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US Looks Really Screwed up from the Outside Looking in

CanadaJohn

Canadian Conservative
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Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??
 
What would you, an outsider, recommend as solutions? I am interested to hear your opinion.

EDIT: as far as the candidates... I can tell you that the reason we have Trump and that Bernie Sanders almost had a chance , is because a LOT of people are tired of politics as usual... at least imho.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Your OPINION is noted.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??
I think it is being hyped up quite a but, the fundamentals are still in place to prevent much real damage.
I perceive Hillery as more dangerous than Trump, but others disagree.
 
To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Considering the extremely high rate of continually voting in incumbents....most here are obviously not embarrassed.

Plenty of us are though. Have been for years.
However if you speak that out loud you're often called bad names and told to go live somewhere else.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

While an issue, being loved is not really a qualification for president. To use an example, Margaret Thatcher was pretty hated, but also really effective for the UK.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

Differing opinions on what really complex laws mean is not being unable to honor their oaths of office.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

Hard to argue that one, but realize that most of us are not gun nuts or anti-gun nuts. It is just that those groups make a ****ton of noise.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There was a sit-in in your home town recently. And protests are part of politics.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Could be worse: we could be Canada.
 
While an issue, being loved is not really a qualification for president. To use an example, Margaret Thatcher was pretty hated, but also really effective for the UK.



Differing opinions on what really complex laws mean is not being unable to honor their oaths of office.



Hard to argue that one, but realize that most of us are not gun nuts or anti-gun nuts. It is just that those groups make a ****ton of noise.



There was a sit-in in your home town recently. And protests are part of politics.



Could be worse: we could be Canada.

BAM! A savage right cross drops the Canuckistanian to the mat.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Hate to break it to you.. but it has looked like that since 2000 when Bush was handed the election by a court..
 
What would you, an outsider, recommend as solutions? I am interested to hear your opinion.

EDIT: as far as the candidates... I can tell you that the reason we have Trump and that Bernie Sanders almost had a chance , is because a LOT of people are tired of politics as usual... at least imho.

I don't really have any solutions - it was just an observation of mine because it seems to be getting progressively worse. I would say that compromise and consensus building seems to have vanished in the US where it once was pretty common and expected in political leaders. Seems today popularity is just a matter of who can yell the loudest and who can be most disrespectful of opposing views. Personally, I think you're diminished as a result.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Hypothetical, in his post immediately following your OP, nailed it. It isn't so much embarrassment as frustration. Hillary is the darling of the unembarrassed, i.e. those who think Barack Obama has been wonderful and who don't care what she will or won't accomplish. They are happy with the status quo, especially if the left continues to force its will on the whole. She may be thoroughly unlikable, dishonest, corrupt, but she won't rock the boat, therefore she is good.

Trump is nobody's darling, but he is the only chance millions of us see to break down the status quo and effect some absolutely necessary change if America is not going to continue to decline in options, choices, opportunity, personal wealth and personal liberties. We'll take the unlikable side of him to accomplish that. Trump supporters don't place their loyalties in a person but rather in the good of the country and humankind in general.
 
While an issue, being loved is not really a qualification for president. To use an example, Margaret Thatcher was pretty hated, but also really effective for the UK.



Differing opinions on what really complex laws mean is not being unable to honor their oaths of office.



Hard to argue that one, but realize that most of us are not gun nuts or anti-gun nuts. It is just that those groups make a ****ton of noise.



There was a sit-in in your home town recently. And protests are part of politics.



Could be worse: we could be Canada.

I disagree with some of your comments, but I'll accept the shot at Canada considering the clown voters here just put into the Prime Minister's office.
 
Hate to break it to you.. but it has looked like that since 2000 when Bush was handed the election by a court..

Well, I don't agree. After all, the 2000 election was 10 months before 9/11 and a lot changed on that date.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

Not as embarrassed as I'd be to be an Argos fan! (little levity for you)
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

you-jelly.jpg
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

It doesn't look sad just from the outside in.
But what are we to be embarrassed about? How and what can we do different, and do we really have a choice in the matter? Power seeks to keep power. Most of us are helplessly sitting by, watching the oncoming train.
You got room up there?
 
I don't really have any solutions - it was just an observation of mine because it seems to be getting progressively worse. I would say that compromise and consensus building seems to have vanished in the US where it once was pretty common and expected in political leaders. Seems today popularity is just a matter of who can yell the loudest and who can be most disrespectful of opposing views. Personally, I think you're diminished as a result.


Which is an indication that we are highly polarized in our political beliefs on either side at this time in our history.
 
What you are seeing is an internal struggle between people that want America to be America and love the constitution against the liberals that hate America and the constitution and want us to be converted into a utopia like they have in Venezuela.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

Yeah, if there's one human I wouldn't want to have a beer with, it's Clinton. And let's not pretend I would learn anything from her. If we were twelve drinks in she wouldn't reveal a damn thing.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

Well, that's less the fault of the Supreme Court and more the fault that the SC is a member shy, and the judges are going to disagree because they're human. And they're rendering decisions, whether you agree with them or not, so they're honoring the oaths of their offices.
3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

Can you really blame us for being concerned that over 200,000 people have been murdered due to guns since 1995? If anything, going by the numbers alone, you should wonder why we're so obsessed with terrorism, which has killed under 3500 people since that same year.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

Welcome to earth.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

You have no idea.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??


Yes. What do you want me to do about it?
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

I for one am not only embarrassed, but damn right DISGUSTED by what's going on. This election cycle is worse than any other election prior to this one.

I will note however that regarding Trump and Hillary...no one sensible can actually run. In order to run you need millions and millions of dollars. This leaves out all but the top 1% of the people in the US. Everyone is supposed to be able to run for President but in reality the only ones that actually can are rich people. And even they can have a hard time of it as evidenced by all those that dropped out of the race due to lack of funds.
 
It doesn't look sad just from the outside in.
But what are we to be embarrassed about? How and what can we do different, and do we really have a choice in the matter? Power seeks to keep power. Most of us are helplessly sitting by, watching the oncoming train.
You got room up there?

We all have issues - I just find the US is getting incredible emotional and a little irrational in how you deal with things. Everything seems to be a big drama play. I guess the sight of John Lewis, whom I've admired even if I don't agree with his politics, stooping to a silly publicity stunt on the floor of Congress was the tipping point.

We've got tons of room up here, but you've got a great country well worth working on and protecting.
 
What you are seeing is an internal struggle between people that want America to be America and love the constitution against the liberals that hate America and the constitution and want us to be converted into a utopia like they have in Venezuela.

That's certainly one expression of what's going on and is consistent with the point I was making.
 
Just looking at the political climate in the US these days, people like me on the outside are wondering what the hell's in the water there and when is the insanity going to stop?

Some issues of note:

1. Two Presidential candidates that everyone seems to pretty much hate and nobody wants as President.

2. A Supreme Court that is totally dysfunctional, unable to honor their oaths of office because too many believe they have a higher obligation to ideology and thus all votes are deadlocked and nothing is settled.

3. An obsession with guns and gun violence that never ceases and each side on the political spectrum use the issue to pander to their followers with nothing gained.

4. An adolescent Congress where grown men and women sit on the floor in a hissy fit because they lack the power to force others to their will on an issue where there is no consensus in the general public for any particular action.

There are others, but that should set the tone.

To my friends in America, aren't you a little embarrassed by what is happening in your great country??

That's a fair assessment, John. In the U.S. the people get the government they deserve. People continue and continue and continue to vote for the incumbents at state and local levels and are somehow shocked at the incredible amount of corruption in government.

At national level people really don't want that much change at all. I always get a kick out of people screaming for Congress to vote for term limits. Sheeeit! Congress isn't about to release their death grip on a sweet deal. All that is required for term limits is for the people to stop voting for the bastards who have been in office over two terms. BUT THE PUBLIC WON'T ACT ON ITS OWN. Sadly Americans by and large do not participate in their own government. Let someone else do it is the American mantra.

Americans are most concerned about who uses the public bathroom.
Americans by and large believe that the U.S. is a democracy.
Americans continue to believe that freedom rules in the U.S. more than any other place on earth.
Americans would rather do just about anything than participate in their own governance.
Americans by and large aren't informed voters.
 
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