It will be interesting to find out if the electorate, as a whole, has learned

[cali]

a damned thing since 2010. Never have so many reprehensible politicians- repukes, of course, been voted into office. In 2012, we'll find out if the electorate will repudiate the Snyders and Walkers and Wests, etc.

I don't have a lot of faith in the collective intelligence of the electorate.

[daleanime]

1. Unfortunately....

many are only as good as the shit MSM feeds them.:banghead:

[cali]

2. most people pay no attention to the news at all

in any case, I don't think the MSM as a whole has been terribly supportive of these kinds of candidates.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

21. OTOH an argument can be made

that the MSM as a whole has not been terribly critical of these kind of candidates either, which doesn't help create an informed citizenry and IMHO and actually hinders democracy as result. The whole narrative focus by the MSM of most of the first half of Obama's Presidency was on the whole "Tea Party" and their anti-government (read: anti-Obama) screeds and rallies that the Republican Party knowingly took full advantage of of so as to help them rebound politically and recapture the House of Representatives, as well as several state legislatures and governorships throughout the country- even in more traditionally "blue" states like Wisconsin (*ugh*).
I'd like to think that had the MSM been just a little more critical of the sham that the whole Tea Party is/was and people had bothered to pay a little more attention to what is/was going on in their government instead of wrinkling their noses in disgust about "politics", we might not all be suffering under this onslaught of insanity that the 2010 elections unleashed upon us. Yeah, Christine O'Donnell got a lot of attention and unflattering media coverage which ultimately caused her to crash and burn in Delaware for Senate but we did get Scott Walker for Governor in Wisconsin (and Ron Johnson for US Senate who admitted that he didn't have a clue about anything before the election), Snyder for Governor in Michigan, and Kasich for Governor in Ohio- along with Republican-dominated legislatures with "rubber stamping authority." Not to mention the fact Sarah "Blood Libel" Palin is still, inexplicably, as publicized almost as much as the failed VP/half-term governor has always been covered (why won't anybody report on MY facebook posts? :shrug:)

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. A show of hands. How many predicted bat shit crazy antics once...

bat shit crazy people got elected in 2010? I know we all saw this coming, but I too fear the electorate are simply not paying attention --- but perhaps even more importantly, not being provided with the information they need to make an informed decision.

[el_bryanto]

4. These issues will be dead by then, and all focus will be on Obama

Since Obama has chosen not to use the bully pulpit to talk about States doing the sorts of things they are doing, I doubt it will be an issue.

Bryant

[BeFree]

5. I have faith

That they have an founded faith in that which counts their vote.

What, pray tell, counts your vote? Can you trace your vote from cast to count?
I don't think so. Vote counting is nowhere near as good as the bank's counting.
Why is that?

[cali]

6. yep. I can. I live in Vermont. I know the people who count my votes

hell, I've been one of them. You do have a habit of making assumptions based on nothing concrete.

And if you think that the election of these folks is due mostly to diebold or repuke shenanigans, you're living in a fantasy world.

[BeFree]

8. "...these folks..."

Which folks are you talking about?

And if your fantasy is that republicans wouldn't steal elections, I have some Pacific oceanfront property that you will just love. It's real cheap, too.

[cali]

11. these folk s are the crew of teabagger politicians that were voted in

last November. And I didn't say that republicans wouldn't steal elections. Which elections did they steal last year? Do post your evidence. I won't be holding my breath.

:rofl:

[BeFree]

14. I would post the evidence

But they have laws against me looking at or recounting the ballots.
It's a state secret or some shit.

Do you support allowing me, or anyone, to recount the ballots?
I don't think so. Otherwise you wouldn't be fussing with me, sweetikens.

[cali]

16. lol. man, that's weak stuff you got there

:rofl:

[BeFree]

17. Sure sweety

You just keep on dreaming.

I see you have no support for me wanting to count the votes?
Why is that? What do you have against me or anyone doing a recount?

[Night Crawler]

7. What makes you think that the electorate, as a whole,

is even dissatisfied with outcome of 2010? I can understand that from your perspective you see it as a disaster, but you knew that going in.

I just don't get the sense that, in spite of some 1000's in Madison, the electorate have any regrets. In many cases the only complaints seem to be that not enough is being accomplished fast enough.

But maybe that's just me and the feeling I get from the dozens of people I interact with daily.

[BeFree]

9. Not just 2010

How about 2000, the year of the stolen election?
How many people will admit that, or act dissatisfied?

[cali]

12. polls, in some places, reflect that some of the winners are now

viewed very poorly by the electorate- Kasich, for instance, in Ohio.

Your experience with the people you interact with daily is entirely irrelevant. duh.

[Bandit]

15. You are correct in that there are still millions of very uninformed ignorant people

that only have a "your side my side" attitude about politics. Most can not argue any real issues as they are not important to them. The ONLY thing important top them is to punish the other side. The well being of the Nation is not even considered. Once the Republicans began their assault upon middle America though I believe a few are actually beginning to think a bit about things..The nation can not continue to funnel all the wealth to the most affluent while abandoning the rest..America used to have heart but Republicans have coarsened the nation to a point of vulgarity, where torture is considered appropriate action.

[_ed_]

10. Democracy is contingent upon an informed and educated electorate

America has neither educated nor informed voters. And, I don't think this has anything to do with formal "education." We live in an era when the internet has made information available from all kinds of sources, yet most people still believe corporate and government propaganda in the mainstream press. It's sad, and I think this is the biggest problem in America -- not term limits or money or anything else. People don't know anything.

Do an experiment: ask people who their elected representatives are in Congress. Most people have no idea.

[cali]

13. well, I largely agree with you- though I live in Vermont

I guarantee you, the majority here know who their rep is.

[elocs]

18. The electorate needs to learn that if they choose not to show up and vote, bad things happen.

That is what happened here in Wisconsin last November. Choices have consequences and when people choose not to exercise their right to vote, that can have terrible consequences as we learned here. Although Republicans love it when Democrats stay home and not vote in state elections because they are all demoralized or disillusioned with Obama who was not running last November.

[bvar22]

19. You should blame ...

..the Leadership & Marketing Skills of the Democratic Party Leadership.
It solves NOTHING to Blame the Voters.
That is beyond control or repair.

Leadership & Marketing?
THAT is where changes can be made.

If there were several Million Working Class Americans that could be marched across the national stage tearfully thanking The Democrats for their new affordable access to Health Care....
THAT would be GOOD Marketing.
Unfortunately, all these MILLIONS who have been helped do not exist.




Who will STAND UP and represent THIS American Majority?
Platitudes, Rhetoric, Empty Promises, and Excuses are meaningless now.

"By their WORKS you will know them,"
And by their WORKS they will be held accountable.

[bullwinkle428]

20. +1000