Given the disappointing lack of responses and interest from DeafReaders (and Deaf Village readers) over my blog or DCRepublicans blog on the particular subjects with politics, the stimulus package bill and the U.S. economy. Mike of DCR and I have come to a conclusion that the majority of the Deaf/deaf/HoH community may be either politically ignorant or don’t really care about these subjects. My money’s on the latter than the former (I’m riding on it, baby!).
So, I am curious about you all. Click on this poll below to express your real understanding/knowledge about American politics and the economy. Thank you! 
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02/18/2009 at 12:43 PM
yeah sad to say… majority of deaf population are either ignorant or don’t care abot politics.
I don’t really read Deaf Read or Deaf Village regularly… I read yours, DCR, and few others who doesn’t require lobotomy. LOL
Lets see what your poll turns out.
02/18/2009 at 1:07 PM
Being politically inept, is a goal we should all strive for. Heaven forbid we take politicians seriously…. or offer them respect, since politicians are the lowest life forms on the planet……Republican, Democrats whatever, its about control, and who has it… American politics really has nothing to do with voters much, since they clearly do NOT select the candidates, the parties do, and those putting up the cash for their existence……. Voters just vote on who is there…
Obama cost a billion dollars or so to get elected.. If he had just stood as an individual would he be a president now ?
02/18/2009 at 1:33 PM
MM, it is not about politicians or parties, it’s about who really care about politics, the economy and the future of the country by the virtue of his/her knowledge/understanding or the lack of it. The voices and opinions of the people do count.
If you do not care about the subjects, then why bother being a citizen and to vote?
02/18/2009 at 1:42 PM
I do read your blogs occassionally but as for Mike’s – I don’t care.
02/18/2009 at 1:46 PM
I do care about the issues involved, I just do not feel politicians are the best people to run a country
I care very much about issues, and urge people to vote too, since people have died to give me that vote. I feel pretty clued up on my own country politics and regularly contribute to discussion and debates about them, (Even chaired a political and hearing forum at one point), I DON’T include I am deaf, since this is irrelevant.
You cannot be deaf and be non-political it’s impossible really… especially as rights and access are things we passionately care about. However, I rarely see them raised in political debates at all, nor deaf doing it, all I got was “Who cares ?”, and “I never vote, what’s the point ?”
We discussed having a deaf politician but inevitably nobody would ever agree on a direction or a candidate who was savvy enough to be able to represent hearing interests as well as their own, since, if you want to stand for office, you cannot pick and choose your voters…… Deaf showed No Interest in hearing affairs, or indeed many local issues, without which they have no hope of a vote for them.
I regularly get involved in discussing local issues in my local media. But I am the ONLY deaf person so doing.. When I chioded other deaf and asked them why they didn’t get stuck in, they said what for ? You got a hill to climb my friend…
02/18/2009 at 3:01 PM
Or something in between? Maybe I was wrong.
I noticed that there were some cliques where they did not convey their message to the right target (audience of the D/deaf/ HoH community).
I think this is my first time to read your blog and leave a comment for you.
BTW, I pay close attention to Geert Wilders and the media (CNN and FoxNews) this coming month.
Europe and Netherlands may fall to this ideology of Islam next 20 to 25 years like they did to Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) back in 1453 AD.
Good post!
Ecnarb
02/18/2009 at 4:12 PM
OK, I’ll bite–
Politically, I don’t tend to agree with you or Mike. I go into Deafread to discuss d/Deaf issues, not for political discussion. Yes– I care about my community, my country, my world. But I feel when you want to make a difference, actions speak louder than words.
02/18/2009 at 4:50 PM
I concur with Kim.
Talk the talk
or
Walk the talk
Action speak louder than words.
02/18/2009 at 4:52 PM
I was so peeved with NAD encouraging deaf people to call their elected Senators to PASS the stimulus bill!
02/18/2009 at 5:04 PM
MM, when you decide to run for a political office to represent your district or state and actually wins for it, you just become a politician. Sure, some politicians suck, some are not.
Deaf people needed to realize their lives matter based on where they live on and should vote for politicians who represent common issues relevant to the districts/states they live on. They cannot prefer one politician because he/she did worked for d/Deaf issues only before, there are common issues beside that. Thank you for your feedback, your opinion and caring about the issues do matter.
02/18/2009 at 5:08 PM
I ran for State House District in 1996 and bowed out. In 2001, I ran for City Council and came in last. 10 of 10. I was the only candidate with less than a thousand votes. (717) in a “sleeping community” of 22,000 population. (s)?
It was fun and a great learning experience for me. I may try again someday in the future.
02/18/2009 at 5:13 PM
Replying to Deafbiz,
It is very common that Natonal Organization of any type of Associations to contact their members to contact their local Legislators to push for something or to strike down some form of legislations.
Were you against the stimulis bill? If so, what is your argument? If not, then why?
02/18/2009 at 5:21 PM
DeafBiz…
Certainly, what many do not realize is that near $800 billion dollar spending deal is all BORROWED money. The true cost over 10 years is $3.27 TRILLION dollars. Something that you, our kids, and our grand kids will be paying for years down the road. What I see is that those Democrats who voted to pass the pork bill do not believe in accountability….much less transparency by Obama has refused to come clean with that in his promises last year.
02/18/2009 at 5:24 PM
“Republican”….are you really a Republican? Much less a conservative Republican? And deaf, too? Or would that be “Deaf”? Don’t like my blog because of my political conservative views or the fact that I like to see a cure for hearing loss that’s irking your Deaf sensibilities?
Just asking….
02/18/2009 at 5:34 PM
BigBenFactor, you should go for a second time in the near future. Good try!
02/18/2009 at 5:53 PM
Well…
I think many Deaf people are politically aware, but mostly identify with Democratic politics, rather than conservative or Republican ideals. Therefore, most of them don’t bother reading and responding to your posts.
I’ve always believed that if we were to do an accurate polling of D/deaf/hh community, a liberal majority would emerge. In my numerous conversations with students on Gally campus, I’ve maybe come across a few moderate to conservative Republicans. And that’s out of 1,200 or more students.
But then in this age and day, I think most people just want to party and ignore everything that’s pretty much serious and actually deals with real life stuff.
02/18/2009 at 6:19 PM
Issues like fire, water, services, schools, state matters, roads, and many others in the districts and states are far more important issues than d/Deaf or ASL issues. And that’s why we have a republican form of government: we elect some people to represent the interests and issues of the districts in the state government and US Congress, and elect two people to represent the state in the U.S. Congress. Because you live in one of these districts in the state.
The d/Deaf issues are but a microscopic matter for the general public of the districts and the state they live in. While it is important to remind the general public that the d/Deaf/HoH community do exist and consist of crucial voting blocs that could swing the election one way or another, general issues take precedence over d/Deaf issues and they DO impact the d/Deaf/HoH community on different levels.
There are other issues that I would be more concerned about: ensuring Americans’ rights to free speech, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the right to bear arms in the country should not be superseded by sheer partisan, ideological or theocratic matters. The same is true with the respect and defense of the Establishment Clause.
02/18/2009 at 6:39 PM
I doubt this happens in any reality, deaf are spread out all over the country, they would never gain any sort of ‘majority’ at all. In an area like mine e.g which has about 60,000 people, less than 100 adults profoundly deaf would be in a position to vote, simple numerics tells you they haven’t a hope in hell even if they ALL voted they could not swing anything in their favour. Other areas have double figures of deaf in them, it’s not viable.
Again ANY deaf candidate showing up has to be able to connect and indeed communicate to hearing, hearing will be the ones they have to sell themselves to. Have we ANY such deaf people who can do that ? A lot know the reality, and thus “Why vote ? it makes no diference..”
They could theoretically elect amongst themselves political representation, might be worth a try if only for the media kudos it could bring…
02/18/2009 at 7:36 PM
“The true cost over 10 years is $3.27 TRILLION dollars. Something that you, our kids, and our grand kids will be paying for years down the road.”
Got news for ya dear. We were way over our head in trillions of dollars of debt before this crisis.
02/18/2009 at 7:39 PM
“And that’s why we have a republican form of government: we elect some people to represent the interests and issues ” Under Bush, it seemed more like an Oligarchy, not a Republic.
02/18/2009 at 8:07 PM
Um, Kim, did Republicans shut out Democrats during a negotiation period over a bill? Didn’t Nancy say last year that she will see to it more bipartisan efforts only to go in the opposite direction? Didn’t Obama say that he will let the pubic 5 days to review any bills that land on his desk before he signs it but signed the spending bill on the 4th day after passage? Didn’t both Dems and Republicans voted to allow the public and Congress 48 hours to review the bill but Nancy and others made sure that they didn’t (because she wanted to go to Rome to meet the Pope and subsequently got publicly rebuked) and only gave them 10 hours to review the revised bill before the vote? Does oligarchy means to go back on your promises like Obama who signed an ethics rule about no lobbyist but waived that rule 17 times to allow those he appointed to take high stake positions in office, including appointing a tax cheat to be the director of the Treasury Dept (i.e. IRS). Didn’t Obama sniffed to the querying reporters saying “I won” and not “the people won”?
As for debt, Obama simply sped it up and made it worse all in a record 3 weeks time after stepping into the White House. This bill was not necessary. What was necessary was to trim the spending and improve the budgeting process and with less govt. Instead he expanded all sorts of program which means more spending is needed down the road. With the extra $3.27 trillion dollars it’ll cost us down the road means they’ll try and include all kinds of extra taxation on us. Which means that middle and low income class will pay more on taxes…something that Obama promised not to do…raise taxes on middle and low income class.
In other words, we have a liar, a promise breaker, spending everything like a madman thinking it’ll solve our problem (when over 200 economic experts said in a signed letter to him that spending won’t help). You go after what got us in trouble. Recind the subprime mortgage from the Community Re-investment Act that helped caused all this foreclosure problems that Clinton signed to include the variable rates made available to low income and high risk homeowners by forcing banks to make those loans. It was a pet project by Dem Barney Frank and Chris Dodd in the Senate Finance Committee. It just goes on and on. Where is the common sense here? Look at Gallaudet university. They went from around $70 million in appropriation money from Congress about 10 years ago to now $120 million while they continue to expand projects on campus with a dwindling enrollment that went from 1800 down to about 1000 in 15 years time. Nice reward system we have in place.
02/18/2009 at 8:29 PM
I hate to admit this, but I so enjoy getting you all riled up.
I know you must feel better now that you’ve let it all out.
Tea?
02/18/2009 at 8:50 PM
Neither. I am just not interested in having a dialogue with you and McConnell.
02/18/2009 at 8:58 PM
Riled up? No, just pointing out the hypocrisy and fakery in the most naive president in U.S. history. Guess who punked themselves and America?
Thanks, but I don’t drink tea. Now, time to listen and enjoy my own piano playing ragtime.
02/18/2009 at 8:58 PM
Kim, you are gravely misinformed about the Bush years. No such thing as an oligarchy in America. You probably confused that with Russia, where there’s a strong oligarchic environment thriving under Putin-Mededev.
02/18/2009 at 9:08 PM
Sorry if you feel that way, Deaf Pundit, it would have been an interesting dialogue, though.
02/18/2009 at 9:40 PM
I’m not confused or misinformed. I won’t continue in here.
Off to Buddhist meditation night for now.
Peace.
02/18/2009 at 9:50 PM
“Not interested….”
Interesting. I am willing as always to discuss various topics. I don’t hold grudges.
02/18/2009 at 9:51 PM
Have a nice relaxing meditation, Kim. I guess we have our own ways of meditating to relax.
*breathe in*
*breathe out*
02/18/2009 at 9:58 PM
This is off the point… Why did the British not stand up for the freedom of speech? Why are you all so afraid of Muslims? Geert Wilders was “kicked out” due to his strong anti-Islam statements which are so true in his home country.
Can you or another explain to me?
02/18/2009 at 10:31 PM
Sure, I’m interested, I care about America and its future. Whether I get into it or not depends on the topic too. I Kind of need a little breather since the election. I do read your posts and find them interesting, but don’t always comment. While I don’t agree with everything for either or other parties, I do pick and choose.
02/18/2009 at 10:40 PM
The British parliament never watched Geert’s video film called “Fitna.” It’s not a hate film. It’s about the fact. Just watch Europe and one of the country will be the first to under total Muslim influence and eventually control.
02/18/2009 at 10:41 PM
back to the point… as of now I left my video comment at Deafvideo.tv. check this out
http://www.deafvideo.tv/video/watch/41359/
I have been actively discussing with my pals who are Deaf with ASL about the issue of our economics and theology too.
Enjoy viewing there
02/18/2009 at 10:45 PM
Mcconnell,
Exact right! If someone express “anti-christian” view and we as Christians intends to write the book and explain to them. For Muslim, they will throw tires on the street and set it ablaze if someone express anti-islam views.
02/18/2009 at 11:39 PM
Ecnarb, appreciate your comments and support for free speech. I’m against Islamists pushing for a ban on free speech on account of Islam being criticized around the world. Geert Wilders did not set out to blame all Muslims, only pointed out something terribly wrong with the darker, extreme parts of the Qu’ran and the violent activities of Muslim literalists. Britain has gone off the deep end on the subject with Geert and his video. Some British are not too happy with the PC mentality and behavior within the government. The majority of Muslims in other countries have never experience the taste of freedom, pluralism and liberties that the people in the West take naturally.
I rarely visit deafvideo.tv site due to the lengths of time on most vloggers’ videos. I like to read quickly what others said in words than to watch few minutes (and up) from each vlogger.
02/19/2009 at 12:06 AM
Hey Under The Hill,
Yes, I am very interested in politics. My wife and I always discuss politics. My wife and I loves to watch Keith Olberman, The Rachel Maddow show, This Week with George Stephanopoulo, Meet the Press, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Washington Week, and PBS. My wife and I loves to read Mother Jones, The Nation, Time, Newsweek, etc. Sorry we do not watch Fox. It’s awful! Bush and Cheney have dominated Fox for years but now they’re gone. Bush’s cousin worked for Fox. Rush is taking over and going on and on about Obama. (laughing) Rush hates The Rachel Maddow show and Keith Olberman. I will never forget how shameful Fox News was when they made negative comments about Tim Russert after his death. Bush and Cheney have tried to diminish PBS broadcasts.
I know that you don’t agree with me…… that is fine.
I really kiss fist Keith Olberman, The Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Washington Week.
Thanks,
Thumbs up!
Bobby Lopez..
02/19/2009 at 12:32 AM
Whatever floats your boat, Bobby. I occasionally catch a Rachel Maddow piece and I think she’s better than Keith BlOlberman in some ways. Did not care for the Daily Show as I do not like real news being used as comedy fodders to feed to the audience (the Onion or Iowahawk are much funnier than the Daily Show). I would be careful not to be too one-sided with all the news and magazines you’re only reading or watching from. It would help to get different perspectives from the other side, you know?
02/19/2009 at 5:23 AM
Brits hate political correctness. We have seen MORE rights abuse of decent and right-thinking British people than we ever had before it, now, it is a creeping fascism, where every word or statement is scrutinized by these crazed ‘rights’ people to see if mileage (and money), can be gained. I see little difference at times from Nazi Germany.
Civil rights lawyers are mostly to blame here, screwing the state at every opportunity. In reality those seeking to stay in Britain in danger of of death or torture have also been squeezed out by Britain’s policy of open-door to economic vagrants, taking advantage of Britain’s free health systems and benefits.
Most Brits on the street you will meet, want immigration halted, I mean totally, and an exit from the manacle of European rights laws, that disadvantage us. As far as Islamics or others wandering our streets preaching hate, personally I would ship them straight back out, and without the protection of our democracy which they abuse. Human rights should only apply to those who respect human life.
The British public is not soft, but their government and law is. I think we should also be more pro-active in monitoring Mosques and other gatherings too, again put a stop to those where hate is preached, any right-minded Islamic will agree I am sure. If we do not grasp this nettle, we will be an islamic state in 20 years time.
Currently we are shipping one such hate preacher back to Jordan, where he will face his peers who be less than happy to allow him to get away with being a member of Al-queda and organizing bombing there… as averse to British courts, that let him carry on hatred here for years, via that much abused credo “Free Speech”, well free speech goes two ways, get the hell out.
02/19/2009 at 9:27 AM
MM, two questions: what is your impression of the British National Party? Do you know about Pat Condell?
The problems with your British government and civil right laws, being too pandering or sympathetic to the Islamists in your country, has to do with progressive liberalism and promotion of multiculturalism from some of your people. They wrongly assumed that immigrating Muslims from the Middle East and Africa would be easily integrated and assimilated into the British culture and traditions over the time they would live in Britain. Instead, you find that these Muslims bringing Islamic customs and ways of their countries into Britain and expect more of the same without a problem, thus rejecting outright the British traditional and secular ways. That’s why the British public is concerned about creeping Islamic and shariah customs into your country and its legal/judicial system.
Once the Islamists succeed in taking over your government through democratic or other means within a decade or so, then Britain, as we know it, is done.
02/19/2009 at 5:02 PM
Personally I won’t support the BNP, mainly because they aren’t about ‘backing Britain’ but rent a thug, who are open racists and their aim is just to hurt people, and beat up people for being middle-eastern regardless if they are Islamic or not, they also are anti-Semitic and anti-long hair if they get a chance…
I don’t see them different from fascists either, the ideal situation would be militant Islamics and the BNP sent to some desert island to sort each other out. Then we shoot those surviving.
The British issue is apathy, many still think Afghanistan and Iraq are fictitious places from some computer game. Those in Britain are subject to OUR laws, not their own. There is no special dispensation to use laws they used abroad. We prosecute when they break ours, it’s the wall of silence we have to get through first..
Americans have whole areas where non-English speakers abound too, it is written in your constitution. How do you monitor what goes on there ? Islamics cannot take over our government, for a start there are very few ethnic or Asian/cultural Islamics in any representative power, but where they rule is on the street. I think British people do realize it would be dangerous to give them their vote, so don’t. The other thing is children. They have large familes we don’t, it is a matter of time before they outnumber us… 2 million extra migrants are in London now, that took less than 10 years to happen.
I think it stupid we have to go through the ‘community representatives’ first before we can drag out the wrong-doers. Who is law here ? us or them ? It has to be established. I think we need to face up to this, albeit it invites war on the street.
But you can’t let any sector make its own rules. Americans aren’t tied to European Laws either, we are, and we believe in the rule of law, it is all that separates us from the terrorists after all. This was George Bush’s argument, and why Americans went to war, and why we backed them, we stood for law and order…
We seem to be bogged down in never-ending legalese that takes years to resolve, meanwhile they carry on with their subversions, and hate messages. I feel Britain is at WAR, so we need to use wartime law. Government are so scared to violate ‘human rights’ they feel sacrificing their own people is worth that risk, your soldiers and ours defend that ideal.
02/19/2009 at 8:12 PM
MM, thank you for your interesting perspective about your country. It’s very concerning but not surprising.
Jeffrey Imm has a great piece about standing up against Islamic supremacism: “Accountability and Defying Islamic Supremacism”. It’s long but worth reading. As you get to part three, there are descriptions that can easily remind you of a specific country, borrowing an apt phrase from one of Charles Dickens’ best known stories. Cheers.
02/19/2009 at 10:24 PM
Rob,
I do not think that the majority of DeafRead readers and commentators are politically ignorant about the current political events.
Many of us including me hardly have a luxury time to talk out about national, state and local politics. We are preoccupied with economic doldrum so far.
The DeafRead policy seems discourage the main page posting of political discussion among the DR readers and commentators.
This blog is finally showed up on the main page of DR.
I would love to see more of your blog postings, but would not mind Mike’s rantings from time to time.
Mike called me politically ignorant in regard to Rush Limbaugh’s CI subject. That’s how he would turn off many deaf people from being politically aware and pique.
To be honest with you, I am really SICK of the politics anyway. I rather see the real leadership capabilities than resorting to the political bickerings and cronyism. Comprendo?
I said to myself what the f**k President Obama let the Democratic Congress to write up the economic stimilus bill.
Whoa about the $30 million dollar project to save the marsh mouses in her own district!
The GOPers are also no saints, too. They failed the big time to stop President Bush from the insanity of billions and billions dollars spendings during his two terms!
There is more to life than politics! Just enjoy myself than wasting my time to worry about politics.
I am really glad to see Bobby Lopezs comments on your blog.
I agree with you, Rob about the real shame for Democratic steamrollings over the GOPers from being part of the stimilus bill, but the GOPers done to Democrats during the Bush presidency anyway.
RLM
02/20/2009 at 6:15 AM
Perhaps under the hill should suggest a REAL Deaf President Now blog, and all online contributors listen to potential deaf candidates and then vote in those they feel could represent them. Unfortunately it would have to be an American based thing (Unless they make me an honorary Yank lol)…
It would be interesting to see how deaf candidates see their place in the world and how they would address the issues their government faces, so sorry, deaf issues would not be a prime factor here..
So, UTH, assume I am hearing, sell your politics to me… why would you make a good president ?
02/20/2009 at 1:01 PM
You should add a third option to the “ignorant or don’t care”, the fact that they have given up. I would imagine this would apply to a good number of the middle aged and older deaf people, as over a period of years many years ago, they tried to fight and make changes, only to be oppressed over and over so they have given up and submitted themselves to just live with the system and do nothing about it unfortunately.
02/20/2009 at 1:28 PM
MM, it would be a very good suggestion. However, one key concern for any Deaf candidate running for a political office is whether he/she would compromise Deaf issues for some issues he/she supports at the expense of the Deaf community, thus he/she risks alienating the community. It’s a tricky minefield to walk on and you would be best to know exactly where to avoid or to disarm.
02/20/2009 at 6:05 PM
That is the point, if deaf people want political clout they have to go beyond their own issue and widen their knowedge and their interactions in the wider community.
If that isn’t the main concern, then don’t run for office, play safe do nothing, don’t vote, just have a whinge online now and then….. Politicians have to try to appeal to everyone who votes. Deaf especially as they have no numerical majority anywhere… How many know what goes on outside the deaf area ? are invilved at any point ? that was the point you raised initially, not, should we get stuck in, or stay out in case a few other deaf won’t like it… you have to look beyond that.
There is no recognised deaf area to run for office…… so politically you have to move out of it. Many have abdicated involvement really. Statistically only 2% of any sector membership will want to run for representations… very very few of those, would want or be able to speak out about it in a public arena…. We cannot locate a group or individual online anywhere we would think, yes he or she might do it, it is because of lack of confidence, ability is there in huge amounts.
Perhaps ask Obama if you can organise a nationwide USA vote amongst deaf people to elect your own voice in Washington. Have your own deaf convention etc… However you have to find people to put up first, and then, let the deaf decide on what they say…. I think perhaps the only way really, deaf can make a difference….
02/20/2009 at 7:07 PM
“They failed the big time to stop President Bush from the insanity of billions and billions dollars spendings during his two terms!”
Only Congress get to vote and pass bills that contain budgets on spending amount. And when passed in both House and Senate the final bill goes to President’s desk for his signature or veto. In the case of Obama, the spending bill he signed was based on pure partisan result with Democrats holding the bag for this blame worth $3.27 trillion dollars over 10 years. Nothing like that ever come close to what Bush “spent” even during his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th year as president. Obama managed to do that in less than 3 weeks. I’d say be careful how you portray Bush’ spending since we have Obama who is officially the king of all spenders.
02/21/2009 at 1:04 AM
Hey Under The Hill,
I do watch CNN (which is the most neutral channel) and sometime Fox. But Fox just rubs me the wrong way. It’s just irritating to watch it. Actually probably get most news from Google News which shows numerous different sources. I was just naming my favorites shows (the most entertaining) to watch.
Thanks,
Have a great weekend!
Bobby Lopez
Hey RLM,
Thank you.
Wait, I like talk show host Bill Maher. You should watch movie Religulous, “religion” and “ridiculous.”
Sometimes I watch Fox but it is awful….
Have a great weekend!!
Thumbs up!
Bobby Lopez
02/21/2009 at 5:34 PM
CNN is the most neutral channel?
Gawd, what a laugh.
“Hello! Hello, McFly!”