An American Paradox

[g5000]

Here is a poll going back to 1974 which tells us how we feel about Congress.

We don't like them very much.

In fact, right at the last election, we gave Congress a tiny 9 percent approval rating.

A lot of people think the 2014 election was some big change-up in the House and Senate, but the reality is we re-elected 96 percent of the House members who ran for re-election.

Think about that again.

9 percent approval, 96 percent re-election.

That's what a paradox looks like, boys and girls.


When just about EVERYONE hates them, and they get re-elected anyway, we have nothing less than an American Politboro, boys and girls. It's time to face facts.


4 percent of 435 seats is 17 seats. With the worst Congressional rating in a long time, the Republicans only picked up 13 seats in the House. That was the best they could do with the most hated Congress in 40 years, perhaps ever. And some of those were vacated seats. The Republicans didn't do jack shit to kick out incumbents.

4 percent.

That's. It. 9 percent approval, and we STILL re-elected the vast majority of the scumbags we hate so much.

We also had the lowest voter turnout since World War II.

So the 2014 election was not a validation of the Republican Party. It was a repudiation of the entire American political system. The American people detest our corrupted system, and they stayed home during the last election.

This also explains why outsiders like Trump and Sanders and Carson are so popular right now. Anyone but the existing American Politboro, please. Anyone.


So explain to me why we re-elect 96 percent of the low-lifes we like only 9 percent. Please.

 

[g5000]

"All those other Congressmen spend too much on pork. But MY GUY brings home the bacon!"

 

[tyroneweaver]

the paradox?????
Is..I don't like your congressman, but I like mine

 

[g5000]

the paradox?????
Is..I don't like your congressman, but I like mine

That's exactly right. Like I just said, "Those other Congressmen spend too much on pork, but my guy brings home the bacon."

It's also the belief that only the other party does wrong. For most Republicans, they believe only Democrats are big spenders and create big government, despite the overwhelming empirical evidence both parties are big spending, big government parties. For Democrats, they believe only Republicans hurt the poor despite overwhelming empirical evidence both parties create more poor and harm them.

Wakey, wakey!

We don't need to just get rid of the other guys, we need to get rid of YOUR guys, too. A total House cleaning.

 

[tyroneweaver]

Do I win a prize?

 

[g5000]

Do I win a prize?

The rubes seem to be endlessly entertained by parroting the manufactured bullshit fed to them by their masters. They never catch on that being prodded to go on the constant attack against the other party and its leaders keeps them from ever noticing the people sending them on their suicide attacks are just as corrupt, if not moreso, than the people they are attacking.

The rubes are little terrorists sent out by imams with big bank accounts. The leaders don't live by the same rules they teach the gullible rubes to live by, and the idiots never catch on.

"Here's your suicide vest:

"Now go out there and die for the cause while I get sucked off back here in my palace."

 

[Auld Phart]

Congress would be a great place to test a neutron bomb...


Especially during the SOTU

 

[bendog]

I'm not sure it explains Trump and Carson. Yes, most vote to retain their congressmen, even if they dislike to overall congress's performance. But, only a few house districts are actually competitive between parties, which is why even though the dems outvote the gop in congressional elections, they'll never retake the house without retaking state legislatures to redistrict. Meanwhile, it is virtually impossible to challenge a sitting congressman or senator in either a dem or gop primary, because the entire state party will rain down wrath upon the challenger, making him a pariah.

The presidential primaries don't punish challengers when there isn't an incumbent potus.

Term limits. But hey, that's a lost cause

 

[g5000]

Congress would be a great place to test a neutron bomb...


Especially during the SOTU

Somewhere in the bowels of DHS, a little red light is blinking...

 

[g5000]

I'm not sure it explains Trump and Carson. Yes, most vote to retain their congressmen,...

Actually, most don't vote at all. That is a significant indicator. And it does explain Trump, Sanders, and Carson. I would bet there is a strong correlation between non-voters and Trump, Sanders, and Carson.

That's why I think Trump, Sanders, and Carson won't do so well in the primaries, because a significant portion of their support comes from discouraged people who aren't going to vote in the primaries.

...even if they dislike to overall congress's performance. But, only a few house districts are actually competitive between parties, which is why even though the dems outvote the gop in congressional elections, they'll never retake the house without retaking state legislatures to redistrict. Meanwhile, it is virtually impossible to challenge a sitting congressman or senator in either a dem or gop primary, because the entire state party will rain down wrath upon the challenger, making him a pariah.

The presidential primaries don't punish challengers when there isn't an incumbent potus.

Term limits. But hey, that's a lost cause

I agree gerrymandering is a huge problem. I do not agree about term limits, but I am soft on that position.

 

[bendog]

I'm not sure it explains Trump and Carson. Yes, most vote to retain their congressmen,...

Actually, most don't vote at all. That is a significant indicator. And it does explain Trump, Sanders, and Carson. I would bet there is a strong correlation between non-voters and Trump, Sanders, and Carson.

That's why I think Trump, Sanders, and Carson won't do so well in the primaries, because a significant portion of their support comes from discouraged people who aren't going to vote in the primaries.

...even if they dislike to overall congress's performance. But, only a few house districts are actually competitive between parties, which is why even though the dems outvote the gop in congressional elections, they'll never retake the house without retaking state legislatures to redistrict. Meanwhile, it is virtually impossible to challenge a sitting congressman or senator in either a dem or gop primary, because the entire state party will rain down wrath upon the challenger, making him a pariah.

The presidential primaries don't punish challengers when there isn't an incumbent potus.

Term limits. But hey, that's a lost cause

I agree gerrymandering is a huge problem. I do not agree about term limits.

That is the question. How many Trump/Carson supporters will actually vote in the primaries. If you half their support, it's rather tight nationally

2016 - 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination | RealClearPolitics

And in NH, Kasich might have a pulse

2016 - New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary | RealClearPolitics

 

[whitehall]

A political poll taken during the peak of the Vietnam war is only indicative of the political climate during the Vietnam war. It should be noted that there was no fair and balanced media and no talk radio until the 80's and 90's and the only information available to Americans was filtered through a liberal screen.

 

[g5000]

The voter turnout for eligible voters in 2014 was 36.3 percent.

Almost two-thirds of Americans stayed home. TWO THIRDS!

That's the picture of disgust and discouragement. And the constant attacks and vitriol by the energetic but stupid rubes only makes it worse. Elections are being decided by how many of their own people a party disgusts so much that they stay home.

The GOP has allowed so many bigots, psychopaths, liars, and hypocrites to take over, that I have stayed home since 2006.

All the dumb rubes do is attack the other guy. That's not how to solve problems, kids.

 

[g5000]

I'm not sure it explains Trump and Carson. Yes, most vote to retain their congressmen,...

Actually, most don't vote at all. That is a significant indicator. And it does explain Trump, Sanders, and Carson. I would bet there is a strong correlation between non-voters and Trump, Sanders, and Carson.

That's why I think Trump, Sanders, and Carson won't do so well in the primaries, because a significant portion of their support comes from discouraged people who aren't going to vote in the primaries.

...even if they dislike to overall congress's performance. But, only a few house districts are actually competitive between parties, which is why even though the dems outvote the gop in congressional elections, they'll never retake the house without retaking state legislatures to redistrict. Meanwhile, it is virtually impossible to challenge a sitting congressman or senator in either a dem or gop primary, because the entire state party will rain down wrath upon the challenger, making him a pariah.

The presidential primaries don't punish challengers when there isn't an incumbent potus.

Term limits. But hey, that's a lost cause

I agree gerrymandering is a huge problem. I do not agree about term limits.

That is the question. How many Trump/Carson supporters will actually vote in the primaries. If you half their support, it's rather tight nationally

2016 - 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination | RealClearPolitics

And in NH, Kasich might have a pulse

2016 - New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary | RealClearPolitics

I am doing my best not to kindle any hope for Kasich in my heart even though I very much want to see him at the top of the GOP ticket. Kasich is an incredibly long shot.

But he is playing an incredibly smart game with the limited resources at his disposal. He's betting hard on New Hampshire. He's stumping there a lot.

If he gets a good showing there, it will be a game changer, and THEN I might allow myself to get excited.

 

[g5000]

A political poll taken during the peak of the Vietnam war is only indicative of the political climate during the Vietnam war. It should be noted that there was no fair and balanced media and no talk radio until the 80's and 90's and the only information available to Americans was filtered through a liberal screen.

You are forgetting newspapers. There were newspapers, and people read them. Both liberal and conservative newspapers. Editorials and op-editorials.

And newsletters. Now we have blogs.

The only video information available was a half hour of TV news each night from only three networks. Those same three networks still present the same half hour of news at night today.

There were no 24 hour partisan channels passing themselves off as "news". What these networks produce can't even qualify as "information". They are pure propaganda piss, eagerly parroted by the credulous.

 

[ClosedCaption]

"All those other Congressmen spend too much on pork. But MY GUY brings home the bacon!"

And THATS what its all about. And since actions speak louder than words...their actions show they really like it while just saying they dont. It just sounds cool

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Rip Van g5000 slept though the last 2 midterms

 

[The Great Goose]

What the duece are you babbling about?

 

[Misty]

Term limits for congress hell yes.

 

[g5000]

Rip Van g5000 slept though the last 2 midterms

Nearly two-thirds of Americans stayed home for the last mid-term. And despite a record low approval rating of 9 percent, only 17 seats changed hands.

But to hear the rubes around here speak, they clearly felt a thrill up their leg over that "whopping" 4 percent turnover. It's pretty clear who is in a walking coma.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."