What sparked your interest in politics/world events et al?

[chonce]

During an exchange between Kman and myself, he had mentioned that 9-11 sparked a peaked interest in politics for him. It did for me as well

Other people start caring when they get there first substantial paycheck, and relaize how far the g.R.o.s.s (mods can e fix this thing?) is from the net.


I am just wondering, since if we all have one thing in common, it is a sincere interest in this stuff, when, how, and why did you start following politics heavily?

I dont mean a subtle interest, I mean the type of interest that that prompts you to type political diatribes on gambling message boards.

I also like to throw in the occasional thread that wont lead to name calling, and bickering from all sides.

I am not saying there is no place for heated debate, but a breather is nice as well.

 

[D2bets]

I had some interest before, but I'd say when the US Supreme Court decided to stop counting the votes and pick who got to be Presdient.

 

[SanJose]

D2bets,

Counting the votes? Like filing lawsuits to have absentee ballots cast by members of the military declared ineligible? Or holding up ballots against a light fixture to see if the "chad was dented" enough to give another vote to Al Gore? That kind of vote counting?

Chonce,

What sparked my political interest was the Iranian Hostage Crisis in the fall of 1979. Watching Jimmy Carter and his inept Presidency pretty much guaranteed that I would be a lifelong Republican. The very fact that the most powerful nation in the world would do NOTHING against some fourth rate nation of religious fanatics...well, that changed me forever.

 

[D2bets]

SanJose, I'm not going to start to rehash all of those issues and problems. I've been told to get over it and move on. I was simply replying to the question posed by the thread. It's not a right or wrong answer, it just is. Peace.

 

[chonce]

I thinki its a good honest answer from D2.

A race that close, with such an unprecedented process, probbaly got many people, of all ideologies, more interested in politics.

 

[SanJose]

Chonce,

So it's a good "honest" answer that you felt the need to defend. That's nice. Apparently my answer wasn't "honest" enough for your tastes?

 

[PatPatriot]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I thinki its a good honest answer from D2.

A race that close, with such an unprecedented process, probbaly got many people, of all ideologies, more interested in politics <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
What even turned me off to the democrats even more was misconception of that florida vote starting with the butterfly ballot a ballot used time and time agin to elct democrats with out a peep...and how democrats tried to rewrite every rule in place.....Say what you want about John Ashcroft but he lost his senate seat to a dead man and stepped down honorbly without a complaint or a whimper because he knew THOSE WERE THE RULES,THAT WAS THE LAW!!!
I always liked history but it certainley peaked with the 2000 election and especialy 9/11...I work with a woman whos daughter was killed in the towers that day, atleast 1 of the planes flew over my home town,some guy s I work with went down to help out and they were devasted..on a lesser level I remember the american stock market being closed for days I remember seein all the baseball games being cancelled for days and planes being grounded.I remember being at the Pats/Jets game and Joe Andruzzis brother being introduced who was a NYFD caught in one of the buildings for a while.I remember how much I took this country for granted..I remember GW saying your either with us or against us..thats a very simple no bullshit way of putting it.You either like all those things I listed above or you don't...not the self loathing blame America first logic the dems and their basically loser contigency follow...Its a choice you either like going to a ballgame and a titty bar after to look over your betting slips...or wearing a rag on your head and bending over to kiss your ass 5 times a day.

 

[dickman]

Interestingly enough, my interest in political discussion occurred during election 2000 because it was the first time that I was legally allowed to vote for a presidential campaign. Hopefully, the democrats counted my oversea vote for GW Bush because at the time, I was a registered voter from South Florida.

Nevertheless, my interest became much more intense after the debacle with Florida during the election.

 

[jointpleasures]

Back in the mid 70's. I'm in my late 30's now. Sitting at the kitchen table everynight with my family watching shows like C****fire. My dad brought me up right - called the demis back then - lying bastards, panzy assess, pussies, etc... he was always right!!!

I was a strong republican in my teens and very proud of it.

 

[D2bets]

I, and my parents, and like most people, were Reagan and then Bush supprters in the 80's and early 90's. Their trick that they did well was to try and unite people rather than polarize as the current Bush does. In retrospect Reagan was not as terrific as we though at the time (IMO), but that just shows how adept a politician he was. I basically became a Dem during the Clinton years because of his success and as I felt his centrist views most in line with mine and the public at large. His villainization in the late 90's strengthened my dislike of the Pubs. Hell, if I was Prez I'd like to get a hummer in the Oval too, I'd like to think I'd find someone better than Monica, but hey, whatever floats your boat. The 2000 election just ratcheted it all up and the fact that the Pubs chose a complete doofus to be their standardbearer just because he was Republican royalty. Never really was a huge Gore fan and frankly if McCain had been the nomineee in 2000 I'm almost certain that I would have supported him and hoped for a Dem Congress to balance it out.

 

[chonce]

san jose,

I am sorry. that came out wrong. I was just stating that the 200o election was soemthing that could cause many people to take a further interest in politics. I only "defended his point" because it was attacked.

I also was interested in your reply. I was jsut trying to get some exaples of events that turned people towards interst, and away from apathy, and your example was a terrific one.

Sorry if I said soemthing to bother you.

 

[SanJose]

Chonce,

Don't sweat it. You are a gentleman. I just want you to know that I appreciate the civil tone of your post. It's something that should take place all the time around here. Unfortunately, it's been impossible to remain civil when there are so many posts that begin with stuff like, "Bush is a genocidal maniac..."

 

[Caesar]

Chonce to answer your question from above. it was 1992 and i was so excited because i had just registered to vote. but i knew i didnt know enough about what was going on and had to do some research. the first thing i realized was how bad the two party system was for this country and i became energized about h.**** perot. it made me feel like i was doing my part and would talk politics every chance i could get. but then perot just went "senile" in my opinion and i felt disheartened. so one day in mid july of 1992 i was watching the democratic national convention on tv and i watched bill clinton give one of the best speeches ive ever heard. i decided that he was going to be the first person i ever voted for and since then i do everything i can to stay up on the issues that are important to me.

i like the post chonce as we probably have certain pivot points in our life that brought us into the political spectrum whether we realize it or not.

talk to you later

 

[KMAN]

Does anyone know why R.O.S.S is *'d out when put together?