To everyone who recognized that I'm not in favor of watching the world burn, and then pointed it out, thanks.
B. W. wrote: ↑Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:51 amI thought the left would end stupidity...
The American left, such as it is, consists of a bit more than half of the adults in the United States. Back in 2014 there were about 125.9 million adult women and 119.4 adult men in the United States. Add them up and divide by two and we have about 122.65 million people, more than half of whom are self-identified liberals. A few thousand of that 122.65 million liberals are responsible for almost all of what you call "the stupidity."
In short, B.W., "the left" is overwhelmingly
not engaged in "the stupidity." Beyond that, most of us don't support street hooliganism and - more importantly - the street hooligans don't give a [love] what we think about their behavior. In their mind they're fighting the good fight, and if mainstream sheeple like me don't like their tactics it's because we're in denial about the extent of the problem. And trying to link Black Bloc and Antifa to the Democrats is as ridiculous as calling them representatives of "the left." The guys brawling in the street (that aren't self-identified Nazis and White Nationalists, I mean) are anarchists and communists. They despise the Democratic Party nearly as much as they hate the Republicans.
You're literally stating that every American who favors single-payer healthcare, a strong social safety net, and independent regulation of Wall Street and the banking industry is somehow responsible for the actions of some street hooligan who happens to share some of those political opinions, but also likes brawling with Nazis, blocking traffic, and busting windows. How does that make any kind of sense?
B. W. wrote: ↑Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:51 amSo I would like to ask Ed why is this a good thing for our Country?
You make civility such a struggle...
It's not a good thing for our country, B.W. Why would you even ask me such a stupid, insulting question? You and I have been sparring for nearly 5 years. Have you learned nothing about me or my beliefs in all that time?
None of the violence is good for our country. Neither is the hateful, hyperpartisan rhetoric that incites a lot of the violence. Trump needs to take it down a few notches and remember that he's supposed to represent all Americans, not just the ones that like him. Tucker Carlson, Ann Coulter, and Rush Limbaugh need to take their millions to some island and retire so that we can start trying bridge the gaps that they've been deliberately widening for their entire careers. Antifa and Black Bloc need to hang up their gas masks and clubs and focus on doing something productive. And you need to make an effort to actually listen to what actual liberals are actually saying so that you can become a more rational, less terrified, better informed citizen of our shared democracy.
B. W. wrote: ↑Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:51 amDo you really expect the Democrat controlled House or Representatives in the USA to actually be civil??? Why or why not?
Yes, because its the most politically expedient course of action. And, frankly, because the Democrats are far, far more willing to take a bipartisan approach, and their constituents are far more likely to reward them for doing so. GOP politicians that reach across party lines get called traitors and RINOs and get primaried from the right. Democrats who do the same get praised and reelected. They should use that advantage.
The Democrats should protect the Mueller Investigation as best they can, ignore the President's silliness as best their able, and put the rest of their effort into sending bill after bill after bill to the Senate. They should be advancing legislation promoting single payer healthcare, infrastructure improvements, regulation of Wall Street and the banks, common sense gun control, climate change research, and a dozen other center-left populist causes. Then they should go all out explaining why those bills are good for the vast majority of the American people, while reminding people that nobody used to like the ACA either. They should force the GOP to remain the Party of No, and they should punish them for it in 2020. That's what they should do.
And incidentally, if the President decides that he's willing to team up with the Democrats to push through any of the plans mentioned above, the Democrats should jump all over it. They have the opportunity to position themselves as the party that's willing to reach across the aisle for the greater good of the nation by actually doing exactly that. They should take it.
