This will get you fired up!

[threebeachboys]

Pam, I agree that you should be proud of your heritage.  I have one of those too.   But I would never say I was a German-American....  
 
 
I am an American with a German heritage.   American should be first.

A agree - if you'll notice, I have "Italian-American" in quotes. . . . . everyone is a "something-American" (somtimes many things!).  Sort of trying to get that point across - we can all call ourselves "xxxxxx-American" if we want to; but it seems counter-productive as we are all, like you said, American first.

Pam

[AustinBoston]

I'd just love to look at all your phone records to see if any of you bothered to do what he said to do.

Everybody's ready to shoot off their mouth, but nobody's willing to do anything.

Austin

[CajunCamper]

I'd just love to look at all your phone records to see if any of you bothered to do what he said to do.

Everybody's ready to shoot off their mouth, but nobody's willing to do anything.

Austin

AustinBoston....Damn Son where have you been? It's good to see you. We need you around here to stir up the pot every now and then.

By the way I have emailed and called my U.S. Congressman and asked him point blank where he stood on certain issues. Still waiting on a response and that's been almost three weeks.

Hope you have been well.

CajunCamper

[BirdMan]

AustinBoston brings up an excellent point.  The last presidential election only brought out about 52% of eligible voters.  That means 48% of everyone you know did not vote.  What a disgrace!  In 1886 there was over 89% of Americans voting.  The last time the USA had higher then a 60% turnout to vote was in 1968 and I believe it was around 65%.

Personally, I have ZERO friends that are eligible to vote and don't.  About ten years ago is when I started reading up on this and also started poling my so called friends.  As far as I am concerned anyone that does not vote should be shipped out of the country.  Better yet take those 48% of non-voting so called Americans and send them to Iraq to fight for our country.  

Maybe it is time for mandatory voting laws.

[JAL&JKL]

Got a point.  When I leave the mountain to go to San Bernardino, I feel like I've entered a foreign country.  Wasn't like that thirty years ago when I moved here.

1967 TO 1970 the years we lived in Colton, CA outside of San Bernardino and husband was stationed at Norton AFB -- San Bernardino was a HIGH percentage Mexican population, even then.

[AustinBoston]

By the way I have emailed and called my U.S. Congressman and asked him point blank where he stood on certain issues. Still waiting on a response and that's been almost three weeks.

You may hear from him as soon as he completes the public opinion survey and finds out what he thinks you want to hear.

The real issue isn't that we don't apply pressure to congress, it is that we don't take third party candidates seriously.  If you carefully consider the platforms of either party, once you get beyond the rhetoric, they are only inches apart, and the platforms really only serve one issue - more power for us.

I figured this out about 1994, and have, at every level,  voted almost exclusively for candidates who are not a part of either of the "big two," even when I was voting for someone who stood for something I strongly opposed.  When there is no third party candidate, I vote for the non-incumbent.

The so called "voter apathy" is not really voter apathy, it is a large group of people who have come to the conclusion that it doesn't make any difference.  Surprise, surprise, neither party is trying to get their votes, either.

BTW, don't expect to see a lot of me.

Austin

[CajunCamper]

You may hear from him as soon as he completes the public opinion survey and finds out what he thinks you want to hear.

The real issue isn't that we don't apply pressure to congress, it is that we don't take third party candidates seriously.  If you carefully consider the platforms of either party, once you get beyond the rhetoric, they are only inches apart, and the platforms really only serve one issue - more power for us.

I figured this out about 1994, and have, at every level,  voted almost exclusively for candidates who are not a part of either of the "big two," even when I was voting for someone who stood for something I strongly opposed.  When there is no third party candidate, I vote for the non-incumbent.

The so called "voter apathy" is not really voter apathy, it is a large group of people who have come to the conclusion that it doesn't make any difference.  Surprise, surprise, neither party is trying to get their votes, either.

BTW, don't expect to see a lot of me.

Austin

You make a good point in theory.....I vote for the person not the party, but to vote for someone you strongly oppose just to make a point is a little idiotic don't you think. I would love to vote for someone that wasn't running from one of the "big two" parties, but up until now they have all been kooks, flakes and loosers.

BTW did you move to Grumpville Minn. What happened to the fun loving Austin we used to see posting here. I hope things are okay with you and yours.

CajunCAmper

[AustinBoston]

You make a good point in theory.....I vote for the person not the party, but to vote for someone you strongly oppose just to make a point is a little idiotic don't you think.

No, in fact, if a large enough number of people did so, the serious politicians would realize they are in danger.  The founding fathers believed that was imporatnt - the rulers should be afraid of the people, not the other way around.

I would love to vote for someone that wasn't running from one of the "big two" parties, but up until now they have all been kooks, flakes and loosers.

At least, that's the way the media presents them.  But a cook, flake, or looser is not necessarily a cheat, theif, or liar, which is true of just about 100% of the "big two."  If they weren't all dirty, how could known killers, child molesters, and rapists stay in congress?  These people fear nothing, because they have all the power.

BTW did you move to Grumpville Minn. What happened to the fun loving Austin we used to see posting here. I hope things are okay with you and yours.

Well, I don't know.  I took some time off from all on-line forums and newsgroups (which included astronomy, live sound reinforcement, photography, camping, and more) because I'd reached the point where I felt I was not making a positive contribution to any of them.  I'm starting to dabble a bit, but it may turn out to be like a true addicition; if I find myself going downhill again, I will be gone for good.

Austin

[CajunCamper]

Well, I don't know.  I took some time off from all on-line forums and newsgroups (which included astronomy, live sound reinforcement, photography, camping, and more) because I'd reached the point where I felt I was not making a positive contribution to any of them.  I'm starting to dabble a bit, but it may turn out to be like a true addicition; if I find myself going downhill again, I will be gone for good.

Austin

Austin, don't feel obligated to make a positive contribution. Just come and hang out with us at the campfire and sit back prop your feet up and when you feel like getting into the conversation, then do so and if you don't then just sit back and relax.

Remember, this is our place to let the stress of the day melt away and be with our friends that enjoy camping in the great outdoors like we do.

No pressure.

CajunCamper