Call a spade a spade

Americans are in an uproar and the issue is change.

Both parties are fractured by it, or more specifically both parties are fighting internal battles as to the nature and the degree of change they should embrace and champion.

You need be no Einstein to see that the republicans resist change and the democrats want it; the questions for each is "How?" and "To what degree?"

Were the issue limited to "change" then it might not be as potentially existential as it now is, but the fact is the dirty secret behind what's going on nationally is that the issue is a potential / eventual "changing of the guard," or stated differently the waning of white control over American culture and politics.

The numbers of white people is static or declining whereas the black and browns are soaring, and this scares the holy hell out of many whites.

Oh not the young 'uns: they're mostly liberal; no, it's those thirty and older who fear the potential loss.

So let's just call it what it is: not a cultural war, it's a form of a race war.

I'll show you what the whites fear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBzDH-Vwzy4

Ummm...are you saying this applies to all, or most, whites over thirty?

For my part, I think the Economic positions/ideas of the Far Left are flatly insane and totally reject them as ludicrous, regardless of the color of the person promoting them. While I am no fan of, "Cancel Culture," the promotion of, "Critical Race Theory," or concepts such as, "Math is racist," I am pretty much in agreement with the Left on all other social issues.

Oh, men transitioning to women participating in women's sports---I'm also against that. I think that should count as a fairly nuanced stance, though.

Quote: missedhervee

Oh not the young 'uns: they're mostly liberal; no, it's those thirty and older who fear the potential loss.

You act like this is something new. Most young people in every generation are liberal unless they belong to some organized religion. Do you remember the late 60s? Every young person I knew was liberal, hell I was liberal. It's because you're young and naive and you think the world it's all about lollipops and rainbows. When you start getting real life experiences your attitude changes. Hopefully.

Quote: Evenbob

You act like this is something new. Most young people in every generation are liberal unless they belong to some organized religion. Do you remember the late 60s? Every young person I knew was liberal, hell I was liberal. It's because you're young and naive and you think the world it's all about lollipops and rainbows. When you start getting real life experiences your attitude changes. Hopefully.

I hate that I have to give you the pleasure of being right (JK), but I remember you saying something along these lines to me nearly ten years ago and, G**D*** it, you were right.

That said, if you look at some of the Economic positions of the Far Left, I would probably defend any one of them in isolation...or could at least make a compelling argument...but all of it at all, or worse, all of it at once!!??

I could also get behind Universal Basic Income, but the tradeoff would be to 86 all other Federal funding for every other social safety net that is, in any way, Federally funded that there is.

Quote: Mission146

I hate that I have to give you the pleasure of being right (JK), but I remember you saying something along these lines to me nearly ten years ago and, G**D*** it, you were right.

That said, if you look at some of the Economic positions of the Far Left, I would probably defend any one of them in isolation...or could at least make a compelling argument...but all of it at all, or worse, all of it at once!!??

I could also get behind Universal Basic Income, but the tradeoff would be to 86 all other Federal funding for every other social safety net that is, in any way, Federally funded that there is.

I don’t think there is all that much idealism in making sure people can more easily access the basics of life. Sure I can see some requests go overboard.

But there’s a hell of a lot of luxurious living they can get on their own dime that’s not part of the liberal philosophy. We’re not requesting all expense trips to Vegas.

Quote: rxwine

. We’re not requesting all expense trips to Vegas.

Of course you are, that is merely phase two of the plan. You haven't been paying attention to what happens with handouts. Once you give someone A they then want B and if they get that then on to C. When people get something for nothing it is never enough.

Quote: rxwine

I don’t think there is all that much idealism in making sure people can more easily access the basics of life. Sure I can see some requests go overboard.

But there’s a hell of a lot of luxurious living they can get on their own dime that’s not part of the liberal philosophy. We’re not requesting all expense trips to Vegas.

Controlling the narrative and the verbiage, well done! I see what you're doing there.

Framed that way, no, easy access to the basics of life makes total sense. However, when we look at a particular amount of cash for every American and add that up, the minimum possible cost of college for a person and a conservative estimate of how many will avail themselves of that, the current social safety nets, the cost of Medicare for all vis-a-vis average healthcare expenses for every American and the price increases that would go along with an across-the-board minimum wage increase to $15/hour...and then add up all of those items and divide by the number of Americans there are...then the narrative suddenly doesn't look so hot.

That's when we get to the question: How do you pay for it, and...

Quote:

But there’s a hell of a lot of luxurious living they can get on their own dime that’s not part of the liberal philosophy. We’re not requesting all expense trips to Vegas.

And, why not? You could probably hook someone up with an all expenses paid (except gambling) annual trip to Vegas, once a year for life, for what just four years college expenses for free are going to cost.

Seriously, you're looking at what...fifty grand per kid for four years just on tuition or thereabouts? If you pick your demand seasons well enough and negotiate some decent group travel deals, then you could probably get someone to Vegas for a week on $1,000 and keep them fed if you're not too extravagant with it. That's just going to be tuition, of course, so we will see what happens when the Far Left starts asking for free books, materials and Room/Food at the colleges for free...assuming that they're not already asking for that.

Hell, that's just on the free college related stuff. Once you factor in the medical costs in an average year, other social safety nets and minimum basic income, you can probably cover three or four all expenses paid trips to Vegas every year for fifty years.

Also, the Far Left isn't requesting anything...they want to take control of the Government so that the Government can take control of the money of individuals and corporations...and not too small a sum, at that.

I never preach free college.

Affordable, yes.

Mission do you unabashedly support every libertarian position or scheme espoused by any libertarian?

I certainly don't support all the ideas of the left.

Thanks.

I got an idea. Make the Republicans actually pay off the debt. Let's see if the supporters won't squeal like stuck pigs. All those old Republicans will wonder what happened to their SS and medicare.