by cbk on Mar 29, 2013 9:39:35 GMT -5
With a few exceptions, all citizens who have reached the legal age required by government, can vote. Is this a good idea? And how would you change it....or would you change it. And, of course, why?
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Post by jerrycsmith on Mar 29, 2013 10:14:23 GMT -5
No, it's not a good idea, but changing it isn't a good idea either, because who could be trusted to draw up a fair set of qualifications? For instance, if voting required a citizen who works hard, puts his country above himself and is not a burden on the system, then the Democrap party would cease to exist.
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Post by jb on Mar 30, 2013 9:52:27 GMT -5
No, it's not a good idea, but changing it isn't a good idea either, because who could be trusted to draw up a fair set of qualifications? For instance, if voting required a citizen who works hard, puts his country above himself and is not a burden on the system, then the Democrap party would cease to exist. Sorry for sounding redundant, but the man with a few words, hit a homerun with that!!!!!!  |
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Post by jerrycsmith on Mar 30, 2013 10:57:27 GMT -5
Tx. JB
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Post by cbk on Mar 30, 2013 12:48:49 GMT -5
It's not that all citizens would vote intelligently if only certain people were allowed to vote. It's a given that they would not. But do you remember when a whole lot of males HAD to serve in the military? People didn't always like it but they did it. It was the "price" of citizenship. Then we became an all volunteer armed forces. It seems as if very few of the people who want the government to give them "stuff" volunteer to serve in our country's military. They want the goodies but not the responsibilities that come with privileges. What I would propose is that everyone who wishes to vote, and or run for public office, would have to serve two years in service to their country. It wouldn't have to be in the military. It could be in a number of ways. One could work in the public parks, or picking up trash along the highways, or work as volunteers in nursing homes. You get the idea. I'm sure everyone on here could think of a way to serve our country. For two years one would live in a situation just like our military inductees. You'd be given food and shelter along with a VERY small amount of money for other needs. This would NOT be an educational program....although you might indeed learn something along the way. This would be a service program where, when you are finished, you get the right to vote and hold office. Both sexes would be required to go thru the program. It could be done any time after graduation from high school. And one would NOT lose the basic rights of American citizenship if you didn't wish to serve.
What I believe this sort of a program would do is to separate the people who care from the people who don't. And it is my contention that if you don't care about this country then you shouldn't have the right to help determine how it is run. You'd still have your free "stuff", but you wouldn't be allowed to vote on the laws that determine who gets the "stuff" or how long you can continue to receive food stamps, or rent subsidy.
I'm betting that there would be fewer scumbags such as our present President, in office. And I believe that politicians would pay more attention to WE THE PEOPLE! We might even get better politicians.
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Post by H Abiff on Mar 31, 2013 23:33:32 GMT -5
Those on public subsistence should not be able to vote. And ID mandatory.
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Post by cbk on May 2, 2013 9:53:36 GMT -5
The latest in a never ending string of polls shows that 43-47% of people interviewed don't have a clue about Obamacare. They don't know how it works (well they are in good company there. Old Nancy Piglosi doesn't either) They don't know that it's the law of the land. They can't identify a picture of the vice-president, and don't even ask them how many people serve on the Supreme Court......much less name one. And we allow these LOW information folks to vote. SMART?.......NOT!
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Post by jerrycsmith on May 2, 2013 9:58:11 GMT -5
A lot of people are less-informed today because, like me, they hesitate to try and sift through millions of bits of information, rumor, and just plain lies that exist today. Whatever finally comes to pass is usually about 90 degrees off what we've been told anyway, so why bother to learn stuff that does not apply. The gun laws, for instance; over the past few years we've heard all kinds of horror stories about serialized bullets, confiscation, etc, but look what finally passed. All that fretwork for nothing.
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Post by jerrycsmith on May 2, 2013 9:58:54 GMT -5
A lot of people are less-informed today because, like me, they hesitate to try and sift through millions of bits of information, rumor, and just plain lies that exist today. Whatever finally comes to pass is usually about 90 degrees off what we've been told anyway, so why bother to learn stuff that does not apply. The gun laws, for instance; over the past few years we've heard all kinds of horror stories about serialized bullets, confiscation, bunker building, people buying thousands of rounds of ammo,
etc, but look what finally passed. All that fretwork for nothing.
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Post by cbk on May 2, 2013 13:44:42 GMT -5
Jerry my friend, I love ya to death BUT, sometimes I just don't understand your attitude. How do you think Nazi Germany got to be Nazi Germany? Because people thought like you do when it came to staying informed and involved. If you want to live in a free society you've GOT to stay informed, or pretty soon you don't live in a free society. Sure it takes work. And you do have to sift through a lot of BS. But as that old saying goes; Freedom Isn't Free. And for me the price is not all that high, and the result....worth it.
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Post by jerrycsmith on May 2, 2013 14:14:02 GMT -5
Fret 24/7/365 if you'd like, but I have better things to do. Two things are certain: (a) this country didn't get so screwed up because us ordinary citizens failed to become neurotic over it. It happened because fretting and making noises was ALL anyone ever did about it. Get a gun & use it, or run for public office. Otherwise, it's just noise and finger-pointing (b) the Nazis have been gone for more than 60 years, and they ain't coming back, so you need to find a new standard of ugly for comparison.
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Post by cbk on May 2, 2013 21:39:07 GMT -5
Jerry, Jerry, would that such intelligence as yours would be applied, just a small amount of time, to helping us overcome the idiots in government instead of just accepting them. Get a gun? Really? That time may come thanks to people not voting intelligently and not participating in governing. But it's not quite here yet. BTW, if it comes, will you be participating?
As far as the Nazis being gone, think again. Though their numbers are small they are VERY much alive. Remember, Hitler was not only ignored in the beginning but actually jailed. However, as more and more people were too busy to become involved, he and his thugs gained more and more power. Ask the Jews in Germany if the Nazis are gone. Since you're not Jewish I don't expect you get such news thru Jewish papers and Internet reports. But there is a LOT of hate/blame the Jews for everything bad in Germany that is still quite alive and well. Jewish stores and places of worship are still vandalized all the time in Germany.
As that saying goes; all it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing.
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Post by jerrycsmith on May 2, 2013 22:00:23 GMT -5
Aw hell, I give up. Yes, apathetic people like me have ruined our country. Surely nobody else is to blame. The Nazis are going to emerge and torture us all.
I've become totally tired of this line of thought, and therefore will be even more apathetic in the future, so blame for the country's demise now shifts to you. After hearing the same stuff for years now, I'm hanging it up. No more replies to anything of this nature, so no more wasting your valuable time trying to bring me around to my country's rescue by blaming me on this chat board that only two or three people ever read..
You should now have all the time you need to do it yourself, if a conscientuous, neurotic citizenry is all it takes.
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Post by cbk on May 3, 2013 12:11:33 GMT -5
Jerry, I refuse to give up on you. You have too much to offer. You've a great talent for writing. And investigating facts and writing about what you've discovered can be so valuable in informing a public that hasn't your ability.
Don't respond, if you wish. But I refuse to believe that you think that the citizens of this country don't have responsibilities as well as rights. I truly believe that we are not exempted from those responsibilities until we are six feet under.
You know as well as I do that donating a small amount of your time and talents to helping, in the cause of establishing better government, won't keep you from enjoying all of the other things you like to do.
As far as doing more than complaining, I have. I've done quite a bit that I don't like to make public. I do put my money where my mouth is...so to speak. So don't think that I'm asking you to do that which I wouldn't do.
However, I wouldn't be good at trying to obtain public office. I'm rather like John Adams....obnoxious and disliked. But you aren't. I believe you could hold public office. And I'd be proud to support you and work for your election because I believe you are extremely intelligent and blessed with a heaping amount of common sense....not to mention being as bull headed as a Missouri mule. ;D I know you'd carry through on what you believe to be right!
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Post by Steve Turner on May 3, 2013 12:29:16 GMT -5
Jerry Smith for St. Clair County Coroner!
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