Where am I politically?

[piercehawkeye45]

Yesman is right but I'm almost positive Ibram said that as a joke.

Both Republicans and Democrats push their agenda on others, it just depends on what side you face that determines which side will be pushing you. Though, as unbias as possible, I have to say the Republicans are a bit more pushy than the Democrats right now.

But to tell you the truth, the guy who is seeing through all the DC bullshit politics right now is a Republican, presenting Chuck Hagel.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

...Both Republicans and Democrats push their agenda on others, it just depends on what side you face that determines which side will be pushing you. Though, as unbias as possible, I have to say the Republicans are a bit more pushy than the Democrats right now.
...

Typically, the Democratic agenda is *permissive* where the repubican agenda is *restrictive*. It's hard to think of Democrats as pushing their values on people when their agenda is more "sure you should be able to marry someone of the same sex if you want" and "sure you can have an abortion if you want". This is where MaggieL will point out the atypical Democratic position "sure you shouldn't have a handgun to shoot people with".

[Toymented]

Originally Posted by OnyxCougar

Godless blew me away. I still don't know what I am politically but it fueled the fire. I'm currently reading The Enemy at Home (Dinesh D'Souza) and I have ALOT of the indroduction highlighted already.

Is there a party out there that encompases these ideas or do I just lump myself in with the party the most closely matches my beliefs? Would that be Libertarian or Republican? Some other party I haven't heard of?

You may as well vote Republican. Appease the hubby anyway. You really sound like you're more spiritually attuned. Work on the spirituality and ditch the politics. You'll find it more satisfying.

[Aliantha]

The good thing about living where you do is that you don't have to get involved in the political process if you don't want to. Lucky you!

[Ibby]

It wasn't exactly a joke, but a usually-accurate dig at republicans. That's simply the way the party works. Gay marriage bans, abortion bans, flag-burning bans... everything set on legislating morality is a republican push. There may be more to it than that, but socially speaking, the republicans are solely interested in legislating their own versions of morality.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Ibram

It wasn't exactly a joke, but a usually-accurate dig at republicans. That's simply the way the party works. Gay marriage bans, abortion bans, flag-burning bans... everything set on legislating morality is a republican push. There may be more to it than that, but socially speaking, the republicans are solely interested in legislating their own versions of morality.

Wrong. This is only the way Karl Rove decided Bush would build his power base knowing full well they'd have to find a different angle for the next candidate. After eight years even the staunch fundies would figure out they'd been had.

Don't forget the first time bush ran, there was no war, there was no terrorist threat. What other Republican President, or even candidate for President carrying their banner, has run on this morality bullshit?

The traditional Republican unfulfilled campaign promise is lower taxes/smaller government. That's been their basic battle cry forever, the main plank in every platform, the big lie in every election.

[yesman065]

Originally Posted by Ibram

It wasn't exactly a joke, but a usually-accurate dig at republicans. That's simply the way the party works. Gay marriage bans, abortion bans, flag-burning bans... everything set on legislating morality is a republican push. There may be more to it than that, but socially speaking, the republicans are solely interested in legislating their own versions of morality.

So we should just let everyone do whatever they want Ibram?

Personally, I respect your right in America to burn our flag, but I also will kick your ass for doing it. That flag represents a lot of my family members who gave their fuckin lives so that you can live within the freedoms you have. Your generation has NO CONCEPT of what sacrifices went into creating and preserving the rights you have.

[bluesdave]

Originally Posted by yesman065

Your generation has NO CONCEPT of what sacrifices went into creating and preserving the rights you have.

It seems to be a world-wide problem. The younger generations think the same down here, and I also in Europe. They did not have fathers, grandfathers, uncles etc who fought for our safety. To them it was an eon ago. They are simply not interested. They seem to think that war is some stupid game that men go into for "fun". They have no concept of fighting for freedom, because it has been handed to them on a silver plate.

[Toymented]

Originally Posted by bluesdave

They seem to think that war is some stupid game that men go into for "fun".

"They" - as in Bush and Cheney.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by yesman065

So we should just let everyone do whatever they want Ibram?

Anarchy is the perfect human society but like every perfect society (communism), it is unrealistic due to norms and humans nature.

Personally, I respect your right in America to burn our flag, but I also will kick your ass for doing it.

It depends on why you are burning the flag. If you are doing it out of hatred or you are a "rebel" (stress the "quotes") teenager and think your tough, I will agree that they should get their ass kicked. But, if they are doing it to prove a point about America's wrong doings (major), then it is justified by all means.

They have no concept of fighting for freedom, because it has been handed to them on a silver plate.

This scares me the most. I am of this generation and whenever I speak out about an issue, people just reply that they don't care about politics. They don't care if you take away your freedom of speech, right to assemble, right to bear arms, it's quite pathetic and I am ashamed of my generation in this, and many other ways.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by yesman065

Personally, I respect your right in America to burn our flag, but I also will kick your ass for doing it. That flag represents a lot of my family members who gave their fuckin lives so that you can live within the freedoms you have. Your generation has NO CONCEPT of what sacrifices went into creating and preserving the rights you have.

You mean rights like being able turn burn the American flag?

BTW, if you try to kick ass, (A) yours may be the one to get kicked or you may get set on fire with a burning flag, and (B) that's called assault and battery, and is illegal, where flag burning is not. Did someone fight for the right to kick the ass of someone who is not beaking the law?

[piercehawkeye45]

But you can give the same argument for democrats because of welfare, enviormental regulations, and increase in minimum wage. It all depends on which view you take.

[Ibby]

I don't care what the republicans will be, were, should be, can be... What they ARE, right now, in this era, in this country, in this regime, are the morality police. The society that the republicans, at least the most vocal ones, the ones in power, want to create, is in my eyes no better, or at least not much, than the sharia law in afghanistan and saudi arabia. Not every republican is like that, but the ones that arent would be better off leaving the party or kicking the ones that are like that out.

[Toymented]

Originally Posted by Ibram

I don't care what the republicans will be, were, should be, can be... What they ARE, right now, in this era, in this country, in this regime, are the morality police. The society that the republicans, at least the most vocal ones, the ones in power, want to create, is in my eyes no better, or at least not much, than the sharia law in afghanistan and saudi arabia. Not every republican is like that, but the ones that arent would be better off leaving the party or kicking the ones that are like that out.

I agree completely. And it's all powered by the fundamentalist Christian "business."

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Radar

Perhaps you should follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and keep your religion and politics completely separate and work to keep government out of church and church out of government.

Originally Posted by OnyxCougar

Can you provide scripture references for this please?

Try here.

Christ addressed the issue directly in Matt. 22:21.Though this passage neither delineates the specific duties nor defines the relationship between the realms, it identifies Christians as citizens of two distinct kingdoms who fulfil separate obligations in each one. ...

This contrast between church and state is sharpened by the New Testament description of Christ's character and the apolitical nature of his inaugurated kingdom. Jesus said his followers were not of this world,(5) and they were to focus on his kingdom,(6) which also is not of this world.(7) His reign is spiritual and eternal: he rules the human heart, not a temporal, earthly domain,(8) and not an ethnic Jewish state.(9) He rebuked his disciples for desiring positions of authority like the Gentiles,(10) and he chastised them for asking him to restore the kingdom of Israel.(11) .... He refused to sit as a judge in secular matters,(13) resisted the temptation to seize worldly power, and fled from those who would crown him king.(14) ... In retrospect, the message was clear: he thoroughly opposed the use of magisterial power to build his kingdom.

Footnotes:

5 John 17:16
6 Matt. 6:33.
7John 18:36.
8 Luke 17:21; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 15:50.
9 Matt. 8:11-12.
10 Luke 22:24-30.
11 Acts 1:6-7.

13 Luke 12:14.
14 Matt. 4:8-11; John 6:15.