What's up

[aDrag]

Hey, what's up, I'm Ted, 21 year old student in Chicago, born in Cleveland, ardent follower of politics, staunch center-leftist (if you can be a staunch center-leftist). I'm here for the politics.

...That wasn't very exciting, but I am excited to be here.

 

[xotoxi]

Hey, what's up, I'm Ted, 21 year old...born in Cleveland...

My condolences.

Welcome. I am xotoxi.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Well, welcome to the playground. Now, go get in the sandbox.

 

[aDrag]

Haha, suck it, X--Cleveland Rocks™

 

[random3434]

Hey, what's up, I'm Ted, 21 year old student in Chicago, born in Cleveland, ardent follower of politics, staunch center-leftist (if you can be a staunch center-leftist). I'm here for the politics.

...That wasn't very exciting, but I am excited to be here.

Welcome from Indiana!

 

[hjmick]

I was born in Nelsonville.

 

[random3434]

I was born in Nelsonville.

Rickie, Brian or Willie?

 

[AllieBaba]

You can't be a center leftist. You're just a leftist. Own up to it, swallow it whole, embrace it.

 

[hjmick]

I was born in Nelsonville.

Rickie, Brian or Willie?

Ohio. But I did see Rick Nelson perform once.

 

[aDrag]

I'm center-left because I'm more in the center than on the left but more on the left than the right. I'm pro-choice, agnostic, black, pro-union, strict-interpretationist, techno-utopian, utilitarian, in support of UHC, anti-DADT, anti-DOMA, willing to pay high taxes etc., but I also support 2nd amendment rights, a large military budget, limited foreign intervention (conversely), limited government (beyond that) and a bunch of other stuff. I guess I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways. How would you classify me?

In American politics, I think we get so hung up on the divide between the dems and republicans that nobody realizes it's possible to stand somewhere between the two spectra of their platforms.

 

[Tech_Esq]

I'm center-left because I'm more in the center than on the left but more on the left than the right. I'm pro-choice, agnostic, black, pro-union, strict-interpretationist, techno-utopian, utilitarian, in support of UHC, anti-DADT, anti-DOMA, willing to pay high taxes etc., but I also support 2nd amendment rights, a large military budget, limited foreign intervention (conversely), limited government (beyond that) and a bunch of other stuff. I guess I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways. How would you classify me?

In American politics, I think we get so hung up on the divide between the dems and republicans that nobody realizes it's possible to stand somewhere between the two spectra of their platforms.

As a wide-eyed neophyte barely out of their teens who hasn't been repeatedly smacked between the eyes with the 2x4 of life enough to realize that they are hopelessly idealistic.

Welcome to the board.

 

[aDrag]

What gives you the impression that I'm hopelessly idealistic? Having stances at my age? Since when do you have to be old to have convictions?

Edit: Great to be here.

 

[Tech_Esq]

What gives you the impression that I'm hopelessly idealistic? Having stances at my age? Since when do you have to be old to have convictions?

Edit: Great to be here.

Nope, not having stances. That's fine. Maybe it's this line that kind of crystallizes it for me.

I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways

So, maybe you hopeless. But you are definitely idealistic.

The best you can hope from government is that they don't do harm; to expect them to do good is fantasy.

 

[RodISHI]

Hi Ted. I found this just for you to give you that big welcome like I would my own brother Ted at your age.

 

[aDrag]

The best you can hope from government is that they don't do harm; to expect them to do good is fantasy.

Thanks RodISHI--

Tech_Esq: What about schools and roads? Maybe this is an instance where you and I differ but I don't trust in the ability of private organizations to provide services that offer no direct profit. I think highways are good and the government does that. Hell, I even think the post office is good--you put a letter in your mailbox and for 43 cents a guy will come get it and it will go to wherever you want in two days!

 

[Tech_Esq]

The best you can hope from government is that they don't do harm; to expect them to do good is fantasy.

Thanks RodISHI--

Tech_Esq: What about schools and roads? Maybe this is an instance where you and I differ but I don't trust in the ability of private organizations to provide services that offer no direct profit. I think highways are good and the government does that. Hell, I even think the post office is good--you put a letter in your mailbox and for 43 cents a guy will come get it and it will go to wherever you want in two days!

The state of public education is atrocious. If it was a good idea at one time to have public education, it has been turned into an abominable failure especially to those who need it most. The US is literally sinking before our eyes in its competition with other industrialized nations.

Highways are one of the things the Constitution sets out as things government should do. They've done them any with notable exceptions, they are not too bad. Other forms of communications have suffered and I'm not sure that is a good thing, but highways are not an instance of government doing something bad in my opinion. Incidentally, here in DC they operate for profit roads. The Dulles Greenway and new HOT lanes being built on the Virginia portion of the beltway.

The post office is a by in large currently unnecessary service that was desperately needed at the time it was instituted. My guess is that we could do away with it and be better off. We'd find a way around the issues created and probably be better for the challenge.

 

[AllieBaba]

I'm center-left because I'm more in the center than on the left but more on the left than the right. I'm pro-choice, agnostic, black, pro-union, strict-interpretationist, techno-utopian, utilitarian, in support of UHC, anti-DADT, anti-DOMA, willing to pay high taxes etc., but I also support 2nd amendment rights, a large military budget, limited foreign intervention (conversely), limited government (beyond that) and a bunch of other stuff. I guess I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways. How would you classify me?

In American politics, I think we get so hung up on the divide between the dems and republicans that nobody realizes it's possible to stand somewhere between the two spectra of their platforms.

That's far left, dear.

 

[xsited1]

I'm center-left because I'm more in the center than on the left but more on the left than the right. I'm pro-choice, agnostic, black, pro-union, strict-interpretationist, techno-utopian, utilitarian, in support of UHC, anti-DADT, anti-DOMA, willing to pay high taxes etc., but I also support 2nd amendment rights, a large military budget, limited foreign intervention (conversely), limited government (beyond that) and a bunch of other stuff. I guess I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways. How would you classify me?

In American politics, I think we get so hung up on the divide between the dems and republicans that nobody realizes it's possible to stand somewhere between the two spectra of their platforms.

I see a problem here:

I guess I'm a bit of a libertarian who wants government to intervene in good ways.

Regardless... Welcome.

 

[aDrag]

What about local government? Police and fire services? Surely we can't privatize that or leave it up to chance. What sort of vision do you have for this country if not 'good government'? I'm just having a hard time interpreting your positions on policies I think.

Edit: Seems like a lot of people agree that less government is better, which is all well and good, but if that's the case who do you support politically and why? I'm being called an idealist for supporting my positions and the party that best exemplifies my ideals--if you guys supported Bush for the past 8 years, how does what he did in any way correlate to your beliefs and desires? Maybe you didn't support Bush, but I don't understand why I'm the idealist for accepting political reality in a two-party system in 2009.

Edit 2: And before anyone asks or misunderstands, I'm not a libertarian, I'm a democrat.

 

[SnickyH]

I think its cool how personal everyone is on the board! Not too many boards full of happy campers...

I am new here and will just say hello from Denver here!