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JNathanK
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03 Jul 2012, 2:18 pm

I mean, every time I keep running into online discussions where someone goes on a diatribe about how liberals are all stupid, evil, lazy, etc, with no grounding in reality whatsoever, and if it weren't for them, we'd be living under some sort of earthly paradise. I'm just wondering how long its gonna be till liberals and conservatives start shooting at each other. I think there is a logical justification for things like moderate social safety netting, minimum wage, public education, etc etc. Before we had all the liberal reforms in America and a strong union presence, workers had no compensation for injuries, people were so poor it was an economic necessity for children in certain social classes to work in factories rather than go to school, there was gross social inequality between races (I'm sorry but the civil rights movement of the 60's was a left leaning cause, not right as Glenn Beck wants to rewrite), and people had to take care of their sick and elderly parents more because they didn't have the pensions, medicaid, and social security we take for granted nowadays. A conservative even told me recently that all the economic responsibility of taking care of one's aging parents should lay on the child. Coming from the perspective that letting big business have full reign over society leads to greater freedom, this doesn't make sense to me, because having to support your elederly parents, as well as your own kids, seems like it would reduce freedom and mobility for the average person, not increase it. In some ways I hope they get everything they want. Its very likely, as neo-liberal economics rule the realm, and the army of corporate lobyists pushing for it will probably get it done. Maybe they'll see its not quite the Utopian realm they invisioned it would be when all forms of democracy are disabled, the unions are no more, the public school a thing of the past, and multi-national corporations have full control over everything and everyone.

There's also a lot of people that are very black and white in their thinking and see liberals and socialists as one in the same. Its really not the case though, as most liberals believe in restrained capitalism, not the complete abolishment of the capital class and turning over the means of production over to workers. They don't believe in a classless society, just in a society that doesn't have gross inequality as seen in countries like Brazil and Indonesia. To liberals, rich people can keep their mansions, its just tax dollars have to be used to keep people from starving to death and killing each other over food. This really isn't a radical idea in my view. I support moderate subsidies to the poor, because I'm int he middle/lower class, and when people start rioting over basic necessities, I'll more likely be one of the people caught in the cross fire than a rich person who can afford to hire a mercenary and live behind a walled of community.



Last edited by JNathanK on 03 Jul 2012, 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Joker
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03 Jul 2012, 2:23 pm

Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.



Lord_Gareth
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03 Jul 2012, 2:29 pm

Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


Hey, moron - liberal here. I work two jobs. My wife is also employed. We still don't make a living wage - we can't afford even cheap rent and utilities on top of groceries, maintenence, and Just Plain Living Life. Programs like food stamps and cash assistance help ensure that we don't have to choose between homelessness and starvation, which would be our choices if we were forced to be "self-reliant".

Why don't you do your research on what liberals actually want before you run off at the mouth like an idiot?


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03 Jul 2012, 2:33 pm

Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


Hey, moron - liberal here. I work two jobs. My wife is also employed. We still don't make a living wage - we can't afford even cheap rent and utilities on top of groceries, maintenence, and Just Plain Living Life. Programs like food stamps and cash assistance help ensure that we don't have to choose between homelessness and starvation, which would be our choices if we were forced to be "self-reliant".

Why don't you do your research on what liberals actually want before you run off at the mouth like an idiot?


You want a big goverameant I know what liberals and conservatives want. They want Gun Control even though in the constistuion says right to bare arms. Universal helath care even though it would cost the tax payers. A s**t tone of money to pay for. Do you wan't me to continue?

Btw I am a independent not a left-or-right-winger :wink:



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03 Jul 2012, 2:37 pm

Sorry that this isn't much of a response but I am liberal. I agree with the universal healthcare, and other things. But I have work at 3 and need to get ready


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JNathanK
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03 Jul 2012, 2:38 pm

Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.



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03 Jul 2012, 2:38 pm

Delphiki wrote:
Sorry that this isn't much of a response but I am liberal. I agree with the universal healthcare, and other things. But I have work at 3 and need to get ready


Canda has a universal healthcare system and the wait at the doctors office must be hell.



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03 Jul 2012, 2:41 pm

JNathanK wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.


It's still not the governmeants job to give us univerasl healthcare. I mean you mine as well let then tell you. When to eat people should take care of themselfs.

But like I said I am a independent a stone cold independent not a liberal or a conservative I have gripes with both groups.

Tarp was a really bad idea that Liberals got passed and a few conservaties voted for as well.



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03 Jul 2012, 2:53 pm

Joker wrote:
JNathanK wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.


It's still not the governmeants job to give us univerasl healthcare. I mean you mine as well let then tell you. When to eat people should take care of themselfs.

But like I said I am a independent a stone cold independent not a liberal or a conservative I have gripes with both groups.

Tarp was a really bad idea that Liberals got passed and a few conservaties voted for as well.


If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?


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03 Jul 2012, 2:55 pm

Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
JNathanK wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.


It's still not the governmeants job to give us univerasl healthcare. I mean you mine as well let then tell you. When to eat people should take care of themselfs.

But like I said I am a independent a stone cold independent not a liberal or a conservative I have gripes with both groups.

Tarp was a really bad idea that Liberals got passed and a few conservaties voted for as well.


If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?


THat is why we have the military. They protect and serve us from hostile countries. But their not to be babysitters and take care of us literraly.



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03 Jul 2012, 2:58 pm

Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


Economic depressions are times when people are fearful. In times like this, preaching the "every man for himself" philosophy is like pouring salt on an open wound. It's like taking a knife to the very fabric of society. There is no such thing as being self-reliant unless you choose to go live in the wilderness and grow your own food. It's a myth.



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03 Jul 2012, 3:00 pm

Joker wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
JNathanK wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.


It's still not the governmeants job to give us univerasl healthcare. I mean you mine as well let then tell you. When to eat people should take care of themselfs.

But like I said I am a independent a stone cold independent not a liberal or a conservative I have gripes with both groups.

Tarp was a really bad idea that Liberals got passed and a few conservaties voted for as well.


If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?


THat is why we have the military. They protect and serve us from hostile countries. But their not to be babysitters and take care of us literraly.


So you're saying that private citizens should have to provide things like road maintenance, law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency aid, education and other public services (national parks spring to mind) for themselves? Governments have always shielded and protected their citizens - hell, even Nero (yes, THAT NERO) opened homeless shelters and lowered the price of corn and grain after the Great Fire in Rome to help feed and shelter his displaced citizens.


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Joker
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03 Jul 2012, 3:02 pm

Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
Joker wrote:
JNathanK wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


I believe in being self reliant, but when corporations are accumulating more land and more capital, and basic things become more expensive because of the monopoly they hoid, I'd rather use tax dollars to keep people from starving and living in gross poverty than use the money to subsidize Lockheed Martin and Halliburton to blow up middle easterners and subsidize big industry so they can outsource more of our jobs and get bigger mansions. I'm not saying people should be lifelong dependents on the state, but I don't think we should just let people just fall into dire poverty. When people can't get money to get their surgery, can't get food, can't get shelter, can't get the basic things to survive on. they're way more likely steal and kill for what they need. Rather than react to this by using money to pay for more police and more domestic paramilitary, I'd rather be preemptive and have a healthy safety net. Its not the people in the walled communities that have to worry about this either. They'll be fine. Its the people in the inner city and lower class/middle class neighborhoods that have to worry about the direct effects of rising crime.


It's still not the governmeants job to give us univerasl healthcare. I mean you mine as well let then tell you. When to eat people should take care of themselfs.

But like I said I am a independent a stone cold independent not a liberal or a conservative I have gripes with both groups.

Tarp was a really bad idea that Liberals got passed and a few conservaties voted for as well.


If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?


THat is why we have the military. They protect and serve us from hostile countries. But their not to be babysitters and take care of us literraly.


So you're saying that private citizens should have to provide things like road maintenance, law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency aid, education and other public services (national parks spring to mind) for themselves? Governments have always shielded and protected their citizens - hell, even Nero (yes, THAT NERO) opened homeless shelters and lowered the price of corn and grain after the Great Fire in Rome to help feed and shelter his displaced citizens.


He also scape goated the christians and blamed them for the great fire and killed them off. This is why we have jobs people are payed to do those things for us.



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03 Jul 2012, 3:02 pm

Lord_Gareth wrote:
If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?

What it's always done in the past. Protect and serve the property of the elite class and keep the rest placated enough to stem unrest. The traditional role of government is to preserve order alone and conservatives seem to want to move back in that direction.



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03 Jul 2012, 3:04 pm

marshall wrote:
Joker wrote:
Liberals tend to pass really stupid laws and. They want the governemant to take care of them. Instead of being self-relaint and take care of themnselfs.


Economic depressions are times when people are fearful. In times like this, preaching the "every man for himself" philosophy is like pouring salt on an open wound. It's like taking a knife to the very fabric of society. There is no such thing as being self-reliant unless you choose to go live in the wilderness and grow your own food. It's a myth.


Not so I am a very self-reliant independent person I take care of myself. It's called working having a job doing what it takes to provide for your family. With out having unlce sams help.



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03 Jul 2012, 3:05 pm

marshall wrote:
Lord_Gareth wrote:
If a government's duty isn't to protect and serve its citizens, what is it supposed to do?

What it's always done in the past. Protect and serve the property of the elite class and keep the rest placated enough to stem unrest. The traditional role of government is to preserve order alone and conservatives seem to want to move back in that direction.


As a indepenent some of us want that as well. What we need is the right to a job. That away people can work and provide for their family.