So now I'm a "communist" per a freeper type

[Bluzmann57]

Here in Iowa, a one dollar per pack tax on cigarettes went into effect at 12:01 AM today, March 16, 2007 and a guy at work was bitching about it. I asked him why he thinks the Governor signed it into law and he responded,"Because he's a Democrat". I said, "Bullshit. He wants Iowans to be healthy in and cut down on health care expenses for us all." Well, one thing led to another and the subject of Universal health care for all of us here in Iowa came up. The freeper said, "That's Communism!". I replied, "All people should be able to get health care." He said that "we work for it", I said "yeah but not all jobs offer health insurance", he said, "Tough shit".
I then asked him why can't unemployed people get health insurance? He said some crap about how they don't deserve it because, "They don't have jobs". I explained to him that at one time I was unemployed due to "downsizing" and luckily, I managed to stay healthy and avoid doctor and hospital visits during my time of unemployment, but health care is everyone's right. Period. It is not an entitlement and therefore should be run by the state and/or feds. He then called me a "Communist". I told him, "Come up with an original insult" and laughed in his face before walking away. Now I know it may be wrong, but dammit, I like irritating people like this with facts. Weak freeper type minds are no real challenge, but ooohhh so much fun to play with.

[Monkeyman]

1. Good For You keep taking the stand

[Arkansas Granny]

2. That's the way it ususally goes. You try to debate them using

facts and they throw right wing talking points at you. When you try to explain your stance they start name calling and think that they "won" the argument.

[ret5hd]

3. Ask him if he thinks Texas is a current communistic stronghold...

We had the same tax pass just a while back.

[TheConstantGardener]

4. Remind these people that universal healthcare is cheaper than private

That's the clinch in this debate, although polls show the majority of Americans are with us on this (and support a Conyers-Kucinich style program not a Hillary style program)

[magellan]

5. It's Communist to want health care for all American children?

Well then, I'd rather be a Commie than a heartless Con!

[NMMNG]

6. We're communists when we want government funded health care, education,

Social Security, etc.

But somehow they aren't communists when they want government funded corporate welfare, war machines, "faith based" programs, and the like.

Hypocrites, every last one of them.

[Warpy]

7. Whenever a pinhead calls you a Communist

you know you're completely in the right and you've done a good day's work.

[sandnsea]

8. *sigh*

But the guy might have been won over with the very simple idea of subsidized insurance, kind of like subsidized oil drilling and farming and whatnot. But noooo, alienate him forever by jumping straight to government run health care - despite nobody suggesting a single VA style system. Just flat stupid. Thanks for worse than nothing - you've succeeded in validating a stereotype that results in dead people just as sure as the Iraq war.

[Virginia Dare]

9. That's a compliment coming from a freeper..

it means your a Democratic free thinker.

[Cha]

10. It's so funny when they call us

"communists" which means absolutely nothing. But, when we refer to them as "Fascists"..we're not just whistling Dixie!

[toadzilla]

11. its funny how i havent heard any sideways communist remarks from my boss

since, oh i think november 6th.

[TomClash]

12. Tell him you live in a house not a commune

Then explain to the Rover that even according to Marx there was no communism until the state had withered away.

Then ask him whehter he thinks 8 year olds should go to work. If he says no, then tell him that Marz devoted many pages in Das Kapital to the abolition of child labor.

The call HIM a Communist. :rofl:

[patrice]

13. Discussion is good, because it helps people to think on their own.

It is good that you are trying to talk about things that MOST people avoid. Congratulations on that BIG step.

It's a VERY important task and ONE - OF - THE - MOST - POWERFUL - THINGS - YOU - CAN - DO.

It would be helpful to decide what your goal is when you discuss issues, maybe even write a few possible goals down, for example:
To persuade people that ___________________ is desirable and possible, or
To educate people about ___________________, or
To show people how they are wrong about _________________________ or
something else.

Consider which of your possible goals is most doable and then make your goal more important than anything else you do when interacting with others on the issue. Always keep your mind fixed on your purpose. The excitement of doing something that is Real and also so Important can get a person confused and side-tracked.

Do consider how resistant you are to being told you are wrong and understand that is a nearly universal and very strong trait, before deciding that your goal is to prove that anyone is wrong about ____________. It usually works better to help them discover for themselves how what they are saying contradicts other values that they hold. Asking questions is a very useful approach.

From the experience you described, I think an important question to explore with your friend, when talking about National Health Care would be to ask the individual what they think the "Social Contract" should include, in the most general sense, i.e. what should the terms of agreement be for EVERYONE (e.g. employed and un-employed, this race or that race, all sexual orientations etc. etc. etc.) in a group. Try to get him to think about something such as: If the Group/U.S. expects individuals to be members of the group, i.e. abide by group rules, in the most universally applicable terms, what does the group owe the individual for his/her participation/cooperation in the group and what does the individual owe the group. Listen to what s/he says and then share your version of the social contract.

Again, my **sincere** congratulations on your desire to speak truth to power at any level.