Where do you stand?

[The Diabolical Mr. Lieman]

My brother and I had a conversation last night, and he kept telling me I was a democrat and didn't realize it. Of course, he was being tongue in cheek. He wants me to be a democrat, so we can sit around a bitch on some evenings about the world together, and not get into philosophical debates that lead to bad feelings. We're both condescending and patronizing, and shit gets ugly quick. So we rattled off some key issues, and we laid out where we stood on them....we weren't all that far apart, and we both figured out that I'm more liberal than I thought, and he's more conservative than he thought...but all in all, if we both HAD to be in a "democratic" pool, or a "republican" pool, we were going to swim where we both were comfy...he a dem, me a 'pub...but of course, I don't consider myself a republican...I lean that way sometimes, but I fancy myself as looking at all the issues, and voting for whoever I think is best.

At the current moment, I'm leaning Obama, but there are things I like about McCain. I'm not crazy about either.

ANyways, I thought I'd place that list here, and if anyone wants to answer, cool, and if not, I don't mind wasting my breath--er--time, since I'm typing. All in all, it's fairly obvious, that there are topics and issues that they are radically far apart on, but with some very important ones, they're closer than we think, and it's just about the details....although details can be a bitch, can't they? ;)


Where do you stand on:

1. Economy?

a. Globalism? For it? Against it? If so, how? (Me, I think globalism is the catalyst in which America will fall, and the middle class will be destroyed. Its the beginning of a global nation in which the corporate empires will be the law, and they'll control the world. Sounds like a sci fi book, but it's already happening. Shit really got kick started in the 80's, and now we're on a course for a very bleak future, as working class)

b. Immigration laws? (Regulated, immediately. Stop immigration. Its not about race. Same thing if poor swedes were coming in by hordes, and it's lending a hand to crippling the economy. And quite frankly, its bullshit when we hear "they're doing jobs others don't want to". Its just wrong. Its got to be stopped.)

c. Drilling at home? (No. Its not going to solve the real crisis at hand.)

d. Nuclear energy? (I think so, yes....I think.)

e. I'm forgetting some others, but please contribute it you can think of others, which there are many of.

2. THe FISA bill? WHat defines patriotism, to a lesser degree? For the wire tapping bill?

On the surface, I'm for it. Tap us domestically, sure. He have to. It's the world now. Personal freedoms are important, the moral fiber of the constitution, yes....but we cant wait for warrants all the time---ONLY, we've been able to get warrants retroactively for a long time now....they allow 3-5 days to GET a retro-active warrant, and that's not enough time. So why not compromise? A month? More? (So ultimately, no. We're giving up personal freedoms when we dont HAVE to. We can still be protected under what we have, but it needs to be tweaked, sure.

3. Abortion. For it? Against it? (Obvioulsy Im against it.)

4. Gays. Against? For? Marriage? This is a hot one....(and Ill tell ya, Im against gay marriage, so there. Crucify me, but that's me.)

5. Gun control. FOr it, and to what degree? against? (I think we ought to be able to own an M-16 if we want one. There are already class firearms licences in effect. So why change that? But if a responsible citizen wants to own one, he should be able to. Because criminals will always own them regardless. If you're truly against guns, you should be against alcohol, gambling, smoking as well. Otherwise, you're a fucking hypocrite. :) )

6. Drugs, legalization. How harmful is cocaine REALLY? We're talking about coke here, NOT heroine, crack, meth ect.,. SHould pot be legalized?

Certainly I think pot should be a legal medicine. I think it's awful that doctors get taken to jail for giving individuals who suffer the herbs to make the twilight years a little more pleasant....

Cocaine? Outlawed. Many will say those clog up our court systems, they'll point to prohibition, and the crime that stems from illegalization (is that a fucking word, even?). But morally, IMO, it has to be. It's too dangerous, too addictive.

7. Pre Emptive War. When, if ever, should it be possible?

If one was for the Iraq war in the beginning, which I supported, should then we do the same with North Korea? Iran? Very similar.

My answer was yes and no. I dont support the way the war with Iraq was executed, and thats different than supporting going, or a strike in general.

I dont support a strike on NK, because we know why they're posturing...theyre destitute...broke as a joke, they're trying to blackmail us into lifting sanctions, and they DO back down, for all their shittalk....Iran now? No, because of logistics only. We're too thin. But I do support Israel doing it for us, and for them. It could be devastating if they do in the long run, so I hope they DONT, and I hope it resolves its self diplomatically, but if they do, Ill have to support the decision......

Eh....what do some of you say? If anything?