When is it going to get better?

[wvjules]

African Americans are disproportionally under-represented in country music. Are you a racist?

Darius Rucker (Hootie) has some country music out.

 

[robinb]

The DIS was the same way during the 2000 and 2004 election seasons. I really don't see a big difference this election season.

What I meant by "get better" is the nastiness easing up a bit.

It's been my experience that the political nastiness will ease up a bit in another month or two.

 

[wvjules]

The DIS was the same way during the 2000 and 2004 election seasons. I really don't see a big difference this election season.

It's been my experience that the political nastiness will ease up a bit in another month or two.

I don't remember it being like this in 2004. But then again I can't remember what I did yesterday.

 

[mickeyboat]

I actually stay far away from the political threads, but think the DIS is getting nastier and nastier.

 

[robinb]

I don't remember it being like this in 2004. But then again I can't remember what I did yesterday.

I thought it was even nastier, but I admit that it was probably because I was on the losing side politically.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Only 648 days until the 2010 midterm elections. Everybody get in line and place your bets.

 

[eliza61]

Obama needs to walk the walk, If he wants to end Partisan politics, he should have took a harder look at his Inauguration speech and his Day One White House Web Site. He is also asking Washington to Tighten it's belt yet his inaugaural cost $ 150 Million. To many mixed signals coming out of this Administration.

See, to me this is the part of the problem. The op question the nastiness here on the Dis boards.
Obama isn't doing that.. We are!! Obama is not the first politician that has over spent, neither was Bush.

This isn't about the presidency, this is about the poster here on the Dis.

No matter what side of the spectrum you are on, you (the poster) are responsible for what you put in your responses. We decide to use inflammatory words like "racist", "terrorist", "Hilter" etc etc. Don't blame our nastiness on Obama or Bush. we are doing fine without their help.

 

[piney]

Well I wanted Toby Keith to be president, but you don't always get what you want.

But if you try sometimes.............you get what you need.

I think we did!

 

[suzannen]

See, to me this is the part of the problem. The op question the nastiness here on the Dis boards.
Obama isn't doing that.. We are!! Obama is not the first politician that has over spent, neither was Bush.

This isn't about the presidency, this is about the poster here on the Dis.

No matter what side of the spectrum you are on, you (the poster) are responsible for what you put in your responses. We decide to use inflammatory words like "racist", "terrorist", "Hilter" etc etc. Don't blame our nastiness on Obama or Bush. we are doing fine without their help.

Well said, eliza61! Everyone is SO quick to blame someone else for their bad or rude remarks. Sometimes you need to step away from the computer before posting in anger.

And, I agree with Robinb, it was really nasty in 2000 and in 2004 for a time. This is nothing new, unfortunately.

 

[bicker]

From my perspective, I think consensus is over-rated and simply masks the absence of leadership.

Consensus is that aspect of "leadership" that differentiates "leadership" from "dictatorship". Thankfully those preferring dictatorship are, and hopefully shall remain, part of a very small minority in that regard. Generally, people only prefer dictatorship when they (or someone they agree with) is the dictator. If someone cannot be the dictator (or live in a dictatorship that just happens to be led by a dictator that that someone agrees with on all significant concerns) then the second choice is consensus.

Let's look at it differently: Go back to every single thread where you and I have disagreed. Be honest: Would you really prefer a nation where everything conformed to my position in each of those threads? If not, then you really don't believe what you've written here. Instead, you're really just saying that, from your perspective, you prefer a nation run the way you personally want it run. It's not quite as interesting written that way, but it is more accurate IMHO.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I actually stay far away from the political threads, but think the DIS is getting nastier and nastier.

 

[Mr Man]

Consensus is that aspect of "leadership" that differentiates "leadership" from "dictatorship". Thankfully those preferring dictatorship are, and hopefully shall remain, part of a very small minority in that regard. Generally, people only prefer dictatorship when they (or someone they agree with) is the dictator. If someone cannot be the dictator (or live in a dictatorship that just happens to be led by a dictator that that someone agrees with on all significant concerns) then the second choice is consensus.

Let's look at it differently: Go back to every single thread where you and I have disagreed. Be honest: Would you really prefer a nation where everything conformed to my position in each of those threads? If not, then you really don't believe what you've written here. Instead, you're really just saying that, from your perspective, you prefer a nation run the way you personally want it run. It's not quite as interesting written that way, but it is more accurate IMHO.

I am happy to say I don't know anybody who thinks a dictatorship is a good idea. It seems an extreme comparison to me.

The alternative to consensus is not dictatorship IMO. In truth, compromise is a reasonable alternative and does not automatically lead to dictatorship (or shouldn't anyways). Let's face it, we are "stuck" with each other......by that I mean all of us in the US; right, left, independent, indifferent, crazy etc. There are some things we will agree on, and some we will not.

President Obama is going to have to learn to compromise, because consensus will elude him......even with his own party. We Americans come together for life and death issues.....but then we fragment....always have and it is more obvious these days when everyone is now their own "interest group".


Regarding the bolded portion. Please do not put words in my mouth or automatically assume I have an ulterior motive beyond a successful and free country for my children to inherit. A country that I served and shed blood for (some of it my own even) when it was my time to serve.

Plus, I don't want it to go away........

All my stuff is here!

 

[MomofCKJ]

I imagine the hard conservatives will be just as kind over the next four or eight years as the hard liberals have been over the previous eight.

I agree with you. I think the Conservatives put up with ALOT of snarkiness the last 8 years. Now that the tables are turned I don't think the Libs enjoy that very much. I thin the saying "What comes around, goes around" is definately true.

Personally for the last few years every time it was cloudy, I was late with returning a library book, my dog pooped on the carpet, whatever happened that was bad I have a friend who would say to me "Oh, Thanks George Bush". I love her too much to let it bug me but you bet that now when it rains or she loses her keys or anything goes wrong I'll be the first to say to her "Oh, Thanks Obama!". All those things that were somehow George's fault can now be blamed on BO.

But between she and I it is not done in a spiteful, hateful way. We disagree and are on opposite sides of the aisle but we respect each other too much to let it put a rift in our friendship.

Allyson

 

[Tigger Woods]

First we had the primaries, then the general election, now we have a new President. When are DISers going to start acting like adults again? The pettiness, accusations of racism, "kool aid" drinking, BDS, etc can all end now. Can we rewind and be the DIS we were in 2007?

I've been a DISer for over 10 years (I was a member before the Great DISboards Crash of '98) and there has always been spirited debate. Why stifle discourse? If I don't find a thread topic intriguing, I don't click on it. Out of curiosity, what do you feel has changed here on the DIS since 2007?

 

[Tigger Woods]

I don't remember it being like this in 2004. But then again I can't remember what I did yesterday.

It was like this in '00 and '04. Lots of Al Gore/John Kerry/George Bush bashing. (Bush stole the election/ Kerry was anti-American.) Plenty of robust discourse. The next four years should be lots of fun.

 

[minnie61650]

What I meant by "get better" is the nastiness easing up a bit. There are a lot of spiteful, hateful people around here lately.

I have also seen a lot of nasty, hateful and spiteful posts and it really saddens me.
I do not expect everyone to agree about everything but being mean or spitful or trying to purposefully make another person mad or hurt their feelings is uncalled for.
I also want those types of posts stopped.
One of things I love about DIS boards is how many helpful and friendly people post on these board.
I must admit that until this fall last I stayed away from the political theads.
I could not believe and I am still having a hard believing the way some of the posters on the political threads enjoy posting hateful and hurtful remarks.
I thought most of us left that kind of pettiness behind us once we became adults.
Sadly, this last fall I saw another side of some of my fellow DIS'ners. And it was not a side I wanted to see.


JMHO

 

[Tigger Woods]

I have also seen a lot of nasty, hateful and spiteful posts and it really saddens me.
I do not expect everyone to agree about everything but being mean or spitful or trying to purposefully make another person mad or hurt their feelings is uncalled for.
I also want those types of posts stopped.
One of things I love about DIS boards is how many helpful and friendly people post on these board.
I must admit that until this fall last I stayed away from the political theads.
I could not believe and I am still having a hard believing the way some of the posters on the political threads enjoy posting hateful and hurtful remarks.
I thought most of us left that kind of pettiness behind us once we became adults.
Sadly, this last fall I saw another side of some of my fellow DIS'ners. And it was not a side I wanted to see.


JMHO

OK .. You've been a DISer since '05. Did you ask members to stop posting 'hateful and hurtful remarks' about the former president?

 

[minnie61650]

OK .. You've been a DISer since '05. Did you ask members to stop posting 'hateful and hurtful remarks' about the former president?

As I said I never posted on political threads until this last fall of (2008).
If I had read the nasty posts in past years that you are refering to I probally would have asked that they stop and I can honestly tell you I would NEVER have posted "hateful or hurtful remarks about President Bush."


If you look over all of my past posts you will see I never said anything hateful about President Bush, Senator
Mc Cain or Govenor Palin. I may have said I did not agree with one of policies but I never said anything derogatory about them. And yes, I tried to keep the threads I posted on civil.

Now just to be clear I was also refering to hateful and hurtful remarks that were directed towards myself and other fellow DIS'ners (not just politicians).

I appriciate it when others post in a cilvil manner.
Please feel free to disagree with me and feel free to disagree with the politicians just please let us show some respect to one another.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[DizneyPhile]

Since the Messiah's "Economic Team" is made up of the same dolts that bankrupted Mae and Mac -- don't hold your breath.

 

[minnie61650]

Since the Messiah's "Economic Team" is made up of the same dolts that bankrupted Mae and Mac -- <SNIP>

I think our economic problems stared before the Mae and Mac fiasco.

I think the blame falls on the pure greed of the financial institutions.
Although the financial institutions would like us to believe and have led us to believe that mandated morgage lending is the reason they are in trouble , I believe the Credit Default Swaps are the real reason that our financial institutions are in dire straights.


I am 58 years old and have lived through many recessions.
This recession is unlike the others I have known.
In the past we had manufacturing crisis, fuel crisis, inflation crisis, dot. com crisis etc.

In the last 40 years every other recession our country was in those who had very good or excellent credit were able to get loans. Those loans may have come with double diget interest but they were still available.

This recession is different because the lending institutions do not have the money to loan.

I think the problem started way before the mandated morgage lending.
I think it stated over 10 years ago in 1997 when the JP Moragn came up with a wonderfully evil ( my words) idea to free up their monies called Credit Default Swaps.

The Credit Default Swaps were invented in 1997 by a team working for JP Morgan. They were designed to shift the risk of default to a third-party, as this shifted risk did not count against their regulatory capital requirements. In essence the swaps were created as a regulatory loophole


Basically banks used to need to keep monies on hand to back up loans. The financial institutions decided they could free up more money for loans if they had a 3rd party be responsible if a loan was defaulted.
Kind of like an insurance policy but unlike a real insurance company which is regulated these 3rd party companies are not regulated and did NOT have money to pay the defaults and that is why our financial institutions are in such a mess.

The banks kept lending money they did not have and now lots of defaults are coming in with no one to pay the defaults. My guess is that te banks are pretty much bankrupt and no longer can even pretend to lend the money they do not have.

This article explains a little about Credit Default Swaps:

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1723152,00.html