Political variety in PCF

[Stratego]

This thread is an attempt to discover the differences in political stances between member at PCF. I know there are tests out there that give you a general position (left, right, authoritarian, libertarian etc), but I'm concerned about your stance in regards to more specific topics. So in an attempt to understand the members more and to spark more debates in the future let's discuss the topics in which you feel you differ most from the other members at PCF. You don't have to actually debate those topics on this thread, you can debate them elsewhere. This is just a brainstorm of the possible topics of debate later on.

I'll start. I believe I differ from many members here in that I do not believe in elections. I believe that freedom of the press is the protector of the people's will and it does more to keep the leaders in check than elections ever will. I also do not believe that elections are necessary for freedom of the press or that elections improve freedom of the press.

[The Dharma Bum]

I believe that I'm the good guy, and that ya'll are the bad guys.

[Revenant]

Mod edit. -u

[The Dharma Bum]

What we need is a defined set of political leanings to choose from and then you could feed that data into a graph that displayed the ideological make up of the forums participants and have that on the forum's splash page.

Then people could gauge the effectiveness of their political invective and propaganda strategies in real time as participants become convinced by great arguments and change their leanings, attract like minded participants to their cause and etc etc.

That would be a unique forum feature and would be a nice social networking enhancement if implemented correctly.

[The Dharma Bum]

[Revenant]

I believe the government should oppress the working class because they're pathetic dogs that at best deserve enslavement. Democracy is garbage because "The People" are garbage.

[Bill_in_Bethlehem]

[Hyperion]

Areas where I probably differ significantly from others on the forum:

- I believe all drugs should be decriminalized and everything up to and including cocaine should be legalized for sale on the grounds that alcohol is just as destructive and dangerous as these drugs. I believe local jurisdictions should be allowed to legislate heroin, methamphetamine, and antibiotics but mass distribution should be the only 'crime' and it should be a misdemeanor.

- I fully support direct democracy and e-democracy, although I stipulate that not everything should be based on 50%+1.

- I believe in a combination of market socialism (worker-owned cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, mutual aid society) and state socialism (welfarism, direct democracy).

- I think NASA should receive 10x its current level of funding.

- I think the federal government should operate a 'rainy day' fund like their composite states so that a stimulus has less negative consequences.

- I'm against the death penalty.

- I believe the current way we view education and school is completely screwed up. Almost EVERYTHING needs to be tossed out.

[The Dharma Bum]

[The Comrade]