posted on May 10th, 2012, 6:39 am
hmm.
Well, as Canadian, we do get updates on US affairs in our news, but a lot of my understanding of American politics from an american perspective comes from Stewart and Colbert, both democrats so obviously a slanted view towards Republicans. In Canada, we currently have a conservative government as well.
However, as far as what is portrayed on 'republican television', i.e. fox, and wherever these clips come from on those shows, cnn etc... the whole republican ideology just looks utterly ridiculous.
For instance, I fail to see how this conception that 'Big Government' takes away from the 'Freedoms' of the people ... to an extent. If 'Big Government' is not responsible in its demeanour, or just inept... obviously that is going to have problems. But really, government is just a social institution that should be demonstrating responsible and organized behaviour for the whole. What 'freedoms' are being given up to allow this facet of society to function?
If we just hold that government is an organized and responsible expression of social interaction, then government would naturally oversee things that would be of benefit to us all - if, ideally, done properly. We get government overseeing infrastructure, trade, law, distribution of wealth etc. Now, I can connect the dots, and see that what the republicans would want is for this to be accomplished with low levels of government, small costs on the population etc... but it just doesn't seem that simple.
You want a government that is effective. So organized responsibility would generally avoid heading into repeated deficits (as responsibility would include financial responsibility inherently), and in fact, you could in my view in any place you see government replace it with the concept of 'organized responsibility'. A good government? Oh... so basically good organized responsibility (structured within society).
Giving way to freedoms, I wonder if some times we take this ideal too idealistically (pun intended). We want freedom! Well, freedom in the sense that we want the population to be free to act... outside of organized responsibility? Let that man make millions, and that man live in squalor, dammit I demand this freedom! In allowing a government to perform, what are saying 'freedoms' are? I mean really, are we looking for the freedom to have inequality in our society? The whole idea of good government... good organized responsibility, is that the whole population benefits. The smaller, or weaker your government, the less able it is to see to the success of this mandate.
Saying we want government regulations out of the picture, i.e. so just for example, no regulations from the government in the markets. Well if you take out organized responsibility from the markets, what are you left with? Self regulating markets that aren't really obligated to the social well being of a population. I just can't fathom the defence for letting markets, or most aspects of society self-regulating. Oh, the markets are just going to volunteer to fund public projects?
In general, I can't picture the strengths of republicans or their views.
Also with the comment about boring paragraphs, or flame wars... I suppose it is just a matter of a proper time and place to hold conversation. I see no problem with any forum holding such discussions. But
1) to hold the view that anyone who writes a lengthy thread post, or comment is attempting something contrived just to seem smart or equally empty sort of shoots any effort right in the foot to get anything accomplished. I'm sort of weary of modern times where everything is written in a 140 character tweet limit, as if good ideas are made so that only 14 year old adolescents can digest it, and anything more lengthy or deeper into the issues just evaporates in public discourse... well its little disconcerting to say the least.
2) that when these discussion take place flame wars will ensue, is almost as bad. On the one hand, you get an attitude that seems to suggest ... lets keep this conversation short, or else I'm not even going to discuss it with you, as an attitude of, even if we discuss it at all, we aren't going be able to accomplish much because its just going to fall to mush when we start making our points.
lol anyways, I've written myself out for now...
