I'm a conservative Republican and I know I disagree with you sometimes. But that's natural, everybody is not going to agree on everything. What makes your voice so important, I think, is that you were willing to step outside your bubble and see things from another point of view. That is rare. And if this country is to be saved from the worst totalitarian impulses of the Left, we have to hope that there are millions more like you out there.
My comment on healthcare is, first, it is not a right as some on the Left (DSA) are now saying. "Rights" are God-given and none of us are guaranteed good health by God, nor any living thing for that matter. In fact, since God is the architect of all things, then he/she devised evolution which is reliant on death to advance. Second, as healthcare is a privilege and not a right, then it must be paid for in the proportion that society deems appropriate. It has limits. Not everyone can receive $10M of lifetime care or it won't work. Also, we cannot offer more healthcare than our society has provided the resources like doctors, nurses and hospitals. Citizens who pay for healthcare should be first in line. There is nothing "fair" about someone who has paid into the system all their life in taxes should be denied coverage to the benefit of someone who has never paid in. Sorry, Libs, that is just the way it must be.
Nicely stated. Few people are willing to say that medical care is not a right. To call it a right means you have prior claim over the product of someone else’s labor. When Hillary Clinton wanted to restructure healthcare she searched the country to find folks who could not get needed care and could not find anyone. Of course this was before we had open borders and upwards of 50 million folks entering the country illegally. Not to mention the progeny of said group. Almost impossible to provide for them.
To add on: I have never heard or seen anybody discuss the sheer magnitude of money and personnel required to ramp up centralized healthcare; nor have I heard/seen anyone discuss a pleasant experience dealing with any government agency at any level, local-state-federal.
This obsession with centralization of healthcare is anathema to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Anyone who has worked in a large organization with central headquarters and dispersed locations can immediately grasp the potential absolute failure of centralized healthcare. There has never been centralized anything that could collect and utilize all of the data required to make beneficial decisions. Or that didn’t involve corruption.
This is a false argument. Some people fall over at 65 from a heart attack and cost the health care system nothing. They don't get a refund, either. The general rule with US healthcare is if you paid in up to retirement, then you get covered whether you fall over at 65 or live until 90 with cancer treatment. It is a shared risk model across those who PAID IN. It is not hard to understand, really.
Our opinions are informed by our life experiences. Sasha, your heart bleeds like a liberal but your intuition and practical common sense is that of a conservative. I deeply enjoy your writing and see you as a seeker, both spiritually and intellectually. Why would I unsubscribe because I occasionally disagree with your view point? That would be trivial and boringly punitive.
Most Americans have a lot of compassion. Conservatives have traditionally been much more charitable than liberals, according to surveys. The difference is how you convey your charity: do you expect your government and its NGOs to do it for you, using the taxes of wealthy people? Or do you get involved and do it yourself? That is the big difference between Left and Right
We certainly saw that in action after Helene in North Carolina. It was the Conservatives who stepped up and in to save Liberal Asheville and its environs. But did Asheville turn even just a little shade of Purple? Nope. Blue as ever.
Wealthy people probably don't pay the same percentage as middle class people, in taxes. And I'm talking about ALL taxes: property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, utility taxes, cell phone taxes, internet taxes, gas taxes, trucking taxes that get added to products, etc.
Hi Sasha, another lifelong Democrat, who is now center of the road is how I stand. My childhood included seeing Mexicans work in the fields, but it also included having Mexicans kick my ass in the bathroom because they hated white people, or gringos as they called us. Also remember how my buddy lost his electrical business because other contractors used illegals and could underbid him. So yeah, illegally had a purpose, which was mainly to lower wages for white people living in California. Again, I don’t blame Mexicans for coming here and working under the table, but in the long run, it was screwing us.
This is the reason that Bernie Sanders, when he was being honest, was very much for border controls and ICE and against immigration and importation. Now, Bernie is just a sellout for whom I have lost all respect
Sasha, continue with your commitment to “thine own self be true”. As someone who has been on a very similar journey, your nuance is appreciated. It’s what makes you so special. Don’t cave to either side and I know that you will not. From all that you’ve written, It is simply not in your nature. Stay the course.
But, Sasha doesn’t ‘stay the course!” She sees, she comes to understand, she grows - and she changes her mind as she grows. The Democrat Party ‘stays the course.’
I was a democrat and a house building carpenter- foreman for decades, with enough sympathy to have trained several illegal immigrant apprentices. I saw white contractors who spoke spanish hire all-illegal crews for bad pay, and i saw mexican contractors hire all illegals for worse pay. The net effect was the degradation of an entire industry—I never saw a raise for increased cost of living in thirty five years. A hard job that used to support a family. It doesn’t matter about my sympathy. For the sake of all the hardworking young Americans, I was wrong.
Same here - my husband was screwed. His pay in the field should've been better, although it helped some that he was in a union - the only time I'm on board with unions (although the dumbshit leaders of the unions are all pro-Dem) is with skilled (in my husband's case, he was highly skilled) blue collar workers. I'm totally against government employee unions because it's a racket.
Govt employee unions always get what they want because they dicker with Government bosses who are NOT hurt by any demands of the unions. Only the taxpayers get screwed. Even FDR was opposed to Government unions.
Once upon a long time back, I was a slightly left of center moderate. My, how time has helped me to mature and the actions of those on the extreme left (and especially the others on the left who are not as extreme but let that element of the party dictate how the party votes) have helped move me more to the right side of center. I have deliberately avoided being part of any party. I have always been a registered independent and will continue to vote for the candidate,regardless of party, that I think will do the best job of representing my values. My thinking irks people on a regular basis, but that doesn't bother me in the least. I say those differences should be an invitation for debate. Not name calling, finger pointing and blame laying, but real debate. I am always on the lookout for other moderates who have managed to stay away from the political extremes. Sady, they are fewer in number than I care to admit, but I keep looking.
I am the same, basically a JFK liberal, which is someone right of center today and an independent. Though, other than John Fetterman, there is no Democrat I would vote for today. Don Peebles (Florida) said he might run for President. If he does, he will get strong consideration from me
I think the problem is even with a sane candidate the dem party is functionally insane.
Openly cheering for sociopath Islamists in Hamas and Tehran?
Men thrashing women in sports, raping them in prison.
I don’t get how any sane person can vote for that.
I hope Mandami gets chased thru the streets on Friday and whatever comes after that. There is no proof but I bet he gets a warm glow when he sees the footage of the towers falling.
I was thinking today that Mamdani might be the new Robespierre. He promised to free the French from the aristocracy and when he didn't and was found to just be another faux-aristocrat, he had his head cut off.
Isn't it interesting that all of these "socialists" being voted into office come from a position of wealth? And they have NO intention of letting that wealth go. If they are true socialist, why don't they contribute their wealth to the masses? (That is a rhetorical question)
Tonight, Trump made public pledge that every American adult would receive a $5,000 ‘Trump Dividend’ - if R’s keep majority Congress at the upcoming midterms.
If this payout occurred, it would be approx. USD one trillion three hundred fifty billion (270 million x $5,000). That is insanity. We already have a $40T national debt.
For context, Scott Bessent and U.S. Treasury Department just announced it will buy back up to $6 billion of government debt. With aim to inject liquidity into the secondary market, and combat what Bessent described as market "fever," and ease surging long-term corporate and consumer borrowing costs.
I used to live and work in Thailand. This reminds me of the former PM there, Thaksin. He used to give out cows to poor villagers in exchange for votes. I think if R’s keep the majority Trump will do something but I don’t think it’ll be $5K per adult. There will be some kind of rugpull. $ for votes like this is pretty bare knuckle, middle school student body election shenanigans. And I wouldn’t like it if shoe was on other foot. The US Treasury should not be used this way. It shows me Trump is getting a bit long in the tooth. This is in fact, socialism. It’s most definitely not conservatism.
MAGA (from its Tea Party roots) was partially about bringing spending and debt under control. Trump has instead been a big ass spender. I like most all of what he’s done as 47, except the spending is completely out of order.
Biden gave away 10 billion (?) in student loan payments and most college students vote Dem. Biden gave millions to farmers but ONLY minority farmers, who mostly vote Dem, no doubt (SCOTUS overturned it, because it was illegal to discriminate, but by that time, the Biden admin. said "Oops, we spent all the aid money already - there's none left".
At least this would go to all citizens and 1.3 trillion is peanuts to all the give-aways that Democrats have given to voters, by way of the NGO's and USAID that they funded, funneling money to those who donate and vote for THEM, often using schemes that were fraudulent theft. Some say the fraud is 3 to 5 trillion a year (probably less now that USAID was shut down).
And note that Trump's talked about doing this for a while now - in context of the tariff money that came in and we got at least 1 trillion from that (or more - I can't recall what Sec. Besset said). Stupid SCOTUS ruled against his tariffs (EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, regarding trade) so a good chunk of that money had to be returned.
If the Democrat party was like the party of JFK, I'd probably be a Democrat today. And I agree, Fetterman is the only decent Democrat in the bunch. Maybe Manchin.
But Manchin is out of politics now. If we go back to previous years, then Kirsten Sinema has also won my respect. She, at one time, was far Left, a radical activist. She worked her way back to the center so much that the Left activists started hating her. I live in AZ and Sinema is now an advocate (paid, I am sure) for AI data centers.
I'm with you on Fetterman. He is much more moderate and I don't believe he belongs in either of the 2 main parties. I can see him running as an independent and actually winning IF the dems in his district can avoid the straight party ticket. It is quick and easy to push the ONE button to vote than to g through each position and vote according to your conscious.
I never paid any attention to Pebbles quite honestly. I'll have to do some research on him and see exactly what makes him tick.
As a member of a committee in the Senate, Fetterman made a vote the other day that was terrible and corrupt. He votes a lot (the majority of the time) with Democrats, so I'd never vote for him.
There is no person on earth I agree with 100%. And it doesn't hurt me one bit when your views stray from mine because I appreciate the opportunity to rethink my positions. Challenges to our thinking keep us sharp, and open to discussion. I appreciate all that you do, Sasha!
Sasha, I understand your thoughts towards illegals who have been here a long time. My thoughts break down this way. Has the person sought to assimilate? If not they need to go. If push ever comes to shove, the unassimilated won't have any Americans back. Anybody waving a Mexican or la raza or any foreign flag needs to go. They're not Americans and don't want to be. Anyone here illegally who wants to be an American needs to self deport and come back the "right" way!
You sound just like my legal neighbors in California. A vast majority of Mexican Americans (and other naturalized citizens) stand against illegals. Their voices go unheard.
It never ceases to amaze me that people think the way to deal with opposing ideas or beliefs or values is to cut off all dialogue about their differences. Sasha, I don’t necessarily disagree with all of what you have written but I do have some questions sometimes about how you may have arrived at those beliefs. I love how you explain the evolution of your thought and I do try to remain open about our conflicting opinions. To me, that is the beauty of America. We have the option. I want to tell people, don’t run away from your differences. Embrace them. We are one of the very few countries that still tolerates tolerance.
To be able to feel and think and reap the wisdom of both is a sign of maturity.
Liberalism requires disavowing political loyalty. We must be loyal to ideas and principles. Ideally we vote for whomever has the best ones. Or pragmatically whoever has the least bad ones. Usually a combo of both!
i always remember an old Twight Zone, where a guy is always complaining about every thing and every one, and if only they would think and act like him. So he wakes up and every one is thinking and acting like him, they even look like him and he can't stand it. the point is we are all different, God loves variety. But i believe the Democratic party has made America intolerant of any one who doesn't agree with them, 100% now. And this mentality has infected all of society not just the democrats but every one. Yes there is a time to say something is wrong, like murder is wrong, we can't condone murder, but a difference of opinion, unless it is based on a lie. I like blue you like red, therefore i will not be your friend, what an absurdity, i am a democrat, i am a republican, i am an independent. Remember President Reagan he would have dinner with Tip O'Neill, of course he was an old style democrat, he wanted the good for all Americans and therefore he could be respectful as well as disagree and the same with Reagan. So what can we do? 1st know the facts, don't use emotions, use the truth. 2nd put ourselves in their shoes, have compassion and listen. 3rd i believe it is call the Socratic method ask why they believe what they believe. Once a person asked me to sign a petition to force oil companies to sell gas cheaper. i said well lets say you own a car and want to sell it for a $1000, but a group gets together and tells you , you can not sell it for a $1000 but only $500. Is that fair to force you to sell it for $1000. so i when in to store and when i came out , the person was sitting under a tree in the parking lot. did i change the person mind maybe, but i did not argue, i sort of put the shoe on the other foot. If we can help people see from a different angle maybe there will be hope for all of us.
"...as a former Liberal growing up without healthcare..."
Did you mean to say that you grew up without healthcare insurance?
Obamacare caused healthcare insurance rates to skyrocket. The only people paying the same or less are those who are subsidized. In other words, their insurance costs also skyrocketed, so we're paying both for our own overpriced insurance, and a chunk of theirs. Thank you, Obama.
Obamacare ,for reason known only to Obama and his minions, created Obamacare such that insurance companies can only make more money if they raise prices. So they raise prices. They have little to no incentive to reduce costs. Reducing costs actually causes them to LOSE money. Thanks again, Obama.
Sasha, to thine own self be true. The rest will work itself out.
Well said, sir. Sorry for your loss; prayers.
I'm a conservative Republican and I know I disagree with you sometimes. But that's natural, everybody is not going to agree on everything. What makes your voice so important, I think, is that you were willing to step outside your bubble and see things from another point of view. That is rare. And if this country is to be saved from the worst totalitarian impulses of the Left, we have to hope that there are millions more like you out there.
My comment on healthcare is, first, it is not a right as some on the Left (DSA) are now saying. "Rights" are God-given and none of us are guaranteed good health by God, nor any living thing for that matter. In fact, since God is the architect of all things, then he/she devised evolution which is reliant on death to advance. Second, as healthcare is a privilege and not a right, then it must be paid for in the proportion that society deems appropriate. It has limits. Not everyone can receive $10M of lifetime care or it won't work. Also, we cannot offer more healthcare than our society has provided the resources like doctors, nurses and hospitals. Citizens who pay for healthcare should be first in line. There is nothing "fair" about someone who has paid into the system all their life in taxes should be denied coverage to the benefit of someone who has never paid in. Sorry, Libs, that is just the way it must be.
Nicely stated. Few people are willing to say that medical care is not a right. To call it a right means you have prior claim over the product of someone else’s labor. When Hillary Clinton wanted to restructure healthcare she searched the country to find folks who could not get needed care and could not find anyone. Of course this was before we had open borders and upwards of 50 million folks entering the country illegally. Not to mention the progeny of said group. Almost impossible to provide for them.
To add on: I have never heard or seen anybody discuss the sheer magnitude of money and personnel required to ramp up centralized healthcare; nor have I heard/seen anyone discuss a pleasant experience dealing with any government agency at any level, local-state-federal.
This obsession with centralization of healthcare is anathema to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Anyone who has worked in a large organization with central headquarters and dispersed locations can immediately grasp the potential absolute failure of centralized healthcare. There has never been centralized anything that could collect and utilize all of the data required to make beneficial decisions. Or that didn’t involve corruption.
Hear, hear!
This is a false argument. Some people fall over at 65 from a heart attack and cost the health care system nothing. They don't get a refund, either. The general rule with US healthcare is if you paid in up to retirement, then you get covered whether you fall over at 65 or live until 90 with cancer treatment. It is a shared risk model across those who PAID IN. It is not hard to understand, really.
Our opinions are informed by our life experiences. Sasha, your heart bleeds like a liberal but your intuition and practical common sense is that of a conservative. I deeply enjoy your writing and see you as a seeker, both spiritually and intellectually. Why would I unsubscribe because I occasionally disagree with your view point? That would be trivial and boringly punitive.
Most Americans have a lot of compassion. Conservatives have traditionally been much more charitable than liberals, according to surveys. The difference is how you convey your charity: do you expect your government and its NGOs to do it for you, using the taxes of wealthy people? Or do you get involved and do it yourself? That is the big difference between Left and Right
We certainly saw that in action after Helene in North Carolina. It was the Conservatives who stepped up and in to save Liberal Asheville and its environs. But did Asheville turn even just a little shade of Purple? Nope. Blue as ever.
Wealthy people probably don't pay the same percentage as middle class people, in taxes. And I'm talking about ALL taxes: property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, utility taxes, cell phone taxes, internet taxes, gas taxes, trucking taxes that get added to products, etc.
Well said Nancy.
Hi Sasha, another lifelong Democrat, who is now center of the road is how I stand. My childhood included seeing Mexicans work in the fields, but it also included having Mexicans kick my ass in the bathroom because they hated white people, or gringos as they called us. Also remember how my buddy lost his electrical business because other contractors used illegals and could underbid him. So yeah, illegally had a purpose, which was mainly to lower wages for white people living in California. Again, I don’t blame Mexicans for coming here and working under the table, but in the long run, it was screwing us.
This is the reason that Bernie Sanders, when he was being honest, was very much for border controls and ICE and against immigration and importation. Now, Bernie is just a sellout for whom I have lost all respect
Cesar Chavez was ahead of most everyone on the illegals front, and now he’s been cancelled, even after he’s long dead.
Bernie is the most dangerous person in the U.S. —& is a hypocrite.
I disagree: AOC is the "most dangerous person in the US" because she talks and thinks like Bernie Sanders, BUT is cute, female, and photogenic.
Sasha, continue with your commitment to “thine own self be true”. As someone who has been on a very similar journey, your nuance is appreciated. It’s what makes you so special. Don’t cave to either side and I know that you will not. From all that you’ve written, It is simply not in your nature. Stay the course.
But, Sasha doesn’t ‘stay the course!” She sees, she comes to understand, she grows - and she changes her mind as she grows. The Democrat Party ‘stays the course.’
That’s why I stand with Sasha.
I was a democrat and a house building carpenter- foreman for decades, with enough sympathy to have trained several illegal immigrant apprentices. I saw white contractors who spoke spanish hire all-illegal crews for bad pay, and i saw mexican contractors hire all illegals for worse pay. The net effect was the degradation of an entire industry—I never saw a raise for increased cost of living in thirty five years. A hard job that used to support a family. It doesn’t matter about my sympathy. For the sake of all the hardworking young Americans, I was wrong.
Same here - my husband was screwed. His pay in the field should've been better, although it helped some that he was in a union - the only time I'm on board with unions (although the dumbshit leaders of the unions are all pro-Dem) is with skilled (in my husband's case, he was highly skilled) blue collar workers. I'm totally against government employee unions because it's a racket.
Govt employee unions always get what they want because they dicker with Government bosses who are NOT hurt by any demands of the unions. Only the taxpayers get screwed. Even FDR was opposed to Government unions.
Exactly - it's an extortion racket.
WOW, surprised FDR was against it!
Once upon a long time back, I was a slightly left of center moderate. My, how time has helped me to mature and the actions of those on the extreme left (and especially the others on the left who are not as extreme but let that element of the party dictate how the party votes) have helped move me more to the right side of center. I have deliberately avoided being part of any party. I have always been a registered independent and will continue to vote for the candidate,regardless of party, that I think will do the best job of representing my values. My thinking irks people on a regular basis, but that doesn't bother me in the least. I say those differences should be an invitation for debate. Not name calling, finger pointing and blame laying, but real debate. I am always on the lookout for other moderates who have managed to stay away from the political extremes. Sady, they are fewer in number than I care to admit, but I keep looking.
I am the same, basically a JFK liberal, which is someone right of center today and an independent. Though, other than John Fetterman, there is no Democrat I would vote for today. Don Peebles (Florida) said he might run for President. If he does, he will get strong consideration from me
I think the problem is even with a sane candidate the dem party is functionally insane.
Openly cheering for sociopath Islamists in Hamas and Tehran?
Men thrashing women in sports, raping them in prison.
I don’t get how any sane person can vote for that.
I hope Mandami gets chased thru the streets on Friday and whatever comes after that. There is no proof but I bet he gets a warm glow when he sees the footage of the towers falling.
I was thinking today that Mamdani might be the new Robespierre. He promised to free the French from the aristocracy and when he didn't and was found to just be another faux-aristocrat, he had his head cut off.
Isn't it interesting that all of these "socialists" being voted into office come from a position of wealth? And they have NO intention of letting that wealth go. If they are true socialist, why don't they contribute their wealth to the masses? (That is a rhetorical question)
Tonight, Trump made public pledge that every American adult would receive a $5,000 ‘Trump Dividend’ - if R’s keep majority Congress at the upcoming midterms.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6080741-trump-dividend-november-pledge/
If this payout occurred, it would be approx. USD one trillion three hundred fifty billion (270 million x $5,000). That is insanity. We already have a $40T national debt.
For context, Scott Bessent and U.S. Treasury Department just announced it will buy back up to $6 billion of government debt. With aim to inject liquidity into the secondary market, and combat what Bessent described as market "fever," and ease surging long-term corporate and consumer borrowing costs.
I used to live and work in Thailand. This reminds me of the former PM there, Thaksin. He used to give out cows to poor villagers in exchange for votes. I think if R’s keep the majority Trump will do something but I don’t think it’ll be $5K per adult. There will be some kind of rugpull. $ for votes like this is pretty bare knuckle, middle school student body election shenanigans. And I wouldn’t like it if shoe was on other foot. The US Treasury should not be used this way. It shows me Trump is getting a bit long in the tooth. This is in fact, socialism. It’s most definitely not conservatism.
MAGA (from its Tea Party roots) was partially about bringing spending and debt under control. Trump has instead been a big ass spender. I like most all of what he’s done as 47, except the spending is completely out of order.
Biden gave away 10 billion (?) in student loan payments and most college students vote Dem. Biden gave millions to farmers but ONLY minority farmers, who mostly vote Dem, no doubt (SCOTUS overturned it, because it was illegal to discriminate, but by that time, the Biden admin. said "Oops, we spent all the aid money already - there's none left".
At least this would go to all citizens and 1.3 trillion is peanuts to all the give-aways that Democrats have given to voters, by way of the NGO's and USAID that they funded, funneling money to those who donate and vote for THEM, often using schemes that were fraudulent theft. Some say the fraud is 3 to 5 trillion a year (probably less now that USAID was shut down).
And note that Trump's talked about doing this for a while now - in context of the tariff money that came in and we got at least 1 trillion from that (or more - I can't recall what Sec. Besset said). Stupid SCOTUS ruled against his tariffs (EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, regarding trade) so a good chunk of that money had to be returned.
I think it would have to do with tax deductions in some way.
If the Democrat party was like the party of JFK, I'd probably be a Democrat today. And I agree, Fetterman is the only decent Democrat in the bunch. Maybe Manchin.
But Manchin is out of politics now. If we go back to previous years, then Kirsten Sinema has also won my respect. She, at one time, was far Left, a radical activist. She worked her way back to the center so much that the Left activists started hating her. I live in AZ and Sinema is now an advocate (paid, I am sure) for AI data centers.
I'm with you on Fetterman. He is much more moderate and I don't believe he belongs in either of the 2 main parties. I can see him running as an independent and actually winning IF the dems in his district can avoid the straight party ticket. It is quick and easy to push the ONE button to vote than to g through each position and vote according to your conscious.
I never paid any attention to Pebbles quite honestly. I'll have to do some research on him and see exactly what makes him tick.
As a member of a committee in the Senate, Fetterman made a vote the other day that was terrible and corrupt. He votes a lot (the majority of the time) with Democrats, so I'd never vote for him.
There is no person on earth I agree with 100%. And it doesn't hurt me one bit when your views stray from mine because I appreciate the opportunity to rethink my positions. Challenges to our thinking keep us sharp, and open to discussion. I appreciate all that you do, Sasha!
Couldn’t say it better.
Married 52 years, " I'm sorry" "You're right" and "yes dear" makes me 100% in agreement!
Sasha, I understand your thoughts towards illegals who have been here a long time. My thoughts break down this way. Has the person sought to assimilate? If not they need to go. If push ever comes to shove, the unassimilated won't have any Americans back. Anybody waving a Mexican or la raza or any foreign flag needs to go. They're not Americans and don't want to be. Anyone here illegally who wants to be an American needs to self deport and come back the "right" way!
You sound just like my legal neighbors in California. A vast majority of Mexican Americans (and other naturalized citizens) stand against illegals. Their voices go unheard.
I present the Asian model. Assimilate and kick a$$, keep your family values and traditions and enjoy our freedoms.
Who can find a more genuine, honest woman? Stone is an oasis in the social media desert.
Nobody is perfect, but you come very close...
It never ceases to amaze me that people think the way to deal with opposing ideas or beliefs or values is to cut off all dialogue about their differences. Sasha, I don’t necessarily disagree with all of what you have written but I do have some questions sometimes about how you may have arrived at those beliefs. I love how you explain the evolution of your thought and I do try to remain open about our conflicting opinions. To me, that is the beauty of America. We have the option. I want to tell people, don’t run away from your differences. Embrace them. We are one of the very few countries that still tolerates tolerance.
I'm on the same journey as you.
Nuance is critical.
To be able to feel and think and reap the wisdom of both is a sign of maturity.
Liberalism requires disavowing political loyalty. We must be loyal to ideas and principles. Ideally we vote for whomever has the best ones. Or pragmatically whoever has the least bad ones. Usually a combo of both!
i always remember an old Twight Zone, where a guy is always complaining about every thing and every one, and if only they would think and act like him. So he wakes up and every one is thinking and acting like him, they even look like him and he can't stand it. the point is we are all different, God loves variety. But i believe the Democratic party has made America intolerant of any one who doesn't agree with them, 100% now. And this mentality has infected all of society not just the democrats but every one. Yes there is a time to say something is wrong, like murder is wrong, we can't condone murder, but a difference of opinion, unless it is based on a lie. I like blue you like red, therefore i will not be your friend, what an absurdity, i am a democrat, i am a republican, i am an independent. Remember President Reagan he would have dinner with Tip O'Neill, of course he was an old style democrat, he wanted the good for all Americans and therefore he could be respectful as well as disagree and the same with Reagan. So what can we do? 1st know the facts, don't use emotions, use the truth. 2nd put ourselves in their shoes, have compassion and listen. 3rd i believe it is call the Socratic method ask why they believe what they believe. Once a person asked me to sign a petition to force oil companies to sell gas cheaper. i said well lets say you own a car and want to sell it for a $1000, but a group gets together and tells you , you can not sell it for a $1000 but only $500. Is that fair to force you to sell it for $1000. so i when in to store and when i came out , the person was sitting under a tree in the parking lot. did i change the person mind maybe, but i did not argue, i sort of put the shoe on the other foot. If we can help people see from a different angle maybe there will be hope for all of us.
"...as a former Liberal growing up without healthcare..."
Did you mean to say that you grew up without healthcare insurance?
Obamacare caused healthcare insurance rates to skyrocket. The only people paying the same or less are those who are subsidized. In other words, their insurance costs also skyrocketed, so we're paying both for our own overpriced insurance, and a chunk of theirs. Thank you, Obama.
Obamacare ,for reason known only to Obama and his minions, created Obamacare such that insurance companies can only make more money if they raise prices. So they raise prices. They have little to no incentive to reduce costs. Reducing costs actually causes them to LOSE money. Thanks again, Obama.