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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 3:57 am Post subject: Democrats running away from American Public? |
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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/us/politics/07townhall.html?src=mv
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With images of overheated, finger-waving crowds still seared into their minds from the discontent of last August, many Democrats heeded the advice of party leaders and tried to avoid unscripted question-and-answer sessions. The recommendations were clear: hold events in controlled settings � a bank or credit union, for example � or tour local businesses or participate in community service projects.
And to reach thousands of constituents at a time, without the worry of being snared in an angry confrontation with voters, more lawmakers are also taking part in a fast-growing trend: the telephone town meeting, where chances are remote that a testy exchange will wind up on YouTube. |
It could be that the Republicans are doing the same thing. I have no idea, there hasn't been an article on that. The whole affair just seems a little undemocratic to me. I think Obama's big advantage was going into the Lion's Den and coming out unscathed. I think this is an indicator of just how precarious the Democrat's political hold is. |
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rollo
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:18 am Post subject: |
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| the country is totally fragmented. the Rethugs are feeling the heat also. long long recessions bring out the worst. the economy has gotten better but no jobs yet. this is the only time in my lifetime that people are actually cheering for the failure of a president. The ideologues are in control. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 5:13 am Post subject: |
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No surprise there. Given the current tensions in America, even politicians who would usually be safe are vulnerable to not only serious challenge from the opposing party, but primary challenges as well. Unscripted public messages are a risk with no reciprocal reward, so politicians will of course avoid them.
I can't say I see anything particularly undemocratic about it, though. Words are just words, it's ultimately how a politician will vote that matters, meaning constituents should be looking at the voting records of their representatives. That's the only sure insight they're going to get. Public events, press interaction, and so forth are just political tools, and people would do better to rely on them less. |
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.38 Special
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
I can't say I see anything particularly undemocratic about it, though. Words are just words, it's ultimately how a politician will vote that matters, meaning constituents should be looking at the voting records of their representatives. That's the only sure insight they're going to get. Public events, press interaction, and so forth are just political tools, and people would do better to rely on them less. |
Wiser words never spoken on the subject, comrade. Words are propaganda, especially if the people do not see it fit to hold a leader to his promises. Investigate their actions. Be also weary that the titles and summaries of laws may be misleading. Recently here in PA there was a proposed ban on smoking in public -- but because of how it was worded you had to vote for it in order to not have a ban. Pure shenanigans. |
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kinerry
Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:23 am Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
No surprise there. Given the current tensions in America, even politicians who would usually be safe are vulnerable to not only serious challenge from the opposing party, but primary challenges as well. Unscripted public messages are a risk with no reciprocal reward, so politicians will of course avoid them.
I can't say I see anything particularly undemocratic about it, though. Words are just words, it's ultimately how a politician will vote that matters, meaning constituents should be looking at the voting records of their representatives. That's the only sure insight they're going to get. Public events, press interaction, and so forth are just political tools, and people would do better to rely on them less. |
Only educated people check voting records, everyone else votes for the meme of the moment (whether true or not).
This is why we are a representative republic, everyday people aren't educated enough to know what is truly good for them. So they vote for people that we assume can.
Democrats are masters of waving carrots, and Republicans have become masters of word power and emotional manipulation (check out frank luntz on youtube sometime). It's all a Machiavellian game, we may not like it, but there's no other way for them to win it because you can't change human nature. |
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rollo
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| This is anecdotal but a glimpse. My hometown paper on its editorial page on most topics gets maybe at the most, twenty messages in response. Butan editorial about the rise of statism and tyranny got 275 and they were heavily anti Democrat. It is not so much the party but the direction the country is taking. The Dems are in for a whupping but the Repugs are not liked that much either. |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
I can't say I see anything particularly undemocratic about it, though. Words are just words, it's ultimately how a politician will vote that matters, meaning constituents should be looking at the voting records of their representatives. That's the only sure insight they're going to get. Public events, press interaction, and so forth are just political tools, and people would do better to rely on them less. |
A politican's stance is their word and its the only thing the public has to decide if they should be voted into office. They are not JUST words. They represent everything the politiican stands for. If they don't back up their words with action, they get voted out. A La Republican victors in 2000-2008 who get booted from Congress due to their words and their lack of action.
Words have destroyed political careers. GEorge Allen in Virginia had a commanding lead for the Senate Seat until he said "Macaca". "Macaca" was all it took for the left to brand him as a racist. He lost that race mere months later.
So no, words are not meaningless. The Democrats are effectively running away from public so that they can keep their own position in office. They are NOT answering to the public, nor are they doing anything to reassure their constituents that they are still the best person for the job.
If the Democrats run away from the public like this, and the Republican candidates are DOING the town halls and talking directly to the public, its going to bode badly for the Dems in Novermber. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
| Fox wrote: |
I can't say I see anything particularly undemocratic about it, though. Words are just words, it's ultimately how a politician will vote that matters, meaning constituents should be looking at the voting records of their representatives. That's the only sure insight they're going to get. Public events, press interaction, and so forth are just political tools, and people would do better to rely on them less. |
A politican's stance is their word and its the only thing the public has to decide if they should be voted into office. They are not JUST words. They represent everything the politiican stands for. |
No, their votes represent everything the politician stands for. Their words represent things that they think will make people more likely to vote for them.
| pkang0202 wrote: |
| Words have destroyed political careers. |
Yes, they have, and far more often than votes have. This is a major problem in our political system.
| pkang0202 wrote: |
| The Democrats are effectively running away from public so that they can keep their own position in office. They are NOT answering to the public, nor are they doing anything to reassure their constituents that they are still the best person for the job. |
Their voting records should speak for themselves. If a constituency is happy with a politicians record to date, they should vote for them again. If they aren't, they should vote them out.
| pkang0202 wrote: |
| If the Democrats run away from the public like this, and the Republican candidates are DOING the town halls and talking directly to the public, its going to bode badly for the Dems in Novermber. |
Given you're a Republican drone, that should make you very happy. Why are you complaining about a course of action you feel will benefit you? |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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Speaking of running away from the public.
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Before becoming the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Kentucky, Rand Paul welcomed questions and inquiries from the press. But after a tide of criticism for his belief that private businesses should have the right to discriminate based on race and physical ability, Paul restructured his staff and brought on National Republican Senatorial Committee help. Since the new leadership within the campaign, Paul has canceled on Meet the Press and refused to speak to non-ideological media, preferring the safe platform of Fox News. Last weekend, after a speech to Republican activists in the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Paul balked at the prospect of talking to local reporter Ryan Alessi. Paul instead instructed Alessi to �submit your questions to us and we�ll look at them�:
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ALESSI: Would you vote for the extension of the Medicaid reimbursement increase that the governors, at least thirty governors want?
PAUL: Why don�t you submit your questions to us and we�ll look at them.
ALESSI: You�re not going to answer any questions in person? |
Paul seems to be taking a page from other prominent conservative firebrands like Sarah Palin and Sharron Angle. Palin has refused to take direct questions from actual journalists, and she has a stipulation in her speaking contract that questions must be screened before audience members can ask her anything. Angle closed her campaign to only conservative media after winning the Republican nomination in Nevada. Since winning the Republican nomination, Paul has not only become less open, but has flipped on his position that he would not fund raise with Senators who voted for the bank bailout. |
I don't blame him. Any interview with real media (as opposed to Republican propaganda organizations) is going to force him between alienating the Libertarian dupes he has gulled into believing he's one of them, and alienating the general public that he needs the support of to get elected. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose by engaging actual media representatives. |
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