Elections are no longer about presidents

[DBCowboy]

. . . . they are about ideology.

Way back when, we used to be able to pretend that both parties wanted the same thing, they just had different ways of going about it.

That's all gone now.

We want different things now.

Some want freedom, others welcome a soft tyranny.

"Soft tyranny is an idea first developed by Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1835 work titled Democracy in America.[sup][1][/sup] It is described as the individualist preference for equality and its pleasures, requiring the state – as a tyrant majority or a benevolent authority – to step in and adjudicate.[sup][2][/sup] In this regime, political leaders operate under a blanket of restrictions and, while it retains the practical virtues of democracy, citizens influence policymaking through bureaucrats and non-governmental organizations.[sup][3][/sup] This is distinguished from despotism or tyranny (hard tyranny) in the sense that state of government in such democratic society is composed of guardians who hold immense and tutelary (protective) power.[sup][4]"[/sup]
Soft tyranny - Wikipedia

That's why people will vote for a convicted felon vs a dementia-riddled old man.

Their either voting against the opponent's ideology or for their own.

[MykeNukem]

- I may not agree with what you say, but I'll die defending your right to say it.
- I may not agree with your politics, but we'll have a race and whoever wins, wins.
- I may not agree with your religion or beliefs, but I'll die defending them.
- I may not agree with your political leanings, but I'll never use my office as a punishment tool.
- I may not agree with your sexual preferences, but, you do you, I'll mind my business, you mind yours.


WTF happened to the above?

Slow boiled..

 

[DBCowboy]

- I may not agree with what you say, but I'll die defending your right to say it.
- I may not agree with your politics, but we'll have a race and whoever wins, wins.
- I may not agree with your religion or beliefs, but I'll die defending them.
- I may not agree with your political leanings, but I'll never use my office as a punishment tool.
- I may not agree with your sexual preferences, but, you do you, I'll mind my business, you mind yours.


WTF happened to the above?

Slow boiled..

 

Serious truth there!

[Maxmars]

I think it's more than the politicians.... it's the theater.

What we may "believe" the politician stands for is the determinant... and in the end it translates to what the politician can 'make you believe.'  To that end the entire party uses tools of persuasion like memes, political hackery, and sloganeering...  all to make you believe.

But the politician is not the "leader" in most cases.  The party is not the politician, and their support requires "concessions."  Those concessions always straddle the line between tyranny and reason.  When we lost the fourth estate to the highest bidder (in terms of "free speech - "money") we lost most of the potential for an "informed public."  Now it is they who disseminate misinformation, disinformation, and outright lies... all for a "patriotic" cause - if you ask them.  Disagree, and you're not patriotic.  Agree and your sheeple.

Now we see pink slime sites professing 'truth' about political aims... and most people eat it up, consuming it as they have been conditioned to do for generations.

I would like to vote for leadership... but that's not actually on the ballot anymore... only the "show."

[DBCowboy]

I think it's more than the politicians.... it's the theater.

What we may "believe" the politician stands for is the determinant... and in the end it translates to what the politician can 'make you believe.'  To that end the entire party uses tools of persuasion like memes, political hackery, and sloganeering...  all to make you believe.

But the politician is not the "leader" in most cases.  The party is not the politician, and their support requires "concessions."  Those concessions always straddle the line between tyranny and reason.  When we lost the fourth estate to the highest bidder (in terms of "free speech - "money") we lost most of the potential for an "informed public."  Now it is they who disseminate misinformation, disinformation, and outright lies... all for a "patriotic" cause - if you ask them.  Disagree, and you're not patriotic.  Agree and your sheeple.

Now we see pink slime sites professing 'truth' about political aims... and most people eat it up, consuming it as they have been conditioned to do for generations.

I would like to vote for leadership... but that's not actually on the ballot anymore... only the "show."

It's too late to vote for leadership.

We can only vote for ideology now.

[FlyingClayDisk]

I think it's more than the politicians.... it's the theater.

What we may "believe" the politician stands for is the determinant... and in the end it translates to what the politician can 'make you believe.'  To that end the entire party uses tools of persuasion like memes, political hackery, and sloganeering...  all to make you believe.

But the politician is not the "leader" in most cases.  The party is not the politician, and their support requires "concessions."  Those concessions always straddle the line between tyranny and reason.  When we lost the fourth estate to the highest bidder (in terms of "free speech - "money") we lost most of the potential for an "informed public."  Now it is they who disseminate misinformation, disinformation, and outright lies... all for a "patriotic" cause - if you ask them.  Disagree, and you're not patriotic.  Agree and your sheeple.

Now we see pink slime sites professing 'truth' about political aims... and most people eat it up, consuming it as they have been conditioned to do for generations.

I would like to vote for leadership... but that's not actually on the ballot anymore... only the "show."

You speak of "theater" frequently when it comes to politics.  I choose to see it a different way...money and power.

These "idiots" may love the limelight, but they are "idiots" none the less.  "Thespians", as you have called them...they are nothing of the sort!  They are merely greedy, needy, "little people" who don't have any other existence in our society other than politics...they are PARASITES!  Purely, and simply...PARASITES!  Evil vermin who have no mission greater than bettering themselves.  This isn't about the "show", this is about "THEM", and ONLY "them".  Period.

I've grown tired of this notion there is some sort of "theater" going on here, or the notion there are any "thespians" at all behind it.  Simply put, these people at the forefront of politics today are CRIMINALS...every...last...one...of...them!  Period!!

Okay, I'll admit something here...I like Trump more than I like Biden because I believe Trump is one person....Biden is not even real, he's multiple things; Biden is the BORG!  So yes, I will vote for the "lesser to two evils", BUT in this case, it truly IS the lesser of two truly "EVILS".

You have a choice.  You can choose ultimate stupidity, and not knowing who you are really selecting as the leader of the strongest nation in the free world, OR, you can at least elect someone you can touch, someone you can impeach.  You can't do this with Biden.  Why?  Because he's not REAL, he just isn't!  Biden is a puppet, and someone "else" is pulling Biden's strings....someone YOU did NOT elect!