The Tipping Point?

[jwoodie]

One of the challenges facing our democracy is the continual replacement of more knowledgeable voters with less knowledgeable voters who are much more likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics than by sober reasoning. Through no fault of their own, these voters simply do not have sufficient practical experience to critically evaluate the wild claims and exaggerations that are part of our political process.

Until recently, this has been a manageable problem because people tended to vote more responsibly as they gained experience and independence. However, we are now dealing with a new norm of delayed independence and greater reliance on government programs. As a result, there are an increasing number of people (and voters) who have abandoned any concept of self sufficiency and whose only political interest is maintaining (or increasing) their "entitlements."

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

 

[oldfart]

One of the challenges facing our democracy is the continual replacement of more knowledgeable voters with less knowledgeable voters who are much more likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics than by sober reasoning. Through no fault of their own, these voters simply do not have sufficient practical experience to critically evaluate the wild claims and exaggerations that are part of our political process.

Until recently, this has been a manageable problem because people tended to vote more responsibly as they gained experience and independence. However, we are now dealing with a new norm of delayed independence and greater reliance on government programs. As a result, there are an increasing number of people (and voters) who have abandoned any concept of self sufficiency and whose only political interest is maintaining (or increasing) their "entitlements."

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

I'm not sure what country you have been living in, but it certainly is not America. Reasoned discourse among only knowledgeable persons has never been a chief characteristic of American political life. I refer you to the election of 1832 and how Andy Jackson felt about political discourse.

 

[Mac1958]

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

We're a culture in decay, and one of the many manifestations of that decay is a populace/electorate that knows or cares less and less about the issues that affect their lives.

We're becoming more intellectually lazy and incurious by the day, willing to elect "leaders" based more on shallower and shallower reasoning every day.

More intellectually lazy and incurious, yet more narcissistic, by the day. Counter-intuitive, but fascinating to watch.

Hey, it is what it is.

.

 

[TheOldSchool]

One of the challenges facing our democracy is the continual replacement of more knowledgeable voters with less knowledgeable voters who are much more likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics than by sober reasoning. Through no fault of their own, these voters simply do not have sufficient practical experience to critically evaluate the wild claims and exaggerations that are part of our political process.

Until recently, this has been a manageable problem because people tended to vote more responsibly as they gained experience and independence. However, we are now dealing with a new norm of delayed independence and greater reliance on government programs. As a result, there are an increasing number of people (and voters) who have abandoned any concept of self sufficiency and whose only political interest is maintaining (or increasing) their "entitlements."

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

People have been saying that for thousands of years. Old farts were saying that about the founders in the 1700's.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

 

[jwoodie]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

 

[jwoodie]

One of the challenges facing our democracy is the continual replacement of more knowledgeable voters with less knowledgeable voters who are much more likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics than by sober reasoning. Through no fault of their own, these voters simply do not have sufficient practical experience to critically evaluate the wild claims and exaggerations that are part of our political process.

Until recently, this has been a manageable problem because people tended to vote more responsibly as they gained experience and independence. However, we are now dealing with a new norm of delayed independence and greater reliance on government programs. As a result, there are an increasing number of people (and voters) who have abandoned any concept of self sufficiency and whose only political interest is maintaining (or increasing) their "entitlements."

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

I'm not sure what country you have been living in, but it certainly is not America. Reasoned discourse among only knowledgeable persons has never been a chief characteristic of American political life. I refer you to the election of 1832 and how Andy Jackson felt about political discourse.

LOL, I didn't know you were THAT old! You probably forgot that national voting was limited to the House of Representatives...

 

[LoneLaugher]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

 

[jwoodie]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

My condolences to your daughter.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

My condolences to your daughter.

You sound jealous. I get it.

 

[jwoodie]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

My condolences to your daughter.

You sound jealous. I get it.

Hoisted by your own petard, eh? (Go ask your daughter what that means.)

 

[Katzndogz]

After presidunce obola brings in 34 million ignorant natives from various third world nations there won't even be a necessary discussion.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

The millennials, born 1981 to 1994, are far more versed in legitimate political discourse than the far social right or the wack far left.

We are in good hands.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Hoisted by your own petard, eh? )

With a name like woodie, I would assume your own petard has no problem in hoisting.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

The millennials, born 1981 to 1994, are far more versed in legitimate political discourse than the far social right or the wack far left.

We are in good hands.

Wait till they move out of moms house and have to start paying taxes.

 

[Roadrunner]

Ridiculous. My 18 year old daughter will school you when it comes to the issues. She's educated and engaged.

The FACT is that information is more readily available. Even those who are only casually interested can find out what's up via this thing called the internet. Kids today are many times more savvy than we were.

Your premise is flawed.

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

My condolences to your daughter.

You sound jealous. I get it.

Hoisted by your own petard, eh? (Go ask your daughter what that means.)

One is hoisted on his/her/its own petard, not BY it.

Maybe you ought to have a talk with YOUR daughter.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

The millennials, born 1981 to 1994, are far more versed in legitimate political discourse than the far social right or the wack far left.

We are in good hands.

Wait till they move out of moms house and have to start paying taxes.

They are in age sixteen to thirty-four, so quite a few of them live on their own.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

The millennials, born 1981 to 1994, are far more versed in legitimate political discourse than the far social right or the wack far left.

We are in good hands.

Wait till they move out of moms house and have to start paying taxes.

They are in age sixteen to thirty-four, so quite a few of them live on their own.

Yeah...a few of the 34 year olds anyway.

 

[oldfart]

One of the challenges facing our democracy is the continual replacement of more knowledgeable voters with less knowledgeable voters who are much more likely to be swayed by emotional histrionics than by sober reasoning. Through no fault of their own, these voters simply do not have sufficient practical experience to critically evaluate the wild claims and exaggerations that are part of our political process.

Until recently, this has been a manageable problem because people tended to vote more responsibly as they gained experience and independence. However, we are now dealing with a new norm of delayed independence and greater reliance on government programs. As a result, there are an increasing number of people (and voters) who have abandoned any concept of self sufficiency and whose only political interest is maintaining (or increasing) their "entitlements."

Have we reached the tipping point where legitimate political discourse is no longer relevant?

I'm not sure what country you have been living in, but it certainly is not America. Reasoned discourse among only knowledgeable persons has never been a chief characteristic of American political life. I refer you to the election of 1832 and how Andy Jackson felt about political discourse.

LOL, I didn't know you were THAT old! You probably forgot that national voting was limited to the House of Representatives...

Hell, Andy was still upset about the "Corrupt Bargain" of 1824. Never did get along with Henry Clay after that. And the smear about his wife being a bigamist didn't help, especially when she died between the election and the inauguration. Jackson kept referring to the Whigs as "murderers" and he did not mean it metaphorically. Considering what he said about hanging Calhoun in the Nullification Crisis, his war with Biddle for the BUS, and the Indian Relocation Act, Andy had more piss and vinegar than any president before or since.

If these were the good ol' days of political discourse, we need to clean our dueling pistols.

 

[jwoodie]

Sorry to hear she's maxed out at 18. Why don't you have her enlighten us?

You have already passed on the opportunity. Enlightenment is not within your reach.

My condolences to your daughter.

You sound jealous. I get it.

Hoisted by your own petard, eh? (Go ask your daughter what that means.)

One is hoisted on his/her/its own petard, not BY it.

Maybe you ought to have a talk with YOUR daughter.

Nice try.

The term hoisted by one’s own petard means to fall foul of your own deceit or fall into your own trap. This term has its origin in medieval times when a military commander would send forward one of his engineers with a cast-iron container full of gunpowder, called a petard, to blow up a castle gate, obstacle, or bridge. The fuses on these bombs were very unreliable, and sometimes the engineers would be killed when the petards exploded prematurely. The explosion would blow (or hoist) the engineer into the air.