Three Lefts Make a Right, and Three Rights Make a Left

...Health care for all.

The first thing I'd mention is the priorities. Anti-war would be at the top of my list. Health care for all. Ending homelessness would be near the top, and I could argue for the other side, "You don't want those bums lowering your property costs". For example, if we guarantee housing for all (as well as the basics I mentioned along with education), we could be do away with a minimum wage. Maybe I'm discussing left-winged populism mixed with my ideas, but I might be considerate a moderate over immigration. There's 330 million people in the US for one, but I've read enough to believe that the wages of the working-class would remain stagnant. Yes, I've read stats that illegal immigrants commit less crime, but there's no record of those who do commit crime. If any one of us breaks the law, we get into trouble. Speaking of which, this for-profit prison system must end (Kamala)..


I also disagree with a few candidates and I'd give even rich people the same benefits. Because the minute someone decides to cut education for all, the rich would be fine anyway. I also think it sets a good example that we want educated people, because no man is an island. K-12 is covered in the US, what's so radical about K-16? Americans will never be able to compete in this global world when all the 1st world countries offer higher education (along with some 2nd world countries). They'd pay higher taxes, and we'd close so many loopholes. I'd also prefer to bail out the public, as opposed to corporate bail-outs.



I hate the idea of nuclear weapons, but those aren't kitchen table issues, and I don't think the world wants to blow it all up - there's no beneficiaries. I support Civil Rights, but I don't support affirmative action anymore. I think it only creates resentment, especially among minority groups within the working-class.



I was very anti-gun living in European countries, Australia, etc., but there are more guns than Americans, and so if one has the idea that everyone is armed, I can see why some would buy a gun, despite not wanting to. I know these mass shootings are horrible, but I wouldn't want some Patriot-Act lite. Especially when they blame mental illness and video games, ruining it for everyone else. As well as a loss of privacy.


When it comes to climate change, I'm mostly interested in clean water and air. I still think people need food before we tackle something like climate change, which would need a lot of cooperation and change, but I think using solar, hydro, windmills would be good, and then use other forms to make up "when the wind doesn't blow" like Trump likes to say. Speaking of Trump, he signed Criminal Justice reform, where Clinton did the opposite with Biden's help, as well as cutting welfare for so many to give that money (small amount) compared to helping big business.

I'm pro-abortion, and I think it shouldn't be an issue. I believe people have a right to their body. Every decision will have its consequences, and they'll have to deal with it.


I was pissed to hear Bill Maher (who I liked in the late 90s) but he's a phony. He actually wished for America to have a recession. "Its worth it", he said, thinking it would help someone beat Trump. Again, out of touch. Maybe HE can afford it, but the working people who are struggling is going to ditch him because of their own personal circumstances.


Unfortunately, so much talk is over issues that affect 1%, not that they aren't important, but when people are dying due to lack of health care, I'll stick with that first. I got so tired of all this toilet talk, but no worries, I'll install 7 toilets in my 500 sq. foot rented house. They KNOW you can't legislate kindness and understanding, so they keep throwing racism and identity politics in general to win over demographics, while doing nothing for them in reality.

I'm also big on Free Speech, and really can't stand all these anti-war voices being shut down, or any dissenting voices on the right. For many reasons. I want to try and understand them, see how their mind works, but its not about me. When you ban someone on Google/YouTube, Facebook, etc., there is no other public square. Millions of people won't even have a chance to judge. You can't have freedom and expect perfection. I also think as a result of all these bans and domain closures, millions of people who identify with the El Paso shooter's philosophy will say "See, they are shutting us down", which might backfire. I'm not as big on isms as I am with results. I don't like group think, and I think we have to do what is best for ourselves and those around us. What worked 50 years ago cannot work today because we lived in a different society. I've heard of automation dividends, and it sounds like a good idea. I also think as a result of this, people would cooperate, maybe have more respect for their fellow man, as blaming each other for the social ills. I also can't stand when partisans cheer certain outcomes because it makes "the other guy" look bad, when in fact, we ALL live in this country, and "bad things" affect everyone.

1 million is still 1 million. I fail to see why scale matters.

The point remains that we maintained a sustained bombing effort on the pockets of city civilians.

This number might have been small but it doesn’t change the fact that we bombed the crap out of civilians.

You seem to have a thing about mental illness getting blamed for some of these crimes. I don't like to think of it as blame but rather finding a reason why it happened. I think all of these mass shooters must be imbalanced to some extent.

I think that mental health has made great strides to progress to where we are today, but we still need more progress. That said I am concerned when people talk about mass shootings and mental health as a correlation issue. (I’m not saying that’s what you’re saying, tho) But when the media and people do tie those two together it undoes progress made by so many to get mental health out of the dark. I definitely think it makes talking about mental health more difficult.

America bombs civilians. It’s what we do.

I don't think most people are trying to be insensitive, but these people can't be mentally stable, can they? It also paints a more sympathetic picture of the perpetrator.

Not when the ultra humane Trump rules the roost.

I like a lot of what you say, but I'm curious about some things.

Isn't it impossible for illegal immigrants to commit less crime, seeing that being in the country illegally is a crime itself? Not trying to justify any laws, but laws do need to be respected and enforced.

A bail out for the public sounds nice, but isn't it more important to protect those who provide the jobs?

You seem to have a thing about mental illness getting blamed for some of these crimes. I don't like to think of it as blame but rather finding a reason why it happened. I think all of these mass shooters must be imbalanced to some extent.

Bill Maher is a jackass just like anyone who wants Trump to fail. We should all want any president to succeed because that's what's best for our country.

Thanks for the reply, Matt. I guess I'm confused, as I thought most of the Democratic candidates were left wing, but it sounds like you're saying their not?

I know some of the issues you covered in your post were also endorsed by some of the Dem candidates in the first two debates. At least it sounded like they endorsed them, it's kind of hard to tell with only 3 minute sound bites of air time.

All the Dems said they were for that (I think?), but as far as I remember only Bernie and Elizabeth Warren wanted to replace privatized health care plans with Medicare. Which some call socialized medicine, do you support Bernie's and Warren's plan?

Is that a left wing issue? I would guess everyone wants to end homelessness, albeit with very different plans. Have you heard of a plan/policy that you endorse on homelessness?

Can you expand on that? Or if not, which of the candidates positions do you agree most with? (if any)

I know Bernie Sanders endorsed that, do you know if any of the other candidates did?

That would make you a conservative on that one issue, wouldn't? Did any of the Dem candidates have a similar view as you on affirmative action?

That sounds like your moderate on gun control. I wonder how much of a factor gun control issues will be in the campaigns?

That sounds like you're conservative on climate change. I noticed some of the Democratic candidates like Buttigieg made the threat of global climate change paramount to their platforms.

I hate to say this but I don't even know what the Criminal Justice reform was about?

I think Dem candidates are universal on pro abortion, aren't they? I think that will be a hot topic when it comes down to the final debates between the Dem and GOP debates.

America bombs civilians. It’s what we do.

A considerable portion of other countries believe if ever attacked it will be by the US. That really makes me sad.

i can't make my mind that under nazi control we wouldn't be so different from today, i also blame america for that

(...) and the American T-Rex crossed an ocean to support it.

i can't make my mind that under nazi control we wouldn't be so different from today, i also blame america for that

What?

yes, they crossed the ocean for the last day and made movies about it

america bullying every single country to get there resources, there 1% owns almost everything,

This is glib, reductive, and doesn't respond to anything I said.

If you don't want to discuss this stuff in depth, whatever, but you keep tossing out loaded accusations and claims and then show little to no interest in defending them at any length. Not cool. I've only got so many hours in the day and I'd like to know before I sit down to respond seriously that the other person's just going to deflect it.

I don't need to defend my "loaded accusations and claims". History defends them.

Besides, when have I ever done anything other than glib and reductive? This isn't rocket science.

Just saying "history defends them" is not defending them, since anyone can say that sans elaboration. Ditto for the "you proved my point" refrains without ever articulating how your point was proven.

There's really no point in replying if you're just going to deflect stuff. I think you know that. And I don't think you'd like it if everyone responded to your arguments like this, either.