I enjoyed this thread. I wish more people could approach these ideas with a more open mind.
@Angelyn brought up so many good points, and got flamed for most of them. Despite expressing her distaste for corporatism and the greedy policies of the Republicans, her criticism of Democrats' lack of self-awareness gets her labeled as a "trumpie" by the left. Yet her left-leaning ideals that promote academics more than corporatism and unfettered capitalism get her called a communist. Is it any wonder why she might feel a bit disenfranchised by the two party system?
From there, it's pretty easy to see which side responded to her with more animosity here. The liberals here apparently think anyone critical of any Democrat is automatically a "trumpie," so apparently some of her opinions on which camp has been more hostile to her as a third party voter have at least a little merit, no? She may not have liked the same candidate you did, but she didn't even begrudgingly settle for Trump as what she may or may not have seen as the lesser of two evils, she literally voted for the Green party, possibly the farthest thing from Trumpism. And which side pounced on her here? Was it the Republicans, saying "I could understand if you went libertarian, but JILL STEIN? You filthy communist!" No, it was absolutely the lefties.
When I opened this thread, I didn't even notice the dates of the posts I was reading. It's funny how accurate
@Angelyn 's assertions about electability and the general direction of the Democratic party have come to pass. I'd say much of her assessment had been spot on. I don't particularly agree with the Stepford comments or her position on transgendered people, but that's probably because I don't have her experiences as a woman, and she may not relate to my position as a person with multiple trans friends who are the farthest thing from fetishists or drag queens, and have had to deal with real harassment and intimidation. But my opinions, while informed be different things, are no more or less valid than hers.
I was very involved politically and a major activist for a long time. I've been a delegate for multiple Dem candidates, and was an elected Precinct Committee Person for the Democratic party. This has made it difficult for me to try to make a point without immediately being dismissed as a "libtard" (or a Dem Ass to borrow the term used in this thread), but I was so disheartened by what I saw the party doing while trying to be a part of it and represent people who share my values, I've become an independent voter again. I find myself liking most Democratic platform ideas, and routinely disappointed by the party's wholesale inability to compromise or even converse with civility when people disagree with them. So I can think Trump is the most damaging president we've ever had, and Republicans have put party before country in falling all over themselves to enable his petulance and contempt for order and decorum, and still be considered a lost soul by Democrats for thinking that their blindness to their own hypocrisy and dismissive, peachy behavior are causing real damage to any chance we have at becoming a healthier, more unified and accepting nation. I suspect there are a lot of policies
@Angelyn and I disagree on, but I suspect we'd be able to have a far more civil and productive conversation than I'd be able to have with
@subhub174014 and others who beat the Dem drum as hard as (or harder than) some of these hardcore Trump supporters beat theirs. The moment you become fanatical in your support for one party or your opposition to the other is the moment you stop making sense to anyone who isn't just like you. And this country is made up of far more than one or two types of people.
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www.nytimes.com
