If Republicans have a flaw it's their inability to see both sides of the argument.

[Jan Volkes]

They just can not look at both sides, how can anyone form an honest opinion if they do not know what the other sides position is?

I believe they see their politics in exactly the same way they see their religion, they will not listen to anything that goes against their religion and they treat their politics in exactly the same way, to say they are blinkered would not be an unfair statement.

This is how I see it......
I put forward my argument and you analyse it and find the flaws, I defend it.
You put forward your argument and I analyse it and find the flaws, you defend it.
Whichever argument has the least amount of flaws should be the argument adopted.
Does that sound like a sane way to proceed?

 

[Gadarene]

Why in the world would this be a flaw of JUST the Republicans? Everyone does this. Liberals and conservatives alike. Anyone who thinks otherwise is engaging in the exact same behaviour.

 

[Jan Volkes]

Why in the world would this be a flaw of JUST the Republicans? Everyone does this. Liberals and conservatives alike. Anyone who thinks otherwise is engaging in the exact same behaviour.

Some people yes but because of their religious beliefs republicans are more prone to it than others.

 

[Gadarene]

Some people yes but because of their religious beliefs republicans are more prone to it than others.

Not really. Any dogmatic belief isn't really better than any other, and there are plenty of dogmatic liberals out there who simply cannot abide it if you (to use a couple of recent examples) don't like feminism, or don't think BlackLivesMatter is the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[dysert]

then the US government can go back to what it was set up to do, govern.

Yes, it was set up to govern, but over the centuries it no longer does that very well -- regardless of the party in power. Thanks to the dishonest, self-serving, professional politicians, the government isn't going to govern until some very significant changes take place. Meanwhile, stupid voters will continue to elect stupid politicians and wonder why things aren't getting better.

 

[Jan Volkes]

Yes, it was set up to govern, but over the centuries it no longer does that very well -- regardless of the party in power. Thanks to the dishonest, self-serving, professional politicians, the government isn't going to govern until some very significant changes take place. Meanwhile, stupid voters will continue to elect stupid politicians and wonder why things aren't getting better.

Not to worry because all that will change in Nov 2016, when the Democrats get in they will sort the US out once and for all,
the US will then [if they are lucky] be on a par with the rest of the civilised world and Americans can enjoy the things other countries now take for granted.

 

[dysert]

Not to worry because all that will change in Nov 2016, when the Democrats get in they will sort the US out once and for all,
the US will then [if they are lucky] be on a par with the rest of the civilised world and Americans can enjoy the things other countries now take for granted.

So apparently you don't agree with my assessment that the system is broken regardless of who's in power. Stay tuned to the elections and you may change your mind.

 

[KWCrazy]

What an oversimplified characterization of an entire group of people. Republican voters and republican leaders are not the same. As voters we seem to be constantly given the choice between liberal Republicans or socialist Democrats. The leaders of the national party have lost so often they no longer seem to have any spine. They act like they are trying to make liberal journalists like them. It will never happen. They need to appeal to their base, not the press.

As for seeing both sides of an issue, frequently one side is right and the other is wrong.
Refusing to follow the law is wrong.
Taking money from all workers in the form of union dues and using that money to support Democrats which 50% of the workers oppose is wrong.
Taxing everyone to give money to institutions which murder babies and sell their organs is wrong.
Taking from those who earn wealth and trading it to those who do not in exchange for votes is wrong.
Claiming to support free choice while trying to make everything you don't like illegal is wrong.
Destroying the definition of family to appease a 10% minority of homosexuals is wrong.
Fighting all efforts at voter identification because you want illegal aliens to be able to vote for you is wrong.
Supporting someone who has undeniably violated federal law because you think she can beat a republican opponent is wrong.

Seeing that someone else is completely wrong is not the sames as not seeing both sides of an argument. We can see both sides very clearly. Your side is quite simply wrong for America. Your candidates are wrong for America. Your agenda is wrong for America. The words "In God We Trust" was placed on our currency for a reason. If you can't understand it, that's kind of your problem, not ours.

 

[Jan Volkes]

So apparently you don't agree with my assessment that the system is broken regardless of who's in power. Stay tuned to the elections and you may change your mind.

What has been done is in the past, the future is waiting for America to catch up with the rest of the civilised world in regards to the benefits for ALL of the American people and not just the fortunate few.

 

[abysmul]

Nothing to do with that.......... republicans are not [intentionally] evil they are just stupid.

So, people that don't subscribe to your ways of thinking are stupid... all the republicans who post here on the forums are stupid?

I think your statement that I quoted says a lot more about you than it does about Republicans.

 

[Gadarene]

Not to worry because all that will change in Nov 2016, when the Democrats get in they will sort the US out once and for all,
the US will then [if they are lucky] be on a par with the rest of the civilised world and Americans can enjoy the things other countries now take for granted.

Erm.....implying the current *Democratic* administration hasn't sorted things out now....so why should that suddenly change in 2016 rather than since 2008?

 

[Ronald]

They just can not look at both sides, how can anyone form an honest opinion if they do not know what the other sides position is?

I believe they see their politics in exactly the same way they see their religion, they will not listen to anything that goes against their religion and they treat their politics in exactly the same way, to say they are blinkered would not be an unfair statement.

This is how I see it......
I put forward my argument and you analyse it and find the flaws, I defend it.
You put forward your argument and I analyse it and find the flaws, you defend it.
Whichever argument has the least amount of flaws should be the argument adopted.
Does that sound like a sane way to proceed?

So, are you saying that Democrats don't have a religion or they just simply pretend to ... like Obama?
Ted Cruz told us exactly what is wrong with the Republican party and congress as a whole. He said there are 400 in congress who are lobbyists. They have been in the game so long, have been made rich and show favoritism towards their contributors and cause. This is what is wrong, they should have had term limits long ago. We have guys in for 30 or 40 years and all they really are concerned about is there own profits. They've lost their love for the people and are willing to step on the Constitution and commit criminal acts as well. Whose that governor who wanted to sell a political position and went to jail for it? Bill Clinton used to do that when he was Governor of Arkansas. But look at the Clintons, they are crooks. They are worth lots of money and they haven't produced anything. Most of the hundreds of millions donated to their foundation is spent by them. Truth be told, only 9% actually goes to charity. They have a quid pro quo going on with many foreign contributors in lieu of her becoming president or favors she already gave when she was Secretary of State - which is why she had a personal server and she had it erased. She's in trouble now.
It's all coming to an end soon anyways, no one can turn this mess around, we would need a couple hundred Lincolns in congress to get on the right track. Judgment Day is coming, don't worry! God did not intend for man to suffer and struggle in a sinful world for eons without end. He has a plan and that is to put down sin and evil -- we can't!

 

[Poor Beggar]

They just can not look at both sides, how can anyone form an honest opinion if they do not know what the other sides position is?

I believe they see their politics in exactly the same way they see their religion, they will not listen to anything that goes against their religion and they treat their politics in exactly the same way, to say they are blinkered would not be an unfair statement.

This is how I see it......
I put forward my argument and you analyse it and find the flaws, I defend it.
You put forward your argument and I analyse it and find the flaws, you defend it.
Whichever argument has the least amount of flaws should be the argument adopted.
Does that sound like a sane way to proceed?

A lot of presuppositions here....
First, everyone does this--it's not a psychological phenomenon unique to Republicans. Second, you just assumed that Republicans all have the same religion. Third, your conflict resolution model assumes you each will find REAL flaws and discuss them rationally without getting sidetracked and that you've both entered into the conversation with full intention of changing your mind to accommodate a better position.

Let's try this: People of varying political persuasions and religious perspectives have a difficult time understanding views other than their own and should enter a debate if they're willing to change their mind.

See, when you make the kinds of accusatory statements you made, someone is going to say that liberals can't see things from other viewpoints. See how that works?

 

[Jan Volkes]

Erm.....implying the current *Democratic* administration hasn't sorted things out now....so why should that suddenly change in 2016 rather than since 2008?

Because they won't have so many republicans there to try and block everything they do, the democrats will be able to enact legislation that will be of benefit to all Americans and not just the few.
Some Americans are going to need to be dragged screaming and kicking into the 21st century.

 

[Poor Beggar]

Because they won't have so many republicans there to try and block everything they do, the democrats will be able to enact legislation that will be of benefit to all Americans and not just the few.
Some Americans are going to need to be dragged screaming and kicking into the 21st century.

Except our system isn't designed to drag its citizens kicking and screaming.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

The problem with democracy is that no matter whom you vote for and no matter who wins, we will all be stuck with a politician. It takes exactly one kind of personality to make it in the world of politics, which is why Republican voters are always complaining that their elected representatives are acting like Democrats. At least if we had a monarchy there would be a little randomness thrown in to give us a greater variety of personalities. This claim that the Democrats can save America is absurd. The claim that we need to rise up the the level of the Europe and the "rest of the world," most of which is nothing like Europe, is patently ridiculous.

 

[abysmul]

Except our system isn't designed to drag its citizens kicking and screaming.

Apparently the system was designed by stupid Republicans then... because the claim seems to be that the stupid Republican ones need dragged kicking and screaming, them and the stupid Republican legislators.

 

[Jan Volkes]

So, people that don't subscribe to your ways of thinking are stupid... all the republicans who post here on the forums are stupid?

No just the ultra right wing republicans, the ones who still believe that trickle down economics works, the ones who would still like to give billionaires more tax breaks.

I think your statement that I quoted says a lot more about you than it does about Republicans.

On the contrary my feet are firmly on the ground and my head is not in the clouds looking for an imaginary entity.

I know what can be done to make the US great again because I see it in every civilised country out there, republicans can not get away from the past so unfortunately they must be left behind.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Yes, it was set up to govern, but over the centuries it no longer does that very well -- regardless of the party in power. Thanks to the dishonest, self-serving, professional politicians, the government isn't going to govern until some very significant changes take place. Meanwhile, stupid voters will continue to elect stupid politicians and wonder why things aren't getting better.

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Nope don't see "govern" among there. The government was not set up to govern the people.

 

[dysert]

Apparently the system was designed by stupid Republicans then... because the claim seems to be that the stupid Republican ones need dragged kicking and screaming, them and the stupid Republican legislators.

No, the system was designed by working people who did not foresee the government officials getting lifetime positions in the government. The problem is not Republicans versus Democrats (or even one or the other). The problem is lifetime politicians. No lifetime politician is concerned about the welfare of America as a whole beyond the extent that they can keep their cushy job. The politicians' #1 priority is to get re-elected, and many of them start on that as soon as they get into office.