Openmind
Well-Known Member
Do you deny that you believe the following???
- abortion is okay
- income redistribution is okay
- gun control is okay
- the Constitution should be flexible to fit the times
- the welfare state is okay
- liberalism/socialism works
- W was the worst president
- BO is a good president
- our debt is not a major problem
Well, let's try this again!
I started answering (reluctantly, as I know you will only take my answer as another way to spin my words and to prolong a discussion that you will NEVER open your mind to and reflect on) and I got interrupted by an oversea skype phone call and I lost it all. . .so I guess I'll try it again. . .although I know it will be a waste of my time!
- Abortion is okay: Not always. The current abortion laws, however are very fair, and I DO BELIEVE that women's choice is primordial.
- Income redistribution is okay: NO. . .the redistribution of income that has been going on for the last 30 years is NOT okay, as it has INCREASED the gap between the "poor and middle class and the wealthy." I do not believe this is sustainable (or moral, or good for our economy) and that trend needs to be stopped. To stop that trend, and to SHRINK the gap in wealth between the middle class and the wealthy, we need to have government assistance (through taxes that are progressive instead of regressive) for the wealthiest among us.
- Gun control is okay. Obviously it is okay, not only okay, but NECESSARY! And, by the way, SOME gun control laws have been in place at least until 1993 (Brady), without the Constitution having been voided! But I think those gun control laws have to be rethought, and reworked, and made more stringent and more efficient. I do NOT believe that our forefather EVER planned on EVER giving the right to any dummies or gun lovers in this country to free access to 20th, 21st or . . .(God forbid) 22nd century killing machines. . and if we don't do something about it, that's exactly what's going to happen! Face it, when people can turn in not one but TWO ROCKET LAUNCHERS in exchange for "credit cards," it is obvious that this "right to bear arms" has gone terribly wrong! And if you think that your semi-automatic and your high capacity mags will keep you safe from the mini probes, chemical carrying cartridge, and mini nuclear head weapons that are on their way. . .I feel sorry for you!
- The Constitution should be flexible to meet the time: DUH! Obviously! That is, if the Constitution is to remain meaningful over this century, and the next, and the next. . .it HAS to be a LIVING document! In fact, if you just look at my signature, you will see that THAT was the REAL intent of the founders. NO ONE with half a mind believes that we can be govern today on the LITERAL words of the Constitution. . .and our forefathers were no dummies. . . they were visionaries, and they already knew that in 1776, and they did everything they could to allow the Constitution to REMAIN A LIVING DOCUMENT.
- The welfare state is okay. Duh. . obviously it is okay! What else would you want? As a "wealthy country," a "developed" country, I bet you wouldn't like it if about 20 to 25% of our population lived under a bridge and saw their children die in infancy! The welfare state is even more necessary when the income gap is INCREASING. . .and the welfare state will become LESS necessary if we succeed in stopping, then shrinking the income/wealth gap! So. . .if you don't like the "welfare state," why don't you work in REDUCING THE NEED for a welfare state. OR. . .the other solution is to just accept that your home may become surrounded with children begging to get a few pennies from you to buy a loaf of bread! Or elderly people walking the street in their nightgowns and dying on a bench near a playground, where your children or grandchildren go to play. . .you may want to get rid of the "welfare state," but I hope you will include the "Corporate welfare!
- Liberalism/Socialism works: Well, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "Liberalism," and if you insist in mislabeling "Socialism" with "Communism," we just can't find a way to discuss this logically! However, I am willing to give you what I see as a HEALTHY form of Socialism. . . Socialist democracy (or Democratic socialism, as some name, or even better "responsible social capitalism") Yes, I believe it works. In fact, it has been working for over 50 years in Europe and, although Europe is without a doubt experiencing growing pains (partially due to the huge recession provoked by our "run away capitalism" and the policies of GW Bush), they are STILL doing better than we are. . .and yet, they have had all those "programs" that you fear so much ("untitlement programs" and universal health care, child benefits, low cost higher education, labor laws, unions, MUCH lower income gap between the wealthy and the middle class, shorter work hours, better infrastructure, and higher taxes, including inheritance taxes) for a very long time! Still, in spite of their difficulties in coming together as an UNION, they are ahead of us in terms of just about everything, including GDP, and the value of the Euro, and life expectancy, lower crime rate, and quality of life. So. . .obviously I believe it works! Maybe if you had the chance of LIVING in one of those country, you may have a better idea of the reality of this!
-W was the worse president. . .Are you talking about GW Bush? Well, I don't know if he was THE WORST, but he sure was bad enough! But I don't think it was all his fault, I believe he may even be a pretty nice guy, just not very smart, and very easily manipulated by his evil vice president, Cheney. But I do credit him (or at least his weakness to resist Cheney's push) for the horrible Iraq war, the unecessary and very damaging Bush tax cuts which were Very progressive and benefited the wealthy a lot more than the middle class, and for just giving in to the lobbyists and handing our nation to Wall Street. Whether that makes him the worst President ever. . .I don't know, as I haven't studied the Presidency of all our presidents. . .but it sure makes him the worse of the last 4 or 5 Presidents!
-Obama is a good President: ABSOLUTELY! He has been handed down a terrible deal, and in addition he has NEVER been given a chance by the right (and the racists, which is not necessarely the same, but certainly has some cross over). And yet, President Obama has managed to pull this country, slowly but steadily, out of the total MESS left by Bush. . .in spite of all the hatred he has had to face, in spite of the stated goal (first priority) of the GOP to "make him fail, and make him a one term President), and. . .HE WON HIS SECOND TERM by a very convincing edge, both in popular and in electoral votes. And with all that, he has been able to accomplish a LOT of his original agenda, and has moved this country forward into the 21st century. . .not bad for a "Kenyan, Muslim, AntiChrist, puppet!" And with all that, he manages to STAY HUMAN and have a heart and a social conscience! Kudos for President Obama. I don't know if he will be known as one of the best President (only time will tell,) but he sure will be known as the FIRST BLACK AMERICAN PRESIDENT WHO SERVED TWO TERMS! I love it!
- Our debt is not a major problem: Our debt is a problem. . .a major one. . .I'm not convinced of it! After all, although our debts is higher than those "socialist countries" in Europe (85% of GDP versus 103% of GDP), our debt is MUCH lower than Japan has been in years (230% of GDP). . .and we are still getting VERY advantageous credit rates from just about all over the world. . .so that may mean that WE (or rather the GOP . . .who by the way never bothered to look at our debt in the past. . .even when GW BUSH BORROWED all the money for his ridiculous war in Iraq from China) seem to be a lot more worried about it than the rest of the world! In fact, it seems that it is OUR WORRY about the debt, and the silly politics being played around it that worries the world the most! If we did get off the cliff, it would have pretty much crashed the world economy. . .and if we renege on our debt by not raising the debt ceiling. . .that is what will conclude our demise in the financial world!
I do believe we need to work in REDUCING the trend of increasing our debt . . .but we have been doing that in the last 3 years at least. . .and, no matter what, we will not get rid of our deficit in 5 or even 10 years. . .and we don't need to! In fact, what we need to do is stop the INCREASE in spending. . .and assure that we keep getting low interest rate to repay our debt. . .because, face it, sometime it is a LOT BETTER (actually, some investor are working on that philosophy) to BORROW money at a low rate and then use it to make profits (like investing in infrastructure, which would boost our economic growth, lower unemployment, and bring our country back from behind in this area) then to use our cash which can be "more costly" than the interest rate we are currently paying to other nations.
Okay. . .I answered all your questions. And I know you will try to bash everyone of my answers. . .and that's okay.
I have nothing to hide and, although I totally realize that my opinions on all (or some) of those issues is diametrically opposed to most of you guys in this forum. . .I do not care, as I am very comfortable with my stand on these issues.
Have fun! And don't be surprise if I don't even read or answer to your (surely to come) criticisms. . .I think I pretty much know everyone of your "arguments" against my positions. . .and I really don't give a damn!