The problem with Repub. politics is they seemed to have forgotten good citizenship.

This came about in another thread, but this really what bothers me the most about the Republican Party of today. The lack of citizenship principals in action. It is not enough to wrap oneself in the flag and call each other great Americans when it has not been earned. The most important responsibility of everyone living in a democracy to practice good citizenship. Is citizenship even taught in our schools these days. I think not. It was certianly taught when I went to school.

Good citizenship.

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr008.shtml

- Honesty is the basic theme of good citizenship. A person must be honest with others, and with himself or herself, in order to be a good citizen.

- Compassion is the emotion of caring for people and for other living things. Compassion gives a person an emotional bond with his or her world.

- Respect is similar to compassion but different in some ways. An important aspect of respect is self-respect, whereas compassion is directed toward others. Respect is also directed toward inanimate things or ideas as well as toward people. For example, people should have respect for laws. Finally, respect includes the idea of esteem or admiration, whereas compassion is a feeling people can have for others they don’t necessarily admire.

- Out of honesty, compassion, and respect comes Responsibility, which includes both private, personal responsibility and public responsibility. Individuals and groups have responsibilities. Responsibility is about action, and it includes much of what people think of as good citizenship. You may wish to point out that one of the main responsibilities of students is to learn. They must educate themselves so that they can live up to their full potential.

- Finally, the theme of Courage is important to good citizenship. Human beings are capable of moving beyond mere goodness toward greatness. Courage enables people to do the right thing even when it’s unpopular, difficult, or dangerous. Many people---including Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, and Mohandas Gandhi---have had the courage to change the rules to achieve justice.

Elanor Roosevelt
http://newdeal.feri.org/er/er19.htm

A country can only be as strong as it's citizens. And unfortunately, I see a lack of sufficient citizenship in The United States and particularly with the leadership of the Republican Party. Oh, the leadership of the Republican Party likes to wrap itself in the flag. But that is not good citizenship. Being honest is practicing good citizenship.

How much better would we be if each of us became better citizens?

 

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And the Democrats are all really so great???

Baron Max

 

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Better drones? I do not exist to serve the state; your justice, your compassion, you can shove them. Take your religion, take your "good citizenship", and take your state, and shove it.

 

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Unfortunately, Norse, you don't have much choice about it. You were born a "drone" of the state, and you're growing into older one right now. Even the staunchest of hippies in the 60s-70s couldn't escape it, regardless of how hard they tried. Sorry, Norse, but you do serve the state ...even if you're kickin' and screamin' all the way.

Baron Max

 

It's a sad reality, although.......then, practically speaking, if I cannot escape the state, I may as well use it for my own benefit. Hence, the mentality of the corrupt politician.

 

You exist to further the human species

 

No, although even if so, how do I "further" the species. My definition of progress, I am sure, is far different than yours.

 

breed

 

Even this is not specific; breed like crazy? Or how about targeted eugenics? The latter sounds more logical to me.

 

just breed. fuck like a bunny

 

i have to agree with barron. From the outside it doesnt apear that its a problem of one side or the other of politics but rather a problem with the US in general. To much respect for cerimony like "the oath of allegance" and the flag and not enough political interest (? sorry cant think of the word which means the exact oposide of apathy, pathy maybe?)

even people like tiassa show this trait, in a thread on cap and trade he made a comment along the lines of "no, its a great IDEA but as congress wrote the law it by definition sucks". Well whos fault is that? who elects these incompitants into positions of responcability (NOT power)

I mean i was lissioing to an interview with john McCain about the channy thing and wether congress should be holding an investigation. His comment was "its not time to hold an investigation until all the facts are known"

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you hold an investigation to GET the facts, who let this guy get anywhere NEAR second to the presidency?


Its similar to the debate on wether teenagers should do national service. The last thing we want to do is make them submissive to authority. What we SHOULD be concidering is COMMUNITY service because that has many benifits including making people politically awear of the fact that the choices you make in who you elect has a huge impact on peoples lives. You might not like paying taxes but look at WHY your taxes are nessary to help this person who is so disabled they cant get out of bed or they are fighting cancer and so they cant work or whatever it is

I do agree with you that citizanship and not patitisium are important but where i disagree is where this issue comes from

 

I am getting sick of all politics. Fascism, liberalism, conservatism, theocracy, capitalism, communism........what does it matter, as long as we're happy?

 

joe have you even cared to examine the Democrats for good citizenship?

Yes, it seems they take great pride in exhibiting abhorrent citizenship under their big tent.

 

Got any examples of Democrats not demonstrating principals of citizenship?

 

joe, Citizenship, is not the point of your thread, your point was good citizenship and as to good citizenship;

Murtha: Marine Murder in Iraq? - ABC News
May 28, 2006 ... "I will not excuse murder and that what's happened," Murtha told ABC News chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos. ...
http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/story?id=2013939&page=1

The Marines were found not guilty, remember "Innocent Until Proven Guilty"

Is it good Citizenship for a Congressman to pronounce Guilt to the world, before the investigation.....trial....and or acquittal?

I don't think so.

or how about Sen Harry Reid;

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/20/politics/main2709229.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_2709229

WASHINGTON, April 20, 2007
Senator Reid On Iraq: "This War Is Lost"

Yes, Good Citizenship, send a direct message to the Troops that He doesn't support the them or their Mission.

A short list of Good citizenship by Democrats over the years;

Congressman Mel Reynolds, the Democrat convicted of 12 charges, including sex with 16-year-old Beverly Heard and asking her to take pornographic photographs of a 15-year old, was indicted on August 21, 1994. ABC, the current scourge of congressional teen-sex scandals, reported nothing – until Reynolds was convicted a year later, on August 23, 1995. In fact, on May 13, 1994, ABC featured Reynolds in a "Person of the Week" speaking out in favor of two Chicago ladies fighting child molesters:

Peter Jennings: " Their local congressman is certainly on their side. He also wants to make child molesting a federal offense."


The congressman, Tim Mahoney, a Democrat, agreed to a $121,000 settlement with a former mistress who worked on his staff and was threatening to sue him,

Rep. Barney Frank. The outspoken Massachusetts Democrat hired a male prostitute who ran a prostitution service from Frank’s residence in the 1980s. Only two Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to censure him in 1990.

Former Sen. Brock Adams. The late Washington Democrat was forced to stop campaigning after numerous accusations of drugging, assault and rape, the first surfacing in 1988

Former Rep. Fred Richmond. This New York Democrat was arrested in 1978 for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old. He remained in Congress and won re-election—before eventually resigning in 1982 after pleading guilty to tax evasion and drug possession.

Former Rep. John Young. The late Texas Democrat increased the salary of a staffer after she gave in to his sexual advances. The congressman won re-election in 1976 but lost two years later.

Former Rep. Wayne Hays. The late Ohio Democrat hired an unqualified secretary reportedly for sexual acts. Although he resigned from Congress, the Democratic House leadership stalled in removing him from the Administration Committee in 1976.

Former Rep. Gerry Studds. He was censured for sexual relationship with underage male page in 1983. Massachusetts voters returned him to office for six more terms.

Former Rep. Mel Reynolds. The Illinois Democrat was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault with a 16-year-old. President Bill Clinton pardoned him before leaving office.

Sen. Teddy Kennedy. The liberal Massachusetts senator testified in defense of nephew accused of rape, invoking his family history to win over the jury in 1991.

Yes and from;

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theg...dals-through-the-years-both-parties-even.aspx

Democrats:
1. Wayne Hays (1976): Affair with secretary (one of the first major sex scandals)
2. Allan Howe (1976): Solicited sex with two prostitutes (both of whom were undercover cops)
3. John Young (1976): Staffer alleged sexual harrassment
4. Fred Richmond (1978): Charged with soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy.
5. Gerry Studds (1983): Reprimanded for having sex with a male teenage House page
6. Gary Hart (1988): Affair with model Donna Rice.
7. Barney Frank (1989): Affair with male prostitute, who also conducted business in Frank's home.
8. Chuck Robb (1991): Admitted to receiving a nude massage from a former Miss Virginia.
9. Brock Adams (1992): Eight women accused him of sexual harassment, abuse, and rape.
10. Mel Reynolds (1994): Sexual relationship with 16-year-old campaign volunteer.
11. Bill Clinton (1998): Affair with intern Monica Lewinsky.
12. Gary Condit (2001): Affair with (murdered) intern Chandra Levy.
13. Paul Patton (2002): Affair with nursing home operator; when the affair ended the state of Kentucky filed numerous violations against her business.
14. Bob Wise (2003): Affair with a state government staffer
15. Jim McGreevey (2004): Resigned as NJ governor after admitting that he is "a gay American"
16. Neil Goldschmidt (2004): Admitted to having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl in the 1970s.
17. Roosevelt Dobbins (2005): Congressman form Arkansas, pleaded guilty to fondling a 16-year-old.
18. Gavin Newsom (2007): Affair with the wife of a top aide.
19. Antonio Villaraigosa (2007): Affair with a television reporter.
20. Tim Mahoney (2008): Admitted to multiple affairs.
21. Eliot Spitzer (2008): Involved in prostitution scandal.
22. Paul Morrison (2008): Affair with administrative staffer while Attorney General of Kansas, pressured her to reveal information about Kansas D.A.
23. Marc Dann (2008): Attorney General of Ohio, had an affair with a staffer.
24. David Paterson (2008): Admitted that both he and his wife had extramarital affairs
25. John Edwards (2008): Had an affair with a campaign employee while running for President.
26. Kwame Kilpatrick (2008): Text messaging sex scandal
27. Sam Adams (2009): Portland, OR mayor lied about relationship with 18-year-old male intern.


The main difference being that the Republican get rid of there offenders, Jerry Studds, a standing ovation from his fellow Democrats, Ted Kennedy and Barny Franks, still in Congress, yes good citizenship.

 

Joe:

I have a feeling that this came from your discussion with me. If so, two points:

1) I'm not a Republican.
2) I believe in good citizenship, but my definition of this seems to greatly differ from yours. I don't believe that I exist to serve my neighbors or that they exist to serve me. I mind my own business and keep my hands to myself, and I expect others to do the same.

 

It did.

And we definately do not agree on the meaning of citizenship. Citizenship comes with responsiblities. If you want to be independent of the state, then I think you need to find a place that removes you from the influence of the state. But as long as you want to enjoy the benefits of the state then I think it incumbent on you to exercise the previously outlined principals of citizenship. The benefits of the state are not free, they come with a cost...sometimes a high cost that is and has been paid in blood.

 

Joe
With all due respect, and I do agree with you in many senses of the phrase "citizen responsibility", isn't the government supposed to ULTIMATELY be ours? Was it not designed originally to execute the laws it makes and enforces based on a REAL representation of us, it's citizens?

It certainly doesn't work that way now, and hasn't for MANY years.

I see the government as far more so failing it's responsibilities to us than we to it.

 

I absolutely AGREE with you government has failed us. And government is suppposed to be ours, but in practice especially in recent years is not. And it is time to take back our government. They only way to do that is if each of us exercises our citizenship responsiblities.

Our government has become quite clever in keeping the public in the mushroom pit. If people knew the real cost of their government they would be appauled and rightly outraged. The average Joe thinks the weekly or biweekly tax that comes out of his pay check is all government costs him. And he is ever so wrong. There is the Social Security Taxes that his employer pays on his behalf, a tax that is not paid by high income earners by the way.

In addition to taxes paid directly to governement there are the hidden taxes that are not called taxes (e.g. creating oligopolies like those found in the healthcare industry that cost each individual almost 4k each year. There are trade policies that benefit the few at the expense of the many. There are all kinds of horseshit going on in Washington at the expense of the average Joe. And it is time for it to stop!