seespotrun2008 wrote: Booktalk can be kind of harsh sometimes. I am not really sure why that is. Maybe it is because the topics that we talk about, religion and politics, are very emotional.

Political discussions can become harsh because of the major real-world consequences of the policies. For example, millions of people are going to suffer in unemployment benefits aren't extended. Millions of Americans lack health insurance, and as a result 30,000 Americans die every year, which is ten times as many deaths as occurred from the 9/11 attacks.

I'm angry at the Republican politicians who support disastrous policies and the voters who elected those politicians. Though I'm a nice guy in real life, it's cathartic to tear apart the arguments of a Tea Party supporter.

It looks like phillies4evr is torn by an internal contradiction: she believes at a visceral level that social spending is evil, even though she'd be destitute without her disability payments. Her rationalizations about why disability payments are acceptable but unemployment benefits are not don't hold up to any level of scrutiny. I'd be sympathetic to the crisis of belief that she's facing, were it not for the fact that millions of people will be worse off because of the right-wingers that she helped elect.

I'm angry at the Republican politicians who support disastrous policies and the voters who elected those politicians. Though I'm a nice guy in real life, it's cathartic to tear apart the arguments of a Tea Party supporter.

Yes. Yet is still important to remember that we are all people who are just trying to make it, Republican, Democrat, Christian, Atheist, etc. It is easy to forget that we are talking to other people because we do not see each other. I am all for us holding each other accountable for the things we believe. That is what is great about this community. But just getting mean with each other ends discussion. It means that we are no longer listening to each other and have stopped seeing each other as an important part of discussion. I know I get emotional about things also, and realize that I am not immune from this. My goal in this forum though is to really listen to people. I like that we are an intellectual group that likes to talk about the big questions in life. It seems though that since these questions are so important that we should really try to question each other respectfully and really want to know what the other person thinks.

DWill wrote:

phillies4evr wrote: yes, I do believe that every man, woman and child should fend for themselves. All of us are under government rules and it is becoming more like a dictatorship than anything else. Take the health care issue for example. Do you want the government to know your personal health history? I sure as hell don't. As for education, anything is better then what we are not getting now. I am definitely a Republican and definitely a tea party activist.

Pardon me, I don't mean to offend you, but aren't you the same person who told us you are on total disability?

yes, i am 100% disabled

phillies4evr wrote:

DWill wrote:

phillies4evr wrote: yes, I do believe that every man, woman and child should fend for themselves. All of us are under government rules and it is becoming more like a dictatorship than anything else. Take the health care issue for example. Do you want the government to know your personal health history? I sure as hell don't. As for education, anything is better then what we are not getting now. I am definitely a Republican and definitely a tea party activist.

Pardon me, I don't mean to offend you, but aren't you the same person who told us you are on total disability?

yes, i am 100% disabled

Is it safe to assume that you are living off the government then? The same government you want to minimize and constantly degrade? Also, if you believe every man should fend for themselves and you are totally disabled, I guess you don't want anyone to help you when you are in danger. In many countries, the totally disabled live in poverty because they really do have to fend for themselves. Just saying. Sounds like your logic is seriously skewed. Go to some other country and see how much you like it there. I think you will BEG to come back to America. There are so many rules and regulations to protect the citizens of this country. Why do you think so many programs were created? Take the FDA for example. I guess you don't like knowing that the food you ingest is safe.

I apologize in advance if I may sound rude, but I risked my life serving our great country overseas, and I don't respect people who aren't proud of this wonderful country in which we live. I feel blessed that I have had the opportunities the US has afforded me, because there are many other countries where people risk their lives every day just to survive.

Julian wrote:It looks like phillies4evr is torn by an internal contradiction: she believes at a visceral level that social spending is evil, even though she'd be destitute without her disability payments. Her rationalizations about why disability payments are acceptable but unemployment benefits are not don't hold up to any level of scrutiny. I'd be sympathetic to the crisis of belief that she's facing, were it not for the fact that millions of people will be worse off because of the right-wingers that she helped elect.

While I don't agree with much of what you say about politics I think you've hit the nail on the head with regards to Phillies4ever. Phillies, your disability checks were fought hard for by liberals. You are very confused and are biting the hand that feeds you. If the Republicans and Tea Party activists had their say you would be screwed. Most Republicans would dramatically reduce your disability check immediately if given the opportunity. Yet you vote for them and make posts here on BookTalk.org about how the government is too liberal? You are definitely confused.

There is no difference between your disability check and unemployment compensation. Both are set up to offer assistance to people that have been dealt a bad hand in life. I am strongly suggesting you reconsider your political affiliation. There must be an interesting story here. Something compelled you to join the conservative side but from what I have seen in your posts it wasn't logic or rational self interest.

Please, explain why you are a Republican and/or Tea Party activist.

seespotrun2008 wrote:Yet is still important to remember that we are all people who are just trying to make it, Republican, Democrat, Christian, Atheist, etc. It is easy to forget that we are talking to other people because we do not see each other. I am all for us holding each other accountable for the things we believe. That is what is great about this community. But just getting mean with each other ends discussion.

I agree with all that. In my posts, I criticize ideas of other participants, but not the people themselves. However, a rigorous dissection of Republican claims, given my belief that Republican policies have caused vastly more harm than the 9/11 attacks, can still be quite brutal.

I always try to keep my criticism to a person's position, but sometimes that position is a big part of what makes up the person.

I don't mean to be insulting, but when i see such vocal support of blatantly contradicting stances, both in relation to reality, and to each-other, i can't help but slay them.

It can be quite intimidating to speak out on political issues here on BookTalk.org. There are so many liberal members and they are all very outspoken about their political beliefs that even suggesting you disagree with a liberal is like starting a forest fire.

Even in the darkest of times, hope spring eternal.

Excellent work young college republicans. Take your party back.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/11/13 ... nvitation/