First off, "the left" has been in charge of social issues for decades. That is why abortion is used almost exclusively as birth control in this country. That is why we have a piss poor Social Security System, Yes! Piss Poor! It is supposed to provide a living retirement and all it provides is a trip to the poor house. The left being in charge is why we have Affirmative Action that discriminates against middle class students keeping them out of higher education so that disadvantaged students can go to the big universities. The left is why we have a Welfare system that encourages people not to work and that encourages unwed mothers to have as many children as they can so that they can get bigger welfare checks and not have to work.
The left loves to run around like proud peacocks about how great they are and how successful all these so called progressive ideas are. Well, Maggie, maybe you should step back and take a real good look at what the left has done for us lately?
Oh, yes, the left has been in charge for a hell of a long time and they have done a hell of a lot towards screwing this country up. Of course, the right hasn't done much to make a difference either and if George Bush is a sample of what the right can do... well, you can just hang it up.
As to my point about school districts providing funds for upper middle class schools rather than schools that actually need help, it was nothing more than pointing out that this might just be what is wrong with just throwing money and more money at schools. It doesn't necessarily get where it is needed most... that was the point! I wasn't complaining. I was using it as an example. You want to help the disadvantaged students? Then make sure they get the proper materials to learn with. Make sure they get teachers that are compensated for what they provide this nation and teachers that actually want to teach... strike that enjoy teaching. Make sure that the students are encouraged to learn rather than thrown into a babysitting service seven or eight hours a day.
Immie
Since the left must be blamed for wasting your tax dollars, according to your logic, I still wonder how come a Republican majority never found a way to smack down those social programs you think are screwing up the country. GWB's spending spree aside, there certainly has been complicity by Republicans over many, many years. I simply tire of the right always lambasting the left as being the ONLY party responsible for "throwing money at" social programs. It's as if you guys turn a blind eye unless the dems are in power.
If you need to go back further in history, the Wikipedia link for this entry follows.
The Republicans six year control over the Senate ended in 1986, after the Iran-Contra Affair damaged the popularity of President Reagan and his administration. The Republicans finally returned to a majority position, in both houses of Congress, in the election of 1994, thanks in part to: 1) President Clinton's unpopular attempt to establish universal health care; and 2) Republican Congressman Newt Gingrich's Contract with America, which was promoted heavily by the entire Republican Party. By the 1996 US Presidential Election, Clinton's economic programs prevailed and the President was elected to a second term in a landslide victory. Despite Clinton's huge victory, however, the Democrats were still not able to regain control of either the US House of Representatives or Senate.
For most part between 1995 and 2007, the Republicans controlled both houses. In the wake of the unpopularity of President Clinton's impeachment trial, the 107th Congress (2001-2003) saw the Democrats and Republicans split control of the US Senate 50-50, ending effectively tied; though Republican Vice-President Dick Cheney did have the tie breaking vote in the Senate during the first four months of 2001 as well. In May 2001, Republican US Senator from the state of Vermont, Jim Jeffords, ended his affiliation with the Republican Party, following a disptue with Bush's tax cut proposals, and became an Independent. After departing from the Republican Party, Jeffords also agreed to caucus with the Democrats and control of the Senate switched back to the Democrats once again.
The 108th Congress (2003-2005) saw the Senate return to a GOP majority of 51-49, as Republican President George W Bush had gained some popularity for his fight against Al Qaeda terrorists. In 2006, opposition to Bush's continuation of the Iraq War had grown to new heights. As a result, the 110th Congress saw the Democrats regain majority control of both the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.
History of the United States Congress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maggie, my friend, don't get me wrong. I in no way support the Republican Party. Yes, they are as complicit with regards to the condition of this country as the Democrats are. However, you seem to think that left and right is as different as the terms Democrat and Republican used to be. They are not. There has been a blending of the two parties and conservatives have been on the losing end by far. The powers that be are liberal to a core and that is hurting this country.
Now, please, do not get me wrong. I am not saying that Social Security was a bad program to begin with, nor was Welfare or Affirmative action... note: I AM leaving abortion policy out of that statement as no good can come from killing, but those three policies and others have been trampled upon by human greed. The good ideas that they once represented have been usurped (for lack of a better word) by our own greed. Social Security for instance was a policy with a good purpose. A purpose of providing a living retirement for an aging work force. The idea was good in its time. But the time has come for it to be changed, not eliminate it, but change it.
The same goes for welfare. I for one believe that we as the richest civilization throughout history should do everything in our power to make sure that our people and especially our children do not go hungry, but the system is abused. It is time to change it.
Affirmative Action is no different. We have not defeated racism. However, AA is abused. Again, it is time to change it and make it better.
There are many social programs that were given to us by the "left". In there times, they were mostly good ideas, but like every social program they have their problems and people have found ways to abuse them. Unfortunately, we are not willing to allow them to evolve. The left lays claim to ownership of them and God help the people that think that these programs can be improved!
You write as if you think that all Republicans are religious right conservatives. That is not the case. There are such things as "compassionate conservatives". They simply are not welcomed by either party.
Immie
