Or how I learned to stop caring about politics from Yahoo Answers.
It was just another slow wednesday afternoon at work, and I was 15 minutes away from my 3pm coffee. I was checking my yahoo account and down on the right side of the page was a picture of Nancy Pelosi. I like her so I clicked on the pic, it took me too Yahoo answers. Nancy was asking the Yahoo community about Global Warming; what they thought should be included in an upcoming bill.
I thought it was a cool idea, so I gave my two cents. Then I read some other answers and slowly became more and more horrified. Not that there weren't some good suggestions brought up by republicans and democrats both but, but there were so many vile, hateful responses to her and about her. What disgusted me most was just the obvious regurgitation of conservative talk radio. But it got me thinking. I wonder what else people are talking about on there, so I checked out the politics section. It got dirty. The first question I saw was from "Noam_Depix": Why are all Democrats anti-life Abortionists? ugh. Another one of his questions: If Obama bin HUSSEIN al Barack was born in Kenya, how can he run for president in the US? double ugh. Looking some more, I found some entertaining ones. From "RandomAverage_Joe" DEMS/REPS What kind of music do you listen to? Great question. Something we don't have to disagree on. I answered that one: "I make an attempt to like all music I hear. I love music." But music tastes even seemed split along party lines. I was discouraged.
There was so much negativity in all the posts and questions. Democrats were just as guilty too, slinging mud and the republicans. The Republicans seemed a heck of a lot more organized in their onslaught though. My least favorite question was: Why do Liberals hate freedom? I was just too ticked to continue reading. Who told this person that liberals hate freedom? It got me thinking and I decided to ask a question... feel free to answer it here too. Can we start with agreeing on the problems? Obviously we can't agree on any solutions yet. But can we even agree on what the problems actually are? Again answers, split along party lines. Republicans are worried about terrorism, immigration, and taxes. Democrats are worried about Iraq, the environment, education and healthcare. We both think we're right and the other is wrong. A stalemate. Why can't we even agree on what the problems are? That got me thinking again (it wasn't a real productive day at work today if you haven't guessed). Someone is telling us what the problems are based on their agendas, and their agendas are likely based on where they're getting lobbyist money.
Big Oil has frames every possible debate into their favor. Gas prices are high because there are not enough refineries, there aren't enough refineries because the environmental restrictions are too much, oh by the way global warming is junk science and it will cost way too much for the economy and you hate taxes too, and alaskan drilling will solve all these problems. Democrats frame everything too, we're just not nearly as good at it.
So let me answer my own question
The biggest problem facing this country is politics. It's time we got a new hobby.
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