What’s your most important topic in the midterms

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   RJ Schwartzposted 7 years ago

   The midterm elections will be here before we know it.  Washington is abuzz with just about everything; North Korea, Mueller, Spygate, Wikileaks, tariffs, Brexit, the Stanley Cup playoffs, and what will be the coolest summer fashion.  What’s your focal topic for this next political cycle?  What matters most to you and what matters most to America?  This isn’t a bash your opponent thread, just a discussion on what’s most important to voters.

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      promisemposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Violation of core Republican principles by the Republican-controlled Congress.
      
      Specifically, massive spending increase and massive tax cut at the same time. It will skyrocket national debt and may bankrupt the country during the next recession.
      
      It also grossly violates the core principle of small government.

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         wildernessposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         It would be nice if they changed that spending habit, wouldn't it?  And avoided the bankruptcy that we've been speeding towards for the last 20 years or so.  Just think what it would have been like had they wiped out and reversed the deficits from Obama!

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            promisemposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Do you mean the deficits from the worst recession since the Great Depression that caused a dramatic decline in tax revenue?
            
            I believe my point was about the biggest tax cut in U.S. history and the massive impact on the national debt.

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               wildernessposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I was thinking more of the biggest spending plan in the history of the world, Obamacare, and the deficits it created.  We typically spend our way out of recessions/depressions, though it would have been nice to have a trillion dollars worth of new infrastructure work, or something similar, to show for it.  We did in the past; it's too bad we didn't bother to this last time - instead we just gave it away without requiring anything in exchange..
               
               Whether that tax cut will have a "massive impact" remains to be seen.  I'm seeing that tax receipts are up considerably over what was expected, and the forecasts have pretty much agreed that if it isn't spun out of recognition the increase in the national debt will not be that great.

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                  RJ Schwartzposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  American politicians see spending as a way to legally buy votes in our modern era.  Look at the pork reports and waste watchdogs reporting on billions wasted.

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         RJ Schwartzposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         That’s your issue? A beef with the GOP?  I’d argue, but your point is so spot on that I can’t

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            promisemposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks, RJ. I'm glad we can agree on that one.
            
            And for the record, my beef is with the Republican party, not Republican philosophy.

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   PrettyPantherposted 7 years ago

   I think we need to elect people who will vote to get money out of politics, are willing to work with their fellow legislators regardless of political affiliation, and who value personal integrity and the needs of their citizens over "winning.". This will not happen until the people become highly educated about the value of political involvement and selflessly commit to working for change.  This probably will not happen without a dramatic uprising of the people.

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      wildernessposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      +1  On this we certainly agree.

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      RJ Schwartzposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      But aren’t winning and meeting the needs of all American Citizens one in the same?  We’re not likely to see an informed electorate until we have laws that force the media to tell the unbiased truth and report on all stories, not just the ones which support their side

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         PrettyPantherposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         "But aren’t winning and meeting the needs of all American Citizens one in the same?"  You and I might define winning that way, but I see politicians defining "winning" as doing whatever it takes to stay in power, ethics and what is best for the American people be damned.
         
         I'm not sure what you mean by ":force" the media.  I don't know how we can do that, other than stop frequenting heavily biased news sites.  The problem I see is that a significant portion of voters is unable to discern truth from fiction and are seeking out "news" that conforms to their confirmation bias.  It is humah nature, but some carry it to extremes, ignoring facts in favor of what makes them feel good.

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            RJ Schwartzposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            You are right about the duality of the definition. I think the media might just implode eventually - take CNN for example - if it wasn’t for airports and other public places (they pay to be there) they’d likely already be gone.

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   ahorsebackposted 7 years ago

   Both parties should take a hard look at a smaller government and strongly consider the following question :   
   What from within  the federal government institutions , departments or programs do they ever run strategically , profitably or successfully ?

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      RJ Schwartzposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      But then they won’t have any rewards for their friends - like Ambassadorships that probably pay 1/2 million a year or more....

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         ahorsebackposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Yes , look at how much money comes back to the states from D.C. and HOW MUCH media dances and dines the Senate and Congressman for bringing it .   Grants , programs , public works monies , the "arts ",  "studies ", "highway funds " right into the general funds with all of the rest of it .

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