The General Election

B, I'm sorry if it wasn't clear what I was saying. Of course you need barely a touch to instill fear. It's a natural response, the kind to which we are all prone.

Now, then, you can encourage it, weaponize it, and use it to justify your policy goals -- or instead to tamp it down, stamp it out, and call for a rising above.

America has traditionally, on balance, risen above. At least I'd like to think that's true. It's not the path of least resistance. But it is, at least I would argue, the better way to go. And there should be no doubt what Trump's view about this is. Decide for yourself if you like it.

 
My neighbors are going to think I'm nuts.

My yard signs will be

Libertarian for President

Republican for US Senate and Representative

Democratic for state senate and representative

 
Ha! That's quite the interesting combo. Why not switch the order of the #1 and #3, out of curiosity? If you want to build the Libertarian Party -- and I rather hope conservatives do, because the GOP should no longer be their domain -- it has to be down ballot, too. Hopefully they have some GOP politicians themselves switching over.

 
If people see every night on the tv someone they consider a "leader" saying they should be SCARED..... Don't you think that causes irrational fear for the benefit of the "leader"?????

 
bnilhome said:
zoogs said:
Ezra Klein, onTrump's #MakeAmericaFearAgain platform:

These tragedies can be ameliorated by policy. Cigarettes can be taxed, alcohol regulated, addicts treated, guns made less accessible. But Trump wasnt interested in making Americans safer, and so he did not mention any of these policies. He was interested in making Americans more afraid, and so he focused on the dangers that scare us, as opposed to the ones that truly threaten us.
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Jon Stewart on equality and unity:

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Great. The media has helped make everyone afraid of everything all the time by focusing almost exclusively on negatives and I should live my life in fear, despite factual evidence showing today may well be the safest point in US history. Honestly, who should you believe? The people trying to sell a story or factual statistics?

 
mrandyk said:
bnilhome said:
Ezra Klein, onTrump's #MakeAmericaFearAgain platform:

These tragedies can be ameliorated by policy. Cigarettes can be taxed, alcohol regulated, addicts treated, guns made less accessible. But Trump wasnt interested in making Americans safer, and so he did not mention any of these policies. He was interested in making Americans more afraid, and so he focused on the dangers that scare us, as opposed to the ones that truly threaten us.
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Jon Stewart on equality and unity:

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Whether its the local or national news, the media nearly always opens up with negative stories, whether its from a local shooting or a natural disaster or something more significant like a terror attack. The difference between 2016 and just a few years ago is that the frequency of violent attacks killing many has increased to a point its happening every couple weeks. Do you really expect the news to not cover the police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge or the terror attacks in Orlando, Nice, and Munich all within the last 40 days?

 
zoogs said:
Ha! That's quite the interesting combo. Why not switch the order of the #1 and #3, out of curiosity? If you want to build the Libertarian Party -- and I rather hope conservatives do, because the GOP should no longer be their domain -- it has to be down ballot, too. Hopefully they have some GOP politicians themselves switching over.
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Background: I am a registered Republican since 1976 and I live in Kansas

#1 - Don't trust Hillary - I see her as a power hungry opportunist that will do what ever she wants / needs to do (like Nixon), yet it never really sticks to her (like Reagan, the Teflon president) This is the first presidential election where the personalities of both candidates over rides all election promises and policies.

#3 - Two words - Koch Republicans These guys must be defeated. There are no moderate Republicans running for state legislature in my district. (I came this close to running for state representative but then I realized I don't have the demeanor for politics - I can't stand debating stupid people who make data up and stand by it even when shown it is incorrect and yell at the opponent that they are liars.)

I don't want to be a Libertarian - I just think that the Libertarian candidate for President is the best option this year.

 
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Hold on...no one gets to tell other people if they are scared or not. I am freaked the f#*k out about sharks, period. I was in Florida a few years back and they had a "shark watch" going on and most people were like "Oh, you have nothing to be scared of that happens a lot, don't worry"

What? Screw that. If I am scared I am scared. Screw your "stats."

I have sisters and I bet they are way more worried about getting attacked/sexually assaulted than I am. Should I go show them some "stats" and tell them to stop being scared?

You think that family in Nebraska that found their daughter was killed by an illegal immigrant isn't a bit more scared? Quick, go show them the stats.

Put me in the ocean and show me stats about how few shark attacks there really are and guess what. I am going to still be freaking the f#*k out and not get in the water.

Scared is scared and frightened is frightened.

 
teachercd said:
Hold on...no one gets to tell other people if they are scared or not. I am freaked the f#*k out about sharks, period. I was in Florida a few years back and they had a "shark watch" going on and most people were like "Oh, you have nothing to be scared of that happens a lot, don't worry"

What? Screw that. If I am scared I am scared. Screw your "stats."

I have sisters and I bet they are way more worried about getting attacked/sexually assaulted than I am. Should I go show them some "stats" and tell them to stop being scared?

You think that family in Nebraska that found their daughter was killed by an illegal immigrant isn't a bit more scared? Quick, go show them the stats.

Put me in the ocean and show me stats about how few shark attacks there really are and guess what. I am going to still be freaking the f#*k out and not get in the water.

Scared is scared and frightened is frightened.
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Do you think we should stop allowing people to go to the beach until all sharks are destroyed?

Do you think we should stop letting your sisters go to the bar if men are present (since almost all assaults are by men)?

 
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funhusker said:
teachercd said:
Hold on...no one gets to tell other people if they are scared or not. I am freaked the f#*k out about sharks, period. I was in Florida a few years back and they had a "shark watch" going on and most people were like "Oh, you have nothing to be scared of that happens a lot, don't worry"

What? Screw that. If I am scared I am scared. Screw your "stats."

I have sisters and I bet they are way more worried about getting attacked/sexually assaulted than I am. Should I go show them some "stats" and tell them to stop being scared?

You think that family in Nebraska that found their daughter was killed by an illegal immigrant isn't a bit more scared? Quick, go show them the stats.

Put me in the ocean and show me stats about how few shark attacks there really are and guess what. I am going to still be freaking the f#*k out and not get in the water.

Scared is scared and frightened is frightened.
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Do you think we should stop allowing people to go to the beach?

Do you think we should stop letting your sisters go to the bar?
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No and No...

But that doesn't change the fact of how people feel and others trying to tell them "oh, I know you were inside that night club where the mass shooting took place but you should not be scared, statistically speaking it won't happen again"

And I suppose beaches should be closed when Jaws is out there. I am guessing that they do close them if they spot Jaws

Being scared isn't really a choice...it is how you freaking feel.

 
teachercd said:
Hold on...no one gets to tell other people if they are scared or not. I am freaked the f#*k out about sharks, period. I was in Florida a few years back and they had a "shark watch" going on and most people were like "Oh, you have nothing to be scared of that happens a lot, don't worry"

What? Screw that. If I am scared I am scared. Screw your "stats."

I have sisters and I bet they are way more worried about getting attacked/sexually assaulted than I am. Should I go show them some "stats" and tell them to stop being scared?

You think that family in Nebraska that found their daughter was killed by an illegal immigrant isn't a bit more scared? Quick, go show them the stats.

Put me in the ocean and show me stats about how few shark attacks there really are and guess what. I am going to still be freaking the f#*k out and not get in the water.

Scared is scared and frightened is frightened.
Click to expand...
I read this as the media give an unparalleled amount of weight and time to discussing and speculating on events that are more negative and attract more viewers. It's why they go 24/7 when there's a shooting, why they now name winter storms etc. If they'd put the appropriate amount of time on these (and they could do so if they just reported confirmed facts - and didn't spend time speculating or bringing in 'experts" before much is known about a situation) in addition to some positive stories or basic news stories (who wouldn't like to learn a bit? Think there are people in the US right now that might benefit from a news report on how the electoral college works? Or how there are communities doing positive things?)

When you tune in and no matter where you flip you see "TERROR blah, blah blah, GUNS blah, MURDER, blah blah TRUMP blah blah blah" it give you the impression that the world is a horrible place with little to no hope and that these things happen out of proportion to other things.

I agree that you can't tell people how to feel, but I do think if there was a shift in our communication one might feel better, safer, more confident and have some hope. I've been without cable all week, and I have to say although I miss my HGTV and I heard they replayed the MSU game last night on ESPNU which I would have loved to watch, I am starting my week off more optimistic and hopeful.

 
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