PoliWatch - Political Meanings http://poliwatch.org/ Headlines only scratch the surface! en Copyright 2012 Tue, 15 May 2012 03:31:43 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Tea Party Becoming Politicide Party With Tea Party challengers in GOP Primaries, and moderate Republican incumbents losing their primary bids, I have to question whether the liberals and Democrats are going to sweep November's elections. Many would argue that is not possible with the gerrymandering and voter suppression acts being implemented in GOP dominated states. However, there are two facts of the current landscape that cannot be ignored.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2012/05/15/tea_party_becoming_politicide.php http://poliwatch.org/2012/05/15/tea_party_becoming_politicide.php 2012 Elections Congressional races Obama public sentiment Tue, 15 May 2012 03:31:43 -0600 My Problem With Mitt. My problem with Mitt Romney is that he opposes nearly all of the successful Obama administration's results. President Obama has disappointed me on a number of occasions, but, those disappointments do not blind me to his administration's successes. This puts me and Mitt in different camps.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2012/05/08/my_problem_with_mitt.php http://poliwatch.org/2012/05/08/my_problem_with_mitt.php Election Issues 2012 2012 elections economic plan Mitt Romney Paul Ryan Tue, 08 May 2012 17:12:17 -0600 Our Democracy Sucks Liberals vote Democrat. Conservatives vote Republican. And independents slosh back and forth from election to election. This kind of democratic process is responsible for the government nearly everyone dislikes in America. The voters are responsible. Whether they assume that responsibility, has yet to be seen.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2012/04/23/our_democracy_sucks.php http://poliwatch.org/2012/04/23/our_democracy_sucks.php 2012 Elections Anti-incumbent Movement Assumptions of Democracy Election Issues 2012 Americans anti-incumbent Democracy Political campaign Supreme Court United States United States Constitution Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:51:06 -0600 Politics: Bottom Line The politics of governing have always been corrupt, greedy, and self-indulgent, while purporting to be uplifting, selfless, and beneficial for the majority. Our founders knew this from their studies in government dating back to Ancient Roman and Greek writings on the subject. The founders created a structure for government that would resist corruption, greed and self-indulgence driven to obtain permanent positions in power. Such a structure, however, could only be successful if the electorate remained vigilant and enlightened. George Washington understood these simple truths and spoke to present day turmoils and challenges in his Farewell Address of 1796.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2012/03/08/politics_bottom_line.php http://poliwatch.org/2012/03/08/politics_bottom_line.php Assumptions of Democracy Election Issues 2012 Foreign Policy National Debt American future Americans Barack Obama George Washington Iran Israel Obama political parties responsibility United States voters Washington Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:16:41 -0600 First Steps: Courage and Hope No journey is ever begun until hope fills the first steps for reaching the destination.

The American people want a capable government, able to bring back a robust economy, and healthy future for all American's benefit. Poll after poll reflects an approval rating of Congress in the teens or low 20 percent range. It is a gross distraction under any president's administration to accuse the president of being responsible for the incompetence and ineptitude of Congress. Our Constitution stipulates that Congress legislates and our President executes what Congress legislates. ]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/12/14/first_steps_courage_and_hope.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/12/14/first_steps_courage_and_hope.php 2012 Elections Anti-incumbent Movement Assumptions of Democracy Congress America anti-incumbent competence Congress corruption courage economy hope Political Parties Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:07:38 -0600 Extremist Party Conservatives like Sen. John Warner and Ronald Reagan influenced many to become more conservative. That kind of conservative, however, no longer exists at the core of the Grand Old Party, which has become dangerously extremist. The Warner - Reagan conservative was about governing for the future of America, first and foremost. The current GOP is not about governing, but winning elections at any cost to the nation and people. Let's take a look at these differences and what, if any hope lies with the Democratic Party.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/11/27/extremist_party.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/11/27/extremist_party.php Election Issues 2012 Republican Party Status of American Politics electon laws extremists GOP John Warner polls public opinion Reagan Republican Party revisionist history Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:28:06 -0600 The Deeper Meaning of Penn State Rapes

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/11/14/the_deeper_meaning_of_penn_sta.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/11/14/the_deeper_meaning_of_penn_sta.php Bad Policy Congress Election Issues 2012 America crime Get the Money Out Glass-Steagal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Penn State rape VOID Vote Out Incumbents voters Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:17:29 -0600 Is Peace In America's Future? PeaceSign-RWB.jpgIs America in a position to enter a period of military peace? With the announcement last week of complete withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, a winding down of the War in Afghanistan, an end to America's multilateral participation against Qadaffi in Libya, and nearly complete disruption of the al-Queda organization that attacked us on 9/11, it would appear America is headed for a period of relative peace in the world. With such appearances, however, those dependent upon military activism for financial, political, and other gains, have to begin to oppose peace. We are hearing such voices rise up, already.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/27/is_peace_in_americas_future.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/27/is_peace_in_americas_future.php Foreign Policy Iraq Afghanistan America international relations Iraq military Peace superpower war Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:37:42 -0600 Corruption in America

"To destroy this invisible Government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day." --Theodore Roosevelt. 

There is a general perception among the majority of Americans today that our political system is corrupt and our government is failing as a result. Most recently, the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators speak to the very same kind of corruption which Theodore Roosevelt spoke of back in the 1920's. When government legalizes bribery and blackmail, these do not cease to be acts of corruption. This is precisely what has taken place in American government and politics, corrupting our system to the point of growing demonstrations in our American streets. ]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/25/corruption_in_america.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/25/corruption_in_america.php Anti-incumbent Movement Assumptions of Democracy Election Issues 2012 Status of American Politics America anti-incumbent vote democracy Occupy Wall Street political future politics public demonstrations Wall Street Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:09:30 -0600 Occupy Wall Street Potential Occupy_Wall_Street_Crowd_2011.JPGThe Occupy Wall Street movement has gone viral. The core of the movement is centered on the singular perception that it is not healthy for the nation, or majority of Americans, if 1% of the population controls the economy for their own benefit, while the other 99% experience declines in their financial and employment status. It is a perception that is nearly impossible to argue against with a straight face. Where is this movement going, however?

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/08/occupy_wall_street_potential_1.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/08/occupy_wall_street_potential_1.php Anti-incumbent Movement Election Issues 2012 Status of American Politics 2012 election America's future economy Occupy Wall Street political reform protests Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:54:03 -0600 Fix America's Political System American voters and their democracy are under attack, as politicians seek to change election rules to benefit incumbents, regardless of the will of the majority of voters. America's workers are under attack as American corporations and companies, who contribute to election campaigns in record amounts, seek cheaper labor overseas. America's political system is broken. And it is ruining the the government which made this nation great. If voters do not remove these politicians responsible for America's decline, our democracy will be lost, and our vote rendered ever more meaningless.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/01/fix_americas_political_system.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/10/01/fix_americas_political_system.php Assumptions of Democracy Economy Election Issues 2012 Status of American Politics 2012 election democracy poll polls republic voter majority voters voting Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:23:20 -0600 America: Knowledge v. Belief Many civilizations in history, which failed in the absence of being conquered, faced the same 'Zenith Threat' America faces today. Confronted with the threat of leaving their prosperity zenith behind, their civilization divides. Divided, civilizations fail from within. What divides nation's in the face of a Zenith Threat, is two different ways of knowing and consequent prescriptions. I define these two ways of knowing as empiricists and 'wishful believers'. If 'wishful believers' capture control of the nation's decision making apparatus, that civilization fails. America is currently an example of a nation in the throes of a Zenith Threat, with its divisive and hence, potentially negative consequences.
 

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/08/21/america_knowledge_v_belief.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/08/21/america_knowledge_v_belief.php Consumer Issues Economy Election Issues 2012 National Debt Status of American Politics America belief centrists Democrats economics economy education empirical knowledge moderates Republicans Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:02:32 -0600 Hochul, Medicare Win NY 26 Race We knew it from polls dating back to the Bush Administration which indicated the majority of Americans supported the Public Option for health care reform, Medicare cannot be politically, eliminated. Why Rep. Paul Ryan and the GOP chose to ignore that public reality, and put forth and pass a Republican bill in the House to get rid of Medicare in favor of a voucher private sector system, can only be answered with one word, Ideology.
 

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/24/hochul_medicare_wins_in_ny_26.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/24/hochul_medicare_wins_in_ny_26.php Bad Policy Consumer Issues Election Issues 2012 Health Care Republican Party 2012 bell weather election Jane Corwin Kathy Hochul Medicare NY 26 race Paul Ryan Republican Party Ryan's budget Tue, 24 May 2011 22:01:43 -0600 Jon Huntsman's False Reality
Jon_Huntsman.jpg
Jon Huntsman Jr.: Courtesy - Wikipedia

Just listened to Presidential hopeful Jon Hunstman, former 16th Governor of Utah, speak on TV. The thrust of his pitch is that our economy is failing to grow for lack of capital (FALSE) and the way to ramp up the economy is to make capital investments from overseas inviting (also FALSE). Jon Hunstman is hitching his aspirations to the old 'trickle down economics' that failed our nation during the Bush years. He probably believes what he is saying, but, here is why you shouldn't.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/22/jon_huntsmans_false_reality.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/22/jon_huntsmans_false_reality.php 2012 Elections Republican Party 2012 elections consumer demand economic growth economy fossil fuels John Huntsman oil presidential Sun, 22 May 2011 20:01:33 -0600 Dollar Saved, Dollar Earned money_down_the_toilet.jpg

I was amazed to read on CNN Money's web site, how much money Americans are wasting on habitual behaviors of choice. I recommend reviewing this list of money savers, to see if you might be able to pocket another few hundred to thousand per year for something really special and meaningful, and for no more than the cost of being aware.

]]> http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/18/dollar_saved_dollar_earned.php http://poliwatch.org/2011/05/18/dollar_saved_dollar_earned.php Consumer Issues consumer behavior consumer habits consumer savings purchase control saving money Wed, 18 May 2011 20:57:05 -0600