2008: The most contentious political season EVER?

[_Dr. Shades]

Now that November 4th is less than a week away, I've been pondering this past election season. It seems to me that 2008 has been the most contentious, divisive, and polarizing political cycle in recent memory.

Does anyone else share this view? Has this year been the most contentious, divisive, and polarizing political cycle that you can recall, too, or am I just up in the night?

If you agree with me, then what, in your opinion, has made it so? Why has this particular election season been so extreme?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

.

[_asbestosman]

I agree with you, Shades. One thing that really stands out this year for me is Prop. 8 in California. I have seen my friends involved quite a bit in either huge support of or opposition to it.

It also seems that this election year is very hot for presidents because Bush has been so unpopular, Obama is the first viable black candidate, fear of Democrats ruling the day, and fear of another 4 years of Bush-like leadership. I think the recent economic crisis is playing into it with lots of finger pointing.

I even find that my local politics are getting nasty. The governor's race has some of the worst scare-tactic/smears I've ever seen, but that might be partially due to the fact that it was so close last time that we needed a recount.

[_Bond James Bond]

Most contentious ever? Nah. The results of 1860 election cycle led to a Civil War!

But certainly the most contentious in recent history. Americans don't seem to recognize how good things have been since the 80s. The worse things are the more crabby people get and the less likely they are to let things roll off their back at the end of the day, leading to contentious behavior. Factor the race issue [certainly an underlying issue throughout American history] into other American historical election hotspots such as economic unrest [1930s] and unwanted wars [Iraq being but a fraction of the unrest that Vietnam did in the late 60s-early 70s] and it's been very contentious. Plus this is the beginning of the death rattle of the Baby Boomers on American society, the largest generation in American history, and I don't think they like it very much that moving forward the new generations are going to decide how things are going to go, so you have generation gap issues as well.

[_antishock8]

I'm not sure if it's the most contentious in American history. I can only imagine some of the election cycles that coincide with war, especially one where we got our asses handed to us by the British, or say, when the Irish were amassing political power signaling a shift from colonial America to a new one...

However, within recent memory there hasn't been anything like this and I think it's due to the Democrats decision to campaign for two years, the Iraq war debacle, and the protracted Democratic primaries. Add in the unbelieveable vitriol directed at Governor Palin and then one easily surpasses the swiftboating of Kerry or the Florida hanging chad controversy.

Contrary to the sexists on this board who hate Governor Palin because she's a woman, most people would be excited to vote for a Black or Latino guy. Most everyone I talk to who are Conservative wouldn't have a problem voting for a JC Watts or Colin Powell (pre-B.O. endorsement). They simply have an issue with the Marxist tendencies by the Left, and B.O. embraces that particular ideology that Conservatives despise. They're less hung up on race, and more hung up on their wallets.

Personally, I can't wait for this election to wrap up.

[_Tarski]

Contrary to the sexists on this board who hate Governor Palin because she's a woman

Is that why you hate Hillary?
I voted for her in the primaries so how could I be a sexist?

For the record, I do not hate Sarah Palin. Don't falsely impute hate!

I simply make the judgment that

1. She hasn't the knowledge needed.

2. She speaks in divisive terms by referring to real Americans and pro-American states.

3. She is a creationist and I sense that she thinks scientists are deceived elitist fools.

4. I think it nearly certain that she has apocalyptic religious views which are based in what I believe to be sheer fantasy.

5. Her interviews were terrible and stumbling.

6. She has denied global warming (is she a scientist?).

7. She is a member the political party whose ideologies I disagree with.

8. Spiritual admiration for a dangerously superstitious witch hunter. (At least what Rev. Wright is upset about really happened; witches aren't real). I like reality based thinking--not superstition.

Why should I vote for her?