Politics 101: Primary Elections Explained

For those who have no idea how Primary Elections work, I introduce you to CGPGrey.  Once again he educates us through video, and informs of the confusion between Primaries and Caucuses.  And how the nomination of a President comes to be.

So without further ado, the man who brought us Coffee: The Greatest Addiction Ever, Daylight Saving Time, Pennies Should Be Abolished, and "2012 & The End of The World" comes the second educational video of the year, "Primary Elections Explained."

Politics 101: It's Not All About Iowa

I just love how all the news is focused on Iowa today, and will be for the next several days until New Hampshire.  But is it really that important?  Is it as important as the media and your neighbors make it out to be?  NO.  That's a big N-O to all you Republicans.  And Democrats for that matter.

You want to know when all of this started?  When Jimmy Carter won the Democratic caucuses in Iowa in 1976, and ever since then these candidates have been hoping for the same thing.  But I don't remember hearing of a President Huckabee, President Dole, President Gephardt, or President Harkin, do you?

Furthermore, Iowa does not reflect the rest of America.  When the total population of Iowa is 96% white, 2% black, 1% Asian and 1% Hispanic you do not resemble America.  Adding to the absurdity, you have 60% of that population being mega-religious and a majority of them over the age of 50 or 60.  And with only 30% of Iowans expected at these Caucuses, how is this a reflection of America?  There is no comparison.

So, while I'm sitting at home watching all this mess, I'll be laughing quietly, because whoever wins will probably never make it past 2012.  It's about the rest of the nation, people.  It's not about Iowa.  Why do you think all these other states are moving their caucuses and primaries up?  They want to feel important too.  Oh. And by the way there are 49 other states who also want to play a part in the democratic process.

Politics 101: Biggest Military Spenders

No... it can't be!  The United States.  Really?  We ask ourselves why this country is in the state that it is in, and this graph tells you why.  I posted a blog earlier this month, "United Bases of America" with a map showing the amount of military bases we have around the world.  And these are just the bases we are aware of.

I'm all for protecting our country, but do we have to protect everyone else?  Why can't they handle their own crap?  These are the amounts in 2010 alone.

Politics 101: United Bases of America

Is the United States worried it will no longer be the World's Superpower?  Not anytime soon, and this incredible infographic provided by the National Post, says otherwise.  It's actually quite fascinating.

Despite the pending troop withdrawals in Iraq and those in Afghanistan between now and 2014, the United States remains a superpower on a scale not seen since the days of the Caesars. With this in mind, the National Post’s Richard Johnson takes a look at the scale of America’s forces.

click to enlarge

Politics 101: Why Is Health Care So Expensive? and The Real Reasons Why It Costs So Much

Back in April I introduced you to the first part of "Why Your Stitches Cost $1,500: A Look at The Absurd Health Care Costs in America." Today, I bring you the 2nd part.

Let me break it down for you... You have Myths, which Republicans try to feed you day in, and day out.  And you have Truths, which Democrats try to show you, but you refuse to listen to them. If you continue to elect people into office that feed you lies, beyond lies, to where it becomes really difficult to repair; Then when it comes time to repair all the damage that's been done - our Democrats are blamed for not fixing it fast enough.  Why is it there job to repair what Republicans screwed up to begin with?  Because Democrats care for the average American worker. You have a choice, make it.

In the chart below, you will see four big myths "people often cite, but are actually incorrect."

After the jump, you will find "The Real Reasons Why Health Care Costs So Much."

Politics 101: Individual Income Taxes vs. Corporate Income Taxes

And all along you thought things were fair.  Really?  Really?  Think about it when you enter the voting booth next November.  There is no better way of comparing Corporate Income Taxes vs. Our Income Taxes, than this chart.  The statistics are taken from the Office of Management and Budget.

With a declining economy and unemployment still at a high 9.1 percent, if this country gets handed to the Republicans, you will see the Greatest Depression this country has ever seen, and our country turn into a third world country.  You can laugh all you want, but it's true.

Politics 101: How Laws Are Made?

You don't need a political science course to teach you how our laws are made.  You just need more people like me, who will share this information with you on a daily basis. :-)

While I did take U.S. Government, U.S. History, and Political Science in college; I did manage to forget some of it. 

I find it helpful to have a handy chart like this to help refresh my memory.

click to enlarge

2008 Election - First Time Since 1952

Originally posted on June 1, 2007 on Peter's old MySpace Blog. Used as a reference in commemorating Blog 3000 on April 16, 2013

Just to let everyone know - 2008 will be a very important year in our lives.  This will be the first election without incumbents since 1952.

If you have no idea what that means; when a United States President leaves office, his Vice President is more often than not considered a leading candidate and likely nominee to succeed him.

2008 will mark the first time since 1952 in which there is neither and incumbent president nor an incumbent vice-president running in the presidential election.This will also be the most expensive election in American History.

In January 2007, Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner stated that the 2008 U.S. presidential race will be "the most expensive election in American history". Toner estimated that the 2008 race will be a "$1 billion election", and that to be "taken seriously", a candidate will need to raise at least $100 million by the end of 2007.

Why vote?

Originally posted on November 7, 2006 on Peter's old MySpace Blog. Used as a reference in commemorating Blog 3000 on April 16, 2013

 

Did you know...

• That several of our states, including California, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington, became states by just ONE vote?

• That in 1948, Lyndon B. Johnson, our 36th president, became a U.S. senator by a ONE vote margin?

• And that same year, if Thomas E. Dewey had gotten ONE vote more per precinct in Ohio and California, the presidential election would have been thrown to the U.S. House of Representatives, where Dewey enjoyed more support than his rival -- incumbent Harry S. Truman? In fact, Dewey was expected to win the general election by a landslide, so most Republicans stayed home. Only 51.5 percent of the electorate voted in 1948, and Truman defeated Dewey.

Not convinced?

• In the 1960 presidential election, ONE additional vote per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Texas would have denied John F. Kennedy the presidency and put Richard M. Nixon in office eight years earlier.

• In recent years, the outcomes of many state and congressional races have been reversed as recounts have shifted a handful of votes from one candidate to another.

• Each and every vote is the voice of a citizen of the United States of America. One voice speaking out can change the course of history.

WHY VOTE?

...Because it is your fundamental right as an American, and the most basic means by which you have a voice in how your government works. By voting, you participate in a process that determines who will represent you, your family, and your neighbors in your community, your state, and your country.

Most states require that you register to vote, and aside from registering at your local election office, you may register by mail, when you get or renew your drivers' license, when you apply or are recertified for benefits in public assistance agencies, and in agencies serving people with disabilities.

States must also conduct registration in an agency system of their choosing, such as libraries or unemployment offices. In addition to these places, many civic organizations and political parties sponsor voter registration drives at colleges and universities, shopping malls, work sites, fairs, and other community events.

While the number of individuals registered to vote is at an all time high, we have yet to see a corresponding rise in active voting. In the last presidential election in 2000, 51.3 percent of the voting age population turned out to vote. The numbers tend to fall during the off-year elections for Congress: in 1998, only 36.4 percent of the voting age population made it to the polls.

Why don't more Americans register and vote? The most likely reason–they don't think their one vote will make a difference. But what if just one person on every street or in every voting precinct thought that way? We might find that the course of history would change.