What ever happened about feeling good about politics

[Gadave]

I remember a time when thinking of politics made me happy, and excited, but lately it just depresses me. I was not very happy with Gore as the choice for President, and the results of 2000 of course did not help either. Then the 2002 loss of the Senate really set me back.

When the primaries started I was really happy and optimistic about it again, but have become unhappy about the process as of late. I really don't like some of the things going on within the primary. When I was a kid I remember watching the primaries and being excited and interested. I remember cheering on Jessie Jackson in 1984 and and even Jerry Brown against Clinton, but I never had a bad view of the opposition.

Lately though there seems to be a very negative trend in the political process. Was it that I was just naive and only now see the political side of politics, and my idealism doesn't like it, or has it just gone bad?

I want to be excited about the process again, not depressed. I want my vote to feel like a joy and a pleasure not a just a duty to prevent the evil Republicans from winning.

[villager]

1. Dallas, Memphis...

...and the Ambassador Hotel happened to "feeling good about politics."

As did, more recently, Florida.

[Gadave]

4. I consider 2000 recently

[Stephanie]

9. ^ This is the answer

Sometimes we are depressed not because we have a chemical imbalance, but because bad things are happening.

Selection 2000 changed everything. It's not an honest process anymore.

[OneBlueSky]

2. the advent of negative advertising some years back . . .

made abundently clear just how nasty and dirty politics really is . . . and is seems to just keep getting more so . . . I really hope that our ticket runs on a positive vision for the country and a concrete platform of progressive ideas . . . and limits their time in the gutter to prompt and forceful responses to the dirt that the opposition will most cerainly be slinging . . .

[Momof1]

3. I was thinking about this tonight

Back in '92 I was so excited about Clinton. I even loved it with the "I didn't inhale" came out.

I want to say that it wasn't that serious back then. Clinton was cute and he spoke to what I wanted to hear. Bush was a bad president in my mind, and I wanted him gone.

Today, Bush is an evil man that has to go. In order to keep politics out of war. And the environment. Our bedrooms. Every damn area of the world is threatened by * and its dead serious and people are scared & frightened.

This is going to be one of the nastiest campaigns ever. Rove is going to through everything at us. And since Clark is out, I am worried.

I picked up my local newspaper and went to the Op/ed page. Its bad 4 letters to the editor, 2 of them slamming Kerry. 2 others about local issues.

This isn't a normal Presidential election, we have seen what they are capable of... in Congress (stealing emails, bribery on the floor for the Medicare) And what Bush is capable of. In 2008 maybe then we can get back to being happy about politics.

Right now it's WAR.

[Gadave]

6. 1992 was the happiest I have been I think

After being told Bush was unbeatable and shocking the world.

[Sapphocrat]

8. Tell y'all a secret...

I videotaped the 1992 Democratic National Convention. I haven't watched it in years, because I just can't stand to.

It was the last time I believed.

[Momof1]

10. I loved every minute

of those 8 years. I loved debating with republicans. It was friendly conversation having a beer. Even when Monica broke... (Clinton was muli-tasking Pizza, talking to a Congressman and Monica)

Those were the days....

Now I can't stand being in the same room with a republican. It gives me chills.

[villager]

13. yeah, the GOPpers I knew...

...and could at least talk all became rabid during the Clinton years, and far more intolerant...

I, too, have lost a lot of the overall faith I seemed to have "in the way of things" back in the mid-90's...

[Charlls]

5. read this

i hope this help to cheer you up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=25124


:toast:

[Sapphocrat]

7. I think times change, but the feeling is the same...

Jonathan: I was wondering, whatever happened to my red suspenders?

Tina: What red suspenders?

Jonathan: I was wearing them the night we met.

Tina: You must have thrown them away, a long time ago.

Jonathan: It was so hot at the Democratic Club, and I took off my jacket, and you dug my red suspenders -- remember, Teen?

Tina: That speech you gave was so good.

Jonathan: Yeah, wasn't it?

Tina: You were witty, you were charming... and very sexy.

Jonathan: My "New Frontier"-type speech. Oh, God, how I wanted to go into politics in those days. You remember how fired up we were about what was happening in Washington? We were so young and hopeful... Sounds corny... But we were idealistic... weren't we, Teen? And then... suddenly, it was all over. It was gone. I used to wake up at three o'clock in the morning, crying... because it wasn't there anymore. It's three o'clock in the morning now.

-- "Diary of a Mad Housewife" (1970)

[K-W]

11. Niave - Politics has always been an ugly ugly game.

The challenge is to stay involved in such an ugly system, even when the ugliness is kicking you in the face.

[girl gone mad]

12. You got old, I guess.

;)

[RandomKoolzip]

14. 1992 was the best year I can remember in my short life.

There was hope, love, and a future in that year. I felt good to be alive, Clinton was winning by being HUMAN, and it seemed like things were finally getting back to normal after the Reagan Bush years. eight great long years later, and the 2000 election......and now it's 2004, and bleakness is the national mood....God, I miss 1992....