I've been into politics for quite a few years now (I'm 49) - as in following, not participating.
I'm a conservative, both socially and fiscally. If you are a liberal person, I hope you don't hate me by now. I don't want to hate you if you are.
I just wanted to share a few observations, and hope you maybe agree.
There are two sides to every story - including political story. Unfortunately, at this point, it seems we have the far left and the far right going it at it thru media and political positions. Their side is right, the other side is the devil's spawn. This country goes to one side, then to the other, and keeps repeating that pattern. It's like a bunch of people on a small boat, all going to one side, and when they see that the ship is about to take on more water, runs to the other. All you have is a boat rocking back and forth, side to side, and not going anywhere.
And that's a shame, given the enormous challenges we have in this country, with enormous debt, educational issues, energy issues, and so on.
I have considered a new party….I would call it the "Traditionalist Party". It wouldn't be like the Republican or Democratic parties, but it would be right of center, because that's how more Americans identify.
So what would be the difference from the established parties?
Compromise.
I've written a platform already for some issues, here's a sample:
1) Global Warming. I don't know if it's man made, if it's a naturally occurring atmospheric event, or even if we can fix it. The left wants us to tax the hell out of businesses to force them to limit carbon emissions. The right says global warming is just a natural event, and the left just wants to destroy business. My take? I don't think the left wants to purposely destroy businesses, but I think it doesn't hurt for companies to reduce pollution where they can, as long as it's not crazy expensive.
2). Spending on social welfare. The left wants more, wanting to provide everything for everyone, while the right wants to cut back a lot. I don't think most people have a problem helping out those that can't help themselves ever, such as the mentally retarded, or those just knocked down, like the guy that lost his job. But the left needs to realize that we don't want people dependent on the government, but on themselves, and the right should seek to eliminate waste in the system, as opposed to reducing benefits. If you get the waste out, you'll have more money; if you get people that really don't need to be on the system out of it, even more money.
3). Green Energy and Oil. The left wants to jump completely off oil, coal and gas, and move us to renewable or green energy. The right wants to keep burning what really is fuel that gives off pollution. The left needs to realize we can't just flip a switch and run on solar power tomorrow, that we need oil, coal and gas right now. But the right needs to understand that if we can make that migration to wind, solar or other renewable/green energy, that it can reduce the cost of energy to their homes and/or businesses by a LOT, thus putting more money in their pocket, and getting out from the Middle East's thumb in the process. Possible solution? The government offers up a $100 million reward to the first company that can make a 50% efficient solar panel, one that is cost efficient. I think left and right both would like the idea of generating your own electricity for the cost of the solar panels. If you think that offering a reward like that is a joke, recently some institution, possibly the government or a college, offered $10 million to the first group that could do a better job at cleaning up spilled oil in the water, as in the large BP spill recently. The winning group had a large tank to demonstrate they could improve efficiency, and they did - by 50%.
So there, just some ideas for how the parties should cooperate. I'm sick of the name calling, the finger pointing, and the lack of getting problems solved.
We're America; we can do a lot better.
I'm a conservative, both socially and fiscally. If you are a liberal person, I hope you don't hate me by now. I don't want to hate you if you are.
I just wanted to share a few observations, and hope you maybe agree.
There are two sides to every story - including political story. Unfortunately, at this point, it seems we have the far left and the far right going it at it thru media and political positions. Their side is right, the other side is the devil's spawn. This country goes to one side, then to the other, and keeps repeating that pattern. It's like a bunch of people on a small boat, all going to one side, and when they see that the ship is about to take on more water, runs to the other. All you have is a boat rocking back and forth, side to side, and not going anywhere.
And that's a shame, given the enormous challenges we have in this country, with enormous debt, educational issues, energy issues, and so on.
I have considered a new party….I would call it the "Traditionalist Party". It wouldn't be like the Republican or Democratic parties, but it would be right of center, because that's how more Americans identify.
So what would be the difference from the established parties?
Compromise.
I've written a platform already for some issues, here's a sample:
1) Global Warming. I don't know if it's man made, if it's a naturally occurring atmospheric event, or even if we can fix it. The left wants us to tax the hell out of businesses to force them to limit carbon emissions. The right says global warming is just a natural event, and the left just wants to destroy business. My take? I don't think the left wants to purposely destroy businesses, but I think it doesn't hurt for companies to reduce pollution where they can, as long as it's not crazy expensive.
2). Spending on social welfare. The left wants more, wanting to provide everything for everyone, while the right wants to cut back a lot. I don't think most people have a problem helping out those that can't help themselves ever, such as the mentally retarded, or those just knocked down, like the guy that lost his job. But the left needs to realize that we don't want people dependent on the government, but on themselves, and the right should seek to eliminate waste in the system, as opposed to reducing benefits. If you get the waste out, you'll have more money; if you get people that really don't need to be on the system out of it, even more money.
3). Green Energy and Oil. The left wants to jump completely off oil, coal and gas, and move us to renewable or green energy. The right wants to keep burning what really is fuel that gives off pollution. The left needs to realize we can't just flip a switch and run on solar power tomorrow, that we need oil, coal and gas right now. But the right needs to understand that if we can make that migration to wind, solar or other renewable/green energy, that it can reduce the cost of energy to their homes and/or businesses by a LOT, thus putting more money in their pocket, and getting out from the Middle East's thumb in the process. Possible solution? The government offers up a $100 million reward to the first company that can make a 50% efficient solar panel, one that is cost efficient. I think left and right both would like the idea of generating your own electricity for the cost of the solar panels. If you think that offering a reward like that is a joke, recently some institution, possibly the government or a college, offered $10 million to the first group that could do a better job at cleaning up spilled oil in the water, as in the large BP spill recently. The winning group had a large tank to demonstrate they could improve efficiency, and they did - by 50%.
So there, just some ideas for how the parties should cooperate. I'm sick of the name calling, the finger pointing, and the lack of getting problems solved.
We're America; we can do a lot better.