(no subject)

[liliaeth]

I responded to a post from a republican on my friendlist. Yes, I should know better, I do try not to do that, most of the time*g* I just can't seem to help myself.

She was talking about how Obama wants to force all American youth into mandatory military service and I asked for some proof of that.

Anyway, she responded with this video:

Anyway, not sure if I should link to the post, since I didn't get permission to do so, but still I thought I'd post my response to the statement made:

So basically he's asking for young people to do their best for their country and to help make it great, rather than sit on their ass? He's asking them to volunteer, to do the right thing. To be an asset to their communities.

I'd say that's a hugely positive thing.

No part of that says that it's mandatory either.

Quite honestly, I've read republican talking points and the problem for me is that I disagree with 95% of them. I tend to find most republican viewpoints amoral, indecent and only serving the rich. It's the kind of narrow minded view of the world that I find rather scary.

I mean, wasn't the republican party supposed to be for small government, so why is it that this party which claims to be for small government, is so insistent on making the government interfere in personal matters like marriage?

If you're for small government, shouldn't you then be the first to say that the government should have no say on who gets to marry and who doesn't. Hence allowing gay marriage?

When I was 12 years old, our history teacher explained to us about taxes and the benefits we got out of them. National health care, free education, roads, the police, the army, ... and how we paid for all that to get the great country we live in. It may not be perfect, but I'd take it over the US any day of the week.

I've been pro-taxes since, and I live in a left leaning country. I am a socialist and I find Obama leans far too much to the right, that I wouldn't vote for him if he ran in Belgium. For American standards of left and right though, he's a lot more acceptable than someone like McCain; who's leaning extremely right wing, which to me feels like a threat to democracy and freedom. It stands against everything I believe in to be just and right in this world.

Which is why I could never possibly even consider a man like McCain a good choice for anything.

Nation wide Health Care is one of the best things we've ever gotten, and we tend to fight to keep it, even if we do pay for it in our taxes. Because it means that if I or someone in my family gets sick, we'll be able to get affordable medical care, regardless of what job we have or how much you get paid for your job. I means that if I lose my regular job and I end up forced to do temp work, that I won't have to worry about falling sick, because my health care doesn't go away with it.

It means that children can go to the doctor if they're sick, regardless of whether or not their parents can afford for it. Which to me is the christian way to handle things. And that's coming from someone living in a mostly secular country.

To me the idea of anyone earning more than 250.000 a year daring to complain about his taxes is insulting to the rest of the world. Anyone who earns that much, has gained huge advantages from society and will only get there because of what they've gotten from others.

Maybe it's that Belgians don't worship the rich, that we don't vote with the rich in the fantasy of maybe one day, some time in the future being one of them. You know, when pigs fly and all that...

Comments

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

I'm Canadian, and I agree with everything you've said.

[liliaeth]

I just don't understand why Americans are so scared of socialism.

[gillo]

We in Europe have a very different concept of "left" and "right" - we've lived a lot closer to extremes of both over the last century. We've seen Eurocommunism

not

destroy society, and we've seen fascism in all its ugliness. Inevitably we have less fear of socialism than of the extreme right, which for us is so often linked to militarism and racism.

I have several Republicans on my flist, and have learned to recognise that they are not by definition amoral, greedy or callous. They all consider themselves "middle of the road" - but American roads are wider, and way to the right of ours!

[liliaeth]

Oh I know that, there's a lot of decent Republicans. Just look at that video a few days back of republican McCain voters going up against some of those idiots with their "Obama is a muslim"-nonsense.

Which is why I said republican talking points. *g*

It's not so much that the people are bad, it's that I utterly disagree with the party and their official opinions in the media. The way they seem to be filled with religious fanatics whom I'm sure even most decent republicans disagree with. But whom they can't seem to get rid of because they need them in order to get enough votes.

I'm sure I'd have a lot less problems with the party (though I'd never support them) if they weren't hijacked by the Christian Taliban.

[ladyoneill.livejournal.com]

Really excellent well thought out post.

[liliaeth]

Thanks :-)

[twilightofmagic.livejournal.com]

Excellent post. As a Canadian I am often dumbfounded how many Americans interpret words that to a Canadian are positive words. Liberal for one. Apparently to Republicans, liberal is bad, immoral, godless. Or taxation. As you say, I'm happy to pay taxes, not for waste of course, but to sustain universal health care and good public schools and public radio and television, and the arts, and a generally civil way of life where people take into account what is good for the whole rather than narrow and self righteous individualism. I fear the politicians (our current prime minister for one) who try to erode these valuable aspects of our lives. The publicity the campaign has given to the scary dynamics of American society just throws into high contrast how different it is from Canada and Europe.

[liliaeth]

Honestly, I still have a problem even comparing the Belgian meaning of the word liberal, and the American meaning of that same word

[wickhouse2005.livejournal.com]

I also am a Canadian and a proud socialist, the only good thing that came from our last federal election is that the Conservatives didn't get a majority.

I also don't understand why the Americans don't want to care for the less fortunate among them. One of the things that make me proud to be a Canadian is our stand on same sex marriage, the government truly has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.

[liliaeth]

Americans really baffle me sometimes. Like their stance on health care, far too many of them seem to ignore that they and their families will directly benefit from it.

That and far too many of the conservatives seem to lack even the slightest idea that they might one day get into a situation where they'd need help themselves. It's such an utter lack of the ability to place themselves in someone elses shoes. Even when they are in those shoes*eg*

If I ever go into politics

[hohaiyee.livejournal.com]

...this is how I'll explain it to the Republicans (although I'm in Canada):

The country is like a business, you need to spend money to make money. If you keep cutting back the funding, keep downgrading the assets, you will be left with crappy infrastructure and a crumbling business.

The country is like a business, and every business needs a healthy and skilled labour force. This is why we need better public education and healthcare. Also, a populace that has benefited from the state is likely to be more patriotic, which is important when we have a volunteer army...and our volunteer army needs people who are healthy and resourceful and well-adjusted, which is why we need social community programs.

Re: If I ever go into politics

[liliaeth]

Utterly agreed

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

My understanding was that he wants youth to perform service in exchange for a reduction of college fees and that service can be in many ways. I would guess this person is equating "service" with "military service"... which is not at all what he was talking about. Personally, I think what he was talking about is a damn good idea.

And *sigh* yes, there are people where there is no point talking to them about these issues. They won't hear and they are wedded to their beliefs even when they are at odds with the facts. If the facts contradict them, they say that the facts are biased.

I've had the same arguments with my sister and she flat out says you cannot change her mind on anything. I suppose at the very least that's honest. On the other hand I think it's rather sad to be so close-minded.

[liliaeth]

I agree, I don't see anything wrong, with asking kids to do something in return for help with their college cost. It's still better than burdening them under college debts like what happens now. Especially since he doesn't just ask for military service, that's one option, but not the only option.

I find that inspirational leadership. Because it teaches young people something about the world they live in and gives them a new perspective. And I think in the long run, it would create a better tomorrow. Because these kids would have seen more of the world than just their privileged little lives.

Seeing the world in the military, or the peace corps, helping the poor, the needy... all those are things that can only make them better citizens.