[MonteQuest]

Gee...and I was going to vote today! What a hoot!

[Guest]

Because the Democrats left a bad taste in her mouth

[Terran]

I'm not surprised.

[Ayoob]

I'm not going to name names, SpecOp_007, but there appears to be a rift between the Republican/Conservative types and the Democrat/Liberal types.
In my personal opinion, the interplay between these two views is what makes discussion worthwhile. I'm a Democrat/Liberal type, and without the other side to debate, it quickly becomes boring.

This isn't my site. This site is the private property of some people who actually pay the bills and do the daily labor to keep the site working. Nevertheless, I'd like to support the Republican/Conservative voice on this forum.
I think that the single issue of gun control would sway large numbers of fence-sitting Republicans to my point of view if only the Democratic party would stop the madness of trying to control the perfectly lawful behavior of responsible and constitutional Republicans who would like to go to a rifle range on the weekends or go hunting with any rifle they like. Including an AK-47 with a 100-round DRUM if they want. The deer's going to be just as dead in either case.

My point is that there are issues where I see eye to eye with Republicans.
On other issues I think the Republicans are absolutely bananas. Oh well. In the marketplace of ideas, some are worth a dollar and some a dime. And some nothing at all.

I could throw a couple of very divisive issues into this post if I wanted to bait both sides into a flame war. I deleted about three already. Point is, it's constructive to debate with someone who has opposing opinions. It's just electrons and bits. I think there's no point in silencing an opposing point of view, especially if it's presented respectfully.
I'd love to have a cornucopian to debate with on this site. I think it would force me to research my position very carefully and make sure my facts were in order.

[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ayoob', 'I')'d like to support the Republican/Conservative voice on this forum.

[jato]

I am not sure what the difference between Rs and Ds are!?!
I can't get behind any of them. I was a Republican. The pro-gun control, high government spending & USA Empire neo-cons have turned me into a Libertarian. I am for individual freedom & small government.

I have to stay out of some of the debates here on the forum to keep from being bashed by all sides. However, topics on firearms usually bring me into the political debates.
I don't see too many Libertarians here. Trespam has called himself one, but I don't see how.

[Chicagoan]

I am turning into a Libertarian. I don't agree with them on all issues, however, I don't see how anyone could be against eliminating federal waste. Bring power back to the states where it belongs.

[pepper2000]

I might well be the only one here who wants more gun control, and I'm not the least bit prepared to debate that.

[Guest]

I was raised hard core Republican. After the past four years, I can't take it anymore. I'm now a card carrying libertarian. I guess my biggest issue is eliminating government waste. Any attempt to expand government is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion. I'd love to debate it too. I think that Republicans and Democrats get their campaign donations from the same people, there is little difference any more.

My two cents.

[Theo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Anonymous', 'I') was raised hard core Republican. After the past four years, I can't take it anymore. I'm now a card carrying libertarian. I guess my biggest issue is eliminating government waste. Any attempt to expand government is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion. I'd love to debate it too. I think that Republicans and Democrats get their campaign donations from the same people, there is little difference any more. My two cents.

[lowem]

Over here at my place, there's no such thing as a Republican, Democrat or Libertarian, and I'm continually amused at all the labels being thrown around.

Gun control, huh. Looked down the business end of a 6-barrel Gatling before? Fired a real machine gun before? Or maybe even just an M-16 in full auto mode? Doesn't matter whether you're a Republicrat, or Demo-whatsit-librarian, that, is firepower. Better hope not to stand in the way of a standing army, or a horde (which might have broken into an armory or two on the way), unless you have your own (army, or horde, take your pick).

So what'll it be? Join an army, start one, buy one, or join a horde, start one (hmm, you probably can't buy and control a horde, but who knows ...)

[SilverHair]

I see the Republicans and Democrats as two branches of the same party; the name of that party is the collectivist party. When they fight over issues it is just a fight over what to have the government do to us next and how much bigger government should be, both branches proposing it grow in the direction they most favor.

Apparantly, judging by the many posts on this site, a substantial number of you who are in the US favor government rule instead of freedom. Perhaps as the economic pie shrinks, yet as government seeks to take a greater share just to stay even, the increased misery in your lives will shake us out of this insanity.

[smiley]

Frankly I find the Republican/Democratic issue very strange. The membership of a certain party doesn't define who you are or what you (should) think.

In the past I have voted republican as well as democratic. This time I have voted for the socialist party. Maybe next time I'll vote republican again. That doesn't necessarily mean that I fully agree with the views of those parties or that I'm unable to make up my mind on what I am.
When I prepare to go voting, I look for the issues that are most important at that moment. Then I look for the party that represents those issues the best for me. I don't care on which side of the spectrum that party is as long as they have a program which I think is the best for the country in the long run.

That I voted for the socialist party this time doesn't mean that I am a communist, just that I found several aspects of their program appealing. In this years program they put forward some good ideas on education, public transport and healthcare. On the downside their fiscal responsibility is less than desired.
For economic responsibility our republican party would be a better choice. Since the republicans already had a lot of support I decided to cast a strategic vote on the socialists. Overall it seems to have worked out very well for me. We now have a government with a strong economic policy as well as attention for the social factors.

Here you don't vote for a party, but for a certain balance between certain parties and certain ideas. For me it is incomprehensible that you can classify a person based on the way he/she votes.
About gun control. I have an outspoken opinion on it, but I decided a while back not to meddle with these discussions anymore. It seems to be the only thing in this forum where we can absolutely get no agreement on, so why stir it up again? It also doesn't matter so much to me as long as you keep those guns on the other side of the pond.

[dmtu]

Jato, Curious about how your work peers feel about the Libertarian stance on drugs? As a former middle of the road doper who easily fell out of the lifestyle, I can see the soft drugs and even LSD decrimed but, meth is a menace to society.

[Kingcoal]

What's the problem? This is a debate site, where intelligent posts are debated and pointless, inflammatory posts are ridiculed. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
For example: Damn slimy Democrats always trying to take my guns away. - pointless, bad post
Gun control doesn't work, has never been demonstrated to work and the Democrats are dumb to keep pursuing it. - a debatable point, good post

[Theo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dmtu', 'C')urious about how your work peers feel about the Libertarian stance on drugs? As a former middle of the road doper who easily fell out of the lifestyle, I can see the soft drugs and even LSD decrimed but, meth is a menace to society.

[Mr_Hat]

This is bad.
So none of you have heard of "hey! it's just one guy holding up both puppets" explanation of Politics in America ?
Yo-ho-ho & a Skull and Bones Punch and Judy show.....

I'll bet these are the sorts of posts that get would-be assassins all riled up, ready to go and execute those who have failed them in the correct representation of people, even tho' everyone else has known what a sham it is for years, and that's just the ones that work in it, yeah! you go and get that evil Cathy Lee!

[dmtu]

I agree theo. On the small chance that a lib would get elected to the presidency it would be an up hill battle to get anything done because there would still be plenty of the duopoly around to stiffle the ideas. Since that is the case I veiw them more as a moderating force. Open boarders? we already have those.

[jato]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'J')ato, Curious about how your work peers feel about the Libertarian stance on drugs? As a former middle of the road doper who easily fell out of the lifestyle, I can see the soft drugs and even LSD decrimed but, meth is a menace to society.

[Josephus]

I would like to just make the small point that a lot of us Americans aren't either Republican or Democrat. It just happens that we end up voting that way because of the propoganda used to make us believe those are our only two choices. It's embarassing how easy it could be for all of us moderates who like and don't like things on both sides of the fence to just stand up and fight for a representative government that actually portrays and thinks like a vast majority of the population. I guess it's just another example of how apathetic we've gotten about the way things are. I look at places like the Ukraine today and wonder how long it'll be before hundreds of thousands of Americans care enough about their vote to threaten to fight for it.