I call for an Amendment to the Constitution--Any member of Congress who...

[Fenris]

...does any of the following items waives his or her protection from having every single constituent zapping them in the genitals with a cattle prod.

Note--every item on this list applies to both parties, and everyone along the political spectrum in the US. Anyone trying to read partisanship into this or proposes partisan additions should ALSO get a cattleprod to the groin. :D

1) Uses the terms "cutting" or "slashing" or even "reducing" to describe an increase in spending above the rate of inflation. If the rate of inflation (or cost of living) is X, and Program #1 wanted to get X+10, but they're only given X+8, it's not a fucking CUT. Pretending otherwise should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

2) Use the term "The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression" unless inflation is above 14%, unemployment is double-digits or greater and the prime rate is above 20%. The '70s Stagflation thing is the "worst economic crisis since the Great Depression" by any rational measure. The situation Obama walked into was bad, no doubt, but it wasn't worse than the '70s, by any means. Pretending otherwise should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

3) Using the term "Nazi" or "Hitler" or "Fascist" to describe your opponent. Unless your opponent is proposing massive ethnic cleansing and has plans to invade the Sudetenland, the use of the term should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

4) Claims a "mandate" without at least...oh, say. 65% of the popular vote or say, 85% of the electoral college. Reagan vs Mondale? Mandate. Bush vs Kerry? Not mandate. Pretending otherwise should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

5) The use of the term "mainstream" to mean "I don't agree with it." "Mainstream" means "in the political middle". The opposite of "mainstream" is "fringe" and "fringe" can't be a significant percent of the population. Mainstream only means that at least (say) 33% of Americans agree with the position. Sadly that means that say, 9/11 Truthers are "mainstream" since something like 25% of Americans believe some varient of it. So yes: both pro-choice and pro-life are "mainstream". Anti-Second Amendment advocates and pro-Second Amendment people are "mainstream". Pretending otherwise should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

Note that BOTH parties do all five of these things. It's not a left/right, Repub/Democrat thing. And pretending it is should get you a cattleprod to the groin.

Any other things that BOTH parties do that piss you off?

[WednesdayAddams]

Does it count if actual unemployment is well above double digits but has been adjusted to merely 'those currently receiving unemployment benefits'? Cuz if so.....

#3....Godyespleasepleaseplease let the Nazi shit stop. On both sides. George Bush was not Hitler. Obama is not Hitler. Cheney may well be the reincarnation of Mengele, but that's as close as I'm willing to allow. The idiots need to stop playing the Naiz card. It's rather a shame that someone prominent from the Jewish community hasn't stepped forth to explain exactly how insulting and dismissive it is of what actually happened by comparing it to an economic policy you disagree with.

6 The sex thing. I just don't care. Please stop with the sex scandals. And by this, I mean politicians of both sides, the media AND the general populace. My god, people, don't you have lives? Who cares who he's boinking? Are you his wife? No? Then shut the fuck up! And politicians! I don't want to hear that your Argentinian girlfriend is your soul mate but you'll 'struggle on' with your sham of a marriage. I really don't want to know that you fathered a child even though you swear up and down it ain't your kid while your wife was receiving cancer treatments. I don't. Want. To know. JUST DO YOUR DAMN JOB!

[LurkMeister]

7. While campaigning no politician is allowed to insult his opponent, or discuss his opponent's stand on any issue. This includes references to his opponent's past voting record. Television, radio, and print ads, including you campaign literature, can only give your stand and voting record. Politicians are also forbidden to use, or even mention, their family. I don't care if you're the father of two adorable kids, that is totally irrelevant to your ability to do the job for which you're hoping to be elected.

[Fenris]

7. While campaigning no politician is allowed to discuss < snip > his opponent's past voting record.
I strongly disagree with this sub-point (I agree with the rest of it).

One scam many politicians do is say "Who...me? No--I'm a moderate. I've got good moderate values--so even though I'm in "Party A", you should vote for me as though I was in "Party B" because I vote right down the middle on issues that affect you. I won't be dogmatic".

But when they get to Congress they vote like a doctrinaire member of their party.

Bringing up what bills they voted for/sponsored/opposed is, to me, fine.

[WednesdayAddams]

Then it at least needs to be limited. Because at this point, all they talk about is their opponent. If I wanted to hear about his opponent, I'd go to one of his rallies. Tell me about you. Explain your policies to me, please.

[Uthrecht]

Well, if they do that, then their opponent can call them out on that, noting that they aren't talking about their own stances. They can then... talk a while... about what their opponent does...


Hey, wait a minute.

[The Superhero]

6 The sex thing. I just don't care. Please stop with the sex scandals. And by this, I mean politicians of both sides, the media AND the general populace. My god, people, don't you have lives? Who cares who he's boinking? Are you his wife? No? Then shut the fuck up! And politicians! I don't want to hear that your Argentinian girlfriend is your soul mate but you'll 'struggle on' with your sham of a marriage. I really don't want to know that you fathered a child even though you swear up and down it ain't your kid while your wife was receiving cancer treatments. I don't. Want. To know. JUST DO YOUR DAMN JOB!

I agree with this - but part and parcel of this is that politicians need to stop believing and proclaiming that sex is a matter of public policy. When every politician is willing to agree that women own their own bodies and should not be punished for the crime of having (and enjoying) sex, and that what goes on between consenting adults behind closed doors is nobody else's business - least of all the government's - then sex scandals will become a thing of the past.

[LurkMeister]

I strongly disagree with this sub-point (I agree with the rest of it).

One scam many politicians do is say "Who...me? No--I'm a moderate. I've got good moderate values--so even though I'm in "Party A", you should vote for me as though I was in "Party B" because I vote right down the middle on issues that affect you. I won't be dogmatic".

But when they get to Congress they vote like a doctrinaire member of their party.

Bringing up what bills they voted for/sponsored/opposed is, to me, fine.

That makes sense, as long as it doesn't turn into a "my worthy opponent claims to be in favor of lowering taxes, but has voted three times to increase taxes" - and what their opponent actually did was vote for something like an education bill which provides for additional school funding, which necessitates an increase in tax revenues.

How about a non-partisan group which publicizes the voting records of all candidates, including a full explanation of the effects of each vote on the issues.

[Fenris]

How about a non-partisan group which publicizes the voting records of all candidates, including a full explanation of the effects of each vote on the issues.


http://www.votesmart.org/program_about_pvs.php

Good organization and does exactly what you want.

I've never once caught them in any bias whatsoever.

:)

[LurkMeister]

I should have known that there was already someone doing this, and that it was available online.

[WednesdayAddams]

I agree with this - but part and parcel of this is that politicians need to stop believing and proclaiming that sex is a matter of public policy. When every politician is willing to agree that women own their own bodies and should not be punished for the crime of having (and enjoying) sex, and that what goes on between consenting adults behind closed doors is nobody else's business - least of all the government's - then sex scandals will become a thing of the past.
Seconded, and added 'shutup about 'family values.' No one is against 'family values.' It's stupid. There isn't a single person who doesn't believe in family. Can we please stop pretending it's an actual issue?

[bashere]

Seconded, and added 'shutup about 'family values.' No one is against 'family values.' It's stupid. There isn't a single person who doesn't believe in family. Can we please stop pretending it's an actual issue?

Actually, while we're on the subject, how about being "tough on crime"? We get it. Americans are tougher on crime than the rest of the world.

[Fish]

Furthermore, let it be known that any politician who claims he doesn't pay attention to the polls will also get a cattleprod to the groin.

[Clayton_e]

While not as prevalent today, this still does happen. Anyone that accuses the other opponent of "not being for the troops" as if the other guy is "anti-troop" and wants our men in uniform to be killed.

This whole thing went a bit on the wayside once we weren't cheered in the streets of the countries we invaded.. But still people who are anti-people-dying are called "not for the troops".

Everyone is pro-troops. I don't want them to die... And that's why I protested.. So that more could come home. Not dead.