For example, you've probably heard about Jefferson having a kid with one of his slaves? That was a prominent rumor put out by his enemies during his first Presidential term. It happens to also have been true, but no one could prove it was true until literally centuries later. At the time, it was just a way for Jefferson's political enemies to attack him.
In 2000 there was a poll put out that asked 'Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?' The source of that was McCain adopted a dark skinned child from Bangladesh. Rove was hoping most people wouldn't realize the difference between adopting a child and fathering an illegitimate black child.
Anyway, point is, very little logic has come into play in politics since the countries founding. It's not like things have suddenly got worse. The brilliance of the American system is that it mostly works despite that.
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For example, you've probably heard about Jefferson having a kid with one of his slaves? That was a prominent rumor put out by his enemies during his first Presidential term. It happens to also have been true, but no one could prove it was true until literally centuries later. At the time, it was just a way for Jefferson's political enemies to attack him.
In 2000 there was a poll put out that asked 'Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?' The source of that was McCain adopted a dark skinned child from Bangladesh. Rove was hoping most people wouldn't realize the difference between adopting a child and fathering an illegitimate black child.
Anyway, point is, very little logic has come into play in politics since the countries founding. It's not like things have suddenly got worse. The brilliance of the American system is that it mostly works despite that.
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I think most of the frustration comes from the idea that America is supposed to be different, however.
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