Tuesday, November 8, 2016

"Fair and Balanced"

I came across this URL   You may read it if you like.  I've gleamed the salient points in this article, without removing context.  They are the views of the author.  If you want to read the entire article, you may do so.

http://yellowhammernews.com/politics-2/andrews-trump-clinton-will-president-heres-decide-vote/

The article deals with the fact that the new president is very likely to decide which direction the Supreme Court will take, Liberal or Conservative.  In each case she deems that each candidate has promised to appoint judges who will make the respective views into laws, and that we will have to live with these laws for the rest of our life

Do you believe that guns are inherently bad, that gun manufacturers should be held responsible for what individuals do with them, and that the government needs to further restrict the public’s right to own and use guns? If so, you must vote for her. 
Or do you believe strongly in the “right to bear arms”? Do you believe that further gun restrictions will only restrict the access honest citizens have to firearms and ammunition?If so, you must vote for him. 
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Do you believe that the fetus inside a pregnant woman is a tissue mass and that a woman should be able to rid her body of that tissue mass at any time during the nine months prior to that tissue mass being born? Do you believe that tissue mass only becomes a human being once it is outside the woman’s body? Do you believe that your tax dollars should be used to allow anyone who chooses, for whatever reason, to rid their body of that tissue mass?  If so, you must vote for her.

Or do you believe that the baby inside a mother is a human being? Do you believe that life has a purpose and that, from the moment of conception, each and every child is unique and valuable?   If so, you must vote for him. 
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Do you believe the United States should move toward a policy of “open borders”? Do you believe undocumented persons in the United States illegally should not only be allowed to stay, but issued driver’s licenses, food stamps, and provided medical care? Do you believe that if someone wishes to enter our country, they have every right to do so without explanation? If so, you must vote for her.

Or do you believe that America’s borders are her first line of defense? Do you believe that the word “illegal” means just that? Do you believe that only legally recognized citizens of America have a right to her benefits and protection as provided by your tax dollars? Do you believe America has not only the right, but the responsibility to carefully vet those who seek to enter our country? If so, you must vote for him.
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The last point she made, she managed to get the two sides of the aisle confused.

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Now the same two issues from a different perspective:

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Do you believe that guns should be regulated so that everybody, including potential criminals and the mentally disturbed, can freely buy as many as pleased and that anybody can carry one if he/she so desires?  If so, you must vote for her.
Or do you believe that everybody who wants to buy a gun should freely be able to purchase as many as desired and should be able to freely carry them, even if this means that criminals may do so?  If so, you must vote for him. 
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Do you believe that a woman should have the right to determine whether or not she has control of her body and her reproductive process, and that she has the right to abort such reproductive process under any circumstances, such as if she were in danger of dying if she completed the reproductive process?  If so, you must vote for her.

Or do you believe that an unborn fetus/embryo should have the same right to life as a human being who (in almost all cases) has a functioning mind, a personality, emotions, plans, dreams, hopes, and that the mother should be forced to bear the child against her own will and in violation of so many Amendments that it's mind-boggling, even if continuing the pregnancy and/or bearing the child puts her life in danger?  If so, you must vote for him.

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 Do you believe that America should continue the policy that's made us who we are and accept refugees from other countries, so that these people have the same opportunities as we do?  Do you believe that those who have entered our country without going through the proper channels and who have been useful, contributing members of society who obeyed the laws should have the chance to become citizens?  If so, you must vote for her.

Or do you believe that our country should become selfish and isolationist, uproot 11 million people and toss them out on their behinds, even though many will perish if this is done?  Do you believe that all aliens, legal or not should have all rights removed and be ejected and that only citizens should be allowed to remain (my note: she chose the wording of "citizens" and not "citizens and legal aliens"; I'm presenting the opposing view)?  If so, you must vote for him.

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The first version is Ult-Right; the second is Ult-Left.   The first version didn't deal with such issues as how Trump plans to pay for all of his promises; several economists, including many Conservative-leaning ones, have estimated that his plans will add $20 trillion to our national debt in ten years, while Clinton's plans will trim $5 trillion over the same period.    Why not? Because it doesn't suit her views.

Getting back to the point:  Almost every comment, article, talk show, etc. that deals with anything remotely political is polarized.  It's the main flaw in the Age of Information. We have become human computers, who can only see things as 1/0, yes/no, right/wrong, positive/negative, black/white (nothing racial meant there).  There is no neutral zone, no middle ground, no grey area.  We are at the point where we HAVE to view everything one way or the other, and a FRIGHTENINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF US are at the point where we feel obligated to embrace EVERY view that one side of the aisle (or the other side) takes, or there's something wrong with us.  It's gotten to the point where it's become a game of Clan Wars or World of Warcraft: our side vs. their side.  Anybody who doesn't believe every single view that we embrace becomes "one of them": a figure to be bullied, stalked, harassed, and even beaten up until he/she agrees with us.

Now, I want you to read the following as many times as necessary, until it sinks into your head.  Take a minute, an hour, or a week.  Read it once, 10 times, 100 times, or 10,000 times, until you understand it.

WE MUST WORK WITH EACH OTHER, NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER.

Got it?  Good.  One of the finest things that President Lyndon Johnson said was "Let us reason together."   Note that last word: "together."  Reasoning in opposition causes conflict, it causes wars, it causes hatred, it causes racism and bigotry, it causes fighting, and in some cases it causes death.

Now, a few points to the article:

The Supreme Court makes no laws.  The Supreme Court is solely there for "judicial review"; it decides if various rulings and decisions have followed existing law.   Nor is it's ruling final and forever binding; over history, the court has often reversed its decisions.  But they perfectly illustrate one point: there's no one rule that fits all.  Few decisions are 9-0.  There are usually dissenters.  There is an alarming tendency in the past 60 years for the Court to polarize
 itself to the Liberal or Conservative sides of the aisle, but by-and-large they usually get it right.  
Now I'm going to rewrite the questions in what's hopefully a fair and impartial manner:
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Do you believe that guns should be regulated to some degree? Do you believe that there should be some effort to restrict them and keep them out of the hands of criminals?

Or do you believe that everybody should be allowed to own and carry guns, and that if everybody is carrying one, we will self-police ourselves?

Or do you believe that there is a middle ground, such as
 a mandatory prison sentence for anybody convicted of certain (i.e. violent) crimes who are in possession of guns, even if they aren't currently committing crimes with those guns? 
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Do you believe that a woman should have control of her body and whether or not she continues a pregnancy?

Or do you believe that a fetus has equal rights as the mother?

Or do you believe that there are exceptions to either of the above and that it may need to be handled on a case-by-case basis?
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Do you believe that America should make a path available for those who have entered this country outside of the proper procedure?

Or do you believe that all who have illegally entered should be shown to the borders?

Or do you believe that there's a middle ground that can set a standard that must be met and/or weigh each on a case-by-case basis?
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