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I am pretty center, like most people actually are, so there are aspects of both parties I agree with and support. I agree with restricting immigration and being harsher on illegal immigration, I agree with being harsher with our social programs (like requiring drug testing for welfare recipients only because we're dealing with huge amounts of other people's money and it is easily abused, normally I don't like that type of government intervention), but I also agree that abortion and gay marriage should be universally legal and that some states should be ashamed at their attempts to restrict or downright outlaw both. These are the biggest issues generally for me, but I tend to vote Republican because immigration matters the most to me personally. I don't like conservative Republican candidates but more center ones, and I definitely don't like ultra liberal Democrats as I find they're often too bleeding heart. No extremes for me.
In general I tend to agree with the right on gun rights and fiscal issues. I also agree with restrictive immigration policies BUT they need to be done intelligently. I have a high amount of distaste for the hardcore bible banging contingent of the right, the alt-right trolls, and the Alex Jones bunker dwellers. Not a fan of the rise of "Trumpism" which I view as all style no substance pandering, the kind of thing that appeals to people who think whoever shouts the loudest in a debate is the winner.
In general I tend to agree with the left on social issues (gay rights, drug legalization, abortion rights, etc) BUT some of the SJW types take it way over the top into the "now you are just f**king annoying" territory. I don't like the contingent of the left that is constantly seeking to be "offended" by something so that they can crow about how much of a "victim" they are or how much of an "ally" they are to (insert group here).
Most closely agree with libertarians - at least on the issues I care about the most - personal freedom and foreign policy.
All though I think that the purely ideological libertarians can be somewhat out of touch with what works - IE do away with ALL taxes, ALL government programs. I do not think taking the philosophy to its extreme logical limit is practical in the real world. At least I am not aware of any society in history where such a strategy has been successfully implemented that I would also want to live in.
I think that there can be value in government control of areas that are beneficial to society as a whole but do not contain a strong profit incentive to an individual or business. Roads, emergency services, military, potentially health care (if you can do something about the cost side of the equation and strip the middle men out of the system).
Conservative here but moderate to left on a few issues.
Abortion within limits...as long as I'm not paying for it.
Gay marriage.... have at it (I'm not particularly religious)
Legalized drugs within reason.
All based on the Libertarian side of me who doesn't think I should be able to enforce my personal views and values on the general populace via legislation.
If you're a Republican, do you agree with anything that the Democratic platform believes in?
If you're a Democrat, do you agree with anything that the Republican platform believes in?
The problem with the party system is people become beholden to their party and they feel like they're betraying either themselves or the group by not agreeing to everything the party endorses. In return, you get people, on both sides, supporting nonsense, even if there's undeniable evidence.
Since there's a deep divide in politics in 2017, can we come to any sort of compromise?
I am nether but both have good and bad ideas, unfortunately these days it is had to distinguish one Party from the other. 0ne will spend us into the Poor House, just on different things, and both believe that War is an answer to the issues in the ME, on some issues they differ but most Americans are fed up with the system as it is today, hence why Half of US voters did not even bother last election. We are on the way out as a Nation if we do not learn to grow up politically, and I for one sadly do not believe that will happen, Is What It Is.
If you're a Republican, do you agree with anything that the Democratic platform believes in?
If you're a Democrat, do you agree with anything that the Republican platform believes in?
The problem with the party system is people become beholden to their party and they feel like they're betraying either themselves or the group by not agreeing to everything the party endorses. In return, you get people, on both sides, supporting nonsense, even if there's undeniable evidence.
Since there's a deep divide in politics in 2017, can we come to any sort of compromise?
The deep divide started way before 2017. Is there anything else you want to blame the other party for? It actually started about the time Obama was elected and has just skyrocketed since.
Now to answer your question: I hope none of us are so biased that we can't see some positive in the other side of the coin.
I am pretty center, like most people actually are, so there are aspects of both parties I agree with and support. I agree with restricting immigration and being harsher on illegal immigration, I agree with being harsher with our social programs (like requiring drug testing for welfare recipients only because we're dealing with huge amounts of other people's money and it is easily abused, normally I don't like that type of government intervention), but I also agree that abortion and gay marriage should be universally legal and that some states should be ashamed at their attempts to restrict or downright outlaw both. These are the biggest issues generally for me, but I tend to vote Republican because immigration matters the most to me personally. I don't like conservative Republican candidates but more center ones, and I definitely don't like ultra liberal Democrats as I find they're often too bleeding heart. No extremes for me.
You represent a Huge number of Americans today, unfortunately most feel left behind by both Party's and see no real alternative that would stand for moderation and cooperation, today they only see extremism and an unwillingness to sit down and actually talk and work things out through compromise. We get what deserve, maybe next time mankind will grow up enough to get it right.
The problem with your question is that I'm no longer sure what Rs stand for. The R president says one thing one day and is soundly cheered by voters, something else again the next day and is still roundly cheered by voters, and the R party platform says something else entirely. The GOP establishment mostly keeps its mouth shut, who the hell knows what they're up to.
and statements like this is why some of us have trouble with the side that is so biased they don't see the other side of anything. You are the perfect example of this..
You represent a Huge number of Americans today, unfortunately most feel left behind by both Party's and see no real alternative that would stand for moderation and cooperation, today they only see extremism and an unwillingness to sit down and actually talk and work things out through compromise. We get what deserve, maybe next time mankind will grow up enough to get it right.
Most Americans actually are moderate and don't lean too sharply toward one side. People may even think they're more right or left than they actually are, if they were to be polled on all major and minor issues within the two parties and how they value them and how they feel. There are some really cool and comprehensive online quizzes people can take to determine where they are on the political spectrum, it's interesting to see what your family members get and often they'll be surprised at their results.
I find politicians tend to polarize themselves way more than they actually are because they think Americans are more polarized than we actually are. I studied political science (and history) in college and we had discussions on this a lot in my classes. IMO the Republicans, at least in presidential elections, generally tend to cater to the super religious conservatives, but they're honestly a pretty small minority. Same with the Democrats who often just go so hardcore bleeding heart on so many issues when most people honestly don't feel that strongly about it. So then we're left with picking between what we, the majority, more moderate Americans see as the lesser of two evils. This one sounds more extreme on these issues than this one, who seems more extreme on those issue than the other one - who is better? That's probably how a lot of us feel... especially recently.
I have voted for more than a few Repubs in the past 40+ years, though I am a registered Dem. I vowed to vote for John Warner, VA (R) Senator as often as I could after he stood up to his Party and kept Oliver North out of public office.
I still weigh the candidates against each other, their views, their ideas. I give little credence to either party's platform. Platforms have little bearing on the reality of making good laws.
Because trump has no core values, talks out both sides of his mouth (and other orifices), I cannot rely on what he says on Wednesday, as it may be 180 degrees different by Sunday. I certainly can't rely on his campaign rhetoric as it was all one Big Game Show.
Again, I do agree with a few moderate Repubs such as McCain (who I voted for in the past).
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