O Really wrote:JTA wrote:[. I'm not saying they should throw their support behind Democrats or Republicans, all I'm pointing out is they are delusional in regards to their situation.
OK, and I know that Dems have some warts, too. But I simply can't imagine a situation in which I'd be unemployed and vote for somebody - or some party - that is going around bragging about cutting my benefits. I can't imagine having a kid in public school and voting for anyone who de-funds teacher aids, refuses to give teachers raises, and tries to run off the more experienced ones. I can't imagine living in a beautiful area and vote for anybody or any party who would let "them" chop down the trees, dump toxics in the creeks, tear off the mountaintops, build wall-to-wall strip centers, let every "view" include a billboard, or under-fund the parks. I can't imagine being an employee and vote for anybody who brags about taking away my rights or refuses to increase the minimum wage or who wants to undercut the ability of OSHA to keep my workplace less dangerous. Other than JTA's relatives, who ARE these people?
I'm just going to play the devils advocate here for sake of discussion, and pretend like I know the answers to these questions. These are mostly going to sound like talking points and are going to sound hollow but it's how I understand the other side of the argument from talking with people and reading stuff on the internet.
1) But I simply can't imagine a situation in which I'd be unemployed and vote for somebody - or some party - that is going around bragging about cutting my benefits
A: It's not that hard to get a job. Get a job raking leaves for minimum wage if you have to, or go apply anywhere, even if it's a step down from your previous position and a huge paycut. Any job is better than none. People live worse lives in third world countries that the poorest of our own citizens live in. You have no right to complain about having it hard when you have a flat screen TV and smart phone and nice car. If you need to, sell those possessions. Some unemployment is ok, some foodstamps are ok, but there are many who abuse these because they simply would rather not work and live off of welfare the rest of their lives off the backs of those who do work for a living.
2) I can't imagine having a kid in public school and voting for anyone who de-funds teacher aids, refuses to give teachers raises, and tries to run off the more experienced ones
A: Throwing money at the problem is not a solution. If kids aren't motivated they won't learn anyway. Teachers and teachers unions don't care about students, all they care about is that cash money rolling in. Older tenured (is that even a thing outside of university?) teachers are less motivated than newer, younger teachers who need to prove themselves to maintain their jobs. If they have to prove themselves than they will be more concerned with the job their doing rather than just going in and putting in another days work at the factory.
3) I can't imagine living in a beautiful area and vote for anybody or any party who would let "them" chop down the trees, dump toxics in the creeks, tear off the mountaintops, build wall-to-wall strip centers, let every "view" include a billboard, or under-fund the parks
A: The federal government owns way too much land which could be opened to development, which would help the economy and help us all. The gov. shouldn't be in the business of owning land anyway. The states should be the ones to determine how they handle their own land.
As for pollution, in this day of age the EPA isn't necessary because we're much more cognizant as a society of environmental problems, and consumers would purposely boycott those companies if that company truly did something abhorrent enough to warranty such a boycott. The EPA hinders businesses by placing ridiculous regulatory burdens on them,
You aren't doing it wrong if no one knows what you are doing.
