Although I try to keep politics out of this blog, it's impossible for me not to be thinking about it-- especially on what to me are the important issues of our time. We are bombarded by the superficial stuff but real issues-- less often. I thought about it and how I can mostly get it down to one sentence what I believe regarding key issues (with a few that's really impossible.) I then asked some friends of different political views for their answers.
moderate -- me:
Social justice-- I'm for it. It's very important
Political correctness-- based on kindness, but it can literally be nuts
Abortion-- only legal until fetal viability (around 20 weeks)
Guns-- legal and regulated (except for extended magazines)
Abortion-- only legal until fetal viability (around 20 weeks)
Guns-- legal and regulated (except for extended magazines)
Draft-- convince people the war is worth fighting-- no draft
Programs for the poor-- needed but make sure those getting aid are not fakes
Taxes-- who likes them but also needed for communities working together.
Immigration-- protect our borders-- allow only agreed upon legal immigration
Illegal Immigrants-- remove criminals and path to citizenship for workers
Illegal Immigrants-- remove criminals and path to citizenship for workers
Social Security-- it could be fixed-- why don't they want to do it?
Health care-- make it affordable and available.
Opioids-- watch who gets prescriptions and go after illegal drug traffic
Education-- free through four years of college for good students
Professors-- fire any pushing a political agenda if not in political science
Religion-- not my business until it interferes in mine
Constitution-- add to it if changes are needed, don't ignore it
Environment-- we depend on it, don't forget
Bigotry-- human nature but should be illegal in job, housing, or legal system
Environment-- tooo big for one line. Very important
Global climate change-- lots of questions. Should not be partisan issue.
Environment-- we depend on it, don't forget
Bigotry-- human nature but should be illegal in job, housing, or legal system
Environment-- tooo big for one line. Very important
Global climate change-- lots of questions. Should not be partisan issue.
Liberal friend:
Social justice-- Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.
Political correctness--Kind words from earnest tolerance.
Abortion--A tragic solution but only a choice in extreem situations.
Guns licensed and not extended magazines and not war weapons!
Abortion--A tragic solution but only a choice in extreem situations.
Guns licensed and not extended magazines and not war weapons!
Wars, NO: Feel adversaries real needs and address them.
Draft--should be obsolete.
Programs for the poor children's health and early education.
Taxes for richest not welfare for the richest
Illegal immigrants are our slave laborers without rights.
Social Security is not welfare but earned.
Health care is a right for all.
Opioids should be last resort.
Education brings tolerance to differences, critical thinking, group creative problem solving skills, in addition to verbal, math, and manual skills which becomes a life long adventure
Professors and teachers are under respected in importance
Religion is both very good in serving people but unfortunately a tool for people who have bad intentions.
Constitution was intended to be a living governmental structure.
Environment is the most endangered thing threatening the future of our children
Bigotry should not be tolerated.
Volunteers are the heroes for solving world problems
World citizenship means not doing to foreign nations what you do not want done to our nation
Volunteers are the heroes for solving world problems
World citizenship means not doing to foreign nations what you do not want done to our nation
Global climate change has been hastened by human activities but might be slowed by renewable energy - our best option.
Environment-- Protect it , if you want a future
Bigotry-- Destructive
Global climate change-- At this time it appears to be true
The US Flag -- Should fly at all government funded facilities and events
Conservative friend:
Social justice-- over reaction by news
Political correctness--Man that was "STUPID"
Abortion--provide more birth control
Guns-- too many in circulation
Abortion--provide more birth control
Guns-- too many in circulation
Wars--too many and weapons too easy to obtain
Draft--should be filled with politians
Draft--should be filled with politians
Programs for the poor--too many and more early education needed
Taxes-- funding too many wars
Immigration-- We are all immigrates at some point in time
Illegal Immigrants-- They force change
Illegal Immigrants-- They force change
Social Security--Are the correct people getting it ?
Health care--Put every American on the same program..Congress !!!
Opioids-- Try Singapore's solution.
Education--Everybody needs a suitable education
Professors-- Stick to the subject and get rid of tenure privilege.
Religion--Not my problem
Constitution--Basis of governanceEnvironment-- Protect it , if you want a future
Bigotry-- Destructive
Global climate change-- At this time it appears to be true
The US Flag -- Should fly at all government funded facilities and events
You--- if so inclined-- even add issues I forgot. I didn't put issues in order of importance but just as they came to me. I think they are all important. If you do, copy below and consider bringing back your answers and from what ideology.
Social justice--
Political correctness--
Abortion--
Guns--
Abortion--
Guns--
Wars--
Draft--
Draft--
Programs for the poor--
Taxes--
Immigration--
Illegal Immigrants--
Illegal Immigrants--
Social Security--
Health care--
Opioids--
Education--
Professors--
Religion--
Constitution--
Environment--
Bigotry--
Environment--
Global climate change--
image at top from our photo and the Landscape II app at Dreamscope.
13 comments:
With respect to social programs: Universal basic income programs. They are not perfect but better than the alternatives.
With respect to opioids: Decriminalize. Portugal has had enormous success dealing with drug-related problems thanks to decriminalization.
Illegal immigrants: Make immigration easier. Reality is that people are going to try to move from poor countries to rich countries and making that movement illegal is the same as making drug use illegal. Penning people into poor countries creates more problems than it solves.
Health and education: Provide the basics for free. Constant re-examination of what is "basic" to reasonable quality of life and participation in community life.
Taxes: Spend less on war and "security" and more on health, education and social programs. Increase as necessary to meet basic goals.
Childcare: Provide low-cost certified quality childcare to families and/or support for one parent to stay home. The huge amount of stress involved in working, taking care of preschoolers and making ends meet is a kind of socially-sanctioned torture.
Eldercare: Ditto.
I guess this makes me a radical leftist.
thanks for sharing, Annie. I think sharing our views is helpful and a way to have discussions that might get us somewhere. We don't have to agree to be able to talk about possible solutions to what are often worldwide problems.
I tend to agree with most of what was said above by you. I consider myself a moderate liberal (socially liberal and fiscally conservative). Wondering why the conservative did not provide comments on most issues? I think I am stricter on gun control but it is complicated. I am very strong on free speech and unhappy that Ann Coulter (who I do not agree with) was not allowed to speak in the early efforts. Universities are going to have to get their act together on this issue. I think education should be available to all and that includes some subsidized from of education for the "trades" workers and those who do not need a broad education. I do think that a certain attendance level and grade level must be meet. Abortion is the really tough one. Cannot answer that for others.
The reason the 'Conservative' did not comment fully was due to a long pause of blank spaces accidentally left in the screen format...operator error :)
They are there now
Social justice-- We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Political correctness-- In a civilized country there is no need for us to insult by word or deed members of our own
national community.
Abortion-- I hate the idea except in the most dire circumstances. However, there is a strong correlation between poverty
and abortion. Perhaps the alleviation of one will alleviate the other.
Guns-- I'm a life-long gun owner. But it is insane to sell guns to anyone who has the money to pay for one regarless of
their mental state and criminal record.
Wars--Sometimes they are necessary but most of them have been the product of greed and extreme nationalism.
Draft-- I was drafted and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. But, I think it is morally wrong
to send the children of the working classes to die for the benefit of the wealthy elite.
Programs for the poor--Every tribe and nation has taken care of their poor and defenseless. It is the mark of civilization.
Taxes-- We should all pay our fair share to maintain infrastructure, educate our kids, police and fire, national defense.
It is a myth that cutting the taxes of the wealthy and corporations will boost the economy .
Immigration-- We should welcome the best and the brightest with common sense vetting and investigation.
Illegal Immigrants--Deport the criminals make a way for the ones who are working and paying taxes.
Social Security-- The U.S. program is the best in the world. It may need adjusting especially since Congress has
"borrowed" from it over the years. Privatization would just transfer a huge fund of public funds into private pockets.
Health care-- Don't expect politicians to come up with an affordable and universal health care plan when they have been heavily lobbied
to protect the interests of Bigpharm, insurance companies, hospitals and other medical associations.
Opioids-- Conscientious self-regulation from the pharmaceutical companies and physicians would go a long way toward
that problem. In my state drug stores maintain a computer network that flags people who present too many prescriptions in
too short of time.
Education-- An educated populace is another mark of civilization. It should be paid for by taxpayers at least through
the first two years of college or technical school.
Professors--They are entitled to free speech just like the rest of us.
Religion-- Keep the church and state separated.
Constitution-- Before any changes are made it should be understood who will benefit and which of us will lose
their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Environment-- It's the only planet we have. We should take care of it.
Bigotry-- The result of ignorance
Global climate change-- It's hard to deny that it is happening. Yet we are assured from some that it is a hoax.
The philosopher Hannah Arendt said, "A people that no longer can believe anything cannot make up its mind. It is deprived
not only of the capacity to act but think annd to judge." I think we are there now.
Thanks for taking the time for this, Wally. I believe we benefit when we understand from where others are coming-- sometimes in surprising ways.
I'm me, I don't think I fit any of those labels, just parts of some and parts of others.
I think the independent or moderate label allows for varying opinions that suit neither. We don't need a label though-- unless we want to belong to a club.
Like Groucho Marx I would never belong to a club that would accept someone like me as a member. Ha ha. As I've grown older I've learned to reject labels and to detach myself from political parties. The conservatives have some good ideas but they don't have all the answers. Same thing with the liberals. And both parties are utterly corrupt. While most people only allow themselves information that reinforces their own prejudices there is wisdom in reading a wide variety of news sources (keeping away from the extremes of both sides). If you have a tribal, my side is the right side mindset you will be easily led down the garden path.
It's hard though when we don't have a party. I no longer have one either
I think a lot of people have left the parties as the parties have become more extreme on both sides.
It could be a time for a genuine third party to arise-- leaning conservative economically and liberal socially. Although, I used to say that about liberal socially more than I feel now. Unisex bathrooms just seem logical to me, not liberal. Criticizing police when they go too far is fine but to say we can only 'say' black lives matter, not blue lives-- is that a liberal social position? When liberals block speeches by those with whom they disagree, is that a liberal social position? To me what i used to think of when it came to liberalism was live and let live if it doesn't hurt someone else. Now it's my way or the highway for some extreme positions. Interesting times
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