|
Post by Tyler Smith on Oct 30, 2010 3:53:15 GMT -8
While I'm usually reluctant to discuss politics in what is sort of a religious forum, I'm often fascinated to know what people believe politically and why? With the midterm elections coming up, I'd be interested to know what your political philosophies are and- an an effort to combine it with the purpose of the forum- how your religious beliefs (or lack thereof) play into your politics.
|
|
|
Post by tonybeard on Nov 6, 2010 6:22:47 GMT -8
Personal ideology
In basic terms I'd be fairly happy to be considered a 'Contempory Social Democrat' or should that be very liberal idealist condemned to a lifetime of moaning about the 'system'. That makes me centre-left in European terms & Chairman Mao according to Fox News.
Wikipedia definition of ideology of Social Democrats:-
- A mixed economy consisting of both private enterprise and publicly owned or subsidized programs of education, universal health care, child care and related social services for all citizens.
- An extensive system of social security (although usually not to the extent advocated by socialists), with the stated goal of counteracting the effects of poverty and insuring the citizens against loss of income following illness, unemployment or retirement.
- Government bodies that regulate private enterprise in the interests of workers and consumers by ensuring labor rights (i.e. supporting worker access to trade unions), consumer protections, and fair market competition.
- Environmentalism and environmental protection laws; for example, funding for alternative energy resources and laws designed to combat global warming.
- A value-added/progressive taxation system to fund government expenditures.
- A secular and a socially progressive policy.
- Immigration and multiculturalism.
- Fair trade over free trade.
- A foreign policy supporting the promotion of democracy, the protection of human rights and where possible, effective multilateralism.
- Advocacy of social justice, human rights, social rights, civil rights and civil liberties.
Why?
Neither a capitalist or socialist be I but the liberal idealist in me says their has to be some sort of healthy balance between the two where we produce a world economy which is both economically & environmentally sustainable, where normal responsible families can have an 'OK' life with a decent education/healthcare & be inspired to a lifelong love of learning but not be allowed to abuse the state, where family life is favoured over the Corporation but there is still the aspiration to make the most of yourself & your abilities but not the promotion of greed, narcissism or selfishness. Of course the pessimist in me would say that's all very wishful thinking and we're all doomed!
I suppose in the end I'm a reverse teabagger. I'm fairly happy with the way things work in the UK compared to US (i.e. Universal Health Care free at the point of need, higher taxes for the rich - 50% income tax for very rich, more benefits for poor/middle-classes, higher minimum wage, decent state pension for all, minimum 28 days paid holiday for any job, most people working 35-40 hour weeks & only 1 parent needing to work per household, The BBC - well funded public televison/radio/news/internet coverage with remit to provide quality & choice for everybody without need to chase ratings & no pesky adverts/sponsorship or heavy censorship etc.), don't consider 'Socialism' a dirty word & worry more about us becoming more like the US rather than US becoming more like Western Europe.
The Religious question
NB. UK fairly non-religous country with very tight gun controls (mainly just farmers with shotguns) so Big 'G's (God & Guns) don't really play a role in British politics. Not that I'm trying to imply 2 things are related just the point that they appear to be a much bigger deal in the US (to an outsider like me) than here.
Being non-religious, I'm happy that God doesn't play any role in UK politics. I'm all for churches, mosques, synagogues etc. being built & kids learning about all the different religions & choosing to believe what they want, I just don't like indoctrination into any set belief through religious schools/governments etc.
For the record although I'm agnostic and my wife's an atheist, our daughter considers herself a Christian.
|
|
|
Post by Tyler Smith on Nov 7, 2010 18:31:29 GMT -8
Yeah, I'd say I'm somewhere in the middle. I used to think I was middle-right, but there are several things that I am a bit more liberal on to cancel out the stuff that I'm a bit more conservative on. I've made jokes about this before, but it can actually be rather stressful; I have friends that are full-blown conservatives and others that are full-blown liberals. I often have to defend my conservative beliefs to my liberal friends and my liberal beliefs to my conservative friends. I often look at either side and- in a rare bout of philosophical relativism- think to myself, "Do these people really think that everything about the side they're on is right? Really? Every single aspect of that party is 100% correct?" It's one of the reasons that I voted for Ron Paul in the 2008 Republican primary; he considered himself a Republican to such a degree that he realized that a costly war isn't actually a function of the fundamental conservative belief system. He opposed it, even though it meant being criticized by the rest of the candidates. I respect any candidate that is willing to go against his party because he recognizes that there are some things that just don't make sense. It can be pretty frustrating being an independent, because both sides are screaming so very loudly.
|
|
sam
New Member
Posts: 8
|
Post by sam on Nov 27, 2010 23:41:32 GMT -8
As an atheist I want to see the numbers and the facts. I think it's the best way to figure out the truth. Politically nothing is more suspicious to me than a rousing speech.
|
|