I don't normally like to talk politics on my blog, but since it's getting close to the election, I figure why not. If I happen to have any conservative Republican readers out there (although that's not very likely), I've probably lost them by now. hahaha
I haven't always been a democrat. During the mid 80's, I figured I would be following in the footsteps of my conservative Republican father. He had me convinced that all the democrats want to do is raise taxes and let the government control everything. He boasted that the only democrat he ever voted for was John F. Kennedy. However, when George Bush Sr. was up for re-election in 1992, my father, shockingly, voted for Clinton. He couldn't stand Bush, and I remember he used to complain about the amount of time that Bush spent at Camp David. As I have stated before, once hardcore conservatives are voting for the Democrats, you're party is in trouble. I see that trend happening again with McCain. My family, who are mostly all Republicans, are voting for Obama this year.
When I was a teenager I used to watch this conservative talk show host named Wally George. I thought he was hilarious. I loved that show so much that I even went to a taping of it once out in Orange County, California. I don't really know why I liked it or even if I agreed with his politics, I just liked all the weirdos he had on the show. It was like Jerry Springer before Jerry Springer was even on the air. Now when I think about his show, I feel quite different. I think Wally was a bit of a doofus, and he always put himself in a position where he would be right and his guest would be wrong. One example of this was when he had a guest on who was very well-informed and educated, and had brought notes to help back up his arguments.
"You can't have notes on this show!" Wally yelled at him, and he proceeded to take the guys notes and rip them up. Whenever the guy had a fact to back up what he was saying, and Wally didn't have a rebuttal, he would just say "Well I think you're a liberal jerk!" and then he'd bang his hand on the table, and the audience would applaud. Very unprofessional.
It wasn't until around 1990-91 when I was in college that I turned to the democrats. I was talking to my friend David (the one who lives in Taiwan) at the time, and he started asking me questions about why I was a Republican. After I answered, he said "You should be a democrat. Just about everything you said is what the democrats believe."
So what did he ask me? Just basic questions like "Do you believe in trickle up economics or trickle down? I believe in trickle up. Meaning that the poorest people should get the most tax breaks and the richest people the least.
"Do you think gays should be allowed to get married?" Yes, of course I do. I think that gay people should have all the legal rights that everyone else does. I also think this country should have a public healthcare system. Having lived in countries that have public healthcare and don't have it, I can tell you for a fact that public healthcare is better. What's the number one cause of bankruptcies in America? Medical bills! This one is a no-brainer for me.
David also asked me about gun control, and I believe in very strict gun control. Again, having lived in a country without guns, and one with guns, I do feel a lot safer to walk the streets at night in Taiwan than I do here in my own country. I also believe in a womans right to choose, I think more government money should be spent protecting the environment, and I don't think prayer should be allowed in public schools.
So I probably sound like a bleeding heart liberal, right? Not exactly, I still believe in the death penalty for people who commit murder, and I don't support affirmative action. I think everyone should be treated equally, no matter what gender or race. If two people are applying for the same job, and one person is more qualified than the other, that person should have the job. I also don't think amnesty should be granted for illegal aliens. My wife, a legal alien, feels the same way. It's not really fair for those people who go through all the time and expense to get here legally.
The Republican party, at least in my opinion, just seems to represent the interests of the elitist, wealthy minority. They don't believe in equal rights for everyone, and they don't seem to care much about the environment. They claim to cherish life and are against abortion, but they support the death penalty for juveniles and retarded people. The Democrats seem to be on the side of the average, middle class person, which is what the majority of Americans are. I know there is good and bad on every side, and if any Republican out there wants to rebuke anything I've said, feel free to write and I'll publish your response.
For anyone reading this who would like to take a brief quiz on whether they are Republican or Democrat, I recommend this website:
http://www.selectsmart.com/plus/select.php?url=americanpolitic
I took the quiz, just to see if anything might have changed, and I'm still a democrat. :)
I haven't always been a democrat. During the mid 80's, I figured I would be following in the footsteps of my conservative Republican father. He had me convinced that all the democrats want to do is raise taxes and let the government control everything. He boasted that the only democrat he ever voted for was John F. Kennedy. However, when George Bush Sr. was up for re-election in 1992, my father, shockingly, voted for Clinton. He couldn't stand Bush, and I remember he used to complain about the amount of time that Bush spent at Camp David. As I have stated before, once hardcore conservatives are voting for the Democrats, you're party is in trouble. I see that trend happening again with McCain. My family, who are mostly all Republicans, are voting for Obama this year.
When I was a teenager I used to watch this conservative talk show host named Wally George. I thought he was hilarious. I loved that show so much that I even went to a taping of it once out in Orange County, California. I don't really know why I liked it or even if I agreed with his politics, I just liked all the weirdos he had on the show. It was like Jerry Springer before Jerry Springer was even on the air. Now when I think about his show, I feel quite different. I think Wally was a bit of a doofus, and he always put himself in a position where he would be right and his guest would be wrong. One example of this was when he had a guest on who was very well-informed and educated, and had brought notes to help back up his arguments.
"You can't have notes on this show!" Wally yelled at him, and he proceeded to take the guys notes and rip them up. Whenever the guy had a fact to back up what he was saying, and Wally didn't have a rebuttal, he would just say "Well I think you're a liberal jerk!" and then he'd bang his hand on the table, and the audience would applaud. Very unprofessional.
It wasn't until around 1990-91 when I was in college that I turned to the democrats. I was talking to my friend David (the one who lives in Taiwan) at the time, and he started asking me questions about why I was a Republican. After I answered, he said "You should be a democrat. Just about everything you said is what the democrats believe."
So what did he ask me? Just basic questions like "Do you believe in trickle up economics or trickle down? I believe in trickle up. Meaning that the poorest people should get the most tax breaks and the richest people the least.
"Do you think gays should be allowed to get married?" Yes, of course I do. I think that gay people should have all the legal rights that everyone else does. I also think this country should have a public healthcare system. Having lived in countries that have public healthcare and don't have it, I can tell you for a fact that public healthcare is better. What's the number one cause of bankruptcies in America? Medical bills! This one is a no-brainer for me.
David also asked me about gun control, and I believe in very strict gun control. Again, having lived in a country without guns, and one with guns, I do feel a lot safer to walk the streets at night in Taiwan than I do here in my own country. I also believe in a womans right to choose, I think more government money should be spent protecting the environment, and I don't think prayer should be allowed in public schools.
So I probably sound like a bleeding heart liberal, right? Not exactly, I still believe in the death penalty for people who commit murder, and I don't support affirmative action. I think everyone should be treated equally, no matter what gender or race. If two people are applying for the same job, and one person is more qualified than the other, that person should have the job. I also don't think amnesty should be granted for illegal aliens. My wife, a legal alien, feels the same way. It's not really fair for those people who go through all the time and expense to get here legally.
The Republican party, at least in my opinion, just seems to represent the interests of the elitist, wealthy minority. They don't believe in equal rights for everyone, and they don't seem to care much about the environment. They claim to cherish life and are against abortion, but they support the death penalty for juveniles and retarded people. The Democrats seem to be on the side of the average, middle class person, which is what the majority of Americans are. I know there is good and bad on every side, and if any Republican out there wants to rebuke anything I've said, feel free to write and I'll publish your response.
For anyone reading this who would like to take a brief quiz on whether they are Republican or Democrat, I recommend this website:
http://www.selectsmart.com/plus/select.php?url=americanpolitic
I took the quiz, just to see if anything might have changed, and I'm still a democrat. :)
Ken, surely you agree that the US was a mess at the end of the Carter years...and things were pretty good here in the mid-1980s. Likewise, things got worse when Bush Sr. was president...and much better when Clinton was in office. So, this analysis proves NOTHING with regard to Democrats versus Republicans as President.
ReplyDeleteOn Taiwanese news channels, you've seen the guys from opposing parties (KMT vs. DPP) throwing punches. To me, that's all a big scam to make people think that 'someone' is fighting for our rights. The same thing is happening here in America.
I see the US 'Government' as a big, bloated bureaucracy that offers too many programs that take away people's motivation to work and be accountable for their own actions. I can give a few examples.
A couple of weeks ago, a neighbor from India (who is not even here legally, AFAIK) asked me to take her to the nearby WIC clinic. While we were there, I saw one lady walk out and get in her new Nissan 350Z. Another one was standing in the parking lot next to her late-model SUV smoking cigarettes and talking on her cell phone. She had tatoos also, so I figure those weren't 'free' either.
Also, last night at Wal-mart, I saw a young lady (also with a cell phone) with the fullest cart of Junk Food that I've EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE! Stuff was literally falling on the floor as she made her way to the checkout. Her total was $313. How did she pay for it? With YOUR tax dollars! It's called the Lone Star Card!
The only difference now is that Democrats belive in 'Tax and Spend' while the Republicans believe in 'Borrow and Spend'.
I agree with you that there will always be people who take advantage of the system. I know there are lazy people out there who would rather take government assistance than go out and find a job. That's just a fact of life. My point is that I agree with the basic beliefs of what the democrats stand for: universal healthcare (my #1 issue), a womans right to choose, separation of church and state, higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans, more spending on environmental issues and less spending on unnecessary wars.
ReplyDeleteI am a Democrat because of a belief in an activist role by government in regulating the marketplace and providing a safety net for the less fortunate.
ReplyDeleteOn social issues, my views are more conservative than most Democratic politicians and party activist types but I am not a single issue voter. The Republicans use working class social conservatives to get votes and then deliver the goods to their Wall Street buddies.
I happen to be a big fan of Taiwan. It is my understanding that Taiwan has an excellent health care system.
Ken, You are a TRUE democrat. (I don't see how you ever considered yourself a Republican if you had these beliefs all along.) I tried that online quiz, but ended up on some page for the Purple Pill.
ReplyDeleteIf you just quit your job and tell the government you have no money, you can have all the subsidized Health Care you want. It's called Medicaid. Parkland Hospital in Dallas serves everyone--except you might wait 19 hours and die in the Waiting Room. Don't laugh. This really happened about two weeks ago to some well-known Mexican Restaurant owner.
As for abortion, you would favor late-term abortions? What if a woman is 7 months pregnant and decides she doesn't want the baby. Surely science can find some way to take care of her. You have no problem with that?
I also believe in the separation of Church and State. The 'government' should not tell religious people what to do. Please note that I put 'government' in quotes. In actuality, we are supposed to be the government. If you feel that you are truly represented by your elected leaders, try to get a 10 minute meeting with your local congressman. HAAAAA!
Lazy people taking advantage of the system is not 'a fact of life' in Taiwan, is it? It's because Taiwanese people know that it's better to take care of yourself.
As for spending on unnecessary wars, you might ought to find out what Obama wants to do. Back in the Spring, he was promising that US troops would be out of Iraq in 16 months. Everyone presumed this meant all the troops would be home! YAA! Well, not quite! A couple of months later, he started mentioning that those troops would be needed in Afghanistan! That's a pretty significant footnote, IMHO.
Ken, when you and your family were having a tough time back in the summer, it appeared that you NEVER considered looking toward the government for help.
You knew you needed to save money before returning, you bargained for a practical used car from a family member, you lived in a small motel room, and you both got creative in your job search! THAT IS THE AMERICAN WAY!
If there is one thing I miss the most about Taiwan, it's the universal healthcare. I've only been back in America for about 5 months now, and already I've spent over a thousand dollars on my childrens healthcare expenses. Both of my children had to see the doctor numerous times, and the bills just keep coming in. Thankfully October is one of those months where we both get an extra paycheck. It's too bad Taiwan has so many other problems, or I probably would have stayed there.
ReplyDeleteAs for lazy people in Taiwan, they certainly have their share of them. Go to Taipei Main Station and you'll see a lot of them sleeping alongside the wheelchair access ramps. Granted, there aren't as many as there are here in the US, but they do exist.
ReplyDeleteAs for the abortion issue, I think at 7 months a woman should know if she wants to have the baby or not. I'd recommend she just give the baby up for adoption at that point.
Even though I am pro-choice, I don't think abortion should be used as a means of birth control. That's just irresponsible. If you can't take care of a child, then use condoms or take the pill.
Ken, I recommend you read Obama's book,"Dreams From My Father", before you cast your vote in November. He actually sounds like "Malcom X" in some parts of it. And curiously enough, Lou Farrakhan just endorsed him. Read the book or listen to Obama read it on audio. Vote with full knowledge of the candidates.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Audicity of Hope, which is a good book, albeit it gets a bit boring hearing one person's take on things for a whole book. However, the book is making me like Obama even more.
ReplyDeleteI'll quote Ron Paul:
ReplyDelete"The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers. On the contrary, our Founders’ political views were strongly informed by their religious beliefs. Certainly the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both replete with references to God, would be aghast at the federal government’s hostility to religion. The establishment clause of the First Amendment was simply intended to forbid the creation of an official state church like the Church of England, not to drive religion out of public life. The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance. Throughout our nation’s history, churches have done what no government can ever do, namely teach morality and civility. Moral and civil individuals are largely governed by their own sense of right and wrong, and hence have little need for external government. This is the real reason the collectivist Left hates religion: Churches as institutions compete with the state for the people’s allegiance, and many devout people put their faith in God before putting their faith in the state. Knowing this, the secularists wage an ongoing war against religion, chipping away bit by bit at our nation’s Christian heritage. Christmas itself may soon be a casualty of that war."
Thanks for posting Ron Paul's quote. Here is more Food for Thought: The separation of Church and state does NOT mean the removal of God from America!!! Come to think of it, Obama has been much more open and forthcoming about his religion than McCain has.
ReplyDelete