Did you vote?

[Flake]

But evem still you are exaggerating. I have been on drudge, it is mostly just linking news stories that support conservative mindset. It isnt all that dofferent than stuff HuffPost links. Some of the paranoia stuff is too much and riles some up, especially on some of the pro conservative Facebook articles I see linked at times.
But Democrats would like to severely limit and go after guns. They have in some states.

I don't think I'm exaggerating. I am talking about people who do exaggerate and happen to vote Republican - these people do exist. I think it's safe to say they exist.

And like I conceded, there are liberal equivalents - The Drudge Report and the Huffington Post are an excellent analogy. Matt Drudge seems to aggregate more where Arianna Huffington takes more editorial approach but at the end of the day, the effect is still the same: a biased, unbalanced, and colored view of 'the enemy'.

Yep, there are people who would like to severely limit and go after guns that are also Democrats - but I don't think you'll be able to find any DNC or state level plank that includes any language on gun control. What people want to do and what they are actually doing are completely different things, after all. Also, for the record, gun rights have actually been expanded almost across the board in the last few years. Other than some symbolic restrictions on magazine sizes or concealed carry in Govt buildings, access to high powered weapons has never been more lax.

Rejoice!

[Ack]

Secondly, and I think this bothers me even more than your transparent attempt to start conflict over this topic, you are wrong. Food stamps, disability payments, and other aspects of the social safety net that fall under the catchall 'welfare' are distributed disproportionately across Southern states states that, as we all saw last night, will vote Republican even when it is not at all in their best interest. This is not exactly hard to find information. You live in Alabama - ever been to any rural counties and wonder how it is people manage to live out there with nearly no work to speak of? Ever see a "Vote Democrat" sign out in that area?

Actually yes. His statement does come off as ignorant, but yours is equally ignorant of the facts concerning politics in Alabama. The truth is that some of the poorest counties in Alabama heavy favor the Democratic Party, as do areas such as inner city Birmingham and Montgomery. These populations are largely made up of minorities, suffer horrendous unemployment ranks, and in some cases only have a high school graduation rate of 50%(and in the case of Democrat-run Jefferson County has one of the largest government bankruptcy cases in the history of the US due to billions of dollars mismanaged on the sewer system). Their political interests in state politics are dominated by a political machine that operates out of Birmingham and basically makes or breaks any Democrat political candidates in the state, alongside the Democrat-run Alabama Education Association, effectively a teachers union with mandatory membership requirements to work in most of Alabama's public schools.

The Republican side is equally as machine-run, with heavy support from the Southern Baptist Convention, and both sides make it a point to spear the top candidates from the opposition's party that might benefit them them too greatly. People who have crashed and burned from this contest include candidates like Bradley Byrne and Artur Davis.

External groups such as gambling interests from surrounding states also throw in money in elections and fuel attack ads due to Alabama's laws concerning PACs' bank accounts, allowing money to be shifted between them so as to obscure the donor. These organizations do this to shape state politics in the interest of keeping Alabama from competing against their casino operations and state lotteries.

As a result of this back and forth, you end up with elections like the 2010 gubernatorial election, where the Democrat Ron Sparks ran on gambling while Republican Robert Bentley ran on religion. The best candidates from both parties were already gutted, and gambling interests from out of state and the Poarch Creek band of Native Americans ensured Sparks lost.

It is also worth noting that externally Alabama has been Republican for several decades, but internally it had a Democrats majority state legislature for all of the 20th century, finally seeing the change to a Republican-led government in 2010.

[Flake]

It is also worth noting that externally Alabama has been Republican for several decades, but internally it had a Democrats majority state legislature for all of the 20th century, finally seeing the change to a Republican-led government in 2010.

How does that work? Texas turned Purple in the 70's along with the rest of the South. We finally went completely Red in the 90's. It's been decades since a Democrat won state office.

What trick of demographics made it possible to keep sending Republicans to congress but democrats to the state capital? That boggles my mind.

[Ack]

It is also worth noting that externally Alabama has been Republican for several decades, but internally it had a Democrats majority state legislature for all of the 20th century, finally seeing the change to a Republican-led government in 2010.

How does that work? Texas turned Purple in the 70's along with the rest of the South. We finally went completely Red in the 90's. It's been decades since a Democrat won state office.

What trick of demographics made it possible to keep sending Republicans to congress but democrats to the state capital? That boggles my mind.

A lot of redistricting and entrenched interests. A lot of Alabama's various state policies and organizations have been shaped over time to support certain political entities(such as the teacher's union). These groups have a lot of power in state elections and exercise it judiciously.

[Flake]

A lot of redistricting and entrenched interests. A lot of Alabama's various state policies and organizations have been shaped over time to support certain political entities(such as the teacher's union). These groups have a lot of power in state elections and exercise it judiciously.

I wonder if it's an issue of scale. Texas is just so damn big. We do have various unions (some good, some bad) here in Texas but they don't seem to exercise any power outside of the various primate cities like Austin, San Antonio, and DFW. Our government is almost entirely driven by cronyism (the cult of George W will be alive and well under Governor Abbott), a truly messed up constitution (more amendments made than the US constitution) and regulatory bodies that are run by people who were professionals in the industries they are supposed to regulate.

[dsheinem]

primate cities

[Flake]

primate cities

I choose a word and I think to myself - this is a bit of an academic term. It might need a little explaining but I'm talking to some academic folks here. It's all good.

Then the zinger comes from the professsor.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Reading this thread, I've realized just how little I actually keep up with modern politics. I've also realized I don't actually care very much, which is the case of a lot of people my age I think. Not exactly something I'm happy about but I'd rather not be an uninformed voter and I'm not sure I really want to become informed on politics, at least not right now. Still, it's interesting to read the various perspectives and situations presented by you guys.

In the end though I guess I'm with *toots*.

[Ack]

A lot of redistricting and entrenched interests. A lot of Alabama's various state policies and organizations have been shaped over time to support certain political entities(such as the teacher's union). These groups have a lot of power in state elections and exercise it judiciously.

I wonder if it's an issue of scale. Texas is just so damn big. We do have various unions (some good, some bad) here in Texas but they don't seem to exercise any power outside of the various primate cities like Austin, San Antonio, and DFW. Our government is almost entirely driven by cronyism (the cult of George W will be alive and well under Governor Abbott), a truly messed up constitution (more amendments made than the US constitution) and regulatory bodies that are run by people who were professionals in the industries they are supposed to regulate.

You're right. While Alabama has a lot of the same issues, many of these organizations stretch well beyond our major cities(which really aren't that major in comparison to states like Texas). Cronyism still runs rampant, though thankfully the cult of George Wallace is long dead. But the Alabama state constitution is a joke. It is a book, is 40 times longer than the U.S Constitution, and is the longest operating constitution in the entire world. It is three times longer than the constitution of India and 12 times longer than the average state constitution. There are 856 amendments, such as amendments covering things like prostitution in singular counties. And the process to rewrite it is paralyzed by agricultural interests that want to ensure the taxation system still favors them through low property taxes.

To fix Alabama's political system would require its overhaul and the shattering of a lot of the organizations that are working hard to maintain it for their benefit.

[Flake]

Reading this thread, I've realized just how little I actually keep up with modern politics. I've also realized I don't actually care very much, which is the case of a lot of people my age I think. Not exactly something I'm happy about but I'd rather not be an uninformed voter and I'm not sure I really want to become informed on politics, at least not right now. Still, it's interesting to read the various perspectives and situations presented by you guys.

In the end though I guess I'm with *toots*.

I don't know if that's a bad perspective to have. I keep up with a lot of stuff and it doesn't make me feel better about things. Instead I worry more. And it's not like there's a huge reward for my worry. I get to be disillusioned with both parties and disheartened by the lack of progress on improving our society.

Hell, I'd settle for something like a consensus on what an improved society would even look like. I doubt I'm alone in this.