That's easy for you to say because you are a liberal. Correct me if I'm wrong about that. I don't feel like I belong on any team and I always stand a chance of losing out no matter which party becomes president. If I vote for a democrat I still have to worry about him or her catering to the far left, that's not much more appealing than the far right.
I don't agree with all of Bernie's ideas but I think he is passionate and I think he can do a lot more good than harm. Usually I prefer a democrat as president while I prefer the republicans to control at least one chamber of congress. You make a good point about the courts, that is worth considering, but lets not get carried away and act as if the liberals don't have baggage.
Just to name a few things I don't like about the left.
1.) Lack of support for active duty military.
I'm not talking about general defense spending we actually can cut some of that if we do it right. I'm talking about the way the dems neglect active duty personnel when it comes to raises ect. There is a reason why career military guys that go into politics are almost always republicans.
2.) Welfare
Last time I checked if a man lives with a woman she is technically not eligible to receive it. Way to help break up families.
3.) Immigration
If you are illegal that's a problem, you broke the law and there should be consequences. No open border forgiveness policy.
4.) Guns
If guns are soo bad then why not make them illegal for everyone, police and military included. Ohhh I forgot some people are considered to be infallible and should have privileges that us ordinary humans shouldn't have.
5.) Free college?
Really. If college becomes free the access to higher education will have to become much more restricted in order to be feasible. The college experience in Europe is much more rigorous and competitive and more people get left out in the cold. Over there your sole motivation must be for your career or it's not worth the trouble. Personally I'm competitive, but I go to school for more than one reason, every course I take is not for a specific program, and if my school kicks me out for something stupid under the current system I have the option to go somewhere else. Right now I'm studying french culture and language in addition to my regular program and I wouldn't want our country to adopt their system of higher education at all.
You are correct, I am a liberal. But, I didn't start that way. Early on I sided more center right. Then, as I began really looking into the things Republicans were saying and doing, I began to drift more to the left. Facts drive my politics more than anything else. I try to divorce "feel good" emotion from my voting practices as much as possible.
1. Dems actually want to raise military pay. But, Republicans keep attaching items to bills that democrats cann't vote for and they know it. Then, when the bills get voted down they run to the media and yell, "The Democrats are against our troops!" and people believe it without checking the details. It's sad that the troops get caught up in the political thuggery, but it's the truth.
If someone comes to you and says, "I'll give you what you want. But, you have to steal this old woman's life savings." I'm guessing you wouldn't do it. Well, that's the game the Republicans play.
2. How are you sure that Dems set up welfare that way? If they did, why? Was it in reaction to abuse of the system and this was the best they could legally do? Was it budget cuts? Are republicans offering a better plan that would keep the father in the home? And, by better, I mean something other than gutting the social safety net? I'm not trying be a dick in anyway. But, we hear those things said and we just take it as gospel because it sounds like it should be true. We never question if what we're getting is the whole story when the words liberal, democrat and welfare appear in the same sentence.
Welfare is administered at the State level not nationally. So, that being true, it would only stand to reason that Republican led states would run welfare differently. And, they would allow fathers in poor families to stay in the home if that is their concern. Now, I'd be willing to bet, they pretty much do the same as democrat led states or worse. That's even if your original assertion is true.
In the end, you have to ask yourself, are you voting against something that does good, only to vote for something that does nothing?
3. Immigration, you know my views on that. Crack down on the employer. But, it's the republicans that don't want to do that because it disturbs their real constituency; businesses that employ illegals.
Also, illegal immigration is down under a democratic administration and Obama has been sending illegals back way more than any republican ever did. And, he's doing it because it's the law. So, if you want immigration handled effectively and in accordance with our laws then it would stand to reason you'd want to vote Democratic. Dems have proven what they will do. All republicans have done is talk.
4. I grew up with guns. As a former gun owner (I got rid of mine because I'm no longer able to fire it) and a liberal I can safely say that the majority of us don't want to take away your guns. But, good common sense legislation would be nice. Don't believe the hype from the right. Even Bernie Sanders, who's very left wing, is pro responsible gun ownership. That whole, "liberals want to take your guns away" thing is a right-wing boogeyman that doesn't truly exist in an real form.
5. Free public college is a good thing. Private colleges can still charge. No one is trying to stop that. You'll always be able to take the path you choose even if it's not a straight one.
6. And if you want student loans forgiven, do you really thing a republican is going to do that? I can tell you right now what there going to say, "We need to find a free market solution to the problem. Not government interference ...blah, blah, blah" Mark my words. ...lol
Was Abraham Lincoln's personality and trust-worthiness incompatible with his ability to compromise and get things done? Did he "let us down"?
No he did not let us down. But, his personality could have just as easily been used to steer the country the other way. Personality is separate from political beliefs. But, it can help a politician sell his ideas no matter how wrong they are.
See Bush, the guy everyone wanted to have a beer with. We all know how that turned out.
