I've kinda given up on the D&D as I have come to a point of view that we rehash the same points and no one actually gets persuaded much anymore. Feels like a lot of people typing into their keyboards with a varying amount of anger or pissyness. But I feel like that anger is driven by a core sense of belief by many of us that there is something wrong with this country and the direction we're heading in. And at the end of the day, our power is limited to a single vote to politicians who really aren't listening to us and are forced to cow-tow to special interests groups just to have a shot of staying in politics. It's a circus, a messy sloppy demockracy. Point is, our leaders are not addressing the economic challenges this nation is facing and which will only get more dire as time goes forward. And by leaders I am taking about all of them, not just one side or the other. We live in a nation where people are really struggling, and I am not just talking the past 5-8 years, but the past 30 years. Standard of living isn't increasing, it's declining. Education is more expensive and inaccessible than ever, and the competition for jobs isn't just intense from fellow Americans, but it's not a global rat race. Meanwhile our gov't is stymied in partisan gridlock and has essentially been castrated by various forces from making meaningful change. I've been thinking about this, and the idea of movements especially after studying how moveon.org, the tea party, and occupy wall street got started. I think they were tapping into this kind of unease, but the problem was that all of them do more to divide than unify. I wonder if there is a way for people en masse to form their own voting block and use that unified power to force adoption of real economic solutions or an atmosphere of taking the economic challenges of the future seriously. If Norquest can do this, why can't millions of people join together and do the same? Instead of politicians telling us what this country needs to be fixed, why don't we find the answers by talking to the people who truly understand economics, build a consensus, and take non-partisan solutions and force our politicians to enact them? So this might be naive, but I thought, maybe instead of spinning our wheels endless here for year after year after year after year, we could take this energy - this care we have - and use it to start at least trying to make something actually happen. Probably it would go no where. But after 10 years of being in this D&D forum, I feel like we've as a group have gone nowhere. I don't know, anyone have any interest?
The question is moot <iframe src="http://www.metacafe.com/embed/5999188/" width="440" height="248" allowFullScreen frameborder=0></iframe>
Historically speaking, most political movements are full of divisive smaller movements. When things get bad enough, however, even folks who don't see eye to eye on pretty major issues will support each other to tackle a major issue they share. Once the major victory is won, they get back to bickering over the other problems, and as such, history has been an the story of one generation slowly fixing the most pressing issues of their day while showing utter neglect for the future -- sort of like that episode of Futurama with the giant trash ball that was launched into space.
Sadly this isn't news. The internet just seems to make people more ideologically entrenched. In turn, they become more cynical, but less willing to listen or compromise. Recipe for gridlock. Ain't nobody got time for D&D.
I think it's more it allows ignorant people an anonymous place to spew crap without repercussions. Some of the crazy stuff I see here I never hear in public by anyone I know but some must obviously believe it, they just know better than to share it in person.
I have some interest. What is your platform? Closing the D&D? I have experience volunteering at campaigns in high school, mostly working hotlines. Let me know if you need professional help.
I was thinking there's two pieces to this. 1. Outline a goal of working in a non-partisan way to find the best solution to raising the standard of living and decreasing child poverty (or whatever metrics) over the course of the next 30 years. 2. Once some sort of consensus is there on a framework for solving these economic issues promoting that solution to voters directly and identifying (endorsing) candidates of either party who agree to commit to enact that framework. I suppose it would need to start as a Super Pac. Probably start small. If we articulate the cause well with people being able to register their support, sign-up for a newsletter, and donate of course. Then promote it through social media. Obviously we'd need to get some momentum on a small level and then scoop a bigger donor.
I recently watched who killed the electric car on HBO. That got me pretty upset until I went to the gym. Stupid, greedy lobbyists. Also, some electric cars are only legal in California which is bull****. This documentary will piss you off too: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/inside_job_2010/ Even though a few of these money-grubbers paid in court it is pennies on the dollar of what they made.
Oh. And we can't do anything because we don't have the money to do something about it. If we did then we wouldn't care anymore.
You never really believed that you or anyone were doing anything more than flinging poo in here, did you? That's what this sub-forum is all about. Democracy is funny, but what can you do? Just sit back and enjoy the show.
I'm definitely interested. I have a theory which goes like this... 25-30% of people will vote Republican, no matter what you do... 25-30% of people will vote Democrat, no matter what you do... That leaves a vast 40-50% of the electorate out there who may lean one direction or the other for some issues and perhaps the opposite way for others. If you could harness this vast voting bloc, the far right and far left's voices would be marginalized and we could start moving ahead with practical solutions for our nation's problems. So, how do you radicalize the middle of the political spectrum, given that they are completely disgusted with how politics works?
I believe it is more than that. I have crystallized and formed a great many opinions on a great many subjects through discussion in the D&D, and I suspect I'm not alone.
From the owner of the website himself: Monkeys flinging poo at each other. That's the first thing he describes this sub-forum with. I agree, it's always a **** storm in here. I have never seen anyone admit they were wrong or switch sides and agree with the person they were debating. My mind is made up even though I don't know any of the details and you can't change my opinion no matter what you say. We all just pick a side and we stand there guarding the fence. That's how this area works.
