Brookings Institution: Thomas Mann- ‘Election 2016: The Dumbing Down of American Politics’

Source:Brookings Institution– The commander in chief of American political stupidity. He just beat out both Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann for that dishonor.

Source:The Daily Review

“Editor’s Note: This post was originally published by the Institute of Governmental Studies. Thomas Mann is also Resident Scholar at IGS.

Donald Trump and the Amen chorus of Republican presidential aspirants may have appeared to monopolize the capacity to make fantastical claims about what’s wrong with America and how to fix it. But a rival has appeared on the scene, outlining a very different fantasy plan to run for president on the Democratic side of the aisle.”

From the Brookings Institution

“I do not own this video. this is my tribute and way of promoting George Carlin’s work. But I’m sure they will still remove this. Anyway enjoy it while it’s here.”

Source:Dub Eye– the great political satirist George Carlin.

From Dub Eye

The Dumbing Down of American Politics, so I guess American politics had reached a new low and American voters are now borderline retarded. And vote for people based on what realty shows they watch, or who they’re favorite celebrities are, or do they have the same smart phone. Wait, Americans voters already vote for candidates based on those things. How else do you explain our last two president’s. Neither one of them became president based on their deep knowledge of the issues, or their brilliant resumes. But because they’re likable and the country was looking for something different. And this coming from someone who voted for Barack Obama twice. But not because I think he’s like totally awesome, or whatever. But because he was the best person for the job.

I don’t think American politics can get any dumber. The presidential election is already a popularity contest. The candidate who gets the voters to personally like them the most for whatever the reasons tends to get the job. The most important job and election in the world is not rewarded to the person who has the best economic, national security, or foreign policies, but to the person who looks the most Hollywood, lets says. The person whose seen as the hippest. And a lot of our Congressional races both House and Senate are decided that way as well. That is you get a billionaire like a Donald Trump, who the whole country knows from his so-called realty TV show, looking like a contender for the Republican presidential nomination.

As George Carlin, politicians are us. They’re the people they represent. They weren’t beamed down here from Star Trek, or someplace to play career politicians on TV. They live and come from our communities and speak the language of the people they live with and share the same politics. And what career politicians do, that is people who get a heart attack at the even thought of having to have a real job and work outside of government and perhaps go back to selling shoes, or auto insurance, is take advantage of the communities that they come from. And the more extreme the community they represent, the more extreme rhetoric. Whether they actually believe the bullshit that they’re saying, or not.

If Americans want better politicians and politics, they need to be better voters. The only ways someone like a Donald Trump can get on the national scene is, that he’s a billionaire. who had his own so-called reality show and that there a lot of dumb voters in America who believe Latinos are invading America and raping their daughters , trying to occupy America as if they were a Western ISIS and want to create a Greater Mexico. And oh by the way. They believe Latinos are stealing their fast food, food service, retail and agriculture jobs. That most Americans wouldn’t take even if it meant they would have to starve. And what The Donald does, is play to those fears of a very ignorant people who simply don’t know any better.

American voters should look at politicians and political candidates the same way they look at buying a car, or house, or clothes, What’s the best purchase for them based on the money that they can afford to spend on that purchase and exactly who’ll represent them best with that purchase. And stop looking at American politics likes it’s a game show, or beauty contest. But instead whose the best candidate for the job based on how they would vote, or what policies they would push and what they would do for the country. Who would best defend, promote and develop the country so the most Americans possible can live well here. Instead of voting for people based on what they’re favorite movies, or entertainers are and do they watch celebrity TV and so-forth and so on.

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Cavett Biter: Video: The Dick Cavett Show: Bob Hope Talks About Golf and Politicians, From 1972

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This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on WordPress

As far as aging, again just a number and I know that sounds as clever as the glass is only half-empty or something, but that’s exactly what it is, a number. So do with those numbers and you get a new one once a year anyway, the best that you can, if you want to live a long time and you’ll have a very good if not great life. Just look at Bob Hope who was, what seventy-years old at this point in 1972. And he lived an additional thirty-years and worked for most of that time as well. If you think of yourself as old, that is exactly what you’ll be, because that is how you’ll treat yourself. But if you want to stay young and at least energetic, strong and healthy, you’ll do what you need to make those things happen for yourself.

Golf if one of things that I may still never do, even if there’s nothing else to do. “Golf or staring at the wall all day? Hum, looks like this wall has been painted recently. What kind of paint did you use? Did it take a lot of time to paint this wall?” Of course I would choose staring at a wall over golf! Because that would be about just as exciting for me as playing golf. Me on a golf course would like, “come one take your shot already, I’m tired of just standing here. It is hot and I’m sweating my balls off. Its my turn to swing and miss at the ball, or hit it to another golf course”.

As far as president’s playing golf, no wonder nothing gets done in Congress. They are all at the golf course including Senators and Representatives and a lot of times together. To take President Obama’s and Speaker Boehner’s example. Because when the President is not playing golf, he’s doing boring things like managing the latest crisis in the Middle East, or negotiating for the release for some American hostage. And when members of Congress aren’t playing golf, they’re raising money, or trying to convince their lobbyists, that nothing will get done in this Congress. Or banging their mistress. Come to think of it, maybe golf would be a good game for me.

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The Onion: Landmark Supreme Court Decision- Lets Americans Cram Cash Directly Into Politicians Mouths

Source: The Onion– U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D, Virginia 

Source: The New Democrat

What the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance did last week was, essentially, to make bribery legal so that members of Congress will no longer have to feel guilty about taking money for voting for this or voting for that. Or in the case of the U.S. Senate, voting to not vote, if you are familiar with the Senate cloture rule. If you are familiar with the Senate cloture rule, you are probably qualified to teach Greek or ancient Mongolian history because the cloture rule is just as complicated.

Free speech? Give me a break, we are now talking about paid speech. The people with the most money have the most influence, which has always been the case in Congress. The only thing these Supreme Court decisions have done is to make that legal. Congressional influence will be sold to the highest bidder. Policy luncheons and committee hearings will be replaced by fundraisers and get together in private clubs and junkets where only the members of Congress who are the best boys and girls at delivering what special interests want are invited.

I wonder if I can get out of paying taxes at all if I just stuff a thousand dollars down my representative’s or senator’s throat. Or, say that I owe this much in taxes. How about I just give it to you, Senator Smith or Representative Jones, and write it off of my taxes. I get out of paying income taxes and you get the money you need to get reelected and we can do the same thing again in a couple of years. This might sound like an exaggeration but Americans politics is now at the point where public service, whatever the hell that is anymore, is now private service to the highest bidder.

We now have a Representative from Virginia, Jim Moran, a Democrat for whom I have a lot of respect and like politically. No joke, I really do, (with only one finger behind my back). He has the balls to say that members of Congress are underpaid. No, seriously, he actually said that. This guy only works half the year, lives full-time in Alexandria and gets to go home every night. Only a handful of members of Congress get to do that. Representative Moran makes $174K per year as a part-time worker.

$174K a year is the average salary for an associate lawyer. What does he do with the rest of his time and spend all of his money on? Wait, I’ve got it, he needs more money to pay for more fundraisers or, perhaps, to hire people to stuff money down his throat so he can keep getting reelected. Yeah, that’s it. Guess what, that is not what the people who live in his district, who can’t afford to make big political contributions, are paying him to do.
The Source: Landmark Supreme Court Decision Lets Americans Cram Cash Directly into Politician’s Mouths

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The Onion: Anthony Weiner: ‘Announces Bid For Whatever’s Left’

Source:The Onion– unemployed New York City career politician Anthony Weiner, desperate for work at taxpayers expense.

“Apple unveils a panicked man with no ideas, Bashar Al-Assad tries a tiny bit of sarin gas on himself to see what it’s like, and a billboard alerts commuters to the existence of a situational comedy starring stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld. It’s the week of September 13, 2013. For more breaking news: The Onion.”

From The Onion

Too bad for Anthony Weiner, or can we call him Tony now: I mean seriously, why is The Weiner the only man in America that can’t go by a nickname? Does his sexting scandal really make his so much more special than anyone else?

Too bad his first name isn’t Richard and he’s not short, because Little Dick would’ve been the perfect nickname for him. I hear there are real job openings for real jobs out there in New York City and perhaps Tony should apply for one of them. Unless the job requires him to keep his pants on the whole time he is working. Perhaps Tony should look for a real job and get out of politics.

Apparently Tony Weiner is the only career politician/workaholic who can’t find a job. So that would be something that would make him special. If you saw The Onion report about the guy with the 42,000 jobs back in 2012, maybe that is why Tony can’t find one, because that workaholic has every job that was still available in New York City.

Being a workaholic without a job must be tough. That would be like a fish with no water and trying to learn how to swim. Or being an institutionalized prison inmate who has spent most of your life in prison and learning that every prison and jail in America is about to be closed. And you’ll be released on the outside as a result.

With Tony Weiner’s professional background and that the fact that he’s a Weiner, he shouldn’t have any real trouble finding work in New York City. Wait, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg closed down most of the strip clubs in New York. So maybe Tony will support the nanny state less now since it is now costing him work that he’s qualified for. But he’s a former U.S. Representative and sexter, so he would be perfect in Washington, if he wants to come back. And he could get himself involved in sexy scandals there, without worrying about it costing him his job.

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