Great write-up Ogion! I could not have said most of the things i a better way. There is some hope for America after all :)
"I have to confess bewilderment at anyone who professes to support conservativism out of fiscal concerns. Apparently it has escaped someone's notice that Republicans invariably blow up the deficit and often the economy and Democrats improve the fisc reliably. Tax cuts for the rich, combined with expenditures on expensive toys for the military makes one fiscally irresponsible. Democrats may spend on social investment, but they support tax increases to pay for it. economic growth, employment and even the stock market seemingly always fair better under Democrats, in part because they don't by supply side economics, which are comprehensively discredited by now."
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"I am motivated by compassion and a sense of justice. This makes me a strong environmentalist as well as a social liberal, and view social justice as the main purpose of political activities. I am also an atheist and scientist, so the notions of treating gays or women unjustly on that basis is not something I have much patience with. If religious people want to do whatever, that's fine by me, but inflicting suffering on others based on it is not. So, racism, sexism, homophobia are strongly opposed. I also don't think it's anyone's business whether women have abortions or not, but if you don't like that, then advocate for widespread and free birth control."
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"I am also heavily data driven, so I find the paranoia and panic over "national security" ridiculous. More Americans are killed by falling televisions than by terrorists. Frankly, terrorism is a non-issue in my book, and if we were concerned, we should be focusing on right wing Christian terrorism which is more prevalent than Islamist terrorism in any event. Of course, cops kill and terrorize far more people each year than both put together."
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"We are NOT under threat of invasion, which means our military is bloated beyond all reason. We don't need to have a military that's bigger than all others combined times three or whatever it is now. A reduction would be useful."
On this issue I have another way of thinking. Security is global and security is a common problem which all democratic countries need to solve together.
The things that need to be defended are not territory or national powers. The thing that need to be defended is yours and mine personal freedoms, civil rights, our right to express ourselves freely and be part of the decision processes locally, regionally, nationally and globally. It is our democratic systems that allows us take part in those processes. This is what we need to defend and that is a global problem for all of us.
The threat to all this is in general the undemocratic regimes that reign in many small and big countries. Those leaders do not have the best of their citizens in mind when ruling, but instead they mostly think about enriching themselves by adding money to their overseas Swiss, Panama or Dubai bank accounts. In order to continue enriching themselves and also to stay out of prison, they cling on to power using any means they feel is needed to do so: invent a terrorist threat, start a coup, invent a foreign power threat, boost nationalistic or religious feelings and even in extreme cases conduct a genocide on their own citizen or start a war and occupy a neighboring country.
For us it is crucial to counter the threats that these undemocratic regimes pose and the best tool for this is the NATO alliance. The last 5 years Russia has continued to increase their military spendings building up their capabilities (as part of a nationalistic agenda). We need to not counter this so Russia continues to find military aggression futile leading nowhere. This is required to maintain world peace and to protect our freedoms where we live anywhere on the planet.
"I also think that international cooperation and international law are critical to alleviating suffering worldwide. This, paradoxically, makes me occassionally hawkish. Economically, I think free markets have been shown to be a usefulif crude tool and invariably fail if left unregulated. (Calling off the referees makes for a dirty sport.)"
Yes the market economy is the best tool for improving conditions in the developing world. African countries that have a well functioning justice system combined with market economy are the African countries that are most well off. Those who have embarked on any kind of socialist route are not well off at all.
"Also, I'm strongly in support of science and the arts, there's a great deal good that comes from it, and capitalism isn't going to get the job done."
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"Mostly, I believe bo-sox is right. This is a terrible idea."
I did not feel like I had the energy to write anything up on this subject, but great that you did most of the writing for me. I basically just needed to agree. :)
There will be no indictment
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