On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 05:58:44 GMT, "Greg"
wrote:


But if you don't vote for anyone, it doesn't help or hurt them. If only 10
people vote and the other 100 mil sit on the sidelines, the candidates will
only worry about the 10.

I do vote - just not for dems or reps most of the time. And actually,
they do care about me more than the 10 who they know will vote dem or
rep. This is what they kept referring to as 'undecided voters'. The
major parties consider all of us who support 3rd parties to be 'in
play' and focus much of their activities on swinging us to their side,
esp in the 'battleground states'.


Didn't the south go from hardcore democrat to majority republican?

Much of this was due more to changes in the democratic party than
changes in the politics of the south which were always quite
conservative. As the democrats focused more on liberal issues and
minority/urban voting blocks the largely rural south found the
republicans looking better and better. I live in Georgia and have
seen the change here first hand. Many southern democrat politicians
have swapped teams as well as they found that neither they nor their
constituents could support the liberal agenda of the national
democratic party.

Remember that historically the democrats were the party of the
confederacy and the republicans the ones who freed the slaves and
pursued other social issues in the north. Over the intervening
century and a half the parties swapped roles while the south remained
very conservative (at least the white population while the black
population embraces the democrats.)

A good example of this change is Senator Zell Miller who was a
lifelong democrat who now sides clearly and completely with the
republican administration - I think he is probably the only senator to
have given a keynote address to both a democrat and a republican
presidential convention. He retired rather than become a republican
but clearly if you read his book he can no longer support the platform
of the democratic party.

What if you don't want to moderate your beliefs? I've already read some of
the excitable exchanges between Windies and Putt-putts. Do we moderate each
group and enforce a motorsailer solution for all?

Individuals often fight such changes but as society evolves we see it
happen. Civil rights in the south is a good example. Southern whites
had to be dragged kicking and screaming into reforming things in the
south but most have learned to adapt and accept the changes.

Ah, but won the majority of applicable states.

Yes, but again, I am not supporting the idea of states voting but
rather people's votes counting.


I'll add it to the list.

Its a worthwhile read

Essentially, I agree with you. Butttttttt..... I can't see using the federal
level to achieve the goal. The idea of moderation and everyone compromising
is an idea that I don't think works. Everyone has a range of items that
offend them, falling under religion, behavior, politics, etc. My impression
of your responses is that via the fed, our country could be melted into a
single compromising entity (correct me if wrong). I don't see people doing
that because most people have core beliefs they won't compromise on. I sure
do.

A lot of that is attributable to a two party, I win- you lose
political system instead of a multiparty system that requires the
building of coalitions to run the government which require us to focus
on the things we agree upon rather than trying to make our
disagreements into law.

So my approach would be moving the power to the states and lower and at
least allowing people to live in, say counties, that closely match their way
of life. Why should I in conservative north Alabama moderate how someone in
liberal New York city chooses to live?

Ah, but to do that we have to change the federal government which has
taken the last century and a half stripping the states of power while
the constitution states that other than the small number of enumerated
roles the constitution grants to the federal government all power
resides in the states. The movement to a federal income tax and then
federal funding back to the states vastly accelerated that process.

Well this is a discussion that will be going on way after our final cruise.
I don't see either system we desire popping up this century. Last word to
you?

Yep, it will continue as long as America does. Personally, I am
focusing more on boat building than politics. Alone on a sailboat in
mid ocean, what happens in Washington is of minimal importance.

As for windies versus putt-putts, the price of wind doesn't go up
based on the vagaries of international affairs.



Weebles Wobble
(but they don't fall down)