I'll probably get some freeper accusations for this, but here goes...

I'm 18 and I'm already planning to run for office when I'm 25, so right now I'm formulating a coherent platform that I'm writing in Word. Anyways, these are 4 Repub talking points where I lean a little to their side:

1. Race-Based Affirmative Action: Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those assholes that is going to actively fight against it or hold a "bakesale" or anything, but if it ever came up for a vote, I'd vote against it. I'm an agnostic, but I still find someone getting an advantage just because of their race to be morally wrong. I feel it should be economic-based and there should be a sunset provision

2. The UN: Once again, I'm not one of those people that feels it should be abolished, but dear scott, it needs reform. The Oil For Food scandal is disturbing and reprehensible to say the least. The U.S. does in fact provide the greatest share of the funding, so it's only fair I feel that we have greater clout. If they did their job, maybe we (this concerns all presidents) wouldn't have to be sending OUR peace-keeping troops in a disproportionate number of times. Why aren't any African nations stepping up for Sudan?

3. France: Love the country, the people, and the products, but I feel that we still shouldn't look past the fact that the government is relatively friendly with Mugabe, nor the fact that it sold weapons to Hussein during the sanction period. It's ironic that Chirac is the spawn of Satan to reichers 'cuz he's probably the most U.S.-friendly prez in our lifetimes.

4. The NEA (Endowment for the Arts, not the Educational one): I'm not the biggest expert on this, but looking at it in a big-picture sort of way, why does government need to be involved in art? Can't we divert this money to Head Start or healthcare or something? It pains me to say this, but it isn't fair to, say a fundie (yes, they're people too. Just people I loathe, but people nonetheless) to ask them to fund art projects that they find morally reprehensible.

5. Abortion: Federal funding for cases of rape/incest/danger to mother's life. It should NOT be used as birth control.

I'm interested in reading anything that debunks or affirms what I brought up above.

If I have to fund bombs, fundies have to fund art.

Save what you wrote and read it in 5 years.

*nods in agreement*

then how you feel about things as an "adult". I am 36 and after college, career, motherhood, etc. I know more now then I did then. I used to think I knew it all, then I grew up.

It is hypocritical to say that France was wrong buy America was right. Saddam was always a tyrant and it shouldn't matter if weapons were sold before or during the sanctions period.

:eyes:

and the government (I refuse to write "America" did it) is responsible for making Saddam Hussein for who he is, but the French government sure wasn't helping in continuing to sell him arms. They should be held accountable too.

Who gets to decide whether the abortion is for birth control or for rape/incest/danger to mother's life? Are you proposing a board that oversees such decisions or do you have a simpler approach?

:eyes:

it's an ironic quote meant to highlight her stupidity and hypocrisy.

but hey, you're due your opinions, wrong as they may be as evidenced by the intial post in this thread.

You're a Democrat who is so upset with Bush* that you came to DU, registered, and are now posting about the things you agree with the Republicans on?

:crazy:

You need to learn a lot more about some things.

Oh wait... ya didn't.

it's not my job to educate him on the huge, complex issues he raised.

Cut me a little slack here. :)

I'm adamantly for unions, corporate accountability, separation of church and state (shit, I'm probably more hard-core than most on this issue. I was all for ACLU challenging that city seal when a lot of people said they were going too far this time), health-care, and decreased defense spending.

Forgive me for not being so "passionate" about abortion, the NEA, and affirmative action.

Because it is a pitiful sum given to the arts and every great civilization supports(ed) the arts. Our culture is already crass and crude enough. The high arts need all the help they can get. Either do that or give back the tax break to corporations who support arts.

Just checking.

there's stuff all over the web if you're really interested in learing about these issues

He thinks what he thinks and it's not incompatible with not liking Bush.

France is an imperialist nation that has committed horrors in Africa especially in the recent years of proxy war with the United States (Rwanda, Congo). Both should be condemned. France opposes the imperial move into Iraq, that's good.

The UN needs to be completely redesigned. However, I see a far more pressing need to first bring democracy to its member states, starting with the U.S.

he posts 5 right-wing talking points on a Democratic board and we're supposed to nod and go "yup... good points"?

Sorry, as soon as I hear "abortion as birth-control" I know what I'm dealing with.

the reason that i, as a 19 year old white kid, supports affirmative action is as simple as this:

often the argument against affirmative action is that it creates an "uneven playing field." which would be true, if white people and people of color were already on an even footing in our country. but the fact is is that white people have so many advantages, whether we use them or not, that help us get by in life.

being white, i am much more likely to have grown up middle class or higher (which i did), i am much more likely to attend a wealthier school (even a public school, which i did), i am much more likely to grow up in low-crime neighborhoods (which i did), and am much less likely to go hungry, go to prison (even for the same offenses), or get shot by cops.

anyone who tells you that racism is over in america is fooling themselves, and anyone who calls affirmative action reverse racism is just plain nuts. reverse racism doesn't exist, it's a lie, a smoke screen along the lines of the liberal media, but much much worse.

so that's why i support affirmative action. it's a very small step in the right direction, towards making america a truly level playing field.

Thanks for the post..it makes this 46 year old feel better about my impending old age :thumbsup:

it's much appreciated. most of my friends are older/out of college so i tend to get a lot of insight, advice, and experiences that most of my same-aged friends don't get.

The US does NOT in fact, provide the greatest share of the funding; many countries give more. We don't even provide our fair share of the funding, and attach all kinds of strings to our grudging gifts, especially in regards to women's health and reproductive issues.

AA needs to be kept alive. We havent acheived equality yet and it will take a while before we acheive that. In the mean time, its not about "color of skin", its about helping those who are inherently disadvantaged.

The UN does need some help, but we need to be supportive of it. Its a good organization with the common good of everyone at heart. We just need a president who can use our clout to improve the UN and OUR relations to all other nations.

France is fine. Once bush is out, no hard feelings.

The NEA's budget is so small that its hardly worth the effort to discuss it. I dont agree with everything I see that's been subsidized by it but, isnt that the point? How else are we to be exposed to divergent views?

We pay for abortion or not, whether we like it, or not. I dont think anyone uses abortion as birth control. I think thats a scare tactic. I think it should be safe and legal and provided as any other medical service, dont let politics get in the way.

1. Race-Based Affirmative Action: Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those assholes that is going to actively fight against it or hold a "bakesale" or anything, but if it ever came up for a vote, I'd vote against it. I'm an atheist, but I still find someone getting an advantage just because of their race to be morally wrong. I feel it should be economic-based and there should be a sunset provision

I don't know what being an athiest has to do with it, you lost me there. Um, the point was that their GENDER or RACE was a disadvantage in the first place, and therefore, they were at risk. While I agree that it should include socio-economic status as well, studies still prove women make less than men and that people with black sounding names and voices have a harder time getting hired. There is a compelling public interest in keeping AA. If you ever run, I would not vote for you on that point alone.


2. The UN: Once again, I'm not one of those people that feels it should be abolished, but dear scott, it needs reform. The Oil For Food scandal is disturbing and reprehensible to say the least. The U.S. does in fact provide the greatest share of the funding, so it's only fair I feel that we have greater clout. If they did their job, maybe we (this concerns all presidents) wouldn't have to be sending OUR peace-keeping troops in a disproportionate number of times. Why aren't any African nations stepping up for Sudan?



Clout, fine..but in case you haven't noticed, we seem to think the rules are for everyone else and not us. Oh..and name a wealthy African nation...


France: Love the country, the people, and the products, but I feel that we still shouldn't look past the fact that the government is relatively friendly with Mugabe, nor the fact that it sold weapons to Hussein during the sanction period. It's ironic that Chirac is the spawn of Satan to reichers 'cuz he's probably the most U.S.-friendly prez in our lifetimes.

uh, Halliburton did business with Cheney during the sanction period

4he NEA (Endowment for the Arts, not the Educational one): I'm not the biggest expert on this, but looking at it in a big-picture sort of way, why does government need to be involved in art? Can't we divert this money to Head Start or healthcare or something? It pains me to say this, but it isn't fair to, say a fundie (yes, they're people too. Just people I loathe, but people nonetheless) to ask them to fund art projects that they find morally reprehensible.




Actually, the NEA came about as a result of the cold war and was intended to produce proAmerican propaganda...however, culture is a great way to foster understanding and peace


Abortion: Federal funding for cases of rape/incest/danger to mother's life. Otherwise, you're on your own. It should NOT be used as birth control.

Oh I see..so if you are a wealthy woman, you should have the ability to get an abortion and if you are poor you should not...btw..once that fetus becomes a kid, how do you propose they are cared for? The greatest number of Americans living in poverty are children.

And the abortion as birth control thing is a right wing meme..not proven in real life by statistics.

You're 18...keep reading

Because this way, I can't vote against you.

But if I lived there, I'd not only vote against you, I'd RUN against you. And I'd win.

"Anyways, these are 4 Repub talking points..."

"5. Abortion:..."

It's pretty cool that you've got not thinking down, but not counting! That's a real achievement.

The "I'm an agnostic/atheist {depending on which near-duplicate post} but...morally wrong," also ranks high on the list of idiocies I have read.

True story: I think your claim to be 18 is a stretch, and I think you should be aware that you're clearly not remotely ready to play with the big kids.

edited to change square brackets to curlies.

If what you say is true, and you do run for office at 25, you won't be getting too many votes from folks around here. You've basically just parroted out things that any Repugnant would parrot, do you have anything positive to say?

Would you propose all relations be severed with Cheney? I would, at least just for consistency.

Governments have helped fund the arts since the beginning of society.

What a bunch of hooey! Gee whiz, a lot of young people are so full shit!

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