Politics

I was just wondering if anyone else is slightly freaked that one party has gained control of all three branches of the US government. This is the first time this has ever happened in US history, and it could mean a lot of very one-sided legislation. This isn’t meant to insight controversy, I was just wondering what the feeling was around the world.

Also, how do you feel about your government? I’m really interested in foreign policy and how your country would deal with this sort of situation.

Thanks!

Hi Meow…mm…well I think its a bad thing!
I think your right, it will put important choices and outcomes all in one direction and legislation to, not a good thing.
But remember politics mirror the level of consciousness of the crowd.

Yeah i think America helds over to one side to much, the replubican side.
And i dont think the world likes that because America is getting to dominant…they even suggested we here in holland should put near the harbour in Rotterdam a stage were american law has to be inplace…so xtc comtrols can be better…Its not that i think its good xtc is on this world but America is so demanding and acting like it has the only and best way of moral…but in fact it hasnt…still got death penalty…even the russians dont have that anymore…Its getting so dominant that the rest of the world think america is arrogant…If America goes on this way it will be an island
and slowly very slowly ppl will turn their backs…in the rest of the world…
America is supposed to be the land of the free…but how free are u in america were mostly money rules…Dont get me wrong America is a great nation…but the republicans make it to narrow minded! They want to control everything by using force by demanding…wel history has always shown that only works a short time not forever…

Well just how i feel about it…

Oops forgot to say what i think of my own goverment…lol!
Will do that later today…

Yes, I am indeed freaked out…it’s disturbing enough that we have a two-party system (I could go on for hours on how bad that is…), but now that one party is in total control…it scares the crap out of me.

I live in the US, and am quite disturbed by my own country. I plan to move out after I get out of college, if there’s still a rest of the world to go to…

Hmm, let’s see…where to begin…first of all, I detest state-controlled high school for many reasons. us American high schoolers are being brainwashed. School is meant to produce good, complacent, obediant citizens, not good, interesting people. Government and history classes are especially bad. We view a one-sided, white, Euro-centric picture of the world where the government is always right, has always been right. We are presented with a skewed view of history, and certain political theories are presented as absolute “truth” even though they’re only opinions. Even our vocabulary workbooks tell us to be good citizens and never do anything bad and always abide by what the government says is right.

We betrayed our original revolutionary ideals and have become the massive, imperialist hegemon you see in the world today. Our government likes to throw its weight around and tell other countries what is right and what is wrong. I’m not at all surprised that the Republicans are in control now. They’re the ones supporting the war on Iraq. And yes, of course we’re going to attack, i’ve known that since several months ago. For all our “oh, it’s still in debate” and “force is a last resort” BS, we are going to attack. And the sad thing is, the attitude of most people I know is “Yeah! It’s about time we went in there and kicked Saddahm’s ass! Let’s go kick some Arabic ass and bomb the crap out of the middle east! They just want to kill us all anyway!” Well not quite that extreme…but some people I know are pretty close. I’m not for the war on Iraq, but I guess I’m not against it either… I think we’re screwed either way. I realize this is a very bleak outlook on life…but I think there will be another world war within the next decade or two, started in one way or another by the USA, and most everyone is going to die in a nuclear holocaust. Deterrance can’t work forever, and just one slip-up and boom, there goes the world.

I am…I don’t know what I am. I used to be an anarchist, but that kind of fell through…I guess the philosophy I follow most now is ontological anarchy, and the temporary autonomous zone (TAZ). The state is so powerful, so entrenched, that there can never be any hope of its overthrow (like I used to dream of when I was an anarchist). All we can do is try to free our minds. The state can’t control everything, and we can still create little “pockets” of autonomy, the TAZs. They can be anything from web forums like this one to illegal dances in abandoned buildings or anything really, that is for one instant totally free from state control. Hakin Fey is the major author behind the idea…

I love talking about this kind of stuff, sometimes it actually helps me sort out this crazy world…email/IM me at lord_of_chao5@hotmail.com if you want to talk more…

and here’s a poem i wrote on Hakin Fey’s ideas…just because

all-powerful black helicopter
the state is here to stay
don’t give me your dreams
of insurrection
subordination
meaningless sedition
and impotent rebellion
go ahead
smash yourself to bits
against the impenetrable fortress
i will stand here
laughing madly
for the state has only simulation
map code tax blueprint diagram of life
reality it cannot see
i slip through the cracks
[/quote]

Jeff, you mentioned the notion that politics mirror the consciouness of a crowd. I agree, however, please keep in mind that GORE WON THe POPULAR VOTE . As far as the electoral vote, it was in fact the media that screwed him. They announced Bush the winner at night before the results were truly in. Therefor, Gore looked like a baby when he rightfully contested it. Also, the state in question (Florida’s) governor is his brother & there have been several allegations of questionable activities regarding missing bags of ballots and tons of other related issues.

Kwisatz, I really enjoyed your piece & totally sympathize. Everyone thinks that we Americans are all just stupid bullies. The truth is that it is our politicians that are generally acting in this manner. Our citizens just let it happen. That is the true crime. Right now there is a general feeling that it is unAmerican to be against the war. I go to school at the University of WA & everyone is afraid to talk about it. I haven’t heard ONE conversation about the war that I haven’t prompted.

I, also, will probably move out of the country (Canada) when I get out of college.

On a more understanding note, however, the U.S. IS a very young country. Countries made of people, act like people. This whole mess could be the product of a very frustrated, insecure, confused little bully on the world’s playground. I wanna play MY game!

If ppl like u 2 leave america then it will take so much longer before America changes a little…no joke…but changes are created from the inside…
I think much has to do the way America started…all ppl from all kind of countries starting new with so much hope! And their Christian believes they took with them…America is more acting on ideals then or being practical… and very extreme to in all directions… name for instance drugs…we dutch are called the land of free drugs…ok fine…but study cases have found out that in america with all its drug oppressing still there is in % of both populations, in America double the number of ppl that use cannabis/marijuana…so all that oppression has nothing to do with reality…because the facts show it doenst work that way…what is forbidden is always more atractive…America has to faces…but still in 1965 black ppl could for the first time go to school with whites so if u look it at that way America is evolving fast…i think it just takes time before all those groups that contradict eachother will respect eachother a little more…

Here in the Netherlands we have many politcal parties, still there are only 3 that have real power…however thats finally beginning to change a little…
Here to everything is far from being ideal…i think the only way to change that is joining a political party and help changes things from the inside

Hello

@Kwisatz
Have you more of those poems? To me they are hard to understand, but I like them

First want to say:
I consider myself as what is today called “anti-american”, but that certainly doesn´t mean that I think that all americans are close-minded patriotistic idiots.I just don´t like the politicians that the majority of you didn´t even vote.And I don´t like the way we are flooded with so-called “american products” that are supposed to be sold good in germany (fashion, music, movies, food…).This can get really annoying…
Anyway, I try to avoid prejudices, although it isn´t always easy.Ok, sometimes I say something like “the americans do…”, but I don´t mean “the americans”.I know this could be easily misunderstood, so I think I will try to change this.

Have to admit that I don´t know too much about the way the american gouverment works, but I think I got the main points:

There are two parties, and each has someone who they want to make the president.Bush was the repuplican one, and he won.
Some time after that the parties are voted, and the repuplican party won again.So, now the repuplican are the strongest party and the president also belongs to them, so there isn´t much of a opposition anymore.
Right?
Don´t know about the third “branch” though…

Anyway, here in germany we got SPD (social democrats, left side) and CDU (cristian democrats, conservative).The SPD is “united” with the “green party” (pacifistic, ecologic), and the CDU with the FDP.
The SPD and the green party won, and I am happy about that.This is the better choice, but it certainly isn´t a good choice.I don´t feel represented by the gouverment, and I think that the industry is in power, no matter who we vote.But I don´t know about alternatives.
A socialistic revolution is almost impossible, and even if someone had the power to make a revolution, I couldn´t think of a way to change the society quickly enough.The real problem isn´t the political system, the problem is in the mind of us humans.
In our society you can´t think of a world without rules, but I don´t think that laws can create justice.And you can´t live in real freedom as long as there are laws.
So, I am a bit of an anarchist, but I know this won´t work.Well, at least not in the near future.So all I try is to protest against the big injustices of the world, such as wars that are fought because of economical interests.But I don´t have much hope to change this either.

I am quite pessimistic about the future.The industry has the power, the natur is almost destroyed, and nothing seems to change in the next years.
So, I really like what Kwisatz Haderach wrote.Perhaps finding such spaces of freedom is our last resort.
But police is getting better, laws will get stricter, I think there will come a time when web forums like this and illegal dances won´t be possible anymore.
The only thing that isn´t in control by then are our minds, our thoughts… our dreams.
I like to think of my mind as something that can´t be controlled by any other person.But I don´t know if it´s true.Have you read Orwells 1984?
Perhaps not even your mind is yours.Perhaps your dreams aren´t yours someday.
I could go on with this, but this is basically what I think about politics.

If you haven´t read yet, I strongly recommend the books:
Orwell - 1984
Huxley - Brave new world

I refer to Waking Life

“Do you want the puppet on the left or the puppet on the right”

Makes no difference who’s in control, it’s just a sign that the byrocrats want something done a bit quicker so they put a notch up to things pace.

Well, chosenone, I definitely feel you pain. I generally refer to them as republicrats, but that’s just me. When they are able to oppose eachother, though, they aren’t able to generally commit as many evils. I am worried because now their is no opposition.

Generally, I am very left - VERY left, but even if all three branches were controlled by extreme liberals rather than the current extreme conservatives, I would still find cause concern.