What got you into talking /interested in politics?

BearsWiin said:

whlinder said:

I grew up just outside DC and my dad was a lobbyist. I told my HS government class in 1998 that W would be the next President.

I don't *think* I really argue it though, I find everything about politics so dumb anymore as it's nothing but cliched bullshit. Detailed policy debates trying to solve complex multi-variate problems are interesting, but those don't exist anymore. Dedicated servants trying to do what's best for their constituents and country don't exist anymore. It's become another game to try to play and win which will burn us eventually.

That's actually happening at every level of government; you're just choosing to concentrate on the froth

I try to focus more on the local level since those are real decisions that impact me, save from things like slight tax rate changes. And it happens there too which is honestly worse because there are even fewer checks and balances to identify and stop corruption.

A dude I golf with, hardcore Republican, was railing about something with local politics and said how he hoped the Republican would win a School Board seat. (You can't openly run with a party for School Board here but you can be endorsed of course) I said I don't hope he wins because a political party shouldn't have any place on a fucking school board. His mind was just blown- the concept of running the schools to make best use of county resources without influence of a party platform had never entered his mind.

Bendintheriver said:

whlinder said:

I grew up just outside DC and my dad was a lobbyist. I told my HS government class in 1998 that W would be the next President.

I don't *think* I really argue it though, I find everything about politics so dumb anymore as it's nothing but cliched bullshit. Detailed policy debates trying to solve complex multi-variate problems are interesting, but those don't exist anymore. Dedicated servants trying to do what's best for their constituents and country don't exist anymore. It's become another game to try to play and win which will burn us eventually.

Just curious how long he lasted as a lobbyist and if you can share what industry he worked for.

Long time, early 1980s until he was forced into retirement about 10 years ago. He wanted to keep working but Parkinsons...

Energy policy with a focus on renewable energy. He went to Kyoto in 1997.

YellowSnow said:

whlinder said:

BearsWiin said:

whlinder said:

I grew up just outside DC and my dad was a lobbyist. I told my HS government class in 1998 that W would be the next President.

I don't *think* I really argue it though, I find everything about politics so dumb anymore as it's nothing but cliched bullshit. Detailed policy debates trying to solve complex multi-variate problems are interesting, but those don't exist anymore. Dedicated servants trying to do what's best for their constituents and country don't exist anymore. It's become another game to try to play and win which will burn us eventually.

That's actually happening at every level of government; you're just choosing to concentrate on the froth

I try to focus more on the local level since those are real decisions that impact me, save from things like slight tax rate changes. And it happens there too which is honestly worse because there are even fewer checks and balances to identify and stop corruption.

A dude I golf with, hardcore Republican, was railing about something with local politics and said how he hoped the Republican would win a School Board seat. (You can't openly run with a party for School Board here but you can be endorsed of course) I said I don't hope he wins because a political party shouldn't have any place on a fucking school board. His mind was just blown- the concept of running the schools to make best use of county resources without influence of a party platform had never entered his mind.

Row boat is a hot bed of reasonable, centrist, political views.

#SlowStrategy #Elitist