Opinion of the hard lefty laborites who are upper middle class or better

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

FFs for having at least an ounce of compassion for the truly doomed amongst us.

Good show, fellow D-NJ.  Yes, I came from a middle class background where to say I "struggled" would be a stretch, indeed.  Nevertheless,

-I went to college in a truly desperate and ruined city in Camden, NJ.  When you meet some of the locals, talk to them, and see the school their children go to, the whole notion of the universally achievable, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps "American Dream" kind of goes out the window.  

-I come from a divorced family where my mother went from stay-at-home to a union job with the USPS.  Having met most of her coworkers and heard their stories about dealing with management and whatnot, I tend to universally side with the worker.  A vast majority, if not all, are just hard workers looking to make a living against an economic system that is becoming increasingly unworkable for them.  

And between my fraternity and some of my dad's more well-to-do friends in PA, it's not like I haven't been exposed to the other side.  And the conservative economic arguments about taxes, takers/makers, etc. and their reactionary tendencies (I don't know how many times I have to hear the argument that isolated instances of someone abusing social security or welfare means the whole thing has to be dismantled)... nope, just don't buy it, and I find a lot of right-wing proposals borderline barbaric and offensive.  

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

What about those who are the exact opposite? I suppose people are entitled to their opinions. I too have trouble resisting the urge to call Wallmart Conservatives "stupid".  There are those among them that are much bigger walking contradictions than the average six figure stoner with two Master's at Starbucks.

There's a difference.  Latte liberals stand to lose a bit with a liberal government, but ultimately will not be knocked from their lofty perch.  

Conversely, a Wal-Mart conservative voting for this guy...



...might as well just build your own gallows and tie your own noose.  

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

FFs for having at least an ounce of compassion for the truly doomed amongst us.

Good show, fellow D-NJ.  Yes, I came from a middle class background where to say I "struggled" would be a stretch, indeed.  Nevertheless,

-I went to college in a truly desperate and ruined city in Camden, NJ.  When you meet some of the locals, talk to them, and see the school their children go to, the whole notion of the universally achievable, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps "American Dream" kind of goes out the window.  

-I come from a divorced family where my mother went from stay-at-home to a union job with the USPS.  Having met most of her coworkers and heard their stories about dealing with management and whatnot, I tend to universally side with the worker.  A vast majority, if not all, are just hard workers looking to make a living against an economic system that is becoming increasingly unworkable for them.  

And between my fraternity and some of my dad's more well-to-do friends in PA, it's not like I haven't been exposed to the other side.  And the conservative economic arguments about taxes, takers/makers, etc. and their reactionary tendencies (I don't know how many times I have to hear the argument that isolated instances of someone abusing social security or welfare means the whole thing has to be dismantled)... nope, just don't buy it, and I find a lot of right-wing proposals borderline barbaric and offensive.  

What are some of the things you heard of?

Being the son of a public school teacher in  moderately conservative East Hillsbourough to very Conservative Wyoming, I can say I have heard my share. Generally these "modest proposals" include-

-Laws mandating that judges order the bailiff to pointblank execute the defendant in court upon conviction of murder, rape and selling drugs, even pot.
-Laws mandating that people who are found commiting homosexual behavior or giving or recieving abortions or sex for money must have rocks thrown at them.
- That any country that is suspected of nuclear enrichment that doesn't have good relations with us be sterilized with ICBMs.
-That all Federal Land should be strip mined and that there should be a "Buffalo Hunt" of all natural predators larger than a house cat.
-That anyone approaching the Southern US border where there is not a border crossing should be shot on sight.
- That anyone who isn't in this country illegally should be deported on large cattle trains that come into town take everyone.
- That there be no more research or education in Evolutionary Biology.
- That starvation is  justice for not having a job regardless of the situation.  


Basically a bizzare mixture of 2013 Suadi Arabia and 1940 Germany.

What about those who are the exact opposite? I suppose people are entitled to their opinions. I too have trouble resisting the urge to call Wallmart Conservatives "stupid".  There are those among them that are much bigger walking contradictions than the average six figure stoner with two Master's at Starbucks.

There's a difference.  Latte liberals stand to lose a bit with a liberal government, but ultimately will not be knocked from their lofty perch.  

Conversely, a Wal-Mart conservative voting for this guy...



...might as well just build your own gallows and tie your own noose.  

I think the Wallmart Conservative mantra is "to trend water, you must push down on it".

Cutting overtime benefits, privatizing Social Security, massive deregulation, a whole new round of medical tests for those seeking welfare... those would be some of the proposals I've heard right-wing family friends speak of. 

As for just rhetoric?  I'm naive to sit here and allow "them" to refuse to work and leech of welfare.  "They" are lazy.  Healthcare reform is unreasonable because it might hurt the bottom line of some of our largest corporations.

It's just the usual drivel that comes up between people at a social gathering talking about politics.  It's a bit more personal for me, though, because I feel ostracized for the views I espouse.  I guess they feel that because I'm my dad's son, whose worked his way up in the financial/accounting industry and makes very good money, I'm going to spew right-wing capitalist bullcrap like your typical well-off, college-aged Caucasian frat guy.  When we get into it and I'm a pro-union, pro-regulation, tax-the-rich lefty, everyone is all surprised and I get the usual, "Oh, you'll grow up and be a Republican someday".  <== this of course is infuriating, as well as completely untrue, as I've only become more liberal as time has gone on.  Look at some of the posts I made in 2004 and tell me I've become conservative.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

FFs for having at least an ounce of compassion for the truly doomed amongst us.

Compassion is hardly a concept that is given reverence in the U.S.A. on the grand scale.  Many Americans love when they hear cute little stories of charity and selflessness, but will worship greed and profit on the whole. 

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Even those who have earned their wealth honestly and doing something productive (and those aren't as common as one would think), they still owe their success in large part to the help they received from others - first and foremost from the State they claim to hate so much.

BTW, you should fix your quote.

But seriously, this is absolutely true.  Anybody who has success has relied in some part on the institutions, infrastructure, and the collective effort often referred to as "society".  Sometimes I want to send these conservatives to a uninhabited islands out in the Pacific.  There ya go fellas... no socialist state or regulation to get in your way... now BUILD THAT!