Give me the run down!!!

[bigbulls]

I have never been the "political person" but after being on this forum for a couple of years now, and begining a career in gunsmithing, I am finding myself growing ever more concerned with the political side of life. So if you would give me and the many others amongst us that are in the dark a run down of who needs to hear my (our) "concerns" about the issues of today. Local, state and federal level.

I know that I should know a lot of this stuff and I really wish that I had but politics is something that my family never really got into. I guess it's cause they didn't have near the ammount of political "problems" that we do today. Well I need to start a new way of thinking in my family.

I've picked up bits and pieces here and there but if someone would lay it all out on the table for me I would appreciate it. Even if it sounds like you're typing to a two year old.[8D]


Thanks guys and gals!!!!!!

[Vapodog]

Bigbulls, that's among the most humble questions I've ever read and it would be my wish to reply with equal humility.....but I can not....I'm far too old and set in my ways.

You must develope you own views based on what you believe in and what you think is right.

I do heartily recommend you read the constitution and understand what the founding fathers wanted this country to be. In my eyes Thomas Jefferson was the political equivalent to Moses.....the man that bought the ten commandments from God.

Freedom...lack of opression.....the right to fail.....(not the guarantee of success) is what was in their hearts and some of that blood runs deep in many many (including me) Americans.

I won't prejudice you with my views but I would ask you to not allow others to do so as well.....only you can be you and live your life.

[Coastie]

Start with the Dog Catcher or whoever is the lowest level, elected official, in your community and work your way up from there. All of them seem to believe that being elected gives them a mandate to do whatever they wish. There is no accountability once they are elected except at the ballot box next election, they believe that we, the public, have short memories and will not hold them accountable. Sadly enough, many times this is true. Perhaps a revolt at the lowest levels of public administration is in order, if we started with the very next elected official in town, county or state government caught in a dirty deal and treated them to a tarred and feathered ride out of town on a rail it would get some attention. It worked a hundred years ago, no reason to believe it wouldn't work today. The problem is, most of us, me included, are so wrapped up in just keeping our heads above water, that we will not face the consequences of an action such as this and the politicians know it.

[messageman]

I believe that for one to have a sound, and level understanding of politics, and civics, one must have a deep rooted base of good moral behavior, and a FIRM belief that ALL freedoms are given to us by God.

When a man lives in obedience to the Word of Christ, he automatically brings that quality into the political areana. If we really stop and look, most of our hotly debated political issues are also moral issues, ie abortion, homosexuality, civil rights, ect.....

Now that doesn't guarnatee that just because we are Christians, we will make the right moves, but it gives us a generally strong moral staging point to begin from. For instance, if you have a political leader making the decision over whether or not homosexuals will be allowed to infiltrate your boy scout troop, would you rather he be a Christian, or someone who hates God?

[mike bell]

Avoid politics!

If you trying to get a career in gunsmithing where your family will depend on the livelyhood of guns. It would make since to do all that you can do, to make sure pro-gun people get elected. But of course you can worry about other stuff and let the anti-gun politicians get elected and "legally" take them away.

I went to gunsmithing school in Col. a awhile back. Got a good job at MGW. Worked for a few months doing it full time, then went into the other side of our company's machine shop. Now I make gun parts for other companies. It pays the bills, and I get to play with gunsmithing on the side. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into it more then I am now.


I vote for guns #1 everything else is rated lower.

[sawbill]

It seems the older we get the more we recognize how Politicians affect our everyday lives. With your upcoming business, you will soon see how politicians can affect your life with the many gun control issues being generated across your country. As a start you can look into issues that will affect you the most.
Coastie, even though I also have a scheptical outlook on our civil servants, not all fall into the category you describe. I worked 30 yrs as a civil servant in the fish & Wildlife business and took pride in the fact that I never forgot who was paying my salary. My phone was always available to my fellow hunters 24 hours a day-and I never got a cent for it. I know many of the fellows I worked with had the same attitude and I was proud to be a part of them.

[JagMagMan]

Some have already given you good advise here. As said, start with the Constitution and Bill of Rights, see what our founding fathers really framed our country on!
Beyond that, start finding out what a candidates views are. There are a lots of moral issues, abortion, gay rights, etc.
Right now there are a lot of international concerns and national security is important!
Also there are lots of economic concerns. Some that politics can influence, some that they really can't!

Some will tell you that economicss and such, are more important than moral issues. You will have to decide that for yourself!
I for one am not willing to trust my state or country to someone how is of low moral character though!

Finally, while all these issues are important, I feel that our Second Amendment rights are at least AS important, actually the most important issue that we have!
Our founding fathers had the foresight to know that the only way to insure our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and all the other liberties we enjoy, were, and still are based on our ability to protect ourselves from tyranny, from both foreign and domestic
enemies, ie; the right to bear arms!

Arm yourself with knowledge, and wisdom and you will make the right political choices!

[eldeguello]

I agree with vapodog, and would add the Declaration of Independence to the reading of the Constitution, because it sets forth the basic resons why we needed tyo try a different kind of government.

The Founding Fathers' belief about the inevitable development ot tyranny under the Brithis system has proven to be all too prophetic, for today, although the Monarch no longer rules Britain, those who do have completely usurped the liberties of all Englishmen! Under Tony Blair, even the Prince Consort cannot legally own a handgun, and the foxhunt is in serious jeopardy over there!

[Dave590]

Your personal politics should mirror your personal philosophy in life.

I can only tell you how I have come to my personal conclusions. Some are the same as many others on here, and some are different. The likely hood of everyone agreeing on any given issue is not likely to ever happen. Your lifes individual experiences is what will drive your opinions, which in turn, is what makes discussing political issues so interesting.

I believe that every man and woman in the United States has the God given right to do and be anything that they choose to be. Through their own decisions, they can rise to statehood, be destitute, or be anywhere in the middle that they choose to be.

However, no station in life is "Owed" to them by either the government or other individuals.

I also believe that the roll of government should be limited to what we, as individual citezens can not do for ourselves. For example; building roads, providing a military force, a structured police force, potable water and sewage services. There are more, but you get the idea.

Outside of services that we obviously can not do for ourselves, there is little reason for the government to get involved.

Once you have adopted that attitude, many of the things that the government spends money on tend to be seen in a different light. The "arts" are a good example...Why should the government be able to take my money and buy a piece of art to be displayed in a courtyard somewhere?

Of course there is a limitless list of things that the government spends money on that we could discuss. Things like welfare, foodstamps, tax returns for those that don't pay taxes, etc. But thats not the subject at hand.

There is also the issue of individual rights. Many, like myself, believe in INDIVIDUAL rights, while many believe in GROUP rights. In order to provide rights to GROUPS, often the INDIVIDUAL rights of others are eliminated.

So, in a nutshell, I believe that every person is responsable for their own destiny without HELP or HINDERENCE from the government. In return for paying taxes, my government should provide me with National security and a reliable infrastructure.

Outside of that, we are all out here on our own.

Those simple beliefs shape my opinion on many if not all political issues of the day.

[bigbulls]

Thank you all for the great advice but I think you misunderstood the question a little.

I have my morals, views, concerns, what I think is right or wrong etc... And believe me I am pretty stubbore as well.

I was wanting more of a guideline of the "chain of command" so to speak. As in what political figures I should focusing my "attention" toward. IE: House of reps, senate, etc...
Basically how politics works. It's all a little confusing since I wasn't raised having a knowledge of how the "system" works.

Thanks.