So. It's impossible to read through everything that everyone has to say in a thread as highly-charged as this, but interesting none the less, so hope no one minds if I jump on in...
Personally, I associate with progressive theories for both personal and economic matters, and this tends to align me with the Democratic Party. I do intend to vote for Obama come November, and I've actually been hoping that he would run for several years now, after I listened to a very impressive speech he gave when he was elected Senator... although I wasn't entirely impressed with his recent statements in Berlin. His campaign is about change, but prattling on about wanting unity for the purpose of strong security is nothing new. A coalition for global compassion, now that would be cool and different
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Concerning the parties though, ultimately I see little difference between the Democrats and Republicans. Both are heavily invested in big businesses in order to finance ridiculously expensive campaigns. So no matter which party is in office, corporations, (which tend to be lacking in the public-interest department here in the US), have a large say in how things go.
For instance war matters. If you look carefully, you will notice that the US has been in some sort of military occupation ever since WWII. Eisenhower warned about this occurrence when he left office, his final message to the nation concerning "the military industrial complex".
It would seem that we have so much of our federal budget tied up in military operations that we must constantly be involved in combat, producing artillery, etc. at all times in order to have any sort of existing economy. And it's not just a matter of the national piggybank... consider all the jobs that are devoted to producing supplies for war.
I highly recommend the movie "Why We Fight" for more information.
QUOTE (eurovol @ Aug 19 2008, 9:04 pm)
Yes, I have a high IQ and I think stupidity is a sin. It is devastating to humanity and an intolerable state of being. The fact is that stupidity is the most curable of all diseases. The worst thing of all is that people with high IQ's are actually looked down upon. How is that possible? Electing an idiot so that you can feel good about yourself is unconscionable, yet it happened twice! When did having an IQ above the local village idiot become a bad thing? Who preaches such crap? Oh yeah, it is the Republican Party that does that. Basically they are saying that to be President you can't be smart cause if you are then you are an elitist.
I am sorry, but the bar for the Presidency needs an IQ test and some Podunk son with the facial expressions of a monkey should have been disqualified.
Eurovol, I agree with virtually all of your statements. And I would like to give an opinion as to why it's such a convenient tool for right-wingers to slam liberals as elitists.
People with more education tend to be more progressive thinkers... remember, it was mostly college students who were against the war in Vietnam, and not just because of the draft. They were morally opposed to the entire situation because they had the education to understand that what we were doing was wrong on so many levels.
More education also tends to mean higher wages. Of course this income is probably deserved, unlike Podunk- monkey- son-POTUS and his cronies, who tend to inherit their silver spoons. But still, by and large, as both stem from education, being a liberal and being wealthy tend to go hand-in-hand.
This creates a little tension. My family is very progressive, but also very lower-middle class. One day in 9th grade I came home in tears after my advanced politics teacher, who I highly respected, had made a snide comment in front of the class about the American Eagle brand jacket I was wearing, stating that her family is sensible enough to purchase only sweat-shop labor free products. I later realized that for an educated person, my coat symbolized all that was wrong with America. When my Mom bought it, there was no rationalization- it had come from the local Good Will, and was the only option to keep me warm that winter.
The problem is that instances like these happen all the time, and Republicans, champions of propaganda and hyperbole, get as much mileage out of them as possible, making it look like all liberals are inconsiderate to the economic standing of others. Even though it is Conservative, laisse-faire capitalism beliefs that cause most of the suffering in the first place.
Whew, I hope that made some sense!
