My latest gut spilling on my political views (some of them at least) in response to comments on that blog I was telling you about:
These are all very effective examples of the straw man fallacy, where you exaggerate my view point, and then you debate against your own exaggeration. I never said that I think that government should do everything for people. You argue against communism, which I never proposed. I proposed a socialistic democracy, not pure socialism. I never proposed that the government take control. I’d like to see them maintain balance, because I don’t see how Joe and Jane Average American can stand up to the big corporations that really are in control of our lives on our own.
You’ve also provided excellent examples of the slippery slope fallacy, where you insist that some event must inevitably follow from another without any argument for the inevitability of the event in question. “If the government assists citizens to get healthcare, then the next thing you know, they’re going to be controlling where I can buy food” or “Obama says he’s only going to raise taxes to the rich, but then there will be nothing to stop him from raising everyone’s taxes and then they’ll take 60% of your paycheck.”
I said that the government could lend a hand, but maybe I should have been more explicit.
Here are my personal thoughts and experiences with healthcare in the U.S. – I think that it’s ridiculous that in this country that you say is the strongest in the world economically that so many of it’s citizens cannot get healthcare. Is the answer a state run system? I don’t know. I do know that I don’t think caring for peoples health should be a for profit business. That isn’t the best way to insure the best care. I don’t really see it as a system where I have choice. I am covered by my employer’s insurance, and that insurance company designates which doctor I can go and see and what they will cover. I have chronic Tonsillitis, but I cannot have them removed because the insurance won’t cover it, and I can’t afford to pay for the operation out of pocket. I also can’t afford an individual plan. How is that any different from what you describe as your concerns about state run system? I mean, I guess it’s a discussion about what’s worse – being at the hands of a bureaucrat or some rich stock holding asshole. Also, the Republicans aren’t staying out of your health business, either. Ron Paul proposed legislation in the House that would make birth control illegal. WTF is that? That’s small government? And he’s not alone. You know what, my grandmother was English, and she would never go to an American doctor. She would just wait until she was going back to England for a visit to have her check ups. A lot of my family still lives there. My aunt who grew up in the U.S. (still a voting, tax paying citizen of the U.S.) has been living in England for 15 years, and I asked her what her thoughts were on the healthcare and how it compares to private insurance in the states. Her answer was basically that our system was part of the reason why she was living there, and why she won’t be moving back to the states. Personally, my closest experience with something resembling state run healthcare was with the Navy, and I have to say that it was the best care I ever got. If this problem with my tonsils had started while I was still under their care, they would have taken care of it. Private insurance is failing me, and I’m not even that bad off. I think that there should be some kind of compromise. Tax breaks for insurance companies that insure low-income folks or sick people and tax penalties for insurance companies that cancel the policies of sick people or deny them access to procedures and medicines. Or state run insurance that individuals can opt out of, and get a tax credit if you do. I’m not some great economist, and I’m not a politician. I just know that I don’t think healthcare is a privilege.
Our government is whatever we vote for it to be. We’ve consistently been voting for more involvement from the government. So . . . if you don’t like that, try to convince your fellow citizens otherwise. I personally don’t think you’re very convincing. Especially when you say that our country is the strongest economically and yet the pound and the euro are kicking the dollar’s butt. And the reason why the colonies broke from England was for democracy and freedom from taxes, yes, but at that time, England was not a socialist country, and still isn’t. The way you worded that point made it seem like we were running from socialism.
And right now, we’re pumping trillions of dollars into occupying Iraq, while the Iraqi government has built up a surplus. I mean, if we’re going to spend money, why not spend it on ourselves?
As for William Ayers, et al, and as to why haven’t spoken to those . . . I don’t like to run my mouth on topics that I’m ignorant of. So, while I am still researching those assertions, I won’t respond. Sorry. I honestly wasn’t sure that Obama was going to get the Dem’s nomination. I sure didn’t vote for him in the primaries. But I just found this article about their connection – http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_weatherman_connection.html Seems like the guy had a tenuous connection to Obama at best. Oh, and here’s another, from Fox News of all places, http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/17/fact-check-obamas-relationship-with-william-ayers/ That makes it seem like they knew each other a little better, but not like they were best chums. If anyone was going to make the most of a tawdry relation, it would be Fox, I would think. Oh and no where do I see any support that this man was a murderer, and the things I’ve now read say that no one was harmed in his groups bombings. I’m not abdicating bombing anything. That wouldn’t be the right way. But, I would like to know what your source is.
Here’s my thoughts on your ticket this week: McCain can’t answer a straight question with a straight answer (see today’s episode of The View); now you’re going to say that Obama can’t either, but I don’t think that’s a valid retort, because we’re not talking about him right now. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen McCain duck a question. There’s the reporter who asked him about his views and voting record on a birth control bill, and he told her he couldn’t answer her question without checking first. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2y8dYwq01g I’m sorry, but I know what my opinions are. I don’t have to check with my employees and get back to you on any of that. And Palin is taking a note from his book, as you can see in her interview last night with Charles Gibson. Once again, she doesn’t sound that smart when she clearly doesn’t know what the man is asking about and she tries to answer it anyway. If that were me, I’d flat out say, I don’t know what the Bush Doctrine that you’re talking about is. Just like I’ll say, I don’t know anything about this William Ayers guy, except now I guess I do know a little.
What I know without a doubt is that on the issue I consider to be most important in this election, the occupation of Iraq, I am with Obama on that issue, as is the rest of my very military family. Get us out of there.
Oh and don’t be messing with my pills, man.
I have all kinds of crazy ideas, though, and the ones that are the most ridiculous, I keep to myself.
Seriously, though, this is a learning experience.
Peggy Lu Who's Just Sayin' 