***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[jus3]

 

[whywesteppin]

It's not even the scientific method, per se. It's just an ability to parse arguments, ideas, and data, to understand what they mean, to put them in context, and to compare them to one another.

It can be easy to tell when someone hasn't had the opportunity to learn these "soft" skills (really they're not "soft" as math and physics are ultimately grounded in the same philosophy and logic that governs any other field of study). There's a maturity of thought and an honesty of intellectualism that is lacking.

Politics is of course more multifaceted than just pure thought and logic -- a lot of it is about beliefs, community, identity, etc. But where we go wrong is when we dilute all of politics down to "both sides are the same" arguments, when we toss away the theory and logic. This then makes it pure tribalism. The great con of this generation is to sell the public on the myth that this tribalism is not tribalism, that support for someone like trump is actually some leap forward in political thought rather than a leap back. It's easy to recognize it when it manifests on the fringes: people who don't want to vaccinate their kids, for example. But you see it too when people discuss something where there is perhaps more debate among professionals, such as economic policy. Here they obscure their arguments by using some uncertainty about the whole process ("well economists don't have a perfect measure for a healthy economy") to trojan horse their hidden agenda ("well trickle down economics is really all about capitalism and free choice, and we should use it for health care too, on principle"), and then they sprinkle in some healthy paranoia, xenophobia, or a conspiracy theory ("isn't it odd that these liberal economists are all Jews? Just saying").

So I think that's my frustration with political discourse and I would guess it's shared by many in this thread. We're trying to respect the thought and logic, but most political debate does not.

 

[dwalk31]

You are correct in that politics is more multifaceted than just pure thought and logic. A lot of it is about beliefs, community, identity, etc. Everyone in this thread has a different perspective. Respecting another person's perspective is an important "soft skill" (really it's not soft, it's just decent).

Religion, for instance, is another great example. It is more about belief and perspective than anything else. This is the reason most don't discuss religion or politics. It takes someone secure in their beliefs to have a discussion without throwing a tantrum or getting offended.

For instance, there was a poster on here who discussed his personal healthcare struggles. No matter where one stood in regards to thoughts on the healthcare debate, decency typically wins the day.

Sometimes you can be completely right, and dead wrong at the same time.

 

[deleted]

"When they go low, we go high"

You must have me confused with someone else

Thanks for the reminder tho

 

[Nike Jordan]

 

[noskey]

For instance, there was a poster on here who discussed his personal healthcare struggles. No matter where one stood in regards to thoughts on the healthcare debate, decency typically wins the day.

Sometimes you can be completely right, and dead wrong at the same time.

I'd like to introduce you to the gentlemen who disagree. Their leader is Donald Trump, empowering our resident Indapendent ninjahood (and others since banned) to disparage those who are not as fortunate in their health. Again, you may think the liberals and left in here are "being harsh" or too "smug," but I assure you, we are acting in accordance with our conservative friends' wishes of relegating da PC culture to da dustbin of history.

 

[infamouserror]

Skip back in time about a year in this thread. Just take a stroll through the general election campaign season. You need to understand the past to understand the present.

 

[elpablo21]

 

[Nike Jordan]

 

[sundoobie]

You are correct in that politics is more multifaceted than just pure thought and logic. A lot of it is about beliefs, community, identity, etc. Everyone in this thread has a different perspective. Respecting another person's perspective is an important "soft skill" (really it's not soft, it's just decent).

Religion, for instance, is another great example. It is more about belief and perspective than anything else. This is the reason most don't discuss religion or politics. It takes someone secure in their beliefs to have a discussion without throwing a tantrum or getting offended.

Not just respecting... but having that EMPATHY which a majority of Republicans (including those that frequent this thread) LACK. Most Conservatives hate Islam and Muslims yet could care less to learn, or engage someone of that faith to understand more about the religion because of their mentality of " I am Christian, Jesus is the only way, I am right, everyone else is wrong"

Then you go down the list.. from hating people in poverty, hating humans with different sexual orientation, hating people of color, hating immigrants, hating the environment, hating on women, hating govt social services like social security, planned parenthood, medicare, medicaid, etc. This is the Conservative Ideology... So tell us more about this word you said.. what is it called? DECENCY?

 

[sfc415]

You are correct in that politics is more multifaceted than just pure thought and logic. A lot of it is about beliefs, community, identity, etc. Everyone in this thread has a different perspective. Respecting another person's perspective is an important "soft skill" (really it's not soft, it's just decent).

Religion, for instance, is another great example. It is more about belief and perspective than anything else. This is the reason most don't discuss religion or politics. It takes someone secure in their beliefs to have a discussion without throwing a tantrum or getting offended.

For instance, there was a poster on here who discussed his personal healthcare struggles. No matter where one stood in regards to thoughts on the healthcare debate, decency typically wins the day.

Sometimes you can be completely right, and dead wrong at the same time.

Why would I respect the perspectives of racists and inbred hicks? These people have zero respect for anyone other than inbred illiterate trash that make up most of this country. Women, minorities, foreigners,non-Christians, LGBTQ, and educated people get constantly blamed and attacked by the Trump crowd, so why is that non Trump supporters need to bow down to these losers?

 

[noskey]

What the hell? One of my posts was deleted for a personal attack/insult? I don't recall insulting anyone. Damb libbies limiting muh free speech!

 

[dwalk31]

Not just respecting... but having that EMPATHY which a majority of Republicans (including those that frequent this thread) LACK. Most Conservatives hate Islam and Muslims yet could care less to learn, or engage someone of that faith to understand more about the religion because of their mentality of " I am Christian, Jesus is the only way, I am right, everyone else is wrong"

Then you go down the list.. from hating people in poverty, hating humans with different sexual orientation, hating people of color, hating immigrants, hating the environment, hating on women, hating govt social services like social security, planned parenthood, medicare, medicaid, etc. This is the Conservative Ideology... So tell us more about this word you said.. what is it called? DECENCY?

I don't think the majority of conservatives feel this way. Bigots are bigots. They exist in every party.

 

[noskey]

heh, dont hold your breath.



why does this Beligerant Belgium boy has my name in his mouth constantly?

imma snitch on his post, tag @Methodical Management and da next time da racist Caucasian's son tries to violate imma tell him what else he can replace my name in his mouth with, kapeesh? fall back on me, no one is thinking about you, i suggest u eye someone else.

and thats on god and my mother.

Decency at its American best

 

[sfc415]

belligerent* Belgian* have* capisce* damn, 20 years of community college and introductory English courses, and dude still can't spell or use proper grammar

 

[sundoobie]

I don't think the majority of conservatives feel this way. Bigots are bigots. They exist in every party.

^ Perfect example of not comprehending FACTS!

If a majority of Conservatives don't feel this way.. why the laws against the LGBT Communities? Why did House Republicans voted to cut $39 billion from the federal food assistance programs? Or do I really need to post every single Trump Executive Order and Republican legislation enacted and how they relate explicitly to everything I posted?

Oh wait.. here's a Conservative that feels exactly how I described...

 

[whywesteppin]

We speak English in America.

 

[ninjahood]

I don't think the majority of conservatives feel this way. Bigots are bigots. They exist in every party.

what you need to learn in this thread is when folk here get disrespectful over your political stance which your more than have a right to express here as adroitly as possible, snitch to meth, that's da only thing that'll keep em honest without baiting you into getting booted.

 

[aepps20]

We speak English in America.

Almost broke out the COSSACK Dance with this statement.

 

[EddieDoyers]

what you need to learn in this thread is when folk here get disrespectful over your political stance which your more than have a right to express here as adroitly as possible, snitch to meth, that's da only thing that'll keep em honest without baiting you into getting booted.

LOL for a habitual line stepper of the past in the same forum, this is mighty rich of you to say this.

 

[RustyShackleford]

The GOP, not some Republicans, platform is white supremacy and wealth transfer to the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class.

Anyone that makes a false equivalency between the two parties regarding economics or bigotry is either ignorant of reality of being dishonest

Obama and the Dems strengthen Civil Rights enforcement in the government. Bush, Trump and Republicans constantly try to weaken or destroy these departments

The faux contrarians need to cut the bull **** out

 

[aepps20]

What the hell? One of my posts was deleted for a personal attack/insult? I don't recall insulting anyone. Damb libbies limiting muh free speech!

Ridiculous censorship comrade. LIBBIES don't have a clue about FAX UPON FAX MACHINE UPON FACSIMILE.

 

[dwalk31]

^ Perfect example of not comprehending FACTS!

If a majority of Conservatives don't feel this way.. why the laws against the LGBT Communities? Why did House Republicans voted to cut $39 billion from the federal food assistance programs? Or do I really need to post every single Trump Executive Order and Republican legislation enacted and how they relate explicitly to everything I posted?

Oh wait.. here's a Conservative that feels exactly how I described...

Proof that a conservative feels how you described doesn't mean the MAJORITY feel that way. How is this an example of me not comprehending facts? You've presented no quantitative research. You just made a blanket assertion. An offensive one at that. Your statement is as baseless as someone saying that the majority of the members of a particular religion are terrorist due to the tweets/actions of radicals. You know better than that.

 

[ninjahood]

Anyone that makes a false equivalency between the two parties regarding economics or bigotry is either ignorant of reality of being dishonest

there's da party of Eugenics, da KKK, then there's da GOP.

fact of da Matter is in general if you all your eggs in either party and you not just voting for your self interests and for your family then you might as be debating Bloods vs Crips.

 

[dwalk31]

"No permanent friends or enemies, only interests"