Political rants

It's been so long since I've spoken with a libertarian I don't even remember what exactly they stand for. I vaguely remember some credo of doing no harm in the context of political and economic power. As for the news they're all owned by a handful of major companies and have shifted focus from news to entertainment. With few exception they don't lie, but they don't tell the full story either or from perspectives critical of their parent company's goals and rarely are they held accountable in any way. You can always tell what a news entertainment company will and won't talk about or how they'll spin a story by who's funding them.

The jist of it is: "FREEDOM! FREEDOM FREEDOM! Mer'ca Freedom.... Freydom" if you're individualist and "Working within the system to garuntee our civil liberties and human rights are protected." if you're institutional. Basically just liberalism before it got corporatized and hyperbolic. We're by no means perfect. But show me an ideology that doesn't have some glaring issues. That's why compromise is important... *Leers at the alt right* Except for you, MR MAYOR!!! YOU NEVER WAS ONE OF US! *Angry Appalachian noises*

Sorry about the delay, smokers have to smoke off property in my complex and the little old people feel safer with me around. What counts as violence to libertarians and who makes that decision?

I'm a non-smoker, but just since I drink caffeine to manage with stress, That sounds kinda miserable. By the 8th time, I'd be like hiding cans like an achaholic. I don't speak for all libertarians, since like, I'm leftist. We tend to jump for the guns less quickly. Less of a bunker mentality, I guess. But self defense within the scope of your rights is all good. I do take self defense rather seriously, just having lived in Columbus for a bit. Running in and shooting up a place full of cops just because you think those rights are under threat? What does that actually accomplish? Seriously? If the cops aren't trained to deescalate a situation, then you gotta work within the system to make it more of a priority. Even if it's just on the local level. But there were some things during 2020 like Lafayette square that were kind of like "Yo, this is what it looks like when autocrats take power!" If there's a situation where the police intentionally direct protesters into an alley that they can't get out of without going through them, and then tell them they have to disperse or force will be used, only to open fire when someone tries to leave? Go ahead, dropkick the motherfuckers. The guns come out when the bullets are no longer rubber. I would say human rights overrule authoritative violence on that kind of situation.

Thank you for helping me understand your position a bit better. Though the bare minimum to consider one's self a leftist is calling for the undemocratic institution of capitalism to be removed from our democracy (It's like the one thing everyone agrees on in the left-o-sphere). That's because under capitalism the people who build up this society and keep it functioning make up the majority of the populace and have the least political power(the workers). Also fascist tend to steal our rhetoric to make themselves look better as a recruiting tool but they'll never abandon capitalism, so it's important to leftists that people differentiate between "Left of..." and leftist. This way of thinking has its origins in the seating arrangement in the French National Assembly during the French Revolution (The origin of Left and Right wing in politics). That mini rant aside, I'm a little miffed that US debates don't force parties to argue and defend from their opposing party's view points before arguing and defending their own. The cornerstone of debate is understanding your opponent's views and making a case that what you're advocating for is better. It baffles me that a society hellbent on unity wouldn't put it's public servants in a position to show understanding of everyone they'll be representing. Furthermore to win a debate under those circumstances highlights the flaws in one's own political/economic ideology ensuring that the public knows and that solutions get purposed.

Thank you for being a great example of why being able to understand an opposing view point is important for criticizing it.

@twobananasshyofapumpkinpie Right. I mean by most of the world's point of view, I'm very much a centrist. From America's point of view, I'm a raving socialist. In reality, social democracy is not necessarily a rejection of capitalism, just a balance patch. A way to reign in the lobbyists and corps, and get a chunk of the country above the poverty line. Kinda what Bernie's policy was actually advocating for, even though he himself subscribes to democratic socialism which is a step further to the left. I'd be fine with that too. Wouldn't be perfect, for the country, but it would help me out of the pit. Alphy, please remember that the form of communism most of us hate is authoritarian or nationalist communism, this dude's an anarchist, he's anything but big brother. So when you make broad statements like that, we Americans can't cover our asses the way other pro-capitalist countries can. The only thing we can flash is our military. And by the way, Soviet Union kinda collapsed thanks too its disproportionate military budget. It's literally the reason our healthcare is a joke to the rest of the world.

@chocopyro You're absolutely right about social democracy and democratic socialists...I personally tend to give them a pass because most people who take the full plunge into leftist ideology start there. They aren't advocating for the world I'd like to live in but I do support them when possible because what they want will help so many people. If politics moved a little faster I'd have no problem supporting them more, but politicians give us bandaids and when we try for better they point to those bandaids and say "see we just fixed that problem".