I dont know what I would do without my full sized pickup truck

[Deleted member 28227]

Agree and fixed it for you

Accurate.

 

[Jezz]

The funniest thing on this thread, IMHO, is that I can get a persons goat about BMWs but we all agree the Chiefs suck.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[TwistedSage]

To add to general hypocrisy, I am very reluctant to invite more technology into our way of life as I think it disconnects us from the world in front of our faces. At the same time I have pretty much made up my mind that the government being run by people, at least our current electorate made of of the some of the greediest, power hungry, connected and insulated to the point of being in practical opposition to the majority of thier constituents, will alway tilt toward corruption. At this point I'm sure some nerds can create a software program that actually prioritizes needs and practicality for taxing and spending at least. Infrastructure upgrades, Regulatory models of sustainability and all that.

This thread is awesome and hilarious.

 

[TwistedSage]

95% of our largest clients are municipalities, counties, and utility districts. The VAST majority of managers are acutely aware of and take great pride in the responsibility they hold when spending tax payer dollars. Those that think otherwise are simply wrong, have drank the koolaid, and believe the FB memes.

I agree this is true at local levels. Which is also where you can have the most impact voting. Unfortunately at the highest levels of Government both state and Fed is where the absolute clown show is at and the hardest for common people to reach, where the budget and taxing allocations are set, regulations imposed and where the pols are the furthest removed from any sort of normal local population but instead heavily influenced by the largest of corporate interests. Also the higher you go in the system the less accountability there seems to be.

There seems to be a point in the political ladder that where you get there it's really not a working job based off delivering results but rather a, welcome to the big show this is how it actually works. And the bar for getting there seems to be agreeing with keeping the charade going.

 

[Nick87]

I agree this is true at local levels. Which is also where you can have the most impact voting. Unfortunately at the highest levels of Government both state and Fed is where the absolute clown show is at and the hardest for common people to reach, where the budget and taxing allocations are set, regulations imposed and where the pols are the furthest removed from any sort of normal local population but instead heavily influenced by the largest of corporate interests. Also the higher you go in the system the less accountability there seems to be.

There seems to be a point in the political ladder that where you get there it's really not a working job based off delivering results but rather a, welcome to the big show this is how it actually works. And the bar for getting there seems to be agreeing with keeping the charade going.

Well said.

 

[Irrelevant]

I agree this is true at local levels. Which is also where you can have the most impact voting. Unfortunately at the highest levels of Government both state and Fed is where the absolute clown show is at and the hardest for common people to reach, where the budget and taxing allocations are set, regulations imposed and where the pols are the furthest removed from any sort of normal local population but instead heavily influenced by the largest of corporate interests. Also the higher you go in the system the less accountability there seems to be.

There seems to be a point in the political ladder that where you get there it's really not a working job based off delivering results but rather a, welcome to the big show this is how it actually works. And the bar for getting there seems to be agreeing with keeping the charade going.

Again I disagree, and this is a soap box issue for me. I know a former Governor personally and you couldn't find someone who cared more or tried harder, but no one will believe me because they all need to have an enemy, and politicians have always been the easiest to vilify when you've never walked a step in their shoes.

How many people have worked with 400+ equal bosses? From wide ranging backgrounds, with wide ranging ideas, both their own and those provided by their own tribal camps. So many of us thing working with 5-20 people is the same as trying to get a consensus from 400+ where you have to reapply for your job every two years and none of the people who get to decide if you get to keep doing your job have any idea what you've done, and only watch the same 6 people on TV tell them that because of the letter after your name you're effectively satan.

"WE" as a country and society LOVE to pass the blame around to others whom we don't know and will never meet.

The government is made up of you; you and your friends and family and neighbors, they're not some alien life form. So when you find fault with them, look in the mirror, because you have those same faults. Do you really think that someone, ANYONE, would do it better than they are?

 

[Nick87]

politicians have always been the easiest to vilify

Pass the kool-aid

 

[Deleted member 28227]

At the same time I have pretty much made up my mind that the government being run by people, at least our current electorate made of of the some of the greediest, power hungry, connected and insulated to the point of being in practical opposition to the majority of thier constituents, will alway tilt toward corruption. At this point I'm sure some nerds can create a software program that actually prioritizes needs and practicality for taxing and spending at least. Infrastructure upgrades, Regulatory models of sustainability and all that.

This thread is awesome and hilarious.

... oh god welcome to the Matrix

Honestly, people need to grow up IMHO. For instance folks elected a dumpster fire in my home district, I have talked to a bunch of people who voted her in... and... "well she's cute, and kinda a pistol" For F Sakes seriously? That's your rational for electing someone who can change laws and has the potential to make a massive impact on your life... via tax law, health care, send us to war, etc etc... she's a pistol...

Vote like you actually give chit, this matters.

Sent in my primary ballot yesterday, didn't know anything about either so did some research... went to candidate A's website it had a bunch of very specific things they wanted to do, build X bridge, change the tax code in this specific way, etc etc. Candidate B. Giant pic of them with Trump and some culture war rhetoric that's it.

It's not that hard folks, politics isn't a Ford v. Chevy argument on FB it's your life. Vote for people who want to do the work and make things better.

 

[Nick87]

... oh god welcome to the Matrix

Honestly, people need to grow up IMHO. For instance folks elected a dumpster fire in my home district, I have talked to a bunch of people who voted her in... and... "well she's cute, and kinda a pistol" For F Sakes seriously? That's your rational for electing someone who can change laws and has the potential to make a massive impact on your life... via tax law, health care, send us to war, etc etc... she's a pistol...

Vote like you actually give chit, this matters.

Sent in my primary ballot yesterday, didn't know anything about either so did some research... went to candidate A's website it had a bunch of very specific things they wanted to do, build X bridge, change the tax code in this specific way, etc etc. Candidate B. Giant pic of them with Trump and some culture war rhetoric that's it.

It's not that hard folks, politics isn't a Ford v. Chevy argument on FB it's your life. Vote for people who want to do the work and make things better.

Those people generally don't have the money behind them and we'll you know what they say about money...

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Do you really think that someone, ANYONE, would do it better than they are?

Sometimes I think we might get better results if we made it like Jury duty, make some basic parameters/disqualifiers but then just force some folks to drop everything and do the job for a term.

Probably the only way we get Big Fin in the game

but I agree with your points

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Those people generally don't have the money behind them and we'll you know what they say about money...

Absolutely, but the internet age has leveled the playing field if people agree to participate.

It's not expensive for a candidate, to build a website and make their case... almost free.

It's darn easy for a voter to google them. Youtube is free... etc.

We have to do the work and take the time to make a thoughtful choice, end of the day I don't care who someone votes for as long as they did it in a judicious and thoughtful manner.

 

[SwaggyD]

I like big trucks, well I have tundra that can pull a spaceship!!

 

[406dn]

There are some politicians who certainly cloister themselves from their constituents. But that is not true for all of them. Gabby Giffords took a bullet to the head while making herself available to her constituents. That may well be part of why politicians aren't very comfortable meeting the general public.

For quite a long time I was the chairman for the union for wage employees at one of the Billings area oil refineries. Shortly after Tester won the Senate seat, he came to one of our monthly meetings and took questions for roughly an hour. He also stuck around and had a beer or two with the guys. His staff finally reminded him that he had an additional meeting to attend. He also made himself available at other times. So, no not every politician willfully insulates themselves from the public.

 

[Nick87]

Absolutely, but the internet age has leveled the playing field if people agree to participate.

It's not expensive for a candidate, to build a website and make their case... almost free.

It's darn easy for a voter to google them. Youtube is free... etc.

We have to do the work and take the time to make a thoughtful choice, end of the day I don't care who someone votes for as long as they did it in a judicious and thoughtful manner.

I wholeheartedly agree, but I don't see it happening.

 

[jt13]

Back to trucks!

My state issued pick-up truck is made by the lowest bidder. Sometimes it's a Chevy sometimes its a Ford...

Currently it's a Silverado 1500 with the turning radius of a school bus but it's certainly in the shop less then my last Ford.

Now if we can just get Toyota in on the game...

 

[TwistedSage]

Sometimes I think we might get better results if we made it like Jury duty, make some basic parameters/disqualifiers but then just force some folks to drop everything and do the job for a term.

Probably the only way we get Big Fin in the game

but I agree with your points

This is kinda where I'm at as well. The way it is right now, no sane person would want to be a politician. Thus attracting a pool of megalomaniacs. The best people for the job would likely never want to be politicians.

 

[TwistedSage]

Again I disagree, and this is a soap box issue for me. I know a former Governor personally and you couldn't find someone who cared more or tried harder, but no one will believe me because they all need to have an enemy, and politicians have always been the easiest to vilify when you've never walked a step in their shoes.

How many people have worked with 400+ equal bosses? From wide ranging backgrounds, with wide ranging ideas, both their own and those provided by their own tribal camps. So many of us thing working with 5-20 people is the same as trying to get a consensus from 400+ where you have to reapply for your job every two years and none of the people who get to decide if you get to keep doing your job have any idea what you've done, and only watch the same 6 people on TV tell them that because of the letter after your name you're effectively satan.

"WE" as a country and society LOVE to pass the blame around to others whom we don't know and will never meet.

The government is made up of you; you and your friends and family and neighbors, they're not some alien life form. So when you find fault with them, look in the mirror, because you have those same faults. Do you really think that someone, ANYONE, would do it better than they are?

I think you are giving them too much credit, but I appreciate your enthusiasm. What kind of truck do you drive?

 

[TwistedSage]

To be clear in my rabel rousing, I am directing at beltway politicians.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

What kind of truck do you drive?

A foreign made fake one.