Help!!!

[Valarauko]

This is the second time this is happening to me!!!

Now, I have been kicked off DU before and only allowed back at the grace of the mods. Feel free to kick.

Now, here's my problem:
I support the welfare system, free education and healthcare, and frankly no Freeper has ever convinced me otherwise. Also, neo-cons make me physically sick. Just seeing Shrub's face makes me do violent stuff. I like Kennedy though.

On the other hand, I support libertarian/right-wing policies on nearly everything else. I find lots of sources trustible which aren't even permitted to quote here I think. I support flat taxes, I oppose estate taxes, the Drug War, Gun Control, Campaign Finance reform, smoking bans, etc... I also feel as sick when I see Clinton and his merry gang as I am when I see Shrub. And I like Reagan. AND I'm slightly sympathetic to Ron Paul.

I live in Israel, but I believe this country is so much beyond repair I no longer interest myself in its politics.

So, should I really consider myself a liberal? I have until this point.

[Valarauko]

1. ANYBODY?

nt

[roguevalley]

2. You sound Libertarian, honey. Happy Hannukah by the way. :)

[Valarauko]

3. Thanks

nt

[Valarauko]

4. I just find incredibly annoying that

Anything I post on DU gets me "Freeper scum!" and anything I post on THR gets me "Liberal scum!". :-(

[kixot]

34. Take it in stride.

Take a look at these links to help you decide where you are on the spectrum:

http://selectsmart.com/president/

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

[HereSince1628]

28. well he sounds sort of libertarian...

but that isn't enough to get banned...twice.

You don't have to agree with everything to remain posting on DU,
Just think of all the DLC'rs that participate, being on the right they must frequently be in conflict with ideas presented herein.

To not get banned you just have to be diplomatic, and of course, not work against the democratic party.

[Cleita]

5. Well, here you wouldn't be a liberal, but I don't

know what it makes you in Israel.

[Valarauko]

In Israel

People don't differ on the issue of wanting the goverments boot on their throat, they only argue about the colout.

So what does it make me?

[MoonRiver]

6. Maybe you need to do some serious soul searching.

I don't know why you keep being bumped off, but I sense a lot of inner conflict. :hug:

[ConsAreLiars]

7. You might want to read

the guidelines for posting. For example, this kind of personal issues thing probably fits best in the Lounge Forum.

[never cry wolf]

8. You sound like a centrist

But with a flat tax and no estate tax the burden for the welfare system, free education and healthcare falls on those less able to absorb the costs and those that benefit the most from the society have the least impact on their daily lives.

Anti-drug war would probably be in the majority here (except hard drugs), gun control you are probably in the minority on this board but no alone by any means, smoking bans could go either way but why in the world would you be against campaign finance reform?

Happy Hanukkah from me as well!!

[Valarauko]

10. against campaign finance reform?

Because
A) Campaign finance reform = protection of the big parties vs. the small parties, especially incumbents.

B)Campaign finance reform bases itself on the idea that finance more ads = wins elections, like voters are idiots who can be hypnotised by ads, the reverse is often true.

[never cry wolf]

17. I see your points, they are well taken, however:

A) Unfortunately in this country we do not have a parlimantary system and thus really have no small parties that can make a difference, just two big ones are all that matters.

B) Doubly unfortunately, in this country the majority of the voters are uneducated idiots (the half that DO take the time to even vote) and they are often hypnotized by the ads and sound bites. I have lived abroad for a year and I doubt most of the world realizes the true depth of ingnorance and apathy of the voters in this country.

[Valarauko]

21. Well,

A)Maybe they would make a difference if the big media wouldn't deny them even the Presidential Debates... now you want to deny them ability of sponsoring their own ads?

B)Voters are like that, but at the end of the day, a person is still alone in the polling booth if you know what I mean.

[alcuno]

9. Can't condone supporting the flat tax or repeal of the estate tax.

These ideas ill serve a democracy. Happy Hannukah.

[Valarauko]

11. Could be, but that wasn't the question...

[alwynsw]

18. I have to differ on the estate tax

Most of my earnings have already been taxed at the maximum rate. My personal capital gains have been taxed at the maximum rate. I pay maximum rates on my dividends (I'm retired.)

Why tax those same dollars again when I die? It's inequitable to say the least. It's highway robbery in fact.

I worked hard for my money. I paid my taxes on those dollars once, nay several times if one takes the time to examine the tax system. The estate tax is grossly unfair to those of us who managed to succeed financially.

end of rant

[alcuno]

24. How is it unfair to you if you are dead?

I do not understand the difference between paying taxes on income received through an inheritance and income received through winning the lottery. Those who play the lottery are also using money that has already been taxed and yet that money is then taxed when received by the lottery winner.

My father cannot take his money into the grave with him, no matter how much he might like to do so. I have no problem paying taxes on money that I inherit; money that I did not earn and money that I did not pay taxes on.

[Valarauko]

31. I made that decision (to give money) to my son before I died

Things that happen after I die matter to me.

[alcuno]

35. That's as it should be.

My mom and dad have been giving us a gift every year and it means a lot to us. They've said that they get a benefit from seeing how we use their gifts. But we all recognize that it is a gift, not an entitlement.

[kentuck]

12. If you have a thin skin, you will have a tough time here....

Consider yourself warned. :)

[Wonk]

13. re: kicked off DU before

One of your incarnations was MicroBalrog, right?

[Valarauko]

14. Absolutely.

So, what's your answer?

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. IMHO, you really should

read the rules. For example, this thread will probably get locked not because of the body of your post, but simple because you used all caps in the title. I know it seems silly but most people supported that decision by the mods to not allow all caps (screaming) and/or foul language in the title of a thread.

Another reason you may get locked, is because the mods usually feel these types of threads belong over in the Lounge.

However, since you seem to want to be a victim you will probably assume your threads are being locked because of your political beliefs rather than your disregard for the rules.

Edit: added 2nd paragraph

[Valarauko]

16. Uh, sorry.

I do take offense at that lst statement.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Then obviously

you get offended easily?

[Valarauko]

20. Yes

I admit it is my flaw.

[DoYouEverWonder]

22. At least you recognize

your flaws, that's more than a lot of people can say.

[Wonk]

23. No

It's not your only flaw.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=1995&forum=DCForumID32&archive=yes#14
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=1972&forum=DCForumID32&archive=yes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=1970&forum=DCForumID32&archive=yes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=1994&forum=DCForumID32&archive=yes

[Valarauko]

26. OK, let's count

2 of these are pro-gun T-shirts by a friend of mine, one's an anti-bush cartoon, the fourth is about the gun issue solely, your point?

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. Ah, so our friend here believes the myth

that all liberals want to take away everybody's guns?

Honey please, I think if you got past your biases you would find out that many liberals even own their own guns. As for myself, I have no problem with people who keep guns as long as they know how to use them and as long as they don't have a criminal record of violent crime. I think you will find more liberals you are very reasonable about this issue. However, just like any other hot button issue only the extremests seem to get most of the airplay.

[Valarauko]

30. I don't

Were did you get that?

[welshTerrier2]

25. Libertarians and the Left

sounds like you're more or less a Libertarian ...

perhaps i can open your mind a little to a few ideas from the left ...

i also support welfare, free education and healthcare ... these are views traditionally supported by the left ...

as to your views on taxes, drugs, guns, smoking and campaign finance reform, libertarians generally view any interference by government in these areas as wrong ... they see it as an abuse of their freedoms ...

the left, as best i can speak for the left, sees it differently ... in a perfect world, i would agree that we should impose as few rules on one another as possible ... this would be consistent with libertarian thinking ... but the world is getting smaller and smaller everyday ...

if you and i sit in a restaurant and you smoke and i have asthma, your system offers me the choice of suffering, asking you not to smoke, or leaving. my system says that your right to smoke ends at my nose ... my goal would not be to ban smoking ... if you want to smoke, go ahead and smoke ... but you shouldn't have a right to pollute air that we are sharing ...

so, extracting this example to a larger point, the left is not interested in unnecessarily restricting freedoms ... quite the opposite ... but the emphasis, i.e. the preference, goes to those who would become victims of your actions ... and as for taxes and some of the other issues you raised, libertarians would put greater emphasis on the autonomy of the individual while the left would be more focussed on what's best for society as a whole ...

[Valarauko]

29. on smoking

"if you and i sit in a restaurant and you smoke and i have asthma, your system offers me the choice of suffering, asking you not to smoke, or leaving. my system says that your right to smoke ends at my nose ... my goal would not be to ban smoking ... if you want to smoke, go ahead and smoke ... "

You can walk away or politely ask me to put it our, banning smoking is not the solution.


"but the emphasis, i.e. the preference, goes to those who would become victims of your actions ... "

Who is the victim if I, Boris Karpa, own a rifle/hangun, as long as I don't shoot anyone with it?

[Valarauko]

32. libertarians would put greater emphasis on the autonomy of the individual

I have always believed that when the individuals are left alone, that is that best for society as whole in most cases.

[welshTerrier2]

36. of mice and men

i did not necessarily expect you to change your views based on what i posted but rather hoped to clarify how i saw your views as different than those I believe many DU'ers hold ...

here's another example ... you live in an apartment with three other people ... one of them is a total slob ... left over food is piled to the ceiling in this person's bedroom and they frequently leave a mess in the public areas (e.g. kitchen, bathroom, etc) ...

the result: unsanitary conditions ... the apartment becomes infested with insects and rodents ...

the libertarian would perhaps argue that the "victims" should just leave ... that they should have no right to impose their standards on the slobby person ... for me, the situation cries out for an "apartment policy" ... it would be fine for the person to have clothes thrown all over their room ... it would be fine to live any lifestyle they chose ... until it affected other people ... when the public health of those living there is affected, it's time for some government and some rules ...

and, of course, even if the other people moved out of the apartment, do the people in the apartment next door have any rights ... the unsanitary conditions could be affecting them too ...

so, i think the left starts with the premise that you should have as much personal freedom as possible ... but when that personal freedom imposes on the personal freedoms of others, a system other than "let everyone do whatever they want" needs to be put in place ...

[JanMichael]

33. Frankly the Health and Economic issues are what I really care about.

Mostly.

"I support the welfare system, free education and healthcare"

I'd be happy just to get America to that point.

"I support flat taxes"

I don't, it's Regressive.

"I oppose estate taxes"

It's just an Income tax...

"the Drug War"

We're in agreement here. It's a waste of money and it destroys lives.

"Gun Control"

I believe in responsible controls. No bans though.

"Campaign Finance reform"

Since I don't wish to live in a Banana Republic I do.

"smoking bans"

I public places fine with me.

"I also feel as sick when I see Clinton and his merry gang as I am when I see Shrub."

I'm critical of Clinton but compared to the BFEE he's a gem.

"And I like Reagan"

Iran Contra too? BTW he's wholly opposed to: the welfare system, free education and healthcare


What are you?

A mixed bag I guess.