Mdp8903 wrote:The whole birthing thing got old quick and never was a big deal. I thought cartoons of the Obamas depicted as primates was distasteful. I didn’t care for his policies and direction he drove the country towards, but he wasn’t as easy of target because he had charisma. My point with the orange thing is that it was a bad makeup job or sunless tan crap on Trump and lefties have clung to that for name-calling and belittling him.
Yes, anger and frustration spilling over could explain a lot of it and with social media, ppl have a bigger platform and microphone than ever. However, the level of vitriol and hatred being spewed because their candidate lost 2 years ago has reached a level we’ve never seen (therapy dogs and counselors, coloring books on college campuses) I mean, some can’t be reasoned with or are even willing to have constructive conversations.
I teach history and civics and the biggest frustration for me is how ignorant the majority of the young population is (right & left) in regards to the Constitution and our history... and there’s not much of a desire to understand it.
I’m to the point where I would support a 5th grade-level basic civics test that you are required to pass in order to vote. Simple things like how many branches of gov?, what are they?, what are the BOR?, etc. Nothing like post-reconstruction literacy tests... After all, isn’t our job as citizens to cast an INFORMED vote? I think it would weed out a lot of awfully ignorant individuals that get to cancel out informed peoples votes. Plus, it would force American citizens to become more aware of American fundamentals if they want to participate in our representative democracy. If you want to vote, then prove your head isn’t up your ass. I would also argue that our LEGAL immigrants are better informed to vote than many born citizens because they have to pass that civics test to become legal.
Interested to hear your thoughts
You've shifted the conversation, but make some really interesting and valid points I think.
Regarding Trump, I'm thoroughly convinced he's way out of his depth. He's not bright, dignified or qualified..and that's the short list. I don't agree that the reason the left (along with many Conservatives and traditional Republicans ) can't be reasoned with is because Hillary lost. It was more a matter of this moron won!? Trump's election victory was stupifying. Numbing. It's still mind-boggling to me that otherwise reasonable people couldn't see through his shtick. His ineptitude. Him!
Even at his rallies, but especially since the election America seems unrecognizable to me. Hillary was boring but clearly qualified. Ultimately she was successfully maligned and demonized and then, last minute, derailed by Comey's interference. It was a no-brainer imo: Hillary, an old school politician, not squeaky clean of course, or Trump, a carnival barker, with a rap sheet to rival Caligula. So yeah, I can't listen to Trump supporters/apologists and not get hot under the collar. No reasonable defense seems even possible. The man lacks character. And I think we're in trouble.
This is my country, what my kids and grandkids are going to inherit. It's no small matter. If any of the other 16 Republican candidates would have won the nomination and election I doubt they'd have met with the abuse Trump has. But of course would Jeb or Rubio etc have antagonized the media like Trump? Nope. He likes it and therefore invites it. So, that's my take. Wasn't that I lost, it was THIS GUY won. THIS GUY!
The idea that citizens should be better informed is brilliant. And like most brilliancies, probably pie in the sky.
There's hardly a criticism of democracy that's invalid from Plato to Churchill imo. (Didn't Plato actually warn future democracies about the inevitability of an oaf like Trump?)
That said, educating and testing, excellent ideas, have little chance of ever being actualized, particularly testing. The masses, left and right, are addicted to their prejudices. Their laziness too. They'd reject testing. Because they'd fail testing and in a democracy you just have to show up and youre good at the voting booth. Why risk that. But incorporating it in to the curriculum? Good idea.