Politics Changing definitions of who is right, left and center.

I’ve been thinking about how parties have changed in the past and how I think there is a good deal of morphing in today’s political world.

I have long considered myself pretty left or liberal but a major tenant of liberalism to me was protection of free speech and even securing the rights of those you oppose to freely speak, even if it’s racist, homophobic, sexist or some other nasty BS. But now the left is often trying to ban contrary views from speaking in public forums instead of the old standard of fighting for their rights to speak and then protesting their ideas.

Likewise the right used to abhor any impediment to free trade but now stands for trump who is putting the biggest roadblocks to free trade in the form of tariffs.

There are many more examples but these are just two. I dont like so much of what is happening politically in America nowadays, and it amazes me that regardless of what turns these parties take, their members follow blindly.

 

Things are worse than ever before for a couple of reasons.

1. The internet and more specifically social media. I have never seen such a horrible mixture of echo chambers, click bait articles with inaccurate information, and manipulation. It is creating this horrible divide in this country. I put the blame squarely on social media. It is a poison and it was never intended for this.

2. I think most of the people are more towards the middle, and are not the lunatics that are out causing problems, but it's always the vocal minority that seems to represent the parties because they speak up. Most of us are content to just live our lives and vote and pay taxes, meanwhile the assholes that are out causing problems are creating this image of both parties. This is leading to stereotypes that are exacerbating the issues. There are people who literally believe that all Republicans are racist Nazis. I honestly can't believe it. The way some people reacted when Paul Allen donated money to the GOP was as if he was directly donating money to the KKK. It was insane.

Add these two factors to an already growing problem with voting the party line (aka voting the lesser of two evils) and we have our current political climate. I also think that both parties have been using hot button topics like illegal immigration, guns, abortion, gay marriage, etc to gain power, and while those issues are all very important, they pale in comparison to things like the economy, health care, education, etc. But these politicians have us completely distracted as if we're at a magic show, and they are using misdirection to rob us blind.

 

Not so much on here, but it was posted across Reddit and the comments were not nice.

 

Liberal republicans.

 

The media has taken sides which only ignites the frenzy more. And nowadays with social media quick response and action is moral. These two have changed this country big time. Not all bad except news media.

 

You have no Reddit credit.

 

They pale because you are not gay or a minority or a woman who might need an abortion or an undocumented immigrant or a gun nut.

 

I disagree.

Is Gay Marriage going to matter if we're in another Great Depression?

Is legalized abortion going to matter if you have no healthcare? If something goes wrong and you end up with a massive hospital bill, I think that's going to be a more pressing issue.

If you're an undocumented immigrant, you're not going to be able to find much work if nobody can find work.

And I believe that our issues with guns is directly linked to our shitty education system.

 

See Jane run.
See Jane go to the gun store.
See Jane exercise her 2nd amendment rights to conceal carry.

 

In the last century, we had in Oregon protection from losing you home to creditors, like could happen with one event sending you to the hospital.
It was provided by filing for homestead protection on your property. This prevented leans being put on you home as it was your homestead.

How ever Oregon voters in their lack of wisdom fell for the some trickery for property tax relief as it was sold by the Oregon legislature in 1999.
The Homestead act was modified to exempt only 40 or 50K, single or joint from debit. Wonderful hey! It doesn't take much too time in the hospital today to
run up a bill in the big numbers, hundred of Thousands. Heck, I ran up a bill of 12k in 8hrs in the emergency room last July. Think about what they could count give days.

One of the first things Hospitals do is file the lean on your property just in case they need it. If you don't get the bill payed, a judgement against you by a court is all it take for the Sheriff to be putting your home up for sale. After the sale the sheriff will give you a check for your 40 or 50k.

Not all that long ago, your home could not be sold for such debts. The reason these bill get so big is to make up for those that never get paid, which is some where near 60% of all admissions. Then we also have those bills that get paid at less than cost by agreement, like Medicare. Think about it!
The guy that has nothing goes to hospital and walks out with no tethers. The home owner can get a bill too damn big for a Basketball team to pay, so they
take his home, to pay the bill for all those that walk with no tethers.

The voters have been slow walked over the years into this trap.

 

Chris Hedges: The evidence for our impending doom

Trump is not to blame for our societal destruction, the author of 'America: The Farewell Tour' tells Street Roots; the problem is our political and economic systems

https://news.streetroots.org/2018/10/05/chris-hedges-evidence-our-impending-doom

 

Proves his point about the shitty education system.

 

It's a combination.

1. Back in the 90's teachers were complicit in encouraging kids to go on drugs like Ritalin. It was shortly after that we started having these school shootings.

2. Classrooms are overcrowded and teachers aren't able to pay as close attention to kids that are going through issues.

3. Kids are pushed on to the next grade even if they're not ready. It's just another example of passing the buck until eventually a kid explodes.

This all really just contributes to being incapable to identify kids who are in jeopardy.

Then, if we want to expand it out, I blame schools for promoting the fear culture surrounding guns. Instead of educating and addressing a lack of knowledge and respect for guns, they installed zero tolerance and fear about guns. This has led to an entire generation of adults who don't know shit about guns, only that they are afraid of them and they're bad.