*Don't include inflammatory posts--just post what you believe.*
I am generally a right-leaning centrist--more of a mainstream Republican than the new wave of Republicans. What about you?
Pro-lifer myself, and generally conservative, but where I differ from most other conservatives seems to be on the issue of term limits. I am not in favor of arbitrary term limits. Certainly, there are a number of career politicians on both sides of the aisle who could easily change my mind, but that is a risk that I am okay to live with.Liberal on most, but not all, issues. Pro-abortion rights, for example, but also pro-Second Amendment. Pro-public education, anti-dumbing down of curriculum. Etc., etc. I don't think liberals march in lockstep as well as conservatives do, for some reason. That may be why getting Democrats to agree on anything has often been compared to herding cats.
I support Bush, Kerry, and McCain to be pragmatic on foreign policy.
As one of McCain's constituents since 1994, I can tell you that he is only pragmatic when he is not up for reelection. Last year, like every other time his job was on the line, he was as loony-right as they come... until he won. I never have, and never will, vote for this joker for Dogcatcher, let alone Senator or President.
As for myself, I consider myself a libertarian-leaning centrist -- fiscally conservative and socially liberal -- but a hard-core no-party independent. In fact, I'd love to see all political parties Constitutionally outlawed via an amendment (yeah, I know, there's a better chance of the Browns beating the Lions in next year's Super Bowl). I told the GOP to go to hell in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, added to the fact that the Republicans in Arizona are just as corrupt as the Democrats in Chicago.
I believe that, in case of any dispute, the wording of the Constitution must be the final word of the matter. That means, for example, that the 14th Amendment applies to all, including men who want to marry other men, and women who want to marry other women, as long as both are consenting adults. I also believe that if something is not specifically OK per the Constitution, a Federal law which passed Constitutional muster (despite all the mistakes SCOTUS has made through the years), and it doesn't cross state lines, the states should be left alone to make their own laws.
At this point we are too Tribal when it comes to religious or political beliefs.
I look at the protests at UC Davis and UC Berkeley recently over Milo Yiannapolis who is apparently behind the Trump playbook ...
At this point we are too Tribal when it comes to religious or political beliefs.
IMHO the turning point was in 1972 when Saul Alinsky published Rules for Radicals.
The aim of politics then changed from winning a debate of ideas to destroying your opponent.
That book has had a tremendous influence, and not for the better.
You know the old joke...
"The United States will never try to annex Canada. They could never withstand the shock
of absorbing 30 million Democrats."