ACA Repeal/Replace: Progressives Face Moral Dilemma

[pbrower2a]

(01-20-2017, 12:43 AM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(01-19-2017, 11:02 PM)Classic-Xer Wrote:

(01-19-2017, 06:20 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(01-19-2017, 05:58 PM)Classic-Xer Wrote:

(01-18-2017, 03:25 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: I agree with Odin on that one. Anti-welfare is the dog-whistle for white identity racism. Conservatives often claim otherwise, but your own posts Warren earlier revealed this. So do Classic's posts. 

"Welfare as a style of life" is a revealing phrase too. The claim is that welfare creates a dependent style of life. Even though that kind of welfare went away in the 1990s, it is still the leading conservative talking point. Because it scores political points with closet racists and libertarian ideologues.

No, welfare is a protection for all of us against the greedy bosses, who will stop at nothing to fire us over nothing or take away our jobs. We will need it ever-more greatly, and as the Republican power grows, we have less and less protection from the greedy bosses who run our country. And now our new president (whom you voted for) is the leading exponent of this behavior, as exemplified by his favorite phrase, "you're fired!" Not to mention the leading practitioner of race-baiting.

You assume that's what we are doing instead of what we are actually. Now explain why, I called Odin ( a known white poster) a welfare king and associated him with the welfare system (public assistance). Why I've said, welfare is no longer just associated with minorities its now applicable to whites too . Why I told, a white racist that his skin color didn't matter much to me as far as my opinion of him and his ideology.  Who is actually blowing the dog whistle that you claim that we're blowing? Ain't me. I'm not the one making an effort to turn everything into race and drawing support of whites who have a racist view of whites that are similar to those of blacks and other races. I've never called you a racist even though you are associated with a lot of them (minority racists). Rani and I were good friends. What's your thing? Are you trying to start a race war or revolution to over throw our government? What do you think might happen to you if you found yourself stuck in the middle of a race war that you played a role in starting or a revolution of some sort? Do you think the American collective is going to remain idle? Do you think a pissed off racist minority group is going ask if you're a liberal or conservative before they bludgeon you? Dumb people do dumb things, say dumb things, associate themselves with dumb things, go along with dumb things with the hope of achieving something greater or better for themselves which smart people pick up on. Well, we have an idea as far as your amount of national appeal with the latest progressive stunt. You know that I don't care much for you, don't care much for the ideology that you represent or care much for the modern day progressives that you are associated with today. I must admit, I didn't care much for LBJ either. I must also admit, you paint a pretty picture as well. A pretty picture that covers up a lot of shit but unfortunately your pretty picture is unable to  hide the stink.

You need to change your picture of whites like us who support the ideology of welfare. Supporting welfare is supporting ourselves and our rights, all of us. We need that protection from the bosses. That is our well-founded opinion. You have frequently referred to other races besides yours as being the lazy folks who need welfare. I assume you know that whites need welfare too.

We need to resist the right-wing takeover of our country and their attempts to dismantle our public social structures, including what little we have left in the government to help our health and welfare. 

I think the blacks and hispanics are going to be increasingly unwilling to take the way they are treated. The ideology you speak for is the main ingredient in this mistreatment, more basic even than the shootings and the unfair jailings and racial profilings. We all need that social support; we can't make it in a society in which people look only after themselves. LBJ's Great Society was just some progress toward that taking care of one another. We need public institutions, not just private "charities." It is not charity to see that society takes care of its people; it's prudent policy. We all benefit when we do this; we all suffer when we don't. Our society has declined because we aren't doing it.

It doesn't matter if you don't care for me. I care for the truth.

Pretty hard to change a picture of whites like yourself when you associating the rest of the whites with racism and calling them racists for many years. You created a picture of us to benefit yourselves. A picture that no longer applies to most of us. Now, you keep pointing your finger screaming racist as we are looking at the minority racists behind you. You want truth. Look in a mirror, ask yourself questions about yourself and see how much truth comes out. I don't mind if you continue your efforts to divide and continue shrinking yourselves in the process.

If what you claim about yourself is true, then I will not see further posts from you that suggest a link between liberal welfare policies/your taxes and poor people of color. When I don't see that from you, then I will know that the racist dog-whistle does not get a response in you.

That doesn't mean it does not get a response in many other "conservatives." (if not in all)

Meanwhile, the divide has come from the right-wing. I watched PBS Frontline's "Divided States of America" last night, and was reminded of the tactics and angry fanaticism of the people you are siding with, and what they have done over the last decades and especially during Obama's term to force their will on us and shut down the government. I think the divide is pretty well baked in now until one side wins and a consensus is thereby achieved. It may not be a full consensus, but at least the nation will move on. If it moves in a progressive way, the nation will prosper. If it moves in the direction you have supported, it will not. As to who will win, sure your side is winning now. But the nation remains evenly divided, and the winner goes back and forth. You may be disappointed if you think the contest is over.

That's my opinion and my prediction. Your opinion is your right. I'm quite happy for you to post it here.

(01-20-2017, 02:35 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: As noted in my post, Obamacare actively disincentivizes dissemination of information on effective preventive care.

Agreed that increased self care is the answer.  That of course implies decreased government intervention and decreased reliance on employer provided care.

Some preventive care is best described as avoiding bad habits and developing good ones. Some (like screenings) allow medical treatment to be less costly and more effective.  Early and aggressive treatment of mental illness can do much to spare people of miserable lives. (If I had only known about you-know-what early, instead of struggling along without a clue)...