NationStates Jolt Archive

The current US election cycle began extremely early, but now things have definitely moved up a gear. They will presumably get more intense as November approaches. Obviously, this election is particularly big, but some of the UK elections I've participated in, and the 2004 general and 2006 Congressional US ones also generated a lot of debate. And a lot of rampant Internet asshattery.

From my perspective, I hate elections. Everyone goes from quiet disdain for the opposition to less quiet disdain, to becoming sneering, jabbering jackasses. Repub or Dem, Labour or Tory, even third-party advocates, develop a real lip-curling sneer. Maybe this is complacent, living in a country that isn't under the thumb of an authoritarian dictator who's banned elections. Maybe it'd be different if I were a strong supporter or opponent of party x or candidate y.

Do you enjoy election season? Do you live and breath by updates to the RCP polll agregates? Or do you want to crawl into a hole and only emerge in February, getting by on NPR updates on the elections in some far off post-Soviet country? Or are you wholly ambivalent?

No, I don't like election season - for a number of reasons that range from petty and trivial to important.

1. It disrupts my TV viewing. I'm inundated with commercials, mostly without content, about the questionable virtues of candidates and causes. And, finally, on election day, I'm bothered with second by second counts and analyses on all the networks - instead of just giving us the bottom line, they have to annoy us with details and they'll probably pre-empt NCIS to do it. I mean, really, I could be watching Mark Harmon instead of tote boards.

2. I am accosted everywhere I go by people who want me to 1. sign some petition the can't explain 2. vote for (or against) some issue that they never adequately support 3. register to vote (I already am, thank you).

3. I am daily treated to signs everywhere blaring in letters 20' high, the names of people I've never heard of before and enjoining me to vote for them.

4. My family and friends are at odds because we can never agree on who or what to vote for.

5. And when it's all over, what do we have? Nothing that's worth the aggravation.

I like election season. It helps if you bear in mind that certain Web sites and news outlets are geared more toward entertainment/yellow journalism than thoughtful analysis - steer clear of these and you can learn a lot about tactics and the process. Ignoring polls until after the first debate (give or take) is also advisable.

I'll admit that, living in California, I'm not bombarded by campaign ads in the same way Pennsylvania residents are, and, as a McCain supporter, I didn't have to endure the ugly, drawn-out Democratic primary process (though I did keep up with events), so the '08 season has probably been more enjoyable for me than for some. :tongue: But still, it's the responsibilty of a good citizen to make an informed decision on election day, and I'd still be paying attention if I hated election season.

I do enjoy election season. However, I'd enjoy it a lot more if it didn't start a year and a half in advance. Half a year is plenty of time, thank you.

I suppose as an activist I have different perspective, but I really enjoy it. Lots of adrenaline flowing etc, and hopefully seeing results for the work put in.

I enjoy it well enough. It occasionally gets a bit tiring (but then, this one has gone on unusually long, so that's to be expected), but it brings to the surface so many enjoyable debates about important issues. Of course, the vast majority of people don't care about said debates, and instead care about whose pig has lipstick, but whatever.

im much happier with the election season now that i have TIVO for my tv and can pass over all the campaign ads. in the past they have made me break into spontaneous rants. now i can completely ignore them.

I like the actual election bit of the election season, and the debates, but I hate the sniping and the stupid, stupid non-inhaling-fuzzy-numbered-pig-lipstick issues that invariably dominate the news stories. I spend a lot of time trying to convince myself that I shouldn't care this much. It's all very upsetting.

hate the election season.

1) Gives people a reason to litter (putting up signs everywhere)
2) Gives people a chance to create accidents (Roadside sign waving... en masse)
3) I watch TV to escape the problems of the Real World. The candidates are always on reminding me of that which I'm trying to escape.

so no. I hate the election season.

No, not really. It gets boring after all the mudslinging and childishness; all the pointless soon-to-be-broken promises and the endless hours of nitpicking... And that's just the Canadian election. Let's not even start about how bad the election season for America is...

Hey, Kryo, there you are! :D
Anyway, no, I pretty much hate it. The U.S. election is waaay too long, mudslining, attack ads, idiotic campaign distractions in the media, it's all annoying. Shorten the main election season to one week I say!

They really should limit election season to six months to a year.

I enjoy the debates, the finding out of a new president, and the realizations of just how ignorant certain people can be.

Other than that, the incessant mudslinging, false promises, and general bad feeling in the mouth that I get generally makes me hate election season.

I'm surprised the election trolls haven't shown up. Is it more difficult to register and post now or something, or is NSG just becoming a dinosaur.

I'm surprised the election trolls haven't shown up. Is it more difficult to register and post now or something, or is NSG just becoming a dinosaur.

Hmm....don't we also usually get a few Neo-Nazi, White Supremist trolls over Summer break? What happened to them?

Hmm....don't we also usually get a few Neo-Nazi, White Supremist trolls over Summer break? What happened to them?

Back at home/home school (one or the other), so they don't have access to their enlightened and connected cousin's computer and internet access. They'll be back around Thanksgiving. I think.

I've always hated it. Annoying nonsense.

The election season is all about acting that you care and saying nothing that could remove potential voters.

I think the idea of an election season in itself is a sad issue. if people had been watching what the politicians do when they were actually in power and passing legislation there would be no need for peviously elected candidates to go on an election season. You could say before it all the adds began "no you did a shit job" or "good enough"

I don't follow any politics anymore. When you reach some age, you understand that it really doesn't matter. The boss can be green, blue, brown, black or red. Let it be a woman or man, old or young, a genius or a dumb person.

In the end you just pay too much taxes for a range of unneeded services. So was it 100 years ago, so is it now, so will it be the next 100 years.

All the noise around elections are just excuses for broadcasters to sell you more unwanted things you already have in triple.

When a country reached a certain level of "civilization" then it doesn't matter anymore who the top-dog is.

I hate it.

1) It interferes with selling stuff. Worse than the Olympics. Which I also hate, for the same reason. It would be nice to make TVs with an "economy protection chip." If their owner hasn't bought anything (besides absolute necessities) recently, the idiot box won't turn on. :p

2) It's too long.

3) The stuff they put between the ads on TV gets even worse: Lots of political commentary takes over the air. I like ads if they're creative (especially the attack ads), but can't bring myself to watch that absolute drivel otherwise known as "content." I do NOT care about Commentator X's opinions. If I want *opinion* I can come on here, no need to listen to some no-more-qualified guy on TV drone on and on.

4) The supposed "big issues" are almost always things that are only brought up during election seasons. I hardly ever hear of "health care," "educational initiatives," or the like at other times, nor do I want to. Guess what, candidates? If I didn't care enough about an issue to talk about it 2 years ago, I sure didn't suddenly start caring more now!

5) It's annoying. That is made worse by Point #2.

I am annoyed that the US election season seems to last at least nine months anymore. Sheesh...seriously, who cares that freaking much? Not I. Regardless of who gets in, the US is not going to stop being an imperialistic resource guzzling hypocritical asshat anytime soon.

I only like the flame wars that pop up. And laughing at the idiots who believe all those rumors. Of course seeing those said idiots makes me fear for the human race.

Yes I know I'm cynical.