Are Conservatives and Republicans holding back the U.S?

Conservatives and Republicans generally support low taxes, don't support welfare systems and do not like the idea of a universal health care system. Most of them are also Religious.

I think the Republican/Conservative mindset would have made sense to people back in the day when they made only a few cents per day. However, we live in a different era now. The U.S. population is 300 million a large portion of the population lacks proper health care, and a lot of people die prematurely because of undiagnosed diseases that could have easily been prevented if they had access to good health care.

Now by having a better welfare system, that would be supported by higher taxes I do think the crime rate would decrease as people would not have the need to commit crimes to make money to support their families or themselves as they would have access to a good welfare system that would support them when they are unemployed or when under-employed.

Republicans and Conservatives also support gun ownership, but I do not believe that should be a right but more of a privilege. So by having a good welfare system to support you when you are under employed or unemployed and by having access to good healthcare whenever you need it, without the stress of having to pay huge bills and by knowing that your family will not go hungry or go without access to medical care would that not make you generally feel more happy and stress free?

Now throw in tighter gun control to all of that and the crime rate would go down significantly.

Call me a radical progressive/liberal or communist but the facts speak for themselves.

Just take a look at the list of the happiest, most prosperous countries on Earth and then look at what they all have in common.

Universal health care
Good welfare system
Tight gun laws

The U.S. should be higher on that list.

reply to post by muse7

Just take a look at the list of the happiest, most prosperous countries on Earth and then look at what they all have in common.

Do you have this list??

I’m curious to see the list of social welfare nanny countries more prosperous than US.

Originally posted by muse7


Now throw in tighter gun control to all of that and the crime rate would go down significantly.

Call me a radical progressive/liberal or communist but the facts speak for themselves.

Just want to point out that this isn't true and there isn't a valid study that shows this over long term. There may be a drop initially but that will disappear over about a year. BTW, most countries that prosper have smart gun laws, not gun control, which isn't smart. Criminals don't care about laws mate. If they want a gun, they get it. It's that simple.

The rest of your post well, UHC isn't going to happen in any meaningful way in the US. The population is to large now for it to happen. That's just common sense.

reply to post by muse7


Legal gun ownership means everybody can have them. Make them illegal and only the criminals will have them. This is where your logic fails.

Furthermore, Republicans are not holding the U.S back, government is. The bigger the government, the less productive any country is. This is because the government does not produce anything productive, since they have no need to compete. Competition is what drives products and services forward, and this will only be a part of the free market, not the government. This means everything we get from government, will evolve more slowly than other areas of the society, which hampers it. This also means less government is better for societal advances through competition.

reply to post by seabag


World's happiest countries

I didn't say to make gun ownership illegal, I simply proposed to make gun ownership a privilege and not a right.

It wouldn't mean that you would not be able to own one, but you would have to go through more background checks, file more paperwork etc.

Reducing the number of people who own guns, reduces the number of guns that go "lost" and end up in the wrong hands.

Republicans and CONservatives are fairy-tale-believing, war-lovers, who have ONLY the interests of THEMSELVES and the SUPER-wealthy in mind.

Farly-tale believers who love war = DANGEROUS PEOPLE to be in positions of power!!

At the same time, they take everything from middle-class Americans to give to the upper-class scum who do not need any more. Everything that they do involves screwing our country, our jobs, and our sons and daughters which they love using as PAWNS to fight their constant war that bring huge PROFITS for their super-wealthy cronies who are in the war business.

And YES, Obama has us involved in quite a handful of wars since being President, but if a CONservative republican was in office right now, we would STILL be in Iraq, and also would have already LEVELED Iran and probably a couple more countries by now just for their silly "chosen people" of Israel whom they worship all because of a SILLY fictional man-made, man-inspired book originally written in... HEBREW. "Chosen people" says THEY, not "God".

To be fair though, I will certainly admit that the Republicans are 100% CORRECT when it comes to their PRO-gun stance, and being against illegal-immigration.

Otherwise, not only do they hold this country back, but more important: THEY ARE DANGEROUS!!!!!!

In response to your title:

NO.

People who think there is still a difference between the establishment Left and establishment Right are the ones holding, not only this country, but our world back.

When the choice is $8 an hour of hard labor and no insurance for your family..or a free check that comes with insurance and no hard labor...that is why people choose welfare. The quality of living of barely suffers plus you don't have to bust your ass and still barely make it. (Make it ...only implies still being alive)

Ask any child what they wish to be when they grow up..I doubt that you will get the answer of "I want to be on welfare and living in housing projects".

People gripe about the unions trying to get the workers a wage that allows them to survive..and also gripe about having to help people that can't earn a decent wage to survive and have to rely on assistance.

Scream lazy all you want..but give any of those welfare recipients a job paying $60,000 a year and see if they still choose welfare.

I have been on both sides of the tracks..I have heard all of the arguments..so I will not debate with you on this..just adding my 2 cents..add yours if you wish.

Peace


Edit: any party that legislates to put all the money/power into the hands of a few are holding back progress.

reply to post by eleven44


So what do you think we should do? It's clear that there is not going to be another civil war soon to throw them out of office, so why not pick the lesser of two evils? Heath care access to everyone and good social safety nets.

reply to post by HangTheTraitors


That's very nice rhetoric, but politicians, whether dem or rep, are the problem and BOTH of them want more war and more power and more control. If you think otherwise there is a good chance you're delusional.
PEOPLE, whether dem or rep, only want what they think is best for the world. Not many are actually trying to screw things up more, they're just doing the best they can.
If you disagree with someone, educate them AND listen to them. There is a good chance neither of you know everything or what's best for everyone.

I am getting so sick of people trying to blame one group over another!

reply to post by muse7




From your article

They are all borderline socialist states, with generous welfare benefits and lots of redistribution of wealth. Yet they don't let that socialism cross the line into autocracy. Civil liberties are abundant (consider decriminalized drugs and prostitution in the Netherlands).

America is not a socialist country, though you (and the left) would like to take it there.

In Nepal, for example, inflation is 11%, unemployment 46%. Yet a surprisingly high 50% of the people say they are satisfied with their standard of living and 81% have confidence in their banks. Could be they're scared of voicing their true opinion in a shaky democracy, or maybe the Nepalese are just endemically happier people.

46% unemployment doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? Yet somehow they are happier?? Sounds like a legit study!

I say people who want to change America into a socialist utopia should exercise their freedom to leave and move to a country on your list that more closely fits his/her ideals rather than mucking up this country.

reply to post by seabag


Just like you and the right, always seem to make the word "Socialist" synonymous with "evil"

The unemployment percentages would have to do with other policies all together. With the right mix of business friendly policies/ good social safety nets this country would be back at the top.

I'd say it's people like you and the right who rely on nothing but fear mongering and always demonizing socialist policies that are holding this country back.

reply to post by muse7


My solution? Learn how to get along and hold our representatives responsible and expect them to act as mature adults instead of whiny children. But in the meantime we have to do the same ourselves.
Its like Pro-Wrestling: there is no 'good guy' or 'bad guy;' they are performers and they are after money.

Pretending we can pick a 'lesser evil' is not only not helping, its perpetuating a flawed and dangerous system. We need to think outside of the box and stop resorting to the same BS rhetoric and temporary solutions to major problems that deserve serious talk.
And we need to kick ALL of them out of congress asap.

reply to post by muse7

Just like you and the right, always seem to make the word "Socialist" synonymous with "evil"

I didn’t say evil…I’m implying that it’s ridiculous.

The unemployment percentages would have to do with other policies all together. With the right mix of business friendly policies/ good social safety nets this country would be back at the top.

It’s unsustainable…ask the Chinese and North Koreans where the percentage of people starving is astronomical.

I'd say it's people like you and the right who rely on nothing but fear mongering and always demonizing socialist policies that are holding this country back.

I’d say its people like you and the left who are destroying the country by teaching people to be dependent on government rather than self-sufficient. Wealth redistribution is a tool of TPTB to rob people. Only boobs who can’t make it in this world are standing by with their hand open eagerly awaiting someone else’s money.

We have enough social safety nets…any more would be a crime IMO. Take some responsibility already!

reply to post by muse7


Conservatives/Republicans want to "take America back" to something...so, yes, they are holding America back...appealing to a sense of historical and nationalistic pride.

"Back to the Constitution" we hear.
"Back to the Founders" we hear.

Back to the Gilded Era is all we are gonna get with them.....

...that wasn't a good era for the 99%.

reply to post by muse7


Tell your theory to NASA. The past two Democratic POTUS's have cut their funding.

And while many view owning guns as a right, it really already is a privilage. There are forms to fill out if you are buying a weapon in a legal manner from a store. If you are a felon, you have to obtain said weapon illgally.

Methinks that you just want more State control. Maybe I should pay even more of my taxes to the many, (not all) of the freeloaders?

reply to post by muse7


No.. people clinging to the left and right system and not thinking for themselves are what is holding back America.

Taxes should be lower. They are right there, and there should be more limitation on welfare. I think welfare should feed, clothe, and shelter someone that is all that should be required.

I believe there should be a public health option (universal healthcare offered alongside regular healthcare/insurance plans for those that can afford it) and that it is easily affordable if you cut out the wars. No one should ever complain about universal healthcare until they have complained war spending down.

Actually what is holding America back are people like you OP. No offense, but people who are so short sighted. You oppose the person I support (Ron Paul) because you think he is a conservative bogeyman and he opposes the things you are for. Yet if you thought about it for a second (like I have) you would see that his plans for savings and cutting the military down are exactly the steps that need to be taken in order for a level headed liberal (like a Kucinich or some left equivalent to Paul) to step in and use portions of the savings responsibly to help the people.

All the liberals that argue against RP, they never think about how important what he is doing could be for people of all ideologies. I believe in marriage equality, pro - choice, pro public option, end to military expansion and spending and an end to high taxes. The fact is you can't just hope for a smart liberal, a smart conservative has to set the precedence and that man is in fact Ron Paul.

reply to post by madhatr137


As opposed to the current direction that is working so well for the 99%? We have to get back down to bare basics and strip away the government power to straighten things out. It's just a fact. Falling back on the constitution is the last ditch effort before realizing a revolution.

Seems hard for some people to figure out, or maybe they are just afraid to say it.

reply to post by muse7


After reading this post of yours I can see you still have a lot of growing and learning to you.
Likely very young and idealistic, the more time you spend thinking about it the more your opinion will change.
I promise wherever your thinking stops now, there is another layer and when it hits you, you will go "A-HA!"

Good luck.