Bush opens double digit lead

[muert0]

I'm glad you don't think felons should vote. Why don't you state why you don't think so. It's kind of screwed up that someone who is 23 made a mistake when they were 18 so they can't choose who makes major decisions in their life.

So, you're saying, if somebody commits a felony we should just totally forgive them after 5 years? No. They commited a crime, they don't deserve to have their freedom.

That's bullshit. I don't deserve to have my freedom because I made a mistake?

[Falcon[anti-yL]]

Everybody makes mistakes, we just have to learn from the ones we make. Its not the end of the world.

[Arta]

And yes many of the founding fathers believed the majority of people were not intelligent enough to elect a president based on merit

Looking at the current president, I've often though that  

[K]

And yes many of the founding fathers believed the majority of people were not intelligent enough to elect a president based on merit

Looking at the current president, I've often though that  

only 51.3% of the Voting Aged Public (67.5 % of registered voters) voted in the last election.

IMHO, voter turnout is so low because the two party system is like voting for two sides of the same coin; it doesn't really matter for whom you vote, because both of them are spewing the same crap with different spins.

[dxoigmn]

only 51.3% of the Voting Aged Public (67.5 % of registered voters) voted in the last election.

IMHO, voter turnout is so low because the two party system is like voting for two sides of the same coin; it doesn't really matter for whom you vote, because both of them are spewing the same crap with different spins.

Yep, and the electoral college wasn't designed with political parties in mind because many of the founding fathers thought of them as evil!

Edit: For those of you still looking for "the will of the majority shall not infringe on the rights of the minority" in the Constitution, you can stop.  It's not in there and never has been.  But in any case, this was not the reason the electoral college was implemented.  The found fathers always had the idea of allowing the majority to rule (the definition of democracy) but not letting them infringe upon the rights of the minority (the reason for adding the Bill of Rights).  The electoral college was formed because they believed the public could not choose a president based on merit, nor could anyone running for president possibly campaign on a national basis, and to keep the balance between state and federal governments by allowing the states to govern how their electors were elected.  The electoral college was rather ingenious for its time.

[hismajesty]

That's bullshit. I don't deserve to have my freedom because I made a mistake?

You should have thought about your freedom before you did whatever it is you did.

[Tuberload]

That's bullshit. I don't deserve to have my freedom because I made a mistake?

You should have thought about your freedom before you did whatever it is you did.

Yes you have a very good opinion on how things should be. The real question is how can you make such a statement when you have no clue as to what you're condemning? Following is a somewhat long story about a low class white boy who has to grow up surrounded by America's increasing problems with youth. Please take the time to read it and then my following statement. I think it might help to open your eyes to another rapidly growing problem in America. A problem that is being handled the wrong way.

A little pre-story history:
Bob is 13, his father and stepmother get divorced so Bob is now forced to basically move out on his own. Bob has so much anger bottled up towards his stepmother for how she treated him when he was a kid, so this divorce is like a major relief to him. What he doesn't realize is his newfound freedom is not good without someone to guide him.

A new beginning:
Bob is now 15 and in high school. He still plays football and other contact sports. He still has a great amount of respect for his elders, is a good kid, listens, does well in school, etc. Unfortunately Bob is poor, so he has to go to a poor school. Bob meets a new crowd of people and decides to try smoking pot. Bob likes pot. Pot makes bob feel good. Where were Bob's parents to tell Bob that pot may make you feel good for a little while, but it will not help you in the long term? Bob now starts drinking heavily. One night Bob almost dies because he drinks so much. Do you think Bob's parents knew about this? No. Bob isn't so bad though, he has made a vow not to do hard drugs because he is just a kid having fun, and he doesn't want to ruin the rest of his life.

The violence within:
All this time Bob has had all kinds of animosity built up inside of him that he neatly tucks away into the deep recesses of his primitive side. Why did his step mother have to always ground him, hit him, make him do all the chores, while his step brother always got away with everything? Why does his dad have to be a dead beat that Bob is to scared to talk to? Why did his real mother have to leave him when he was one and move away? Why did the kids at school make fun of him until he made his newfound changes? Why does the world only seem to shit on Bob? Bob decides he is not going to take the worlds shit anymore. Bob starts to fight anyone who challenges him in one-way or another. Bob starts to gain respect with the other poor kids. Bob feels good. Where were Bob's parents to tell him that fighting should only be used as a last measure of defense, and that it does not solve anything in the end?

Easy women:
Bob is still 15, and he meets his first slut. Man Bob likes girls, especially the ones who like to get naked. Bob has sex for his first time. Bob finds out the girl is a slut, and every one of Bob's friends sleeps with her. One after another every person Bob has ever trusted stabs him in the back. Bob's animosity towards the world grows. Where were Bob's parents to tell him that the world is full of girls like this, and someday Bob would meet the one?

Encounters with the law:
One-day an older person asks Bob if he would beat up some kid for one reason or another. Bob and his friend decide to take the offer. Bob and his friend end up in Juvenile. A few weeks later Bob decides he needs alcohol and doesn't have any. Bob tries to steal the alcohol. Bob gets caught. A month or two passes and Bob gets pulled over. Bob lost his license the last time he went to juvy. Oh no Bob has weed on him. This type of behavior dies down a little bit, but still happens to Bob occasionally for a few more years. Where were Bob's parents to end the natural problems that are happening to Bob? Why can't Bob's parents tell them that they still love him, he just made a few mistakes? No, Bob's dad has to yell and do everything the wrong way.

Psycho love:
Bob is now 17 and head over heal in love, so he thinks. They spend all of their time together. This girl seems to know everyone, so there is always something to do. Bob loves all the activity, and popularity he is gaining. Bob breaks his promise to himself and tries ecstasy with her. Bob then tries cocaine. Why stop there, Bob lives in one of the most methamphetamine infested cities in America, so he tries that as well. Bob can't go to sleep! Bob's back hurts, Bob is getting paranoid, Bob wants to come down, but before he can he must encounter the shadow people. Bob decides he doesn't like the shadow people, and will never do those types of drugs again. Everything is still going good with crazy, but there are a few more problems. Bob is tired of all of the violence, drugs, and criminal activity that surround them. Bob is also tired of fighting. Things are changing in Bob's part of the world. Nobody fights with fists anymore everyone uses weapons. Bob does not like weapons because they increase his chance of going to jail for a long time or ending up dead. Bob and crazy start to fight a lot, and Bob has these spells that cause him to fall to the ground and start shaking on occasion. Bob cannot take it anymore so he decides to end his relationship with crazy, but crazy wont let go that easy. Crazy looses control and starts punching Bob in the face, so Bob pushes her away and goes inside. Bob then gets wasted and goes to his friends. Crazy shows up with a bunch of black guys wanting to beat Bob up. One of the guys tells Bob to get on his knees and apologize to crazy. Bob will not bow down to anyone and tells them all to fuck off. Then he starts fighting like a savage animal backed into a corner. Eventually the police show up and arrest Bob, because crazy told them Bob assaulted her earlier that day. Why couldn't Bob's parents comfort him and let him know he just made a mistake in whom he fell in love with. Why couldn't Bob's parents guide him in the right direction?

Bob doesn't care anymore:
When Bob finally gets out of jail he doesn't care about anyone or anything anymore. Bob starts drinking more than ever before. Tequila is his drink of choice, and he drinks about a fifth a night. One night about 4 or 5 months later Bob is at a party and crazy shows up with a bunch of guys. Bob is wasted and looses control when a few of them get in Bob's face. Bob now has a new found street respect, and while the guys may be acting tough for crazy they do not do anything. So Bob, in a state of rage, gets into his car and drives away. What do you know in the car next to them is one of the guys who crazy previously got to jump Bob. Bob's friends start to yell at the guy and they both pull over. Bob blacks out and gets out of the car. The guy is a little punk and runs up to a house and has some people call the police so Bob gets back into his car. Bob is still blacked out, and the guy cuts him off causing him to sideswipe a taxi. Bob looses control and starts' driving through the city at around 70-100mph. Bob does not care about red lights or traffic, all he cares about is catching the guy. Bob's looses control of his car and wrecks into something. Bob tries to run but is caught. The next morning Bob wakes up in jail but does not know why he is there. When Bob is sent to his arraignment he is charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, both carrying a prison term of three to five years. Bob's public pretender tells him that he is just a piece of shit and the only way the military will take him now is if they pass a draft and need someone to take a bullet. You see Bob's credibility was shot because he was so drunk, and the guy he was chasing told the police he pulled a knife out on him. No knife was ever found and the credibility of the guy was as bad as Bobs, but that is of no concern to the police because they just want to arrest somebody. The system does not believe in rehabilitation they believe in incarceration. Bob gets very lucky and his charges are dropped down to a class c weapons charge with the possibility of it being dropped to a gross misdemeanor when his probation is up. Bob is now a felon.

Bob sees the light:
Bob wishes things wouldn't have turned out the way they had and decides he is going to change everything about himself. Bob decides that from now on he will no longer suppress the intelligence that he has always had, instead he will let it out and see where it can take him. He stops hanging out with everyone he knows. He decides to stop hating and forget about all of his past experiences. Bob meats a beautiful girl who is perfect for him. She makes him want to be a better, successful person. Bob has made a change for the better. You see Bob is now a better, stronger person than most people will ever become. Bob grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, but decided to break away and become something better. Something that everyone told him he could not become.

Bob today:
Now Bob patiently works two jobs, earning minimum wage, but Bob does not care because he knows things will get better. Bob spends all of his free time with his girl friend, on computers, and working out preparing for the military. Bob has gotten lucky enough that after his probation is up he can still join. Bob hopes the military will be the start of a new life. At the very least it will get Bob out of his current hell and give him some different experiences. Things are very hard for Bob and he frequently finds himself wanting to fall back into his old ways. It is hard not to do what everyone else is doing, and unfortunately for Bob he lives in a run down, drug infested city, with a rapidly rising gang population. Bob will not falter though and he continues to hold on knowing one day the system will free him and let him get started with his life.

If you have gotten to this point and read the whole story maybe your eyes will be opened to a new world. It is very easy to sit there, consumed by your own so-called perfect reality and condemn what you know nothing about. All the while some kid is left alone to roam the streets, a kid that has talent and brains, a kid that could have been, and still could be someone. If only he would have had someone to guide him through the maze of life, and teach him the better side. Show him that there is a better way. Let him know that people really do care about him, and that he is not alone. A system that is more interested in rehabilitation instead of incarceration, and a world of acceptance instead of discrimination. Please think before you pass such a judgment, it will make the world a better place.