one step forward, two steps back
1 in 3 teens says First Amendment goes 'too far'Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes "too far" in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.
I can't even address this ( Read more... )
I can't even address this ( Read more... )
Now, I realize that allowing illegal immigrants to come in and take jobs as guest workers results in fewer Americans with jobs, and thus fewer Americans able to take care of their shit. But seeing as how I want the government to help people out, this doesn't really throw a wrench into my political worldview.
I don't think healthcare should be tied to employers either, but I'm on the complete opposite end of that spectrum from the Bush administration. People shouldn't have to procure their own healthcare -- it should be provided for everyone by the government. As someone who's been unemployed and then had an employer act like a complete fucking mule about giving me my benefits, I speak from firsthand experience: the fear of not being able to afford health insurance in the event of an emergency is seriously crippling.
(And besides, it's what Jesus would do. *wink*)
"This is why we don't let high-schoolers make policy decisions."
Heh, a friend just replied to my email spam of the link: "Yet another reason why high school students should be quarantined."
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And, I mean, YEAH the government should provide for healthcare. (At least, I mean to say that I am in complete agreement, for the same reasons you have.) I now have to have my current health insurance for the rest of my life because otherwise it wouldn't cover my heart condition, and having health insurance that doesn't cover my heart condition would be seriously pointless. The prescription drug cost alone would cause me to go bankrupt. And I think I'm a pretty decent person who works hard and got good grades and crap and never did anything to piss off God or the government or whoever, and this is a thing that just happened to me. But if I switch jobs, I have to pay for this current insurance out of my own pocket unless my new employer takes pity on me and lets me do my own health-insurance thing. And as I get older the premium is only going to get worse.
I suppose if I had my "own" health insurance, I wouldn't have to worry about it transferring. But I also wouldn't be able to actually afford to go to the doctor, and I'd basically be dying. So, y'know, the idea of a central governmental health insurance that won't boot you and won't kick you off if you're going through hard times or somesuch? It really fucking appeals to me.
*deep breath*
Uh, yeah, me too. *g*
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(And besides, it's what Jesus would do. *wink*)
Aren't you cute?
But then, YEAH he would.
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It is Social Darwinism. That's exactly what it is.
Sometimes I think one of the biggest differences between current liberal and neoconservative thought is which word you use when you answer the question, "Why is there poverty?" Basically, do you think poor people are poor because they're (A) unlucky or (B) lazy?
I mean, to me, it's obvious that those who are more fortunate have a responsibility to those who are less fortunate. But the keyword their is fortunate. And so many people are still doing what you talk about, it's all, "My grandpappy pulled himself up by his bootstraps" and "we need to take care of our own shit" and "we can't help the entire world, we have to help ourselves first, and by the way, let's kick some Iraqui ASS!" and...
... and oh my god, I'm ranting in your journal AGAIN. That's twice in, what, ten minutes?
Forgive me.
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Yeah, your A or B question is exactly it. I mean, I'm sure plenty of neo-cons would swear on their dear grandpappys' graves about how they surely do care about the unfortunate, but actions speak louder than words. What I can't figure out is why these folks -- most of whom are just as middle-class or lower as, well, the overwhelming majority of the country -- can't see themselves getting screwed over by these policies.
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Part of it, I think has to do with education, though. As in, our educational system isn't that good, and maybe people aren't getting the skills they need to realize they're being screwed over. ...although my conservative family members are well-educated, so I don't know what their excuse is.
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