Politics, Philosophy and the Possible Trump removal · 2:52am Jan 19th, 2020
Part 1: Mostly philosophy
I view myself as a creator. I think of myself as an artist, a writer, an idea-maker, a concept-creator, and joining this website and the brony community, I can say I'm among many like myself. What sets me apart is what I create and how I create it, among other things. I view myself as an individual and I don't claim to speak for more than myself, unless I'm advocating or representing someone else. I'm not as good an author as I could be at this time, but I think I'm at least a decent one. I don't have much to show for it; my most popular story and its popularity only stem from my ability to update it consistently, which is some of the only consistency I'm able to provide.
I'm grateful for that, though. I'm grateful for every view.
I believe resolutely in freedom of speech, freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas. Mostly because I use it myself, but also because I know that real progress and real improvement do not often come from silence. Silence is a form of inaction, whether when censoring one's self or being censored, and rarely is inaction the cause of anything.
I consider myself a conservative, because I believe it's important to hold onto these things. These ideas, these ideals, life and liberty themselves, they're all too precious just to give up. It's not in human nature to give up and it shouldn't be. Conservatism itself is a form of defiance, as is life, the act of holding on to defy nature itself and impose your will upon it. To rage, rage against the dying of the light. That's not to say that I don't agree with other points of view sometimes, but right now, I believe that, to quote the late great comedian Ralphie May, "America has swung too far to the left."
Of course there are many who would say that comparatively, America is not politically left at all and neither are the Democrats. But we don't need to be and we shouldn't be; the world needs a country like the United States of America and it has one. One's enough, one's necessary, and we're not about to give up any time soon. We don't do that. Not to insult any other nation; every country is entitled to some amount of pride, I believe. We're all in this together. But there's more than one position on every team.
Part 2: Mostly politics
Anyway, on to the big issue: President Donald Trump.
Yes, I voted for him and I, and my family, are all registered Democrats. My grandparents were lifelong Democrats, my father however was an independent. I originally traced the political schism in America back to its roots with the split of federalists and anti-federalists. I decided I was a federal idealist; it's better to seek one solution for 50 different states than to have 50 different solutions to 1 problem. Ultimately, despite my vehement disagreement with my party's current direction, leadership, overall disposition and treatment of both opposition, pretty much EVERYTHING about my political party, I still believe in this ideal.
There's a fight in this country between individualism and collectivism, between freedom and equality. Ultimately, these two ideas are simply ideas- words we made up to give meaning to concepts and frame our ideals. They're no more absolutely attainable than other ideals like perfection or utopia. We require balance and we've lost that somewhere long ago. Now, we seem to be locked in some sort of endless game of demonization and manipulation. It's a game because only the winner seems to matter.
So I voted for Donald Trump for president. More than anything else, I wanted him to repeal the Affordable Care and Patient Care Act of 2010, better known as Obamacare. Trump and the Republicans at the very least were able to remove the tax penalty, giving me back some of my freedom.
It's complicated why I wanted that law, that one single, horrible, wonderful law gone. It's even benefited my mother and stepfather, or at least they have said as much. But I agree with Barrack Obama when he said that it is wrong to force people to buy insurance. Unfortunately, he would reverse this view, and began a crusade to pass a healthcare bill that eventually robbed both my father and myself of insurance and forced my doctor's local practice to close. These are secondary reasons, however; the main reason I believe this law is unconstitutional is because it is against the spirit of America.
It was a choice between body and soul. I chose to keep my soul.
To just accept this loss of liberty was wrong. Especially when the surrendering of such liberty was not voluntary, but mandated by an apathetic and overly-bureaucratic government. To say that more government, more regulation would be helpful to the United States at this time is to invite poison into this already-maligned system. In this regard, Donald Trump has acted as a potent antidote. But though medicine heals, it is not always pleasant. Donald Trump is quite clearly not the most pleasant or tactful of men, respectfully.
More so, the tact and demeanor of his predecessor has made it easy for him to sway people. Obama has charisma. But a charismatic person is no more right than is a person with a crystal ball. And a trustworthy person that does you wrong can be more damaging than an obvious liar. At least with the latter, you're more apt to have your guard up and see the damage coming.
President Trump has secured a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, he's signed bills into laws, advocated, protected and restored some of my freedoms and he's delegated with foreign powers. I haven't agreed with every decision he's made, nor how he has made it, and I didn't vote for him to pressure allies into investigating a rival's son, which is presently what the debate for his removal from office is stemming from.
I hope he's not removed, to be honest. What he's done cannot be undone, but his removal will be seen as a victory by progressives and my fellow Democrats in the United States when I know they do not deserve one. Many of them will even admit their own actions our out of desperation rather than any sense of right or wrong. Their disdain for the main party Democrats like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is apparent. They're tolerating these people, the same way I'm tolerating Donald Trump. He's not an ideal- he's a means to an end.
Our founding fathers wanted us to compromise not on our principles or integrity, but on our immediate goals. They meant for us to debate things and fight endlessly with words, not insults of character, over what was right and what was wrong, until only the very best became federally applicable. Our system of government is like a great grinder, churning and crushing through in debate until only the very best of things come true. Only what we all agree on becomes an amendment, should become an amendment. If it makes it onto our Constitution, it is has been subjected to so much pressure that it can only be a diamond.
The difference is that the political right in America, the old guard, do listen. We do adapt and change, albeit more slowly and more practically. We apply tradition to things and we're slow to accept anything remotely new. Sometimes, stubbornness is our detriment. Other times, it is our strength. To make it a point, the concept of pre-existing condition coverage in medical care has become a bipartisan issue. The good part of Obamacare, that is the diamond that remains, not the mandate that ruthlessly forced people to comply.
No one, not even me, someone who has fought this law for years can hope to touch that part of it. Even someone like Dan himself would yield in the face of such support. Which is scary, considering it might still be wrong. But no system is perfect. This bipartisanship, which is what we should be striving for through compromise, this is what helps America move forward, slowly and yes, conservatively, towards a brighter future for all citizens. Even if we are wrong, no matter what trouble we cause, we will and should get through it not as a divided nation, but as a united one- together.
Part 3: Mostly division between parties
The Left and progressives are very good at pushing for things. Politics is like the building of a great bridge- conservatism secures the foundation, liberalism ensures the path is even and all can walk upon it. We need each other or we get no where. But the focus on political correctness and trying to appease feelings has led us down a dark path. We have swung too far to the left, and social justice warriors are not helping things. Their zeal is understandable, yet more of a hindrance than anything else. There are some things that don't change and some things that must be accepted.
More so, the ideology and ruthlessness of the American Left is very dangerous. Both extreme sides of the political spectrum harbor the same ruthlessness, the same methods and the same results, which are disastrous. The far right is fortunately on the wane. Despite outbursts of violence, these are the death throes of a dying movement, not the beginnings of anything new. The extreme right, the fascists and those with that flawed ideology, are waning. It's only a matter of time before they realize that nothing remotely close to their idea every will or should come to fruition.
Which is why our new fight is for balance and is centered around collectivism and individualism. Our country and the world are becoming larger. More new people arrive and more are born. We are still growing, despite stagnation in the areas of expansion and technological advancement. What we need now is more power and rights and listening to the individual rather than top-down government. The policies of those like Bernie Sanders and other Democrats, while meaningful, will ultimately only exacerbate this situation.
The media in this country is also a major problem. Operating from positions were they are nearly immune from rebuttal, they are able to influence far too many and wield too much power and authority. We just need to listen to each other more, demonize one another a lot less and compromise.
Ruthlessness, tyranny, government without the consent of the governed, these things are atrocious and an affront to freedom. Yet they're still happening. Maintaining our government against corruption was always going to be a constant struggle, yet we are compromising in order to win and not compromising in order to make progress.
There are some things that cannot change. The past, our history, what we have done, no matter how much we want to rewrite it, the truth comes out eventually. In order to change another person's mind, the first thing you must change is yourself.
Part 4: Possible solutions
Fear and manipulation are running rampant and being used as political tools. Compromise is nowhere to be found. People are disillusioned, divided and swayed far too easily. We need more individualism, not less of it and there is a way to provide it.
Voter's social insurance. If you voted for against a certain candidate, you can claim compensation if you were directly affected by their policies and can prove it. This is more of a suggestion, and likely a logistical and bureaucratic nightmare, but if implemented locally, we could see a national form rise eventually. It's a way of retooling the government and giving citizens more involvement- the ability to restrict the power of an elected leader.
First, you have to have voted and voted legally against the candidate and their policies in question. Second, you have to accept the fact that that policy is implemented. Not all damage could be recovered, but if you are the owner of a business, if your rights are being infringed upon, if something happens, you can make a claim. The type of compensation can be something you work with local and state officials to agree upon.
For example, if you are a hot dog vendor and a new city ordinance forces you to relocate or lose your business, you are not simply forced to relocate. You can make a claim that forces the city to accommodate you based on the new ordinance, meaning the burden of adaptation is shared rather than forced upon only one party.
If you didn't vote, you obviously forfeit your right to make a claim. With voter turnout what it is, and the way policies can take years to implement, it's not likely to be used in anything but the most dire of situations. There's likely to be major delays, but that's part of the process; it is meant to take time. If you're not willing to sacrifice and fight for your beliefs, to work with the system, then you don't care enough to see them changed. If you don't put in the effort, the outcome obviously doesn't matter much to you. This is just one idea.
Now, if Trump is removed, it might be a good thing. It might rein in the powers of the next administration and future presidencies. The negative would be that the Democrats might take this as a victory and continue the same tactics of fear-mongering, hatred and hate-stirring that they and the leftist media have perpetuated. To be fair, Trump has made it very easy for them, but to act like either side is being virtuous at this point is delusional. It's still a game to the people at the top and they play it well, unfortunately.
Anyway, the world will likely keep spinning and the fight and fighting will continue regardless of what happens to President Trump. Political leaders are listening to their constituents, media leaders listen to their viewers, so I'm reaching out to you. No matter what side you are on, we need to listen to each other more to reach solutions and we need to compromise.
Here's another idea- give the Republicans half a wall and give the Democrats half universal healthcare. Both sides think the other idea is extremely stupid, wasteful and ultimately won't work, but if they each at least get half of what they want, they'll stop bitching as much about it and move on to other things. It's a juvenile and immature solution but so is politics and I'm tired of this game going nowhere.
Pretty well thought out, and trying to remain unbiased and reasonable. I can empathize, it feels like these days both sides are more interested in beat up the other team than actually getting things done.
Some of that wall will end up cutting through vital wildlife sanctuaries therefore devastating the wildlife and ecosystems within them.
5188476
People talk about Trump and hatred. I'm a Trump supporter and I never hated anyone. Not Obama or his supporters, not Bernie Sanders or his supporter. My family members support Obama and his policies. He helped them. But he didn't help me.
Something was taking from me by Obama. I liked our old healthcare system. I used it, I benefited from it, it worked for me. The doctor's office was quicker and more convenient. Why did I have to give it up just to get other people insurance? Why do I have to pay for something that doesn't work for me so that it might work for others? Why couldn't people have just asked? I donate to charity, more so than my coworkers. I do my best to be kind and generous. Why was that robbed from me?
Generosity cannot be mandated. I can't make the right decision if I can't make a decision for myself. Obama took my freedom. The "black president" who happens to be partly white, the man everyone loves so much, the person the media praises every time he speaks, he took my rights. Who the hell do I go to?
I even tried Obamacare. Then, it didn't cover what I needed to, so I had to pay the penalty for not having insurance. Better part of a thousand dollars. Family helped me pay for it.
My doctor's office close by closed down. Average price of every medical-related thing from checkups to medicine tripled. That's not an exaggeration. And every Democrat is acting so happy about it and wanting to focus on climate change now. I remember the day my father lost his health insurance; he got a letter claiming his plan was canceled for not covering maternity care. He was in his fifties. And if we complain about this, we're racists.
Years passed, and neither my father or I had insurance. 2016 came around and there was one issue above all the others that was in our minds. Hillary Clinton said she would expand Obamacare, Trump said he would repeal it, Obama said his legacy was on the ballot. The decision could not have been more clear. They could impeach Trump, remove him and undo everything he's done from appointing Gorsuch and Kavanaugh to passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and everything in between. I would still vote for Trump. And he's not my first choice. But Hillary, Obama and any Democrat aren't even my last choices- if they were the only ones on the ballot, I'd stay home.
5188477
Vital? I wasn't aware of any 'vital' wildlife sanctuaries on the U.S-Mexico border, certainly none that are designated as such. Certainly such ecosystems could be adapted. And if people are being trafficked and kidnapped, those grounds could be tampered with and destroyed anyway.
Also, private citizens are building the wall for themselves.
The physical barrier is only one part of border security. It's a more permanent structure that will slow down and divert traffic, allowing agents and patrols to apprehend illegal crossers more easily. The more of it we build, the easier it will be to maintain other integral parts of our nation's security.
5188484
Don't such a hater of nature.
5188490
Mankind is a part of nature. We stopped living in caves and started living in homes with walls. The United States is our home and it needs walls. Don't worry; there will always be a door. One we open and close as we need to.
I don’t understand politics and thus don’t understand any of what you’re saying, and also thus can’t really make any argument.
But i gotta wonder how you can say that you hope Trump isn’t removed?
I suppose I can understand your reasons, it’s the same kind of fear people have about Google and Windows, about them trying to control the internet, removing people’s freedom.
But I just don’t understand the view of Trump. I can’t really say anything about the good he’s done and thus I can’t really weigh that against the bad. But there’s a lot of fear that he’s going to start a war. World War 3, to be exact. From what I’ve heard about the bad stuff he’s done, it’s not just small hiccups, it’s big things. And it’s not just what he’s done either, but how he acts.
I just gotta know how you could ignore the bad things. The threat people believe he poses.
5188556
There's a World War 3 scare with every major presidential election. It's part of the fear-mongering. I remember that in 2016 leading up to the election, people claimed Trump would start World War 3 because he doesn't possess the temperament to be president. People were constantly blasting that message, how afraid they were at the thought of Trump getting nuclear launch codes. There was even a political ad about someone who worked in a missile silo and he said how afraid he was of Trump getting access to nukes.
Except... the president of the United States doesn't have access to nukes. The "Football", the black suitcase that both the current president and current vice president have near them at all times contains lists of identification codes and plans detailing what to do if the United States is attacked. It's so the president and V.P can respond to a threat as quickly as possible. There is no magic big red button that launches nuclear weapons under the president's desk and yet for some reason, many people operate under this absurd idea.
So people have always been afraid Trump would start WW3 over some stupid issue, or because he's an idiot. But I remember the final week leading up to election day. I noticed something in the comments' sections of websites like YouTube and Google and others. People started claiming Hillary was going to start World War 3- because of her declaration about Syria. She claimed that the first thing she would do if elected president would be to declare Syria a no-fly zone, which even Obama and Bernie Sanders said constituted an act of war. Russia would be brought into the conflict and we would have World War 3. People said Hillary was going to start World War 3 by instituting a no-fly zone over Syria. And that's likely to have been the case if that were to happen.
I don't want Trump removed because the Democrats and anti-Trumpers will see it as a victory when they don't deserve one. They'll learn that their ruthless tactics have worked and America will sink further into the realm of demonization and hatred, vilification of the opposition rather than listening to people. The Left and progressives will continue to dismiss other views and push America further into a socialist state where the federal government controls and regulates everything against the will of the people, with the media using their influence to sway the masses and achieve majority to get their way, turning the United States into a totalitarian dictatorship where individuals have no real rights and everything has to be PC.
That last part is a bit extreme, but a bigger possibility than fascism suddenly coming back. Socialism, communism and fascism are all forms of big government and big government has killed more people than every war in history combined. Big government even starts wars. The more the state controls and regulates, the less freedom and rights the individual has.
Although they will try to undo everything Trump has done, they won't be able to. The past does not change, history cannot be changed. Until we invent time machines. But until we get those, we march onward and we don't undo the steps we've taken. Trump will go down in history as a president of the United States of America, the 45th one, duly elected and sworn in, who founded the Space Force, appointed judges Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh and signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
I mean, for fuck's sake, people keep saying he was going to overturn Roe V. Wade and make gay marriage illegal. Pence appointed the first gay ambassador to Germany himself. The guy is obviously not a homophobe.
5188835
Ok, fair. But what about what the assassination he ordered? The threat against cultural sites? I mean, sure, it's just a threat. But he legit assassinated someone.
Thoughts?
Also please don't use so much political lingo, I already said I have 0 clue about politics and it's all just going over my head sorry ^^;
5188849
Well, the first step in learning is to realize what you don't know about, and you've done that. So now, you realize you're ignorant about the subject, it's something you can fix by learning.
Take an American Government class, take politics, learn the topics. Like I said in the blog, I traced the political dispute in our country back to its roots to determine how my personal views, beliefs and goals fit in and could play a part in the conversation. One of America's oldest disputes was and is federalism vs. anti-federalism. This is one of the reasons that caused the two-party split and it stems from a conflict, from a problem we have never been able to fully reconcile: should the state government have more power than the federal government or should the federal government have more power than the state?
The situation has become far more complicated as time goes on. There is no easy answer.
5188849
5188490
Mexico is rapidly deteriorating.
5188880
wtf I didn't know they actually built Trump's wall.
Also, doesn't surprise me. If there's enough stuff going on to warrant cause for concern about people crossing the border and for people to be like "let's build a wall", then it doesn't surprise me that shady stuff is actually going on.
All good lies have a kernel of truth after all.
5189068
The mainstream media is quick to hush up any news relating to Trump, Republicans or conservatives that is remotely positive. Even the conservative news outlets have their agenda, but they are bullied and shouted down by the vastly left-leaning bigger outlets. I mostly listen to independent journalists but even they have their own issues with bias.
The number-one rule of journalism: give the people what they want.
The point is, the liberals are in control of the media in this country and they're manipulating and lying in order to control people. They want democrats in power because it's good for them and they believe in leftist policies. They don't care about peoples' rights or other peoples views and opinions, they just want things to go their way because they believe it will lead to utopia. If they have to lie or silence people or incite fear, anger and hatred, if some people have to die, they're fine with it. They believe the ends justify the means, they are only serving the "greater good."
5189121
Honestly, you've been replying to my comments with random propaganda or politics-related stuff w/ political lingo so much that is completely unrelated to what I've been saying in those comments. For example, you've not answered any question I've asked.
I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm not trying to be a dick or otherwise hostile, and I honestly want to leave this here so I won't respond to any further comments.
But I just gotta say that with how you're acting and talking, with just your responses to me, I think it makes you look bad. Again, not trying to be a dick or hostile, that's just my opinion, and I apologise for it.
5189427
I don't know what it is you expect from me. You say you don't know anything, then accuse me of posting
Yet you also say you don't understand any of this.
Also, one of your questions is literally,
So yeah, I answered your questions fully. I have no idea what assassinations or threats you're talking about so you're going to have to be more specific. And if you don't understand, I don't think you need be labeling something as random or propaganda. You may not be trying to be a dick, but saying those things definitely seems hostile to me. You've got a reply even if you don't want one and I really don't care how it makes me look. This is my blog, these are my views and you're free to express yours but you could be less hostile about it.
I kind of wish we could have free healthcare
5188484
You know, here's an idea I had for undocumented immigrants. If they committed no other crimes since coming here, then let them have the chance to legally stay here,put them in the queue for immigration
5188835
Hold up, doesn't Pence support conversion therapy?
5213296
We pretty much already do that with immigration. And Pence has approved funding for forms of sexual conversion therapy, which is a bit ridiculous in this day and age, but it's voluntary. There's been rumors all over the place of about him forcing people into conversion therapy and it's just absurd nonsense. Rumors like that happen with most candidates.
5213359
True. Also, alright. I may not....agree with conversion therapy, but at least it's voluntary