overheard at my doctor's office this morning.....

[canuckybee]

the four secretaries, ages 20 to 35 roughly, are chatting and the glass window is open so I can hear them. One is talking about a movie she watched last night. She says " and the other guy is from....you know...that country we are at war with....what is it????" and none of the other three can tell her. And all four of them get a vote !

I understand that not everyone is a news junkie like we are, but how the hell can someone get up and get dressed and go out into the world to hold down a job and not even know the name of the country we are at war with?????

[annabanana]

1. Sounds to me like they are all OF DRAFT AGE!

Perhaps they'd like to know that girls aren't exempt this time around. I bet they'd get their Rand McNally's out pretty quick then!

[rinsd]

36. Education under threat of conscription.....

....my how liberal of you.

[JHB]

2. France?

To hear Rush or O'Really tell it you'd think so. Maybe she's in their audience.

[WLKjr]

3. That's bush's base

nuff said. I like to say it's them that are the beggingings of things that get f'd up in this country, uninformed willingful idiot people.

[noahmijo]

4. That kind of stupidity is uncalled for

It's one thing to be ignorant of the fact that the puppet Iraqi govt wants to implement Sharia Law.

It's quite another thing to not even know we're at war.

I'm afraid I'd have to ask those people why they hate our troops so much since they don't give two shits about where we are sending them off to be possibly maimed or killed.

[HEyHEY]

45. excellent comment

"I'm afraid I'd have to ask those people why they hate our troops so much since they don't give two shits about where we are sending them off to be possibly maimed or killed."

I hope they aren't voting Bush

[BlueEyedSon]

5. We have always been at war with... uh...ummm....

I heard that war is god's way of teaching Americans geography, but maybe not!

[nickinSTL]

6. there ought to be a minimum requirement

If you can't answer simple questions, like Who is the President?
You shouldn't be allowed to vote.

If you don't have a minimal grasp on current affairs, your vote is crap. I don't see why people should be allowed to vote if they're that uninterested in the results.

(My car died on the interstate last night, so I'm extra grumpy today)

[Beausoleil]

10. Political literacy test, a la Ted Rall

"The fact that these yahoos are allowed to vote is an abomination. Their ill-considered ballots cancel or dilute those cast by those who do the heavy lifting that makes them good citizens: keeping abreast of current events, researching issues, studying candidates' positions.


In the Old South, literacy tests were used to disenfranchise blacks. Alternatively, a basic political literacy test should be used to ensure that anyone who picks ESPN over CNN--regardless of race or creed--stays home on Election Day. Prospective voters should be required to answer at least three of the following questions correctly; to give people a fair shot, the test should be published in newspapers a week before an election:


1. Who is the vice president?


2. What is your state capital?


3. Name one of the following: your governor, congressman or one senator.


4. What is the capital of the United States?


5. Name one federal cabinet-level department.


Of course, such a political literacy test would drastically reduce voter turnout. On the other hand, those who pass could take comfort in knowing that they're not competing against the 60 percent of Americans who think we've found Iraq's imaginary WMDs, or the 22 percent who "believe" that Saddam Hussein used such weapons against U.S. troops during the 2003 invasion."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=127&e=2&u=/ucru/20040923/cm_ucru/triumphofthestultocracy

[Mike Daniels]

50. And what's the difference between your idea and the old literacy test?

Seriously, what is the difference? Chances are those who were illiterate in the past weren't any more aware of the issues than those you would choose to eliminate through your test.

[Kanary]

17. And I feel just as strongly that all citizens need to understand history!

When people start talking about reinstituting something as damaging as literacy tests for voting, it's time to send everyone back for a refresher course in US history!

Kanary

[fudge stripe cookays]

21. Which wouldn't be a bad thing.

Everyone could use a refresher class to teach them about things they seem to have forgotten about-- the Constitution comes to mind.

[nickinSTL]

29. I am a student of history

I know how such tests have been used (and abused) in the past.

Did you somehow miss the fact that I wasn't totally serious?

It totally disgusts me, though, that someone who doesn't even know the name of the country we invaded will probably vote for the idiot who led us there.

[Dorian Gray]

40. Ditto

Kanary, exactly what I wanted to say, myself.

[rinsd]

37. Maybe we could add a literacy test and poll tax while we're at it.

While I agree the voting populace is woefully uneducated on most matters before them, alot of this is crap that would hurt one group especially....the poor.

I can't believe how many DUers are for disenfranchising the poor.

[Wednesdays]

39. I agree, although...

The poor aren't the only ones who are ignorant. Just take a drive around some middle-class neighborhoods, check out some of their bumper stickers. "Kerry for President--of France" is about as profound as it gets for some folks.

[Kanary]

44. Sure, go ahead and move the clock back, while you're at it,

and undo the Vote For Women, and the Vote For African Americans.

Hey, let's show 'em!

:crazy:

Kanary

[Dufaeth]

7. They were probably talking about "Lost"

One of the main characters was a member of the Republican Guard.

[canuckybee]

8. I should have mentioned

we are only a few miles from Fort Drum...there is a very visible military presence in this area. I just simply do not understand such ignorance. But it does explain how Bush is still in this race.

[canuckybee]

9. nickinSTL

My husband's car died on the interstate yesterday also. It must be a freeper plot !!!!

[nickinSTL]

30. I KNEW IT!

Darn freepers! :D

My car just died. Engine just stopped running. Weird.

No shaking, sputtering, noise, nothing. Just dead.

Lucky I was in a spot with a shoulder to pull off.

Still haven't heard from the garage what the problem is.

[nickinSTL]

54. Timing belt broke

Expensive. They didn't say there was valve damage, though, so it should be fine once the belt and water pump are replaced.

[jn2375]

11. If their that dense you should have told them

A vote for Bush will get you a free trip to Iraq.

[BlueEyedSon]

12. Or that Bush's decision to invade Canada was dumb.

[calico1]

13. I don't know if Jay Leno does this

anymore but I remembe when I used to watch the show now and then he used to occasionally go out and ask simple questions to mostly college aged kids and to say the least it was scary to hear some of the answers. Yes, funny at first because they sounded so stupid and ignorant but scary when you realize these people can vote. Some gems I remember is people not knowing where the U.S. capitol was, or not knowing that Washington D.C. and Washington State are two different places, or even better, thinking D.C. is in Colombia (S.A.). Like I said, scary! And there are a lot of people like this around unfortunately.

[Kanary]

19. That's what we get for ignoring quality education in this country.

And treating teachers like crap.

Kanary

[calico1]

25. That certainly is a big part of it.

While at first it may seem funny, it really is startling to know college age people (and older) who don't know simple history or geography facts. I know people at work who have no clue who our Senators or Representatives are. Its sad and embarrassing.

[Kanary]

27. It's even sadder how few "liberals" know Civil Rights history!

There was a time when activists were interested in and involved with the struggles of others, not just their own interests. In that time, we *KNEW* more because we were working along side others who were different from us.

Now, "liberals" are content to stay with "their own", and only be involved with their own interests, so they don't even know the history and issues of other people with whom they *should* be sharing the same goals.

*THAT'S* what's keeping us in the basement.

Kanary

[calico1]

31. Good point. n/t

[nostamj]

14. sounds like they were talking about "LOST"

in a scene last night two characters were talking:

I was in the Gulf War

Really? Marines?

No. Republican Guard.

[canuckybee]

15. Kind of like Bush himself?

I remember during the last election, I was still living in Canada....Canadian TV sent a "reporter" from a show similar to the Daily Show, to stick a microphone in front of Bush and ask him how he felt about getting the endorsement of Canada's prime minister Poutine. The PMs name was Cretien, poutine is a French Canadian dish consisting of french fries and curd cheese covered in barbecue sauce. Bush did not know the difference.

[B3Nut]

22. Oh THAT'S the problem!

Dubya can't tell politicians from food! Maybe that's why he needs all those adivsers around to keep him from trying to eat visiting diplomats!!

:D :D :D

Sorry :p couldn't resist

Todd P

[meti57b]

16. sounds to me like they are just quoting bush.

[canuckybee]

18. of course, the sams show also

interviewed a governor of a southern state about another Canadian story. The one about how global warming was causing our national igloo to melt and Canadians had banded together to raise funds to pay for additional refrigeration to keep the igloo, which housed our seat of government, from melting away.

The American politician bought it hook line and sinker and lavishly praised those hearty Canucks for their patriotism.

[KlatooBNikto]

20. It is easy.Self absorption will do it to you.

[dansolo]

23. Eastasia

We have always been at war with Eastasia

[deutsey]

24. I was going to say, cut these gals some slack

It's so hard keeping track of whether we're at war with Eastasia or Eurasia anymore.

[LibDemAlways]

26. Yesterday

I received my State of Caifornia Voter Information Guide - 165 pages of information about the various propositions that will appear on the ballot. The front cover admonishes the voter to "Make an informed choice." I shudder to think how many of these guides will end up unread under cat litter.

We never would have ended up with the chimp in the first place if the dumbshits in this country hadn't made it close enough to steal. I'd be all for a basic civics quiz at about the 5th grade level as a voting prerequisite. (Though it would be better if a voter had to prove at a very rudimentary level that he understood what the candidate he's voting for stands for on two or three key issues.)
If someone wants to vote against his own self-interest, fine, but at least he should be doing so knowingly.

[Hello_Kitty]

28. I seriously doubt any of them will figure out how to vote. n/t

[skypilot]

32. I overheard something equally stupid...

...during the first Gulf War. Sadly, it was from an enlisted guy who was soon to ship out. This is an exact quote:

"I can't wait to kill me an Iranian!"

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

34. Maybe

He wasn't as stupid as you think :scared:

[skypilot]

35. Yeah, maybe.

I does seem almost prescient now over ten years later. Maybe he'll still get his chance if he's still in the military.

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

33. Um,

We aren't actually at war with any country. We're just starting civil wars here and elsewhere.

[sangh0]

38. If you're worried about dummies voting, consider this

They are also allowed to breed!!! :scared:

[sbj405]

41. "DC is the capital, right?"

Overheard that one yesterday. Oh and we are roughly half a mile outside DC.

[Tsiyu]

42. It never ceases to amaze me

how willingly many just hand their nation to traitors.

The Constitution is our inheritance. As a babe of the Northeast, I revered the Patriots who fought the British. If you ask many of these folks whom we "revolted against" they would probably say France.

And maybe they'd add that the Saudis gave us the Statue of Liberty?

[Logansquare]

43. What's scary is she probably meant France n/t

[SteveG]

47. Nope, the reference was to Iraq

From the snippet mentioned in the article, I believe the show the secretaries were discussing was LOST on ABC. Pretty good show. Anyway, one of the main characters is a former Iraqi Republican Guard member (he apparantly fought in the the First Gulf War).

[Logansquare]

53. Well, I had to show the office cleaning person Iraq on a map

because when the war started, she was afraid that it was physically near the U.S. I showed her Iraq and the U.S. in a world atlas to reassure her. Sad thing is that she's Mexican-American, and I'm sure the war has come "close" to her in that so many soldiers from her community have been killed or injured.

[newportdadde]

46. Its crazy...

but there are some people out there who will watch absolutely no news just reality tv, football etc.

It does seem pretty crazy though that they wouldn't even know the country... wow. Of course I had a lady next to me a few weeks ago freak out at the gym because they replayed the old 911 plane footage. She actually cried out that we were being attacked again :rolleyes:.

Take heart thought, its probably a 90% chance none of those women will vote anyways.

[drumwolf]

48. my bet is, they're probably not voting at all

along with well over half of all eligible voters in any given election.

You know what they say, vigilance is the price of freedom. And there are way too many idiots like these people, and they're essentially, for all practical purposes, enablers of bad leaders and/or tyrants.

[Cat Atomic]

49. Give 'em a break.

Saddam was a hero to Americans just 17 years ago or so.

[donsu]

51. there are millions of americans who refuse to see/hear/read any news

they change the radio dial, change channels, read anything in a newspaper but news.

a few weeks ago on the new show Trading Spouses, one of the spouses asked the other spouse of Japanese origin if all the countries like Japan spoke the same language. He had to explain the Koreans spoke Korean, etc. etc.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

52. If Bush wins, count me in that group.

Im tuning it all out..