The Official Politics Thread

[Sea]

I'm leftist (gay rights, abortion, assisted suicide, environmental, legalising plants). Though right wing on everything else (military, punishment, economical). Extreme anti-theist, pro-enlightenment and color-blind views on race.

Pretty simple really. I just choose the best of everything

I am basically the same. Not sure about military or punishment.
Is this thread American-politics-only?

[Herackles]

Not sure about military or punishment.

support for people who protect you while you sleep and big ass penalties to people who fuck up, like murderers and rapists

[JERK DISEASE]

Yeah, just saying military is vague.

Personally I think the dialouge of SUPPORT THE TROOPS needs to stay where it belongs. In fund-raisers and community events. And well away from policy discussion of war motives and strategies. It becomes a gross sort of "card" play there that mucks up any actual thought on the issue and becomes almost a race card.

People buy into too much when just the accusation can deflate support for any initiative.

[Hawkeye]

Didn't I make a thread just like this a few years ago?

Yeah you did... http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=14033
I remember posting in it a couple of times... I think me and you had a fight in it over something...

[Wagomu]

I am highly liberal. I'm on the left side of most (if not all) social points. On economic issues, I haven't really developed any major stances, as I do not know enough about it to judge for myself. I am in favor of reasonable taxation, though, and hate how the right has manipulated 'tax' into a four letter word. Military? I am really only in favor defensive military and do not support meddling in other countries unless it is absolutely necessary.

[Sea]

I love how you guys can talk freely about politics. Most forums in Vietnam are non-politics (it is a sensitive topic and if you are not careful that forum may be taken down by the government). Most of the few forums where we can talk about politics are firewalled and you have to use proxy to access. But no one cares about Vietnam here anyway.

[JERK DISEASE]

I also think we spend a fucking ridiculous amount on military. And no, not just active wars. But even more expensive costs since the Cold War on various nearly obsolete bases in places like Germany and Japan.

[Animesoccer]

I love how you guys can talk freely about politics. Most forums in Vietnam are non-politics (it is a sensitive topic and if you are not careful that forum may be taken down by the government). Most of the few forums where we can talk about politics are firewalled and you have to use proxy to access. But no one cares about Vietnam here anyway.

Yea, I mean we do complain a lot about America, but Americans do have a lot of freedom of speech. It's just lots of people use this freedom to shout out their idiotic opinions.

[Envy]

Most people would probably consider me a liberal (by USA standards), but I can't say I'm one for sure since I don't even know where I stand in economics.

These are the only issues I even have a view in:

-The issue that is biggest to me is LGBT rights. I support them 100%, and I do not even understand how the opposition has any power. I'll leave it at that.
-Abortion, well, I know I'll be eternally hated, but I can not support it being legal for all cases. For rape and complicated issues like that, sure, but I just can not see this issue any other way.
-Death penalty I'm against in every case.
-I am for the separation of church and state. As far as America goes. I am a Southerner and even there we were raised that America is a country of freedom of religion. But why do I get the feeling that it's more like "Free to be Christian" these days?

Those are the issues that I'm big on. I'm also very opposed to war, but I can't argue for the case of that... It's inevitable in the end. >_>

[Wagomu]

I also think we spend a fucking ridiculous amount on military. And no, not just active wars. But even more expensive costs since the Cold War on various nearly obsolete bases in places like Germany and Japan.

It's funny how ridiculously opposed the right is to cutting costs in the military. A lot of it is sheer stubbornness, too. We just need our footholds in the world, overly expensive, yet highly impractical weapons and constant military presence in areas of the world that we have already fucked up significantly.

I love how you guys can talk freely about politics. Most forums in Vietnam are non-politics (it is a sensitive topic and if you are not careful that forum may be taken down by the government). Most of the few forums where we can talk about politics are firewalled and you have to use proxy to access. But no one cares about Vietnam here anyway.

I have trouble enough keeping up with national and basic global politics. I can't even begin to imagine how it is, though. It's so easy to take the rights you have for granted.

[Akumu]

"Liberal" in politics doesn't even mean what it's come to mean in the US.

American Conservatives are extremely economically liberal for instance.

Tell a conservative that

I hate labels also, considering my views go from far right to far left.

But o well. I hope they change California so independents can vote in the primaries again.

Yeah, my views on what needs to be done change depending on the state of the country, economically wise (really they change based on the business cycle). Socially, I will always be "liberal."

Eh, don't worry too much about the primaries. I'd say the chances of independents being able to vote in a primary are slim. Possible, but slim.

[Animesoccer]

Most people would probably consider me a liberal (by USA standards), but I can't say I'm one for sure since I don't even know where I stand in economics.

These are the only issues I even have a view in:

-The issue that is biggest to me is LGBT rights. I support them 100%, and I do not even understand how the opposition has any power. I'll leave it at that.
-Abortion, well, I know I'll be eternally hated, but I can not support it being legal for all cases. For rape and complicated issues like that, sure, but I just can not see this issue any other way.
-Death penalty I'm against in every case.
-I am for the separation of church and state. As far as America goes. I am a Southerner and even there we were raised that America is a country of freedom of religion. But why do I get the feeling that it's more like "Free to be Christian" these days?

Those are the issues that I'm big on. I'm also very opposed to war, but I can't argue for the case of that... It's inevitable in the end. >_>

We have really similar views :)

[Herackles]

I also think we spend a fucking ridiculous amount on military. And no, not just active wars. But even more expensive costs since the Cold War on various nearly obsolete bases in places like Germany and Japan.

lol and then they cry about the healthcare bill costing money

[Akumu]

Most people would probably consider me a liberal (by USA standards), but I can't say I'm one for sure since I don't even know where I stand in economics.

These are the only issues I even have a view in:

-The issue that is biggest to me is LGBT rights. I support them 100%, and I do not even understand how the opposition has any power. I'll leave it at that.
-Abortion, well, I know I'll be eternally hated, but I can not support it being legal for all cases. For rape and complicated issues like that, sure, but I just can not see this issue any other way.
-Death penalty I'm against in every case.
-I am for the separation of church and state. As far as America goes. I am a Southerner and even there we were raised that America is a country of freedom of religion. But why do I get the feeling that it's more like "Free to be Christian" these days?

Those are the issues that I'm big on. I'm also very opposed to war, but I can't argue for the case of that... It's inevitable in the end. >_>

You just summed up most of my views as well.

As for economics. There really shouldn't be a debate of what to do.
Since we're Keynesian economics, what to do should be obvious depending on the phase of the business cycle. True, that's just the root of a larger problem, but it's the best place to start when dealing with the economy.

[Animesoccer]

Tell a conservative that



Yeah, my views on what needs to be done change depending on the state of the country, economically wise. Socially, I will always be "liberal."

Eh, don't worry too much about the primaries. I'd say the chances of independents being able to vote in a primary are slim. Possible, but slim.

I think(if I can remember from gov) that California use to have a very different system and that use to allow independents to vote. I think it was found...unconstitutional

[Akumu]

I think(if I can remember from gov) that California use to have a very different system and that use to allow independents to vote. I think it was found...unconstitutional

That would make sense actually, as the primaries are for the parties and their registered members to decide on a candidate. Independent voters could skew the party vote.

[CCC]

Ooh fun thread.

I'm guess I'm what most Americans would describe as liberal on most of the big-ticket issues (equal rights for all races, genders, religions, LBGTQ, abortion rights, health care, secular government, progressive taxes [more you make the more you're taxed]), although I maybe might possibly perhaps be in favor of the death penalty. And I'm definitely in favor of stricter economic regulation, even if it means sacrificing a bit of our beloved capitalist spirit. Socialism has some good ideas, even if tyrannical nutjobs have always managed to fuck them up in the past.
Ideally war should be outlawed worldwide so that governments wouldn't even need a military budget (or at worst, just defensive ones), but obviously the world is not ideal and likely never will be. At the very least, every nation should undergo complete disarmament, although the incentive for any single player not to is unfortunately far too great for that to ever happen.
Economically we should stick to the Keynesian ideas in order to get out of the shithole we're in now, but before long, the next generation should start thinking outside of the box, because the instruments and scope of the economy nowadays have become kind of... incompatible with what Keynes envisioned. I'm actually taking a course next term about Keynesian Economics vs. Other systems...

[Animesoccer]

Speaking of politics guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw4Gs...eature=channel


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyIZIiY81Ek

I love college humor

[Malintex_Terek]

-The issue that is biggest to me is LGBT rights. I support them 100%, and I do not even understand how the opposition has any power. I'll leave it at that.

As far as "gay marriage" is concerned as a subset of LGBT rights, the people who outright oppose it are often ultra or very conservative anyway (usually) but many moderates oppose it on the grounds that it'll make polygamy easier to legalize. Most of the arguments for gay marriage cross apply directly to pro-polygamy, and the negative arguments are easy to refute because they carry a dehumanizing tone. Even easier than the anti-homosexuality arguments because so many religious texts permit it.

People draw the line at gay marriage because it can be used as an argument for why polygamy should remain banned. "Look, we're not even allowing gay marriage, we're going to stay strict and keep marriage a one man-one woman convention".

[Herackles]

polygamy would be a decent practice but the human race is too retarded to pull it off

oh no naughty parts giggle