Hi there. Just joined so figured Id put my views and feelings out there. Lets exchang

[TryToFindmid]

Figured Id put my general thoughts here.

Im not a die hard fan of Dem or Rep parties. I feel Im in the camp that most thoughtful folks find themselves belonging to. I see the good and bad on both sides and wish there could be a more grounded party that better represents MOST people.

I feel the government as a whole has lost its way and seems to be more and more puppeteer-ed by business interests and politicians own financial gain. Both sides being guilty of this. Not all but a frightening number in total.

I feel religion, sexual preference, marriage, pro choice, birth control so on have NO PLACE in politics. And the fact these issues are often pushed front and center is a HUGE disservice to politics as a whole. And they are creating low hanging fruit issues to keep Americans eyes off far bigger problems occurring and destroying our well being. None of this should become political fodder. Now because it was allowed in so much has been pushed to the extreme that its now a circus of silliness. And I will openly say I feel the conservative agenda / Rep party is very much to blame for making this as much a problem as it has become. Far too much fake pandering going on there. A discussion can be had on funding and voters can weigh in at the polls. I suspect common sense would prevail and a handful of disgruntled folks on the right would be pissed. Issue laid to rest.

With all that said I find myself leaning more to the right. Its for a few reasons. I find they make more sense in terms of financial decisions. This is a broad remark I know. But in general there seems to be more drive to control taxation and gov spending. They seem to be the party that wants a smaller gov foot print. How much of that is sincere would depend on the individual. But man oh man I wish they would end the pandering marriage to everything I wrote in the paragraph above.

Im also pro 2nd amendment. And feel everyone who wishes to own a fire arm should be allowed. So long as they are of sound mind, no lengthy history of violence, show no signs of being unhinged and expressing harm towards any group of individuals or persons. In a nut shell, no mental cases or hate filled lunatics or carrier criminals. Folks who dont abide by the law or care for a civil existence carry guns. No reason that folks who want to do right in life cant have one. Also I dont get behind that notion of fighting a tyrannical government. I personally hope things never get to that point. But if they did I think it would be a VERY one sided battle with what the US military possess vs us civilians.

I agree with much of what the left seems to try and defend in terms of individual liberties. And I feel the right doesnt do a great job at this. I also feel certain organizations should get funding and the left seems to do a better job at this than the right. But I feel allowing those whos taxes would be used in certain scenarios should be allowed to vote such things. One of my biggest issues with the left these days would be (in general) they appear to be supporting a very fringe way of thinking with pushing sexual preferences, gender identity, personal pronouns, race and many other such movements to the front and center therefor creating a problem where one doesnt exist. Its doing what I dislike in the conservative way of thinking. Making things that have no place in politics a government issue. And just as those on the right are doing by engaging in this, it creates a greater divide and works against a more tolerant and peaceful existence. Most people are accepting and compassionate in nature. Trying to legislate those qualities only exacerbates a problem that is incredibly small to the total population as a whole.

And what about unions…. I have no problem with people forming unions in the private sector. I see a need at times and its unfortunate that such a need exists. But I do see an issue in the world today with consolidated wealth. And the great income divide. Seems silly to me to pretend this doesnt exist. And its clearly damaging to the economy. With all that said I do feel there is a danger when unions vote themselves out of a job or cause the company to take drastic measures. But thats the way things go. I am NOT ok with government entities forming unions. The idea a tax funded organizations can vote their pay raises?!? Come on…. As if their isnt a danger in this. In the private sector, (the way its supposed to work at least) if a company mismanages itself it dies. In the government sector with the blank check mismanagement runs a muck left and right. And I do feel many public workers are poorly paid, teachers, cops, firemen so fourth at times. And that is a MUCH bigger discussion that should be taking place.

I guess Ill end with how I keep my sanity and consume information. I enjoying reading and listening to content put up on the web. I cant stand mainstream network news shows. Ill find small bits interesting shared via the net now and then. But overall cant stomach the editorialized nature of what that medium has become. And its absence of any long term discussions. I love long form pod cast discussions. I love listening to Joe Rogan podcast, The Ruben Report especially with how they try and dive into whats happening and why. And theres so many others.

I look forward to possibly having some fruitful discussions here. And I dont mind being exposed to a new way of thinking or point of view. I simply hope folks can say their view in a sentence or express disagreement with a point of view of feeling of mine in an intelligent way. Name calling and or just making a bash remark then shutting down serves no purpose and IMO shows a lack of intelligence and or inability to explain ones feeling and or viewpoint. I like to think we've come a long way since grade school bickering.

[donquixote99]

Welcome to the forum, Try. Appreciate your calm, rational approach.

[Oerets]

Welcome!

[TryToFindmid]

@donquixote99 @Oerets

Thanks to you both.

Id like to openly say. Its fairly apparent some of the most active members here are left leaning. And thats fine with me. Half my motivation in joining here is Id like to try and better understand what folks on the left are thinking and better understand the party in general.

Being the tech nerd, logic reason loving, someone who feels happier and more content simply understanding how and why things are / peoples feelings and motivation. I dont think I have a good understanding of folks on the left.

Ive listened to allot of individuals on the right / conservative side. And while I dont agree with EVERYTHING they say / assert. I find it easy to understand what they are saying and the logic behind their stance.

With that said I feel I have not heard many from the left camp explain their points of view and motivation. And Id like to try and change that. Id like to better understand the many other points of view from the left. I also feel Ive largely seen folks point out the problems of the FAR left group. Kinda like folks talking alt right thinking. Im sure not everyone on the left is as extreme as some folks paint them.

So if folks here see me ask something about their point of view or the left take. Please dont take this as me being cute or patronizing. I really am just trying to better understand folks thinking or something Ive yet to be exposed to.

Again Id love to see political parties leave personal life choices, identities, sex, religion, so on left out of main stream politics. But if it has to be brought into the conversation lets make it rational and grounded.

Im SOOO sick of both sides CONSTANTLY accusing one end of being THIS or THAT and instantly trying to frame someone / view as the worst thing ever, this extreme that reach.....

At the end of the day I feel most people are good in nature. Want to see a better tomorrow. May have kids and want the best for them. Just want to see improvement.

So if any of the left leaning folks here have any grounded sensible talking heads or folks on YouTube they'd recommend I check out to get a better understanding please post your recommendations to me. Id like to hear em.

I absolutely loved Tulsi Gabbard's sit down on the Rogan podcast. Same went for Bernie, and after he explained his idea of how to overhaul health care I completely got it and thought it was a great idea.

Its just when I hear Jordan Peterson and Bret Weinstein talk about their experiences on Rogan it gives me a very negative impression of some of the powers that be which often align themselves with the left. But I dont believe that represents the left as a whole. And this is part of why I want a better picture to gauge things.

Again looking forward to learning more here and having some exchanges of ideas.

[Pio1980]

The extremes are the low hanging fruit for unfairly characterizing whole groups, unless a majority tie themselves to them.

[TryToFindmid]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

The extremes are the low hanging fruit for unfairly characterizing whole groups, unless a majority tie themselves to them.

Yes agreed.

I think things become very grey when assuming one "tie" themselves to them.

Now when I see some folks kneeling on a friends neck with their pickup truck, a confederate flag and a trump sign as the back drop... I dont blame folks for assuming they may well be part of the alt right / hate fueled demo LOL.

My bigger concern is how folks come to the conclusion of "tie". And I see this happening on both sides. People might cite an example or voice concern for one aspect or another. Then so very often the conversation becomes accusation filled or hyperbolic in nature.

This to me this is the biggest problem with political discourse. An unwillingness to flesh out a civil conversation of varying opinions.

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by TryToFindmid

Yes agreed.

I think things become very grey when assuming one "tie" themselves to them.

Now when I see some folks kneeling on a friends neck with their pickup truck, a confederate flag and a trump sign as the back drop... I dont blame folks for assuming they may well be part of the alt right / hate fueled demo LOL.

My bigger concern is how folks come to the conclusion of "tie". And I see this happening on both sides. People might cite an example or voice concern for one aspect or another. Then so very often the conversation becomes accusation filled or hyperbolic in nature.

This to me this is the biggest problem with political discourse. An unwillingness to flesh out a civil conversation of varying opinions.

I also joined primarily to understand, tho I do occasionally vent frustration as a little blue dot in very red surroundings.

[TryToFindmid]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

I also joined primarily to understand, tho I do occasionally vent frustration as a little blue dot in very red surroundings.

May I ask, whats the surrounding you speak of?

I personally feel if more folks simply vented frustration, took a deep breath then listened and interacted, never taking things on some subjective personal level, allot of that frustration could be worked through. This doesn't apply to all problems. But far more than not Id venture.

To me its examples like Daryl Davis. His sit down on Rogan was so inspirational. Heres a black man who went into KKK groups and events and got many to change their ways. They actually spoke with him and found common ground. If a black man like Davis can find a way to come to terms with KKK members and become friends. It says allot about political discourse not being capable of being civil and having a discussion, let alone finding common ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGTQ0Wj6yIg&t=26s

Im really hoping to get some suggestions on folks to check out on youtube. Id like to better understand.

[Pio1980]

Alabama is now home ground, I don't socialize much primarily due to high functioning autism and the social awkwardness that goes with it, inability to"read" people, and independent thought process.
I try to be empathetic and considerate but it's difficult not to know when one offends without intention.
Still, I tend not to follow the flock and call things as I see them.

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by TryToFindmid

May I ask, whats the surrounding you speak of?

I personally feel if more folks simply vented frustration, took a deep breath then listened and interacted, never taking things on some subjective personal level, allot of that frustration could be worked through. This doesn't apply to all problems. But far more than not Id venture.

To me its examples like Daryl Davis. His sit down on Rogan was so inspirational. Heres a black man who went into KKK groups and events and got many to change their ways. They actually spoke with him and found common ground. If a black man like Davis can find a way to come to terms with KKK members and become friends. It says allot about political discourse not being capable of being civil and having a discussion, let alone finding common ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGTQ0Wj6yIg&t=26s

Im really hoping to get some suggestions on folks to check out on youtube. Id like to better understand.

Btw, Daryl Davis is an inspiration and example to follow.