McCain picks Alaska governor Sarah Palin as VP runningmate

[Relambrien]

travman, that is the face of America. Sadly, most voters are probably like that. Caring about one thing that will most likely be irrelevant in the big picture.

It kind of makes you wonder. Democracy developed out of the quest for a meritocracy, in the belief that the majority of the people will be right. And if they aren't, at least the majority are happy.

But when people don't respect that and abuse their voting rights, it's just sad. It really is too bad there's no way to determine who is objectively the "best" person for a position. That would make things so much easier...but not nearly as eventful.

[foilman8805]

Originally Posted by fido123

This is why I'm so angry that America is such a powerful nation but so many people don't take voting seriously or are really too ****ing stupid to vote. I also hate that saying "Vote for whom you would rather have a beer with". Do you want a smart intelligent man who shares the same morals and standards of the people or your beer buddy to be one of the most powerful men/women in the world. It sickens me, I know not all American's are like that but it still urks me.

You need to stop saying this, because it absolutely irks me.

Did you hear this on the Colbert Report or something? Because I can't imagine how you'd gather the kind of information necessary to form that opinion.

Also, you live in ****ing Canada.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by foilman8805

You need to stop saying this, because it absolutely irks me.

Did you hear this on the Colbert Report or something? Because I can't imagine how you'd gather the kind of information necessary to form that opinion.

I actually heard that saying on NewsTalk 1010 radio about a year ago and I still remember it because I find it appalling. I'm simply saying what Rel is saying...so many voters are idiots and shouldn't be voting because they vote for the wrong reasons.

[OrganisM]

The problem is that the educated few can't outweigh the stupid majority.

For ****'s sake, after we saw what Bush did, we went and elected him AGAIN! Who the **** is that out of their mind stupid?

[foilman8805]

Originally Posted by fido123

I actually heard that saying on NewsTalk 1010 radio.

So you're saying we should take away someone's right to vote?

I'll agree with you that there are a lot of people that are politically uneducated, but that doesn't necessarily mean that their vote should be taken away.

Do you seriously think that people vote for who they'd rather have a ****ing beer with? Are you that simple? And I bolded a word in your quote to show you what your opinion merely is.

It's a saying, and I think it was pretty clearly said in jest.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by foilman8805

So you're saying we should take away someone's right to vote?

I'll agree with you that there are a lot of people that are politically uneducated, but that doesn't necessarily mean that their vote should be taken away.

Do you seriously think that people vote for who they'd rather have a ****ing beer with? Are you that simple? And I bolded a word in your quote to show you what your opinion merely is.

It's a saying, and I think it was pretty clearly said in jest.

Some people are really that stupid and ignorant. It's hard to take away somebodies right to vote and really, no system could be devised to do it but I wish it could be done...won't though.

[clarinet89]

So, back to the topic at hand...


Personally, I think that this is a bad choice for McCain. She seems even more inexperienced that Obama and perhaps being from Alaska, she could be out of touch with the rest of America's concerns.

[Gano]

Oh hey this is news to me :O

[Jamaican Jew]

Originally Posted by fido123

Some people are really that stupid and ignorant. It's hard to take away somebodies right to vote and really, no system could be devised to do it but I wish it could be done...won't though.

This begs the question: Who do we allow to decide who is or is not 'worthy' of voting? Or maybe you'd prefer we went back to literacy tests? This, in theory, sounds like a good idea, but then who would fabricate those?

And would the corruption such scenarios would undoubtably give rise to really be any better, or worse, than the system we have now?

Also:

Originally Posted by clarinet89

She seems even more inexperienced that Obama and perhaps being from Alaska, she could be out of touch with the rest of America's concerns.

Yeah, people living in Alaska and Hawaii have no idea what's going on in the continental United States. =/

PS, my mom just tried to tell me that I shouldn't count Palin out because of her inexperience, since Obama isn't really experienced either.
My attempts to bring up that he's more experienced than she is, at least, seemed to have no effect.

I think my mom just really wants a female president.

[ShAiOnEi]

**** it, either way both candidates seem kinda sketchy about filling in the shoes of president. I assure you either of them won't be re-elected for another term.

[Jamaican Jew]

That's what we thought about Bush, too.
You can see how that turned out.

[foilman8805]

Originally Posted by Jamaican Jew

I think my mom just really wants a female president.

And women say men only think with their dicks...

[Anatoli]

Originally Posted by Jamaican Jew

That's what we thought about Bush, too.
You can see how that turned out.

The fact that Bush was even elected once proves how stupid America is.

Twice? That's a huge mental handicap.

But the day McCain takes office is the day I renounce humanity.

And on the Palin note, she's really inexperinced compared to Joe Biden (Obama's veep mate).

[NFD]

I love the Colbert Report and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, so shut your face foilman, >:/, also, Alaskan woman? Now he has 0% chance.

[Bahamut-X]

Originally Posted by foilman8805

Do you seriously think that people vote for who they'd rather have a ****ing beer with?

I just had to comment on this.

Given this statement you seem really blind to the mindset of the majority of American voters, which is overwhelmingly one that doesn't dive very deeply into politics. My English teacher last year would often talk about how many, many Americans will walk into the voting booth not even knowing who they'll vote for. Most Americans don't take elections seriously, which is extremely disappointing.

[foilman8805]

Originally Posted by Bahamut-X

My English teacher last year would often talk about how many, many Americans will walk into the voting booth not even knowing who they'll vote for. Most Americans don't take elections seriously, which is extremely disappointing.

Cite some sources for that and I'll gladly admit that Americans are stupid, but your English teacher won't be adequate for me.

I can just as easily say to you that my English professor said that most Americans have an idea of who they are voting for when they get to the polls, but the media likes to portray most Americans as superficial and voting for who looks the best, or some other ridiculous reason.

Also, take into account all the people who just flat out don't vote. You would think that the people who do go to vote have, at the very minimum, an idea of who they are voting for. That's probably why they got off their butts to vote to begin with.

[Lucifericrucifix]

Originally Posted by Relambrien

This can work one of two ways for McCain.

1) The Clinton supporters flock to McCain's side because he picked a woman VP and on the higher-chance that he kicks the bucket, we'll have a female president.

2) The Clinton supporters feel offended that McCain thinks such an obvious trick will work on them and do as Clinton recommends--support Obama.

Honestly, besides being next in line for the role of President of the United States and arguably the most powerful position on Earth, but even as VP she'll be the President of the Senate. Someone with that little experience in running politics leading the Senate? It seems pretty unlikely to me. I mean, Obama has a few years of being a Senator under his belt, but Palin has no national government experience whatsoever. If she was an extremely promising politician that learns and adapts quickly, then I could overlook that, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

I believe the title (President of Senate) is indeed important (traditionally?) but the actual position of being that isn't as much as say, an actual Senate member who votes (as opposed to breaks even votes, if I remember correctly.) So that's not so much a worry really.

As for her being picked for a VP...It's a somewhat interesting decision (albeit blatantly tactical I think) considering how ambivalent some people seem to be about this election. Hopefully this doesn't help in providing McCain with a substantial amount of votes.

[Crashfan3]

Foilman, I'm sure that at least once or twice in your life you've come across people that can't seem to think past the end of their nose; these are the people that would mindlessly tack all the candidates' faces to a dartboard and whoever they hit is who they're voting for.

Also, I don't think I saw this come up in this thread, and I'm sure everyone already knows it already, but I'd like to voice this anyway for the sake of discussion.
McCain is picking someone from an Alaskan office as his VP. Alaska is one of America's great untapped sources of oil. Republicans like drilling oil. Hint, hint, wink, wink.

[Jamaican Jew]

Palin has made her support for increased drilling in Alaska blatantly clear. For example:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j...GqErwD92SKUA80

My favorite quote from this particular article:

No one is closer to the oil industry than Governor Palin," said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club in comments reflecting the views of a cross section of environmental activists. They cite her eagerness to embrace expanded offshore oil development, her lawsuit against further protection of polar bears so as not to hinder oil drilling in Alaska's ice-filled waters and her ardent support to allow oil companies into the Alaska wildlife refuge.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by foilman8805

Also, take into account all the people who just flat out don't vote. You would think that the people who do go to vote have, at the very minimum, an idea of who they are voting for. That's probably why they got off their butts to vote to begin with.

If you vote you should have a complete understanding of what each candidate will do, otherwise you shouldn't vote (or shouldn't be allowed to vote IMO). Personally if I were an American and 18 I wouldn't vote because I don't have a very good understanding of each candidates platform but I would probably educate myself on both sides with an unbiased view so I could vote.