Main Street America

[Solstis]

Is a stupid expression.

Most people don't live on main street. Main street (if a street with that name exists in your town/city), is either the ghetto or where the rich folk plopped down condos.

So, when a politician or pundit says Main Street America, I assume that they are talking to the ass-end of America.

[AlexCraig]

Main Street East/West Dundee is more or less for (small) businesses. There are some homes, but are mostly on the side roads.

[Kent]

Main street? We actually have one where I live.

Bunch of stores and restaurants and whatnot. Including two GameStops - one on each side of the street. It's actually pretty nice, having a cluster of stores around in one area, conveniently near where I live.

...But do people actually use "main street" as an expression?

For the most part, I just hear people talking about "main stream" America. >_>

[astuarlen]

ARGH ARGH TEETH GNASHING Yes, this really grates on me.

It's so cute that your speech writers made a parallel/contrast between "Wall Street" and "Main Street". So very clever.
I love "Joe Sixpack" and the "heartland" of America, and "middle Americans" and all those sweet, little, empty expressions. Quit winking and laughing and talking down at us and each other. And I cringe every time I hear a turn of phrase or word choice so obviously chosen to shove my thoughts one way.

Yes, I get that political discourse (should I have used scare-quotes there?) is 97.3% manipulation. Just, like, make it a bit more creative and a bit less obvious--and, by extension, insulting. I love a conversational tone as much as the next fine, hardworking American whose values you totally grok.

A bit of substance wouldn't hurt, though. Explanations! Evidence! A statement which acknowledges the complexity of a given issue beyond "this is complex, so I'm gonna simplify it for you", perhaps?

To the ass-end of America, from the ass-end of Americans. <--Probably too cute.

Alright, putting dander down and crawling back into the woodworks (who used to have a title about "crawling out of the woodworks" or something like that?)

[Solstis]

Main street? We actually have one where I live.

Bunch of stores and restaurants and whatnot. Including two GameStops - one on each side of the street. It's actually pretty nice, having a cluster of stores around in one area, conveniently near where I live.

...But do people actually use "main street" as an expression?

For the most part, I just hear people talking about "main stream" America. >_>

Yeah, astuarlen definitely got what I meant, and understands my rage.

Kent, on the other hand, is fortunate enough to be unaware.

[TecherRamen]

Obvious as it is you need to keep in mind one thing

and that is country music.. yes.

never was there a more obvious form of poetic expression. so poetic that its not even poetic at all. but it is that, towards which people gravitate.

Most americans are afraid of big words.

Remember nuclear vs bush's nucular..?

There are the people who have made up their minds and will not change because they grasp the scope of whats at stake. Most likely their choices are based on educated opinions.

It is to the populous which may not be so adept at making educated decisions or having educated opinions that the candidates speak.

[Inazuma]

i hate "god bless america"
first off, god is fake as hell. but even if he was real, why ask him to bless only america? its like saying "fuck you" to all the other countries ><

"homer simpson bless everything" sounds a lot better to me. why homer simpson? why god? why does it matter what fictional character i use? at least homer simpson didnt demand the death of most human beings in a book.

[Nitro Vordex]

^ About that, I never say "under God" in the pledge.

Sounds weird to me.

(And yes, I'm not Christian or anything. I don't have any reason to believe in God, not yet.)

[EphekZ]

Above to posters:
That's just as bad as the people who get mad that religion isn't a part of everything, or any stupid lawsuits about religion intertwining with things. Now trust me, I'm not religious in the slightest but I don't mind those silly "under god" things being there. I think people should just say it out of respect; even if you don't believe in God, there are others that do. Besides, saying "under god" won't make you into a bible thumping idiot, but it's our pledge that's been said for hundred's of years. No need to go and change something so minor.
Inazuma, it's cool you hate the concept of God. Personally, I like it it gives people hope and guidelines of how to live their life. People get happy when they find god, why criticize them for that? It's too bad I don't like how the actual religion and execution of "worship" is, so I tend to stay away from that crap. and finally as for


why ask him to bless only america? its like saying "fuck you" to all the other countries ><

Look up Manifest Destiny. You'll see America was built upon the idea of "fuck you"


haha forgot to respond to the actual topic.
I hate when candidates try to connect with the public, since they do it so terribly. Saying crap like "We're just like you!" Yes, because your seat in government is so much like working a full shift with bills up your ass while having to deal with the falling economy. I feel that they're all high class trying to be the lower-middle class, which really isn't working. Even though, the same things that trouble us was probably never a concern for them.

By the way, do we even have a middle class anymore?

[Leviathan]

Joe Sixpack sounds pretty redneck to me...
The Tonight Show was talking about winking during the speech, it was okay for Palin to do it, Obama would look too condescending, Biden would look creepy, &McCain would look like he was having a heart attack.

Sadly enough little cute rhymey things like that stick, because the straight up facts don't. :disapprove:

I remember when I came bacl from school the took the word God out of the pledge &I was thrown off. It always happens after a summer break.

[Aisha379]

Funny this should pop up, a few nights ago I heard something about "Main Street America" and was thinking how stupid (and somewhat condescending) it sounded.

Never heard of "Joe Sixpack"...makes me think of a vegetarian who owns a Total Gym o_O


And, obviously, God's name being in all the previously mentioned stuff does not bother me.

[Shadowpawn]

I wonder why political pundits even come up with expressions like this. It's just...dumb. :/

I mean I don't even see the connection between Wall Street and Main Street. In Philadelphia we have a Main Line...that's where all the rich bastards live.

[TecherRamen]

Wall Street being the exchange of intangible stocks

Main street being the exchange of tangible goods

its meant to illustrate a contrast.

The GOD issue is only funny because america was founded with the idea of religious freedom. Yet it seems that to defy the christian status quot in any political way is to brand yourself as a heretic.

[Kent]

Yeah, astuarlen definitely got what I meant, and understands my rage.

Kent, on the other hand, is fortunate enough to be unaware.
...Yeah. Is this a political thing? I don't really pay attention to politics, since I have much less cyclical things on which to waste my time.

[Shadowpawn]

Wall Street being the exchange of intangible stocks

Main street being the exchange of tangible goods




I didn't mean in the literal "I don't get it sense". I quite aware where they would pull a comparison from. Besides, that example doesn't even work. Most exchanges of goods in a ubran city take place in a Market Street by tradition.

[Kylie]

I like the expression. It's just a way of saying every day citizens, middle class.

They mainly use it when they're talking about Main Street versus Wall Street.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

But will it play in Peoria?

Downtowns or mainstreets are pretty barren or slow. Fish and chips places and this isn't even the UK, Gallagher at the comedy club, in 2008? The hell?!

Talk to the megamall Wall Mart superstore -wherehouse America. All the jerkbags who buy crocs. SUV/Luxury car cost determines your worth, agendas pushed in propositions behind your back by groups of crazies all nosey about telling people what they need to do. You can probably figure GOD doesn't like people putting words in his mouth. Agendas don't make you a patron saint spreading right.

But that's another off put tangent. Apologies. The following posts from here on should get back to the America part and not soo much the GOD issue which wasn't the OP's intentions/original topic I believe.

[Nitro Vordex]

Oh no, the God thing doesn't really bother me.

Sorry.

Eh, about that Joe Sixpack thing. I think that's a dumb thing to say, how many people actually still get sixpacks?

[DraginHikari]

i hate "god bless america"
first off, god is fake as hell. but even if he was real, why ask him to bless only america? its like saying "fuck you" to all the other countries ><

"homer simpson bless everything" sounds a lot better to me. why homer simpson? why god? why does it matter what fictional character i use? at least homer simpson didnt demand the death of most human beings in a book.

Heh it's just a expression that been around for longer then most. Whether you can prove a supernatural being exists or not is hardly the point. And really your just making yourself sound hateful at best.Pronounce something you don't believe in as 'fake' is just as bad as someone pressing their regilion on you. Remember hate on the other side is still teh same kind of hate.

As far as saying like those, people use them to attempt to glorify and make something look better then it is. It appeals mostly to those who don't think too hard about what is being said.

[Cracka_J]

Pronounce something you don't believe in as 'fake' is just as bad as someone pressing their regilion on you. Remember hate on the other side is still teh same kind of hate.

QFT. I don't think you could have hit the nail on the head any better then that.

Being an extremist is an extremist, no matter which side you are on.

Back on topic, I think "joe sixpack" got to me a lot more then main street america did. Me and my wife are a middle-income family (she's still finishing up college), and we both work pretty damn hard to maintain our lifestyles.

Fuck yes, when I get home from work, I like to chill and play some games, have a brew or whatever and relax. I'm not an alcoholic, I rarely get drunk or party anymore. I'm a responsible adult, and I feel many others are as well. We shouldn't all be lumped into this category that sounds like middle class bums who have nothing better to do then fall back on their alcohol and get blasted after a days work.

I realize it was just a stab at biden since she seemed to have some "Joe" wisecracks lined up, but both me and my wife were seriously offended by that when we watched the debate. I can't see how they are trying to obtain the middle class vote when they refer to them as terms or catchphrases that can be taken negatively.

I think if I run for president I'll try to swing the "alaskan soccermom pitbull whore" vote. That should work well in my favor. :-?

[TheOneHero]

From Urban Dictionary:


Joe Sixpack: Average American moron, IQ 60, drinking beer, watching baseball and CNN, and believe everything his President says.
This is so simple, even a Joe Sixpack can understand.

[Vanzazikon]

Joe Sixpack? How about his son Joe Keg?

Joe Keg: Typical obese American, Drinks a Keg everyday, IQ 0 (fell asleep while taking IQ test on question what is your first name), Watches nothing (Fell asleep on couch while trying to find his remote) and believes everthing Bush says.