Do you follow and know more about politics now than any other time in your life? For eg., I never kept abreast about all the cabinet members, and what's happening on a day to day level. Even with Bush, though I knew the major players, and what was going on, I was able to not think about him and the political system on a daily basis. Now I'm obsessed w/every little detail, but if anything good has come out of Trumpism is the fact that I have so much more knowledge now. Anyone else feel the same?
I think I follow and keep up with political developments now much more than I did while in my working life. Now that I am retired I seem to have the time to listen to the radio more and there is deffinately more information on social media than there was a decade or so ago.
Yep, can't avoid it unless you totally shut down your TV and social media.
I’ve always been a law/political junkie, so much so at one point I moved to DC to be in the middle of it just after Obama was elected. I spent most my adult life working in medicine and took a job at a ritzy practice 2 blocks from the White House, I was able to meet many in Congress, the senate, pundits, diplomats, lobbyists, staffers......as patients. Ethics prevent me from naming names but it was fascinating.
I should also mention I went to school on a debate scholarship so that answers the question of how long I’ve been closely following law/politics.
interesting- 45 is a total mental patient- many of those in the medical field also see signs of dementia- oh lard.
Do I miss DC? Yes and no. It was around that time I “cielinged/burned out” of working in medicine. Nothing was ever going to top the contract I had with Naval medicine.
I officed at 1025 Connecticut for a couple of years in the early 70s. Was interested in politix from my junior high days and got active in college. Worked on Capitol Hill (Senate staff) before I moved downtown in a corporate job. Had political burnout after Reagan's nonsense, but am now back at full blast. This nation got so screwed up in big part due to religion and the right's use of religion as a political weapon. Prosperity religion: God wants you to be rich and in order to be rich you've got to vote Republican because Democrats are Godless communists.
I can say without a doubt I don't ever recall watching a white house press briefing ever much less more than twice a week ever. Yet, I've done that recently. US politics seems to be dominating the news and it is so freaking negative. I had to stop watching for a while it was making me angry. I know more than I'd like and I'd like it to stop.
I yell at the TV, and keep wishing the talking heads would just keep talking about how unstable 45 is instead of trying to normalize what's going on. It kills me that they created this monster- not all MSM- there are exceptions.
Christianity has invaded our politics in the way our forefathers warned about. Its a sad time for politics and freedom of religion. Trumps stolen justice pic of Neil Gorsuch, LITERALLY continued to allow the christian church the right to Judge us.
I agree that's the worst thing about politics today.
Im still voting today,
Your experience seems in many ways to mirror mine. I can now name more cabinet positions than any time during my life time. That’s probably because I’ve pretty much been supportive of social, educational and environmental changes that have taken place over the past century and this administration seems hell bent on putting us back a hundred years. Trump appoints the very folks who would destroy agencies they are in charge of. I am sure though that if I were not retired that I would have much less time to follow it as much as I do. I also have to pace myself because too much of it is just too depressing. Most news is repetition so I try to choose outlets that report on things from a different point of view such as foreign sources, from a news behind the news or from a historical perspective. The last couple of days have been exciting.
Oh geez- a terror attack in NYC today- 8 reported killed so far- vehicle attack. Wonder how long it will take for agent Orange-thing to tweet.
Gearl... that's the GOP plan, to dismantle government and turn it all over to the capitalist. A favorite tactic is to pass legislation that serves to sabotage a government program, then try to set the wheels in motion to privatize that program so the money flows to their corporate puppeteers.
The orange guy sets my teeth on edge, so I never listen to him. I pretty much don't listen to anyone that speaks for him either.
I've been aging in dog years since the campaign.
Actually, with Trump, it is harder for me to follow what is going on lately due to the cringe and depression factors. I can't listen to the stuff Trump is trying to do without cringing and gettign depressed, becaue he is ruining the country. He has already trashed oru international reputation and it will be decades before other countries trust us when ti comes to agreements and treaties again.
I am really sad that "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" only tapes about twice over any three weeks, as I really need to laugh and see the humorous side in order to tolerate listening to Trump's latest bungles.
Sick that about 1/3 of people here still support everything he says and does.
Actually, there was a poll here to see who supported Trump. Well over 200 did nto and only 4 did.
I think Trump supporters are mostly religious persons who are not bothered by the wide gaps between what people say they believe and what they actually do.
I've been deep in politics for near a decade now and I agree that this is the silver lining I've been waiting for that unfortunately Trumpism gives; that ethno-nationalism gives; that blatant crony-capitalism gives; that inept narcissism, probably more prominently than the rest, gives. Now if something with our combined eyes on the stage can collect to do something is another hope I wait to see.
Hate to use the word 'faith'- but we'll soon see how strong our system of checks and balances really is
I hate to be the cynic, but so far the proof in the pudding is not so strong.
I definitely do.
It is so utterly bad right now and is getting so much coverage because of it that I'm really almost forced to see it everywhere every day.
Yeah, the news is now only about one person- can't get away from it unless you hide under a rock.
@LoveThyDog I was trying to step away from it at least a little bit, but yesterday was a big day.
I used to follow politics very closely but like many others out there I didn't think Trump would win the Presidency let alone the nomination. After I was proven wrong, Trump did get help to win the Presidency, I had to take a "sabbatical" from politics but I slowly re-entered the political world but I have noticed that I'm not as passionate as I was before. Never the less I am slowly returning to my former political self but it is taken some time. I think there are many more out there like me but I have noticed we are all coming back with more gust than before and I believe we have Trump to thank for that.
The moment I heard that Dump won the primary, I got scared. The polls were always close except right after the HRC bounce after the democratic convention. All those crowds of crazy Nazis and sexist idiots always gave me a bad feeling. I was shocked on election day, but not entirely surprised.
Another win for Trump. Lol!
But seriously, it’s good this is happening more and more.
Any 'good' thing he does is totally inadvertent. The man is hellbent on destroying all that's good about America.