Most other countries get this. Most places have a sense of community and helping others so that there is some safety. I've told this story but it bears repeating: I asked a friend in Mexico why we don't see homeless people there. His response was "If you're hungry, a Mexican will give you a burrito. Do you really let people live on the streets?". The world envies our success, but they wouldn't make the trades we have made to get there. If we were honest, we wouldn't need to either. If we were moral, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
While in Japan I asked "Why don't I see any homeless?" and the answer was "We make sure everyone has a job."
Now that might be superficial and wrong, but we did see a lot of old men in uniforms walking around construction sites after hours, probably just ekeing out a living doing something not too demanding but still necessary.
I think a lack of empathy is part of the equation, but some of it is fear that someone else is taking their stuff and that's why they're struggling. Someone is taking their money, food, jobs, women, education, future... "And how come, if I just sit here and complain, none of it is coming to my doorstep?"
A fundamental tenant of the new republican identity (well recent, not really new), is that they have no empathy. They can't fathom something being a problem until it affects them directly. So I say let this happen. If enough of them suffer some negative consequence they may adjust their attitudes. Sure everyone else will suffer along side them, but I don't see another way to get things to change. Too many people have become to insulated from the ways of the real world. We'll never touch the billionaire class directly, but if enough of the proles feel some of the pain, they will demand different policies.
Most other countries get this. Most places have a sense of community and helping others so that there is some safety. I've told this story but it bears repeating: I asked a friend in Mexico why we don't see homeless people there. His response was "If you're hungry, a Mexican will give you a burrito. Do you really let people live on the streets?". The world envies our success, but they wouldn't make the trades we have made to get there. If we were honest, we wouldn't need to either. If we were moral, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Conservatives have a singular vision: status quo or what they remember it to be. No imagination required.
Progressives have multiple visions of the future, and argue amongst themselves about that and internally about who is in charge, etc. MUCH more disorganized and therefore less effective. Even now, thereâs a faction that says âsit still and let the GOP continue to make errorsâ versus âtake up arms and fight back.â So even those who disagree with the GOP positions canât get their plans together.
The GOP knows this, and thus wonât consider compromise, even in the face of bad choices. Hence all the ludicrous, nation-destroying nominations that they passed as a unified party, deciding that it was more important than the good of the nation. Cowards.
A well formed compromise is like any kind of partnership/romance: sometimes we do what I want, knowing that sometimes we do what you want. That makes the nation happy, realizing that in general theyâre on the right path. That is not the case now.
A fundamental tenant of the new republican identity (well recent, not really new), is that they have no empathy. They can't fathom something being a problem until it affects them directly. So I say let this happen. If enough of them suffer some negative consequence they may adjust their attitudes. Sure everyone else will suffer along side them, but I don't see another way to get things to change. Too many people have become to insulated from the ways of the real world. We'll never touch the billionaire class directly, but if enough of the proles feel some of the pain, they will demand different policies.
Most other countries get this. Most places have a sense of community and helping others so that there is some safety. I've told this story but it bears repeating: I asked a friend in Mexico why we don't see homeless people there. His response was "If you're hungry, a Mexican will give you a burrito. Do you really let people live on the streets?". The world envies our success, but they wouldn't make the trades we have made to get there. If we were honest, we wouldn't need to either. If we were moral, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Generally, I want a strong Democratic and Republican party. Their purpose is to be a check on each other and to force compromise and sane positions that force good governance for 80+% of people. The Dems aren't good at being opposition. The Republicans have missed the point too, Opposition doesn't mean complete obstruction. Compromise isn't weakness.
Conservatives have a singular vision: status quo or what they remember it to be. No imagination required.
Progressives have multiple visions of the future, and argue amongst themselves about that and internally about who is in charge, etc. MUCH more disorganized and therefore less effective. Even now, thereâs a faction that says âsit still and let the GOP continue to make errorsâ versus âtake up arms and fight back.â So even those who disagree with the GOP positions canât get their plans together.
The GOP knows this, and thus wonât consider compromise, even in the face of bad choices. Hence all the ludicrous, nation-destroying nominations that they passed as a unified party, deciding that it was more important than the good of the nation. Cowards.
A well formed compromise is like any kind of partnership/romance: sometimes we do what I want, knowing that sometimes we do what you want. That makes the nation happy, realizing that in general theyâre on the right path. That is not the case now.
There is a third one I am not familiar with that has you all in the 20's as well.
These are the worst numbers since the early 1990's.
I remind you all here once again ... you may have a super majority here on these boards, but out in the real world you are becoming an ever shrinking minority.
Just saying ...
And this is the face of your heir apparent to lead you all back to the promised land ?
Good luck with that.
I'm honestly not a fan of much of the actions of the Democrats. They have a lot of good ideals, but their practice/implementation is often flat. Hillary was a bad choice (much like McCain was), that was fueled by poor party politics. Biden wasn't a good choice either, but he (barely) got the job done. If they were a decent party, they would have immediately announced he wouldn't run again and start grooming the bench for a good replacement (and it may or may not have been Harris, but she would have had to earn it).
Generally, I want a strong Democratic and Republican party. Their purpose is to be a check on each other and to force compromise and sane positions that force good governance for 80+% of people. The Dems aren't good at being opposition. The Republicans have missed the point too, Opposition doesn't mean complete obstruction. Compromise isn't weakness.
You fear her. Or should.
Democrats were probably over 50% positive about the party when Obama was in, but they've never been lockstep behind whatever the Schumer-of-the-day is doing. Factor in the monochromatic GOP, there's no way the Democratic party is going to be in the mid-30s. That's one thing the GOP is pretty good at: nominate a felon, he's your guy. Nominate a party clown, he's your guy. Never anything wrong with whoever finally winds up on the ticket, you all just rally for the flag.
â¦rally for the burning cross, whatever its shape now.
And this is the face of your heir apparent to lead you all back to the promised land ?
Good luck with that.
You fear her. Or should.
Democrats were probably over 50% positive about the party when Obama was in, but they've never been lockstep behind whatever the Schumer-of-the-day is doing. Factor in the monochromatic GOP, there's no way the Democratic party is going to be in the mid-30s. That's one thing the GOP is pretty good at: nominate a felon, he's your guy. Nominate a party clown, he's your guy. Never anything wrong with whoever finally winds up on the ticket, you all just rally for the flag.
There is a third one I am not familiar with that has you all in the 20's as well.
These are the worst numbers since the early 1990's.
I remind you all here once again ... you may have a super majority here on these boards, but out in the real world you are becoming an ever shrinking minority.
Just saying ...
And this is the face of your heir apparent to lead you all back to the promised land ?
"That guy, who evidently is a Nazi? Like I just refuse to believe that it was an accidental two times Sieg Heil. And he does it at a presidential inauguration. This is why I hate liberals," Burr said. "It's like liberals have no teeth whatsoever. They just go, âOh, my god. Can you believe? I'm getting out of the country.â You're going to leave the country 'cause of one guy with dyed hair plugs and a laminated face who runsâwho makes a bad car and has an obsolete social-media platform? You're gonna leave this? Why doesn't he leave? Why isn't he stopped? What are we so afraid of this guy who can't fight his way out of a wet paper bag? Why do liberals just sit back andâthey, just, they have nothing."
Pretty much encapsulates where the party is today, especially after useless Senate Minority "leader" Chucky Schumer capitulated to Trump and Republicans on the spending bill. No fight, no courage, no strategy...NOTHING. It makes this whole horror we are living thru even harder to swallow.
