Re: 2020 Democratic Challengers VII: Bon Voyage Beto
Editor's note: For obvious reasons I ran this past Miss Thundercat to get her blessing before I posted.
I've been thinking about this all day. Something just hasn't sat right with me, and I finally figured out what. This is a coward's way of thinking.
A politician's job during a campaign is not to find the "safe ground" where people agree with them on the issues. A political campaign is about saying, "These are my principles. These are my beliefs. These are my policies. Now I'll convince you my beliefs and policies are better than my opponent's." It isn't just about finding people who agree with you, it's about finding people who may not agree with you and convincing them you're right.
Do you think the Civil Rights movement was Dr. King giving a speech in 1963 and then Congress just decided to pass the Civil Rights Act? Do you think a bunch of women turned up in 1919 and asked for the right to vote and magically the 19th Amendment was passed and ratified in 1920? Did women just start having abortions in 1973? Do you think the LGBT+ community just showed up in 2015 to ask for the right to get married and SCOTUS just decided it was OK? These are all long fights and most of them are still being waged to this day. That's what a campaign is. "My ideas are better than his ideas and this is why."
You say people are scared of "PC culture." What does that mean? That means treating people like human beings. All people. Not just some people. Not just people around whom you're comfortable. ALL people.
To hammer this point home, let's use Miss Thundercat as an example. I realize her very existence is enough to make some people uncomfortable. They'd rather she stayed quiet, or better yet just killed herself. I think we all agree that Miss Thundercat has a right to exist. Right? But we don't want to scare those voters too much by being "too PC" do we? So which of her rights is negotiable? Can she still wear the clothes she chooses in public? Can she still use the restroom she chooses? Can she get married? Adopt children? Get a non-binary ID? Which of her rights is too many? Which will make those people too scared to vote for "our" candidate? Because that's what you're saying. If we're "too PC" we'll discourage people from voting "our" way. You may feel more comfortable using language like "too PC" or "PC culture" but that's the reality of what you're saying.
I believe Miss Thundercat has every right you or I have. Those are my principles. Those are my beliefs. They are not negotiable. Bring me the people who disagree with me and I'll argue with them until I'm blue in the face. Then I'll find some other people who disagree with me. By the end of the campaign I'll convince people that my ideas are better than your ideas. If I can go to ****ing South Dakota and wage a campaign about abortion I'm sure as hell going to try to convince voters Miss Thundercat and people like her deserve human rights. Do I win every campaign I enter? No, I don't. But unlike some people I'm willing to fight for the things I believe.
As far as those issues go, I'm on board with love who you want, be who you want, and no matter what color, we are ALL equal.
I have an issue with all this free stuff being given out and we'll pay for it because some want to tax the hell out of the uber-rich. I've stated I would love to see ALL exemptions and breaks removed, then see what happens with the revenue stream.
I think we all agree that immigration (as to "illegals"), needs to be fixed. With today's tech, go Ellis Island on it. Clean record? Won't live off the state/country's benefits (I would include, say, a 3 month grace period)? You're in. Sure, it might take a couple days in a NICE holding cell (not this bullsh* cage crap), but I'd say that's a small price to pay for a long-term goal.
If those immigrants don't reach those goals, they are out, and get to re-apply. No waiting period, just get back in line. Note: this is the rough idea, I'm sure that lawyers would have to sort some things out.
Health care, I can't even start with that, because it IS that complicated. Now, I do have a good health care plan, provided by my employer. I wouldn't know where to begin with that. Between profit hospitals, Big Pharm, and insurance companies...that is a devil's nest.
