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Unlike many other sites I have been to DU is a bit unique. We have people here all over the map on issues.
Whether it be guns, smoking, schools (charter/public/home), animal rights, one politician or the other (DK, Obama, etc), health care, unions, etc and so on - we have people voicing their opinions and (sometimes) backing them up with some good links.
DU is NOT an echo chamber.
I have read and posted on other sites, none have the openness of ideas we have here. I might well disagree with some here vehemently on some things but at least I am able to hear your side and not just get people who agree with me. Would not learn much that way.
Where I stand on issues is not always reflected in my posts, I tend to post articles I think others here might find of interest.
Here though are some issues and where I stand on them:
Schools My daughter is home schooled - via a cyber charter school. The one she is with is awesome, but she has been to both charter and public schools. Some charter schools she got into sucked - terribly. Some public schools she could have been in (she was in one in the 1st grade) suck too. She has had both good and bad when it comes to schooling. I prefer choice. That does not mean I think charter schools are a savior or that public schools are the best for all kids. It is like the whole windows/mac/linux/solaris debate - for some one OS works best for their needs, for others a different one is best. Choice is something I am for in a great many things.
Guns I don't own one. I did once for my job. Millions own guns, a few - very few - use them in ways which harm others. The problem is not guns IMHO it has to do with mental health/poverty/etc. Guns don't scare me - people do. Our government has used guns to kill more people way more than it's citizens have, so if you want to ban guns/weapons - start with our government first.
Smoking It is legal, and I am pro-choice 100%. If you own a bar and want to allow smoking there and you as a patron don't want to support such - don't go there. If you don't want to work at a bar/food joint that allows smoking, don't. I like having choices in things. If you want to open a business with your own money and allow folks in there who like to be naked and pee on the floor, good for you. Not my place to impose my beliefs on you - that is the job of fundies.
Religion I respect those who have different beliefs than I do. I want them to have the freedom to practice their faith. I am a Christian and think that there have been many such folks of my faith who have done good by others. Some though have not, and should be called out. Some of my faith are 'fundies' and are total asses. Call them out all day long - just remember that all are not that way.
Science Love science - but there are some in the field of science who are no different than those on the religion side. How many drug recalls have we had, food recalls, etc? Folks had peer reviews, swore X would help others, only to find out later that the drugs they had approved (etc) were actually harming us (but made a profit for their company). If I am skeptical of some new science it does not mean I am stone aged person, it just means that I have learned over time that people in the industry are not always right and have - at times - covered up things to protect their funding source.
Politicians You think they care about you? A few might - but most care about the people they meet with, the PACS. You are one vote and maybe, at best, a few dollars in their coffers. We elected people to pass some laws on Single Payer, end wars, discrimination against gays - and who were the people who got the most help in Obama's first year? Banks/investors/defense industry. Not all his fault either - people in congress shoulder more than he does here.
We might get a bone thrown to us if we are lucky.
Health care It was simple. We voted for change and single payer. At least a public option. You think you mattered in it all? You busted your ass, raised money to get dems in power, and now certain things are off the table. You didn't win - you just got a little something to keep you happy while our dreams were tossed away. What are you going to do, vote for the other party? You either lose a little or a lot. It does not make me feel any better, maybe it does you though.
Overall I stand for choice and freedom, and for a strong presence of our government in industry/health care.
Abortion? Your choice - not mine. Smoking? Same Guns? Same Education for your kids? Same Regulation of corporations? Hell Yes Funding for our public schools? More is needed Helping the poor/homeless/sick/unemployed? We all need to do better. Raising taxes? Nope - because such always seems to go to war and helping out those in the defense industry. Raise taxes for other reasons and be serious about it? I am on board.
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