Say Something Conciliatory to the “Other Side”

[Father Heathen]

Who says everything must be privatized?

Those who would label you a "socialist who wants the nanny state to take care of them" for wanting universal healthcare rather than the predatory system that holds your health hostage and bleeds you dry with inflated costs. Also, treatments make more money than cures, so that's where the industry focuses.

 

[Revoltingest]

Those who would label you a "socialist who wants the nanny state to take care of them" for wanting universal healthcare rather than the predatory system that holds your health hostage and bleeds you dry with inflated costs. Also, treatments make more money than cures, so that's where the industry focuses.

No names?

 

[averageJOE]

Democrats have iron discipline in sticking together. On the other hand, Republicans stick together like a herd of cats.

????
It seems you are not aware of the massive divide that is taking place right now in the DNC. The Establishment wing vs. the Progressive wing. The establishment Democrats (aka moderates or centrists) want to maintain the status quo, while the progressive Democrats are trying upend the party and give the power back to the people FDR style.

 

[columbus]

No names?

Too many to list.

And I'm pretty sure that RF rules disallow call outs.

Are you suggesting that you've never heard this expressed? On RF or in real life?
Tom

 

[Father Heathen]

Another thing I swing right on; illegal immigration. You can't just let anyone and everyone flood in without any sort of vetting or documentation. Where I differ however is that I believe they should be treated with pity rather than with disdain; most of them are simply fleeing violence and poverty in desperation and are simply seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Most who demonize and dehumanize illegal aliens would probably attempt to do the same in their shoes. Also, I don't see "the wall" being effective, especially not cost effective.

 

[Father Heathen]

????
It seems you are not aware of the massive divide that is taking place right now in the DNC. The Establishment wing vs. the Progressive wing. The establishment Democrats (aka moderates or centrists) want to maintain the status quo, while the progressive Democrats are trying upend the party and give the power back to the people FDR style.

Another divide, albeit more specific and minor although it likely falls across the same line, is cannabis legalization.

 

[Heyo]

FWIW, I agree with you.

If it helps, the purpose of this thread was less about being nice to each other. It was more about identifying overlapping nuances in our views, which may not otherwise come across.

It’s about demonstrating that we are not the 100% partisan stereotype straw men the other side may believe us to be. Not every Democrat thinks Venezuelan style socialism is a good thing. Not every Republican thinks gun control is a bad thing.

Yes, I also think there is some overlap, at least with me and some of the conservative ideals. I just want to know what ideals the conservatives still have. To me it seems that "follow the dear leader" is the only thing that still remains - but is it really?

 

[columbus]

@Revoltingest Did you delete post# 67?
Why can't I quote it?
Tom

 

[Revoltingest]

Too many to list.

And I'm pretty sure that RF rules disallow call outs.

Are you suggesting that you've never heard this expressed? On RF or in real life?
Tom

I'm skeptical of claims that any significant number of people
call for total privatization. If any posters here believe in it,
let them state so (without your having to name them).

 

[Revoltingest]

@Revoltingest Did you delete post# 67?
Why can't I quote it?
Tom

Because I thought I was responding to another poster in a different thread.
So the post had to go. There's a new response now.
Multi-tasking....not something I do well.

 

[BSM1]

But isn't everyone true to the tribe assigned to them?

I think the problem is many of any tribe want to think of everyone in opposing tribes in black and white instead of shades of grey.

 

[Father Heathen]

a Trump supporter referred to the Democratic party as my party. It isn't by any means.

If you dislike a specific party or politician, then you must magically love their opponent. Also, if you disagree with fellow liberals/conservatives, you magically become the opposite. That's the rules.

 

[Revoltingest]

I think the problem is many of any tribe want to think of everyone in opposing tribes in black and white instead of shades of grey.

Pish posh!
Who would be so myopic.

 

[BSM1]

Pish posh!
Who would be so myopic.

Well, ya got me there...

 

[Father Heathen]

No names?

of RFers? I won't call people out, which is against the rules anyway.
I will, however, suggest doing a search for "nanny state", "socialist", "tds" to give you an idea.

 

[Ouroboros]

Whichever side of the political spectrum you are on, what are some things you will admit or concede to the other side?

Being moderate and more centrist, should I speak to both sides?

What are some things we can ALL agree on? Could we all agree, for example, that polarization has gotten out of hand, and we need better ways of having political debates?

It's gone out of hand, agree to that. Do we need better ways of handling the debates? No. Limiting and censoring has its own pitfalls and dangers.

I would like to challenge all of us to really dig deep, and identify places where we agree, or are willing to acknowledge the other side has a good point even if we don’t fully agree.

We're all humans and we all have emotions and opinions. We can agree on that, I think...

I wish we could have more productive political debates. By that I mean, a debate where it is possible for one person to actually persuade another. Those are too rare these days. But they are the most enjoyable discussions.

We're all so hardheaded nowadays. We set our minds to an opinion and stick to it regardless of evidence or arguments. Not sure there's a way out of this hole we've dug ourselves into.

 

[Revoltingest]

of RFers? I won't call people out, which is against the rules anyway.
I will, however, suggest doing a search for "nanny state", "socialist", "tds" to give you an idea.

The search function isn't working for me this past week.
But I know many wielding the terms you listed, & don't
recall any advocating privatizing all government functions.

 

[Left Coast]

Whichever side of the political spectrum you are on, what are some things you will admit or concede to the other side?

What are some things we can ALL agree on? Could we all agree, for example, that polarization has gotten out of hand, and we need better ways of having political debates?

I would like to challenge all of us to really dig deep, and identify places where we agree, or are willing to acknowledge the other side has a good point even if we don’t fully agree.

I wish we could have more productive political debates. By that I mean, a debate where it is possible for one person to actually persuade another. Those are too rare these days. But they are the most enjoyable discussions.

A lot of folks here (conservatives, particularly) don't seem seriously interested in this exercise at all, but in the spirit of optimism I'll say:

I sympathize with conservative distrust of government. Government is often a tool of great violence and oppression, and tremendously corrupted by greed.

 

[columbus]

OK

Tell me if this opinion of mine is liberal or conservative.

Much of my Irish ancestors were mostly no 'count Papists. No skills. A fair number probably had some disease. They were trying to escape the disaster that was Christian ruled Ireland, in the latter part of the 19th century. But they got here.
The first couple of generations were mainly noted for livestock rustling and horse thievery.

By the 40s, they were mostly "poor but proud" Illinois farmers. They'd survived The Depression.
By my parents generation, Irish people had become white. Took awhile, generations, but it happened. My dad fought WWII, survived, came home, fully exploited the GI bill to get a college degree, then got married and started a family.

I'm a hardcore believer in "USA! Nation of Immigrants!".
Bring in all those people who despise wherever they were born. Give them a job and the opportunity to improve themselves and especially improve things for their children.

THAT'S WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT

I do not think that walling out people is American, much less conservative. It's anti-Christian, anti-American progressive nonsense.

But for some reason, Trump supporters don't think I'm a conservative.

What's with that? I'm advocating the Christian, American, Way of doing things. But, somehow, a philandering billionaire with ties to Russia has become the "conservative" leader?!?!

Tom

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

What to say to the other side of any argument?

Best thing of all is to repeat back at them what you think their last point was -- in your own words, so that they can know if you understood them properly -- and then present your reasons and evidence for that shows why you disagree with their view. Only then present your own view -- and preferably the evidence that supports it.

If everybody did this consistently, most arguments would be just a few posts long.