My wife just told me that she is never voting again, that the

[rzemanfl]

government is fucked up, that Republicans are all assholes and will fuck up everything the Democrats try to do anyway and she is fucking through with it. She is going to pay no attention to politics ever again. She said she got all excited about Obama but it was just a waste of her time. She will do what she said, of that I am sure. So score one for the Repukes and take one away from the weak-in-the-knee Dems. The f-words are hers as near as I can remember them. I've learned not to argue with my wife.

[villager]

1. Well, it's true that voting is rigged. But she should definitely take to the streets!

n/t

[rzemanfl]

5. She's almost 61, a little old for that. n/t

[villager]

9. She can help supply and cook for those in the streets

When the upheaval gets into full gear, there'll be plenty to do....

[Lorien]

"Cook for"?

What is this, 1955?

[villager]

21. Oh for crissakes. Men can cook too. I was talking about help if yer not in the front lines.

Goddamn. No wonder our side always loses.

She can do surgery then. Tactics. I don't care -- logistical support.

[Scuba]

59. Outstanding response!!!! "No wonder our side always loses" n/t

[madokie]

62. Yup

No wonder our side always loses

[StopTheNeoCons]

81. PLEASE ASK HER NOT TO GIVE UP.....PLEASE....nt

[Name removed]

88. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Scruffy1]

22. Thanks Lorien. n/t

[chrisa]

64. "The upheaval" lol - I love posts like this

Not trying to be snide, but these "Thars gonna be a civil war!" posts make me laugh. They're up there with the other "Wolverines!!1!1!" fantasies, like Russia invading the US, and stuff like that.

[Scruffy1]

19. I'm older than that and take to the streets frequently n/t

[dhpgetsit]

35. We all get discouraged and burned out sometimes.

I will always vote if I have the chance. I'm not giving up on it yet.

The system may be broken beyond repair through simply making choices at the ballot. We will see.

[rl6214]

45. Never too old

[raccoon]

69. I think she'll start paying attention again when cuts to SS or Medicare are imminent. nt

[Hepburn]

70. I will be 63 this summer and I am not too old for that...

...I may not walk as fast, but I sure as hell can sit at the corners and hold my protest sign. I'll be damned it they take my country away from me!

:hi:

[Sanity Claws]

2. Get her a pitch fork for Mother's Day

If she isn't going to vote, she's going to need a pitch fork to drive the bastards out of town.

[Scruffy1]

20. I've fot tar in my garage. Anyone got feathers? n/t

[niyad]

49. do you want goose, duck, turkey or chicken feathers? or some of each?

I could throw in some robin, magpie, and crow, as well.

[Kurmudgeon]

3. If you give up, you give victory to the right wing.

[rzemanfl]

7. She gave up, not me. n/t

[Xenotime]

65. Yes but she will wear you down to the point you don't care either.

[upi402]

4. almost like the "Dems" play it that way

hard to think it's one big-ass 'oopsie'

hard to close the eyes shut enough to miss the elephant in the livingroom, but so many do it

at least she didn't waste decades of fighting for this now-useless charade of a party

[truedelphi]

76. It certainly is.

When you read Matt Taibi's accounts of how Harry Reid almost peed his pants when finding out that some of the Democratic Senators were going to strengthen the Financial Reform Act, and then Reid went into mojo mode, found the appropriate number of Republican Senators who wanted to take the bill down, and got a lame ass version of the Financial Reform Bill passed, in a full victory for the Corporations that keep these people elected..

The people really have no one on their side, for the most part. The "Good Cop" "Bad Cop" gestalt still means that we the people are being held hostage, with our jobs' opportunities very limited, our taxes sky high, our environment ruined, and no real hope.

I don't want a "nicer, kinder" version of fascism. I want fascism ended.

But I fear that it will not be in my lifetime.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[femmocrat]

8. I felt the same way when bush was appointed.

I even called the courthouse to see how to revoke my voter registration.

I got re-energized when Howard Dean came along and made me feel proud to be from the "democratic wing of the democratic party". I hope your wife finds something to restore her interest in voting. Dropping out only helps the opponents.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JTFrog]

61. Ventura is a tool. n/t

[pacalo]

11. Rzemanfl's wife, meet pacalo's husband. Except that I'll make sure he votes.

I like to take a rest from politics now & then & it's about time for one now. I need to catch up on reading, then come back refreshed.

[LuckyLib]

29. Did that last summer for 3 months. No national news (it's crap anyway), no local news

(it's even worse: infotainment), no newspapers, magazines, etc. Blew some fresh air through my brain. Stress reducer, adds time to your day, and you find better reading everywhere. I'm thinking of making it a regular event.

[pacalo]

32. That's what I did last summer & it was very therapeutic.

I must have read 100 or so books. Got a good tan while doing it, too. :)

[arcane1]

12. Maybe she should tell the feds to go to hell, and she can go LOCAL!!

City councils, governors and state senates, county commissioners, local judges, the freakn' school boards, the sheriffs, the mayors.

There is PLENTY of room to make a difference, as these recent local events have taught us.

She can still make a difference.

[graywarrior]

13. I announced the same thing to my husband last week

[Logical]

14. Voting takes 5 minutes. She can at ignore the rest. n-t

[Peacetrain]

15. There are times when we all feel that way .. the stuff just gets to all of us

from time to time.

Smart not to argue.. My hubby and I both have an agreement.. sometimes we just need to vent and do not need anyone telling us otherwise.

We have married happily for over 35 years now. :) Give her a few days

[Atman]

16. That's when/why/how the GOP wins.

They hate government. Make you hate government. Take over government everyone hates.

We sigh, say we can't win...while they laugh and call us suckers because we didn't stop them.

[rzemanfl]

18. I know. They knocked her out of the game. I can't say I blame

her.

[Terra Alta]

17. I am about ready to give up myself.

I'm tired of Obama constantly giving in to the Repukes.. not what I voted for. It seems as if my vote doesn't matter. I will vote, of course, but I won't be going in with the same feisty attitude I had in 2008. Right now I am sort of apathetic towards Obama and have yet to see any "change" he promised... the only thing that keeps me voting is that if I don't, the Repukes will win and that will be 10 times worse. Obama isn't perfect, but he's helluva lot better than Dubya/Cheney.

[Quist]

54. I don't think they're running in 2012... n/t

[Canuckistanian]

23. That's what they want

The less informed people that vote, the better their chances. Tell her to get involved in the local politics and vote in the primaries and caucuses.

That's where the REAL voting takes place.

[Whisp]

24. gee, I was waiting what your wife says about all this....

afterall, Mrs. rzemanfl is the pulse of the free world. and I heard she cooks too, but you edited that part out.

:crazy:

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[walldude]

36. Maybe she's tired of being shit on....

and then being called a pussy for not wanting to be shit on anymore.


Fucking people are working overtime... you just called a 61 year old woman who you don't know a pussy. My wife is 56, she is disabled and is in much pain. I guess she's a pussy too... maybe she should pull herself up by her bootstraps and get out in the streets and fight for those Dems who refuse to fight for her :eyes:

[JaneQPublic]

37. Funny when the Repukes get mad....

...they get more active and better organized. The Tea Party is doing just that and has succeeded in making mainstream Repukes move even farther right.

But Democrats whine and feel sorry for themselves and decide they're going to cut off their nose to spite their face by not voting.

And no one is getting "shit on." Do you need to see the incredibly long list again of all the things Obama has achieved thus far?

By the way, I'm in the same age bracket as the two women you mentioned. Even middle-aged women and disabled people can get out and vote for Christ's sake.

[AndyTiedye]

39. More Like When the Repukes Get Lots and Lots and Lots and Lots of MONEY!

Citizens United changed everything.

[JaneQPublic]

41. True, that sucked.

But it seems as though the airwaves are already nearing the saturation point for political ads during presidential campaigns. With all their corporate bucks, are the Repukes just going to buy up every minute of air time and totally piss the electorate off?

And besides, with the candidate freak show the GOP is trotting out for 2012, it's doubtful even an infinite amount of cash could help them.

[AndyTiedye]

43. They'll Buy Up the Airtime Just to Keep Us Off the Air

All Repiglickins All the Time.

And the 'piggies even have their own television network,
where all the prospective candidates have their own shows.

[JaneQPublic]

44. And we can't even count on Michael Steele anymore...

...to blow all the cash on lesbian bondage nightclubs.

We're doomed!

[walldude]

63. No one is getting shit on?

Well that ends our debate right there.

Ever even heard of LIHEAP? I know 3 seniors who have lost their LIHEAP because they only live at 150% of the poverty level. Only 150% of the POVERTY level. But hey it's all good, they can freeze to death while you tell them how great Obama is doing.

Try coming out of your cloud someday.

[Scruffy1]

26. This is what democracy looks like.

At least the bourgeoisie version of it. I thought the chant was silly in Madison. They will just keep the lies coming from the media with all there money and if that doesn't work they will cheat. It was the bourgeoisie version that caused the problems ranging from the Ronald Reagan on. Once they understood they had more money they knew they could control the vote through the media. Turn off your TV and wake up.

[AsahinaKimi]

27. Many of us came here to DU when Bush was Selected...

We needed a place to vent and I am sure many were so fed up we voted overwhelmingly for Obama. This next election will not be easy. Its an uphill battle to kick some Republican tush. Maybe this event will get people mad enough to do more than take to the streets. Maybe its things like this that push us further into the voting booth, and to make sure the right people are doing their damn jobs, by having lawyers present, and officials who can be trusted, monitoring the voting.


Sore wa yōide wa nai

[Jamastiene]

28. I feel the same way as your wife, but

I still vote. It is the one meaningless, rote, symbolic thing I can do to stick my middle finger up at the politicians I dislike the most. That's about all it is, though. There is no guarantee my vote will even be counted. There is no hope of ever being offered a politician who will actually stand up to the Republicans. There is no hope that the country will ever head back into the right direction. There is no hope at all, really. I just vote at this point because it is my only chance to say, "Fuck you." to the Republicans. If I can at least do my part in making sure they don't get AS MANY votes here in NC, I will. If it actually counts, bonus. It they lose, even better. It's worth it, to me, if only for that slim chance.

I hope she will reconsider if only for the chance to use her voice the one and only time she can...we might lose that right too, any day now. I wouldn't be surprised. They sure justified (in their own minds) taking a lot of rights away already. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we lose that right in the near future too.

[rusty quoin]

30. Obama answered a question about why people vote against their own interest

at a small town hall while campaigning. He explained, if I remember this right, that they had given up after a long time of trying to change their economic situation, and ended up voting for only wedge issues in which they felt strongly about and could make a difference such as God and guns. He was beaten up for it though he was completely right. I fear us Democrats giving up like that.

[David__77]

31. I vote, but have the political orientation of an abstentionist.

Meaning, I do not think voting can be the principal means of political activity. Extra-electoral activity is more important ultimately, and the elected officials WILL respond to it. But I do not dispense with voting any more than I do using a coupon at the store. Why not?

[eShirl]

33. That'll teach them!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

34. Took her a bit longer than it took me...

I'm past that stage and back to 'voting for the least bad candidate' stage.

:(

[BillyJack]

38. Remember Egypt. Fight, fight, fight....never give up, NEVER give in....

Get out there. Get in their face. Show up. BE THERE. VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.

Not to disparage your wife, but that attitude of hers is something along the lines of something one SHOULD learn as a kid, when you were freezing on a playground one recess that they MADE you go out in,

"boy, they're really gonna be sorry when they find me frozen to death on this playground".....truth is, NO THEY WON'T feel sorry. THEY won't even care one iota! (what was that kid's name that died on the playground frozen-to-death again?). This bunch only cares about the lawsuit and what will cost them their EASY UNEARNED MONEY ~ easy unearned money (and they get a TAX CUT TOO!!! *clap*bounce*applause*) *IS* golden to this bunch.

[scarletwoman]

42. You DO know, I hope, that Egypt had elections too. The reason Egyptians took to the streets

is because they rightly recognized that voting didn't mean shit.

[BillyJack]

46. Yes, I DO know that.....and 'here we are'. eom

[socialist_n_TN]

40. Well dabbling in electoral politics is a........

"reformist" Marxist thing to do and I've always done it and probably always WILL do it until I die. But I'm past the point of thinking that it does any good. It's a futile gesture. There'll have to be other options to have our voice heard.

[scarletwoman]

50. I only vote as a small act of mitigation -- mostly ineffective damage control.

What few small things elected Democrats are willing to stand up for still make a bit of difference on the micro level. So I figure, it's a very small effort on my part to help accomplish some small good.

And a small good is surely better than no good at all.

Overall, however, I have absolutely no faith in voting as a means of accomplishing any sort of fundamental structural reform. By its very nature, voting is an act of re-affirming the current structure -- all participation in electoral politics is, by necessity, a propping up of the status quo.

I vote simply because it's such a small thing. I vote in clear-eyed recognition of the fact that it's not the true necessary act required to actually correct course.

The true necessary act is the complete refusal to cooperate with a thoroughly corrupt system. But until enough of our fellow citizens come to this conclusion, one might as well engage in small acts of mitigation.

sw

[socialist_n_TN]

51. Totally agree with your last sentence........

It's something to do until class consciousness arises to the level where we can actually do something real.

I also look at it as a way to actually SHOW the working class that a socialist will do what he/she can to improve their immediate situation. It's the same thing with support of trade unions and, indeed, ALL of the oppressed peoples. Do what you can to show the PEOPLE that you ARE on their side.

[socialist_n_TN]

80. BTW, I just read something about Trotsky in the .......

bio "The Prophet Unarmed" that relates to this.

Trotsky apparently DID council working within the system for the very reasons that I (and you) said, i.e., to IMPROVE the life of the working class. Of course, he also wanted to make sure that working WITHIN the system was just one means used to ultimately OVERTHROW the system. IOW, there's some revolutionary basis for working within the system as long as you keep in mind the ULTIMATE goal and the "within the system" work goes to FURTHER that goal.

I've had a lot of sychronicity in my life lately regarding politics.

[scarletwoman]

84. Interesting. Not surprising though, it seems like an obvious and common sense tack to take.

I'm no political scholar, never studied Marx or any other political or economic theorist. My main interests have always been philosophy, anthropology, and archaeology.

My political sensibilities are rooted simply in my own inner sense of justice, ethics, and honorable behavior.

sw

[ChiciB1]

47. Cough Another One Up For This Floridian... MY Husband Asked ME Two Days

ago who I was going to vote for in 2012. I told him I honestly didn't know, that I no longer felt MY vote really counted. I've lived in the trenches down here in Florida for waaaaaaaay too many years. I live in a Ruby Red county that as far as I can remember has NEVER even elected a Democrat as a Commissioner or maybe even dog catcher!

THIS county is the one that had all the under votes back in 2006, and the one that a crook like Vern Buchanan seems to have STOLEN! I still believe it today. Not that Jennings was much more than a DINO, but the election was so suspicious. And the Supervisor of Elections here keeps getting elected time after time!

THIS state is really so screwed up as far as I'm concerned and I wonder all the time whether MY VOTE even gets counted!

I'm not so crazy about voting for Obama, that's for sure and I'm a reluctant supporter. I DO feel that not only am I torn between him, I also FEAR what goes on here all the time! I never thought I would become so cynical, but I know I am. I'm really and truly sorry that my feelings for Obama have come to what they are, but I simply don't trust even him all that much!

Too many compromises and waaaaaay too much flip-flopping from what he says too many times. Just today it's off-shore drilling AGAIN! HOW MANY PERMITS are they issuing NOW?? I'm just too fed up and don't know what more to do about it!

This country is simply bought and paid for in one way or another and it's EVERYWHERE you look, no matter WHAT side it is. A sad sad thing for me to say, but I can't shake the feelings that we are just pawns and NOTHING we do matters much to TPTB! It really JUST SUCKS! A THEY continue to say that this country is trying to spread DEMOCRACY to other NATIONS! Where is OURS??

JMHO!

[Biker13]

48. Aww rzemanfl!

Give your wife a BIG hug from me! We all need a break now and then. I did it last year and it did me a world of good. I take three different meds for high blood pressure, and my doctor can find no physical reason for it. It's stress pure and simple.

Let her kick back and relax a bit. She may come around, she may not. Just give her time. That's not too much to ask!

Biker's Old Lady

[moondust]

52. A lot of Americans don't vote.

Many, no doubt, due to feelings of futility and hopelessness.

[999998th word]

53. I go through the motions but I'm really past the point of electoral politics.

[JaneQPublic]

68. And yet you joined DU just last month. (nt)

[Raine]

55. I pretty much feel the same especially after this crap

that they are pulling in WI. Sometimes I wonder if there has ever been a fair election in this country, now they don't even try to hide their rigging.

[hfojvt]

56. perhaps a motivational speech is in order

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9mf3Bypyk8

and not to forget,

that it's not over.

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsmybQKpmTw&feature=related

[Cowpunk]

57. To chose to remain uninvolved in the political process is to condone your own enslavement

The message it sends to those in power is "Do what you will to me, I don't care anymore". If normal avenues of political activism have become useless, other methods and strategies must be found that will make an impact.

[MilesColtrane]

58. She is never going to pay attention to politics ever again?

What does that mean?

[madokie]

60. Smart man

"I've learned not to argue with my wife."
I'm about ready to join in because I'm old and I can find more rewarding things to do with my time than worry with a pack of lies day in and day out. As it stands today our country is fucked and I mean Fucked with a capital F

[dionysus]

66. ah, today's post designed to demoralize dems....

:eyes:

[treestar]

67. Score one for the Repukes indeed

Talk about giving them just exactly what they want!

[Cleita]

71. Well if she doesn't like Republicans, she's insuring that

they will be in charge forever if everyone thinks like her. Democrats staying away from the polls in 2010 was what got us Boehner and the Tea Party legislatures that are running the show today.

[femrap]

72. Maybe your spouse

should work on the movement, "NONE OF THE ABOVE." With all elections, We, The People should be able to disagree with the above candidates and vote for NONE OF THE ABOVE. And NONE OF THE ABOVE could win! A vote of No Confidence, in essence.

I understand how she feels....the prez turned out to be a dud; however I wasn't excited by him at all so no bad feelings of betrayal on my part. The political minions like him are bought and paid for by TPTB.

It's those 400 top households listed in Forbes....that's who has the power and probably many others who NEVER ALLOW THEIR NAMES PUBLISHED.

She needs to take a much larger 'big picture' view and realize that most of these elections are merely Circus for the masses....however, the Bread supply is getting very low which could turn out badly for TPTB.

[Wait Wut]

73. Good to hear...

...that she's part of the problem and not the solution. Even though I haven't gotten everything I've wanted in life, I'm not spoiled enough to take my ball and go home.

Tell your wife to relax. The rest of us will pick up the slack.

[cliffordu]

74. I'm anemic so I'm going to cut my wrist JUST A LITTLE to let some blood out.

[Dappleganger]

75. Can't say that I blame her.

I have become an "issues only" person. The integrity of our election process is worse than many other developed countries.

[tomp]

77. i'm so sick of the "weak" "wimpy" dems meme.

you guys just don't get it. the dems were never our friends, they have always played for the other team. and they are very, very, very, very good at hiding that fact.

they are not weak or wimpy, they are strong and clever, just not on our behalf. and if you don't get that, you just don't know what's going on, and that makes you part of the problem.

open your fucking eyes, people. if it's not too late already, it will be any day now.

[Curmudgeoness]

78. From one disillusioned woman to another, tell your wife

to please just vote. And vote Democratic. She doesn't have to get excited about a candidate, she doesn't have to love them, and she doesn't have to go out and work for their campaigns or donate money. But please vote. There is a difference, just think what would happen to this budget battle if there were no Democrats in power at all. I am not at all happy with any politicians anymore (with a very few exceptions and they are not mine), but I cannot stand the thought of handing an election over to the Republicans.

So please Mrs. rzemanfl, at least vote.

[MadMaddie]

79. Tell her that she has then let the Republicans win

This is what happened in 2010, the Republicans put so much misinformation out in the public and discouraged Democratic and Moderate voters.

Tell her if she does nothing she should think about the 60's and 70's where her generation fought for women's rights.....all of that goes out of the window if she sit's out.

Tell her to take a break and then let's get with it! Screw the Republicans.

[southernyankeebelle]

82. Tell your wife that is just what the republicans want to hear. Please I feel the same way you

do. But if you have kids and grandkids do it for them. You see what happened when democratics stayed home in Nov. Please I feel your way but we MUST VOTE.

[robinlynne]

83. That is exactly what they want.

[bluestate10]

85. Argue with your wife. There is one more F word left and both of

you and other sane people are going to get the full measure of it if people like your wife sit on their hands on the sidelines for this life and death fight we are smack in.

[bluestate10]

86. I take my last post back. Tell your wife to quit. I want someone that

I can count on holding my back in the knife fight that is ongoing with republicans. Beg her to quit, I don't want the illusion that I can count on her in a tough fight.

[ncteechur]

87. Well then she doesn't get to bitch and moan ever again. You can't bitch if you don't vote.