Quote from: Nikko on March 02, 2014, 06:25:27 PM
Good, I was beginning to think you were going to dissect and analyze everything I say here. I just have no problem seeing the truth for what it is, no matter how uncomfortable it is to me or others. No offense.

The problem is, your "truth" isn't necessarily my truth. Without the ability to come to any consensus and agree on any sort of facts this country isn't going to be anything but divided.

Quote from: Jamie D on March 02, 2014, 05:38:30 AM
It takes two to tango, hon.  Gridlock is the result of the past couple of general elections.  I would much rather have a Congress that holds the line against the excesses of 2009-2011.  And things look like Harry Reid will be the Minority leader in the Senate starting January 2015.

I think you are dreaming... and I wonder what you will think when you wake up to reality...

Demographics are swaying people away from your party and ideology. One, because of conservatives themselves (way too pugilistic and unwilling to modernize to current social attitudes), two is because conservative economic policies have shown to be completely ineffective, and three, millenials are keenly aware of who screwed them out of the American Dream... socialist is not a dirty word to them.

Face it, the tactics of McCarthyism, using fear to shake voters into your way of thinking doesn't work anymore... out of certain areas of the south anyway...

Quote from: Yukari-sensei on March 02, 2014, 08:07:16 PM
I think you are dreaming... and I wonder what you will think when you wake up to reality...

Demographics are swaying people away from your party and ideology. One, because of conservatives themselves (way too pugilistic and unwilling to modernize to current social attitudes), two is because conservative economic policies have shown to be completely ineffective, and three, millenials are keenly aware of who screwed them out of the American Dream... socialist is not a dirty word to them.

Face it, the tactics of McCarthyism, using fear to shake voters into your way of thinking doesn't work anymore... out of certain areas of the south anyway...

This is key word here. As a group, the millenials are further left than any generation for decades and the largest since the boomers. Good or bad, there's little denying a hard shift left's en route.

Quote from: G:W:Y:N:N:E on March 02, 2014, 10:17:33 PM
As a group, the millenials are further left than any generation for decades and the largest since the boomers. Good or bad, there's little denying a hard shift left's en route.

Actually, I think the trend for politics going left has more to do with what the right is doing.  The thing is that a lot of the conservative millenials are not wingnuts.  So, anytime a candidate runs their mouth on some religious nonsense, or starts talking about morality, or trickle-down economics, they basically lose almost all of the millenial vote.  A lot of millenial conservatives are closer aligned with libertarians than they are with Republicans.

It's not so much the left gaining ground, but it also has to do with the right shooting themselves in the foot.  It actually looks like people are becoming more liberal, when in reality they are just becoming less stupid on the topic of government and politics.  There are conservative millenials, but I've met few who buy into the right wing conservative rhetoric.  Meanwhile, Republicans think that they aren't conservative enough, so they have to out-conserve other Republicans by going even more right-wing.  The extreme right wing is a dying dinosaur.  The extreme left has a much higher chance of gaining significant ground in this country, and that chance will likely increase if the Republicans don't start being more moderate, because people will just keep voting Democrat.

Quote from: G:W:Y:N:N:E on March 02, 2014, 10:17:33 PM
This is key word here. As a group, the millenials are further left than any generation for decades and the largest since the boomers. Good or bad, there's little denying a hard shift left's en route.

New poll shows conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 states

Examiner.com | David W. Thornton
01 February 2014

A new Gallup poll released on January 31 shows that conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 states. Although liberal identification has reached a new high in the wake of Barack Obama's reelection, conservatives still make up the largest ideological group in most states. Nevertheless, the average gap between conservatives and liberals shrank from 15.9 to 14.6 percent since 2012.

The three states in which liberals outnumbered conservatives were Hawaii, Massachusetts and Vermont. Other states that rounded out the liberal top ten were Delaware, New York, Oregon, Maine, California, and New Jersey. The District of Columbia is the most liberal "state" with 38 percent of its population identifying as liberal....

The swing states from recent elections all boast a double-digit conservative advantage leading one to question why Florida, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, and Ohio all voted for Barack Obama. According to Gallup, the answer lies with moderate voters.

Even though conservatives are the largest ideological group in most states as well as nationally, the fact that they make up less than 50 percent of the electorate means that Republicans need to reach out to moderate voters, something that they have had problems with in recent years.

Quote from: VeryGnawty on March 03, 2014, 01:18:43 AM
Actually, I think the trend for politics going left has more to do with what the right is doing.  The thing is that a lot of the conservative millenials are not wingnuts.  So, anytime a candidate runs their mouth on some religious nonsense, or starts talking about morality, or trickle-down economics, they basically lose almost all of the millenial vote.  A lot of millenial conservatives are closer aligned with libertarians than they are with Republicans.

It's not so much the left gaining ground, but it also has to do with the right shooting themselves in the foot.  It actually looks like people are becoming more liberal, when in reality they are just becoming less stupid on the topic of government and politics.  There are conservative millenials, but I've met few who buy into the right wing conservative rhetoric.  Meanwhile, Republicans think that they aren't conservative enough, so they have to out-conserve other Republicans by going even more right-wing.  The extreme right wing is a dying dinosaur.  The extreme left has a much higher chance of gaining significant ground in this country, and that chance will likely increase if the Republicans don't start being more moderate, because people will just keep voting Democrat.

Virginia which just recently was considered a red state has two democratic senators, a democratic AG, Deomcratic Lt. Gov, Democratic Gov, a de facto democratic majority in the state senate. Republicans only control the state house, and the US house reps... I feel this hasn't been due to economics, or business policy or anything like that, it has had everything to do with social conservatism becoming very unpopular.

This last election was a perfect example of how the Republican party hasn't been keeping up with the cultural changes in Virginia. First the AG decided to challenge the Lt. Gov (who was more moderate) by convincing the state party leaders of the Republican party to switch to nomination via convention rather than a primary vote (VA law allows parties to change how they want to select a candidate). This basically assured the AG to get the nomination...

The problem with that was the AG (also the gov. candidate now, VA doesn't require him to resign to run) had fought to try to bring back anti-sodomy laws, he issued a memo telling state run institutions that they could fire gays if they wanted, he pushed to have women penetrated by an ultrasound wand before they could get an abortion not for any legitimate medical need. He then ran with lt. gov candidate who openly stated yoga was the path to Satan. Of course they all lost their elections and democrats swept the state offices.

These people wanted the government to get right into the bedroom with you and enforce morality, conservatives who want small, effective government don't want the government in the bedroom enforcing morality any more than liberals do. Until Republicans learn that they will slowly lose there grip at least on Virginia.

Quote from: VeryGnawty on March 03, 2014, 01:18:43 AM
Actually, I think the trend for politics going left has more to do with what the right is doing.  The thing is that a lot of the conservative millenials are not wingnuts.  So, anytime a candidate runs their mouth on some religious nonsense, or starts talking about morality, or trickle-down economics, they basically lose almost all of the millenial vote.  A lot of millenial conservatives are closer aligned with libertarians than they are with Republicans.

It's not so much the left gaining ground, but it also has to do with the right shooting themselves in the foot.  It actually looks like people are becoming more liberal, when in reality they are just becoming less stupid on the topic of government and politics.  There are conservative millenials, but I've met few who buy into the right wing conservative rhetoric.  Meanwhile, Republicans think that they aren't conservative enough, so they have to out-conserve other Republicans by going even more right-wing.  The extreme right wing is a dying dinosaur.  The extreme left has a much higher chance of gaining significant ground in this country, and that chance will likely increase if the Republicans don't start being more moderate, because people will just keep voting Democrat.

Actually I think the extremes on both sides are dying dinosaurs. The job situation is not good right now. The affordable care act forcing young healthy people to purchase a product they really don't even need. For example I never even considered health insurance until I was in my mid thirties. Why pay for something that I don't need if anything happened it would usually be from an accident at work or on the road and then other insurance would take care of that. Not too many young people with heart problems, lung problems or just generally in bad health. So now, compliments from the left, they have to pay for something most don't even need or will ever use. So it the truth be known the left has had the reigns but seems like more and more people are not liking the change. As for the right, social issues will be there downfall. Look at the bill that was vetoed by the Arizona Governer. How a bill like that ever got on the floor is beyond my comprehension. I do believe in religious feedom as if a clergy person doesn't want to marry a gay couple that is their right but a business refusing service to gays, not right and a very slippery slope. I really don't believe that this country is a far left or far right country. I do believe it is more middle than anything and goes left of center slightly and right of center slightly at times and right now it is too polarized to get anything done which is a good thing because crazy legislation won't pass or shouldn't because that is the way it's supposed to work. So yes the right needs to get with the times on social issues and the left needs to get it together with personal responsibilities meaning if I take a chance without insurance it is my fault and will have to pay. If I don't work being healthy and able, I don't eat.

Quote from: Hikari on March 02, 2014, 07:24:55 PM
The problem is, your "truth" isn't necessarily my truth. Without the ability to come to any consensus and agree on any sort of facts this country isn't going to be anything but divided.

Hikari, that's absolutely true. What I believe to be true isn't necessarily true, yes! And I understand this 100%. It's why I am able to change my view on anything if information is provided to change my mind. The reason is I have no ideology (well unless believing in freedom is one). Once people go down the ideological path, it's pointless trying to rationalize with them.

Quote from: Jamie D on March 03, 2014, 02:02:46 AM
New poll shows conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 states

I don't think conservative vs. liberal is the issue. Millennial's identify with "socialism" (social democracy, not communism) far more than their generational predecessors, and, notoriously, more than capitalism.

Quote from: AshleeLC on February 28, 2014, 05:34:34 PM
Seeing as recently the President issued an Executive order regarding the minimum wage, I was wondering what your opinonis are of him issuing an Executive Order on Gay and Lesbian marriages as well as issues regarding the trans community, such as recognizing marriages on the federal level, if the states wont allow it, or something of that sort.

Seeing how this country is a Constitutional Republic, not a dictatorship or democracy, even if Obummer did issue an Order of that type, 1 Congress could easily shoot it down, and 2 since it wouldn't be recognized as a Constitutional amendment none of the 50 states, 54 if you ask the idiot in the Whitehouse, would have to recognize it as law and could continue to pass state laws that directly contradict any law he creates with his not so magic pen.

Hate to rain on your parade if your hoping that will happen, but honestly I see Feinstein getting a nationwide firearms confiscation before that ever happens. Simply because we are a nation of voters and the ultra religious still out number those who want same sex marriages.....even if it did become law, good luck finding a pastor or priest who will do the wedding.

Quote from: AshleeLC on February 28, 2014, 05:34:34 PM
Seeing as recently the President issued an Executive order regarding the minimum wage, I was wondering what your opinonis are of him issuing an Executive Order on Gay and Lesbian marriages as well as issues regarding the trans community, such as recognizing marriages on the federal level, if the states wont allow it, or something of that sort.

I think it will be a long time before transfolk see any sort of real discussion in the banter of the vox populi.

I'm not sure how other trans people feel but I'm absolutely sick of LGBT groups, why?  Because we do the squeezing with the gays and lesbians and ONLY gays and lesbians are getting any juice.

Gay marriage was never really much of an issue for trans people, if you had a life partner you just never change your legal sex or you change it to match whatever applicable laws.  The repeal of DADT meant utterly nothing to transsexuals.  And all but 3 states do not have anti-discrimination laws based on gender identity, it is ALL sexual orientation.

What major breakthrough politically and legally has happened in the last 10 years for transsexuals? Nothing.
Who is getting all the love (By love I mean, money, political power, rights, and anti-discrimination laws)? Homosexuals.

So excuse me while I feel quite cynical about LGBT groups.

-AM