Issues where 'your side' frustrates you

[DC Al Fine]

I'm quite left leaning when it comes to pensions and abhor some of the right wing attempts to cut social security. At the same time I find the left is really frustrating when it thinks 1970's style defined benefit pensions is the solution to the problem because of the poor fit they have with today's mobile labour market.

How about you? What issues do you have where your allies frustrate you?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

To be honest, I'm hard-pressed to think of issues where they don't frustrate me.  I don't like some of the far-right proposals to dismantle the safety net or restrict legal immigration.  Even on illegal immigration, they get too hard-line; trying to deport someone who's been here for 15-20 years or more and has established themselves just isn't feasible.  And I get tired of the opposition to equal pay for equal work, because in my mind, men and women who are doing the same type of work, with the same number of hours and same level of seniority, should be paid equally.

[Xing]

I definitely don't always agree with the Democrats when it comes to education. I think the love affair many Democrats have with standards is problematic, and doesn't account for the individual needs of students, or the impracticality of using standards-based grading for certain classes (like music, for example.) More funding for education is a nice idea, but what we do with that funding, and whether or not it gets to the districts which need it the most is more important.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Trade. Left-wingers blame the job losses in manufacturing to free trade deals, a view I regard wrong. Increased automation is to blame. And it's a good thing... These people shouldn't be forced to stay in increasingly outmoded lines of work... They should be helped to adjust to the new, emerging innovation economy. People will lose jobs whether we sign stuff like the TPP or not.
Blaming job losses in manufacturing on something mostly unrelated just smacks of global warming denialism... And it is only a little bit more true. And unfortunately reciting this nontruth is something the left, in aggregate, believes in. Sad!
(trade does kill some jobs, but not nearly as much as most think)

[they don't love you like i love you]

I've long held that if you are a remotely decent person Israel/Palestine is the objective answer to this. And it doesn't even matter which side you take, it's true either way.

[Cory]

The Democrats frustrate me on gun control and trade.

[Antonio the Sixth]

On many "social" issues of the day, even when I agree with the conclusions progressives reach, I find a lot of the rhetoric around it pretty ridiculous.

I've long held that if you are a remotely decent person Israel/Palestine is the objective answer to this. And it doesn't even matter which side you take, it's true either way.

That doesn't apply to me because I don't have a "side" on Israel/Palestine and think both sides are acting awfully.

[Tartarus Sauce]

-Has been way too knee-jerk on guns. I despise the gutless inaction on the right side of the aisle in regards to approaching an understanding on how to combat gun violence, but the Democrats went way off the deep end here with trying to ban certain weapons and accessories as a reflexive response to every shooting incident. It's one of the few issues that the Democrats have been more reactionary on than Republicans.

-Democrats can't seem to make their minds up on trade. That being said, the most ardent anti-free trade activists are textbook practitioners of negative filtering. They don't seem to grasp the enormous benefits that come with our trade deals, only the negatives (both real and perceived). I'm all for wanting more "fair" trade deals, but do try to actually understand what it means to be integrated into a globalilized market before nixing something because "muh sweatshops and job loss."

-Raising taxes as a solution to everything. I don't mind raising taxes on the wealthy to raise revenue; I don't mind cutting taxes across the board to reduce budgets either. Taxes are a tool to meet goals, and as long as increased taxes will be put to efficient use and slashed taxes are necessary during times of austerity or intended to reduce wasteful spending, I believe taxes are suiting their purpose. But by the same token that I loathe the type of reckless slashing to necessary functions and institutions by tea party types, relentlessly increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations as a go to solution for revenue acquisition tends to have undesirable effects on local investment and commercial activity. Due to the increasingly bolder voice of the progressives, this is becoming a standard rhetorical response to solving funding woes and decreasing inequality...to the point of ignoring any other policy alternatives or supplements. Speaking of which...

-Raising the national minimum wage to $15 an hour. You can't spontaneously double the value of a standardized wage bracket in a country as large the US and then not expect it to induce a massive negative shock to the labor market. Progressives hail this as the holy grail at this point for improving the living quality of all Americans, without really grasping how it will actually raise the cost of living while increasing uneployment. It eludes me as to why we aren't focusing our efforts more on the local level, where minimum wage laws are far better handled. Let local governing bodies determine the standards of their own labor markets, it's far more efficient and will lead to more productive results.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Choosing an example that I am particularly passionate about, education is a big one. My views on the issue differ greatly from both major parties. The Republicans see value in vocational training and the Democrats see value in liberal arts education, and there is far too little effort made to bridge this gap.

     I do at least think that the Republicans are more practical on this issue, but the support of scammy for-profit schools makes me wine. My ideal program for higher education would see an emphasis on liberal education with a great books curriculum, but also would work hard to place students in internships and part-time jobs that would show them what life after college is like.

[IceSpear]

In general, just the idea that grown adults are too stupid to know what's good for them and should be treated like helpless and ignorant toddlers. Some examples:

- Proposing a year or two in a Norwegian spa resort as "punishment" (oops, I mean "rehabilitation"!) for mass murderers, terrorists, child rapists, etc.

- Banning lottery tickets or Big Gulps.

- Thinking racists and other horrible people are only that way because the government doesn't spend enough money transitioning them from coal miners to Starbucks baristas, rather than just accepting some people are just inherently vile and won't change.

[they don't love you like i love you]

To give another answer, a good chunk of Black Lives Matter activists who think disrupting public gatherings or blocking highways is going to accomplish anything. I mean I've seen many people defend these tactics before but I have yet to hear anyone actually explain how doing this will prevent unnecessary police killings or hold accountable the police that do them.

[Figueira]

inb4 nuclear power, abortion, and GMOs

Anyway, I get annoyed by dogmatic Sanders supporters who think that Clinton is literally Satan. And people who think that they're being "principled" by voting for the Green Party. I would happily vote for the Green Party if they were a viable party, but they're not.

And I don't really feel that strongly about free trade vs. protectionism, but I don't like the nationalist arguments that some protectionists use (like, accepting it as a fact that more jobs in Mexico=bad). This also applies to foreign policy--"Why are we getting involved in other countries when there are problems at home?"

[TrumpCard]

Economics and healthcare which I'm very moderate on.  Truth and answers are found in the middle.

Healthcare- This country needs to have universal healthcare for those making less than $200,000 and there's no harm in a 50% tax bracket on those making over $225,000 to pay for it.  Universal coverage would include biannual eye exams and chiropractor appointments with annual visits for those with conditions, those 65 and older, and children.  Funding for this program would come from higher taxes and $60 premiums for every $1,000 of earned income on last year's taxes after $20,000.  Policies would receive up to 50 visits per year or 100 visits if someone on the policy has been hospitalized within the year's coverage.  Requirements for coverage would be 3 months of legal residency in the U.S.  Private insurers would still remain for those who prefer private insurance, the wealthy, and companies who provide health insurance.  Companies not ensuring employees without coverage would face a tax penalty.


Education-  I'm conservative on school choice and curriculum.  What this country needs to do though is give a 30% discount to college students whose parents earn less than $160,000 annually.  High school students must complete 12th grade or attend until the age of 18.


Environment- Begin an international fund to help developing countries use green energy and set goals to reduce fossil fuel usage to 10% by 2025 along with 50% nuclear and 40% hydroelectricity. 


Economics-  Minimum wage would be over $18.00/hour if it went up with inflation for the past 45 years in addition to the 20% increase in worker productivity.  It needs to be $11.25/hour and go up annually to keep up with the cost of inflation. 


Prison Reform- Legalize marijuana and decriminalize other drugs unless there is an intent to sell or minors are being supplied.  Allow for optional rehabilitation instead of jail time.  Allow for optional career classes in prisons so inmates can keep their job skills while incarcerated.  I know most of them won't attend, but if it helps 2-3 of them here and there it's worth it.  Eliminate the death penalty.

[TrumpCard]

We also need amnesty every few years for immigrants who have resided here the whole time. Cuts down on red tape.

[Antonio the Sixth]

In general, just the idea that grown adults are too stupid to know what's good for them and should be treated like helpless and ignorant toddlers. Some examples:

- Proposing a year or two in a Norwegian spa resort as "punishment" (oops, I mean "rehabilitation"!) for mass murderers, terrorists, child rapists, etc.

- Banning lottery tickets or Big Gulps.

- Thinking racists and other horrible people are only that way because the government doesn't spend enough money transitioning them from coal miners to Starbucks baristas, rather than just accepting some people are just inherently vile and won't change.

The sort of bullsh*t you're spewing is exactly what frustrates me about Democrats.

[Kingpoleon]

In general, just the idea that grown adults are too stupid to know what's good for them and should be treated like helpless and ignorant toddlers. Some examples:

- Proposing a year or two in a Norwegian spa resort as "punishment" (oops, I mean "rehabilitation"!) for mass murderers, terrorists, child rapists, etc.

- Banning lottery tickets or Big Gulps.

- Thinking racists and other horrible people are only that way because the government doesn't spend enough money transitioning them from coal miners to Starbucks baristas, rather than just accepting some people are just inherently vile and won't change.

The sort of bullsh*t you're spewing is exactly what frustrates me about Democrats.

Also one of the only times I've seen someone attempt a serious defense of *lottery tickets* on this forum....

The Next Big Issue: Lottery Tickets

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Obsession with symbolic issues like flags, names, statues, boycotts and semantics. Who cares? At best it's a waste of time, at worst outright embarrassing for the movement.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Obsession with symbolic issues like flags, names, statues, boycotts and semantics. Who cares? At best it's a waste of time, at worst outright embarrassing for the movement.

Symbols are schematic representations of what a society stands for and what it stands against. As such, how we regard certain symbols (say, the Confederate flag) says a lot about what kind of society we are.

[RogueBeaver]

"Democratic reform" and elements of Reform-style populism.

[FairBol]

People who know me personally know that I describe myself as a "closet Libertarian"....that is, I try not to make it public, LOL.  Anyways, the major issue that I find myself disagreeing with many Libertarians on is the drug war.  I do not support the legalization of "medicinal" marijuana, and believe that recreational marijuana should also be banned.  Furthermore, I think that we should be doing a better job of educating our children about the dangers of drug use, particularly (but not limited to) heroin in my area.  There has been a large number of heroin-related deaths and overdoses in the past year or so....kids are throwing their lives away. 

Unfortunately, there seems to be quite a few Libertarians who believe that we should just legalize all drugs, and let people alone to take them if they wish.  "Live and let live" is a great attitude, but when people start to become dangers to themselves and others, you have a problem. 

[Taco Truck 🚚]

In general, just the idea that grown adults are too stupid to know what's good for them and should be treated like helpless and ignorant toddlers.

When left to their own devices most Americans

1.  Become overweight or obese
2.  Don't get a four year degree

By any objective metric it is pretty clear most of us don't have a clue what we are doing.  People are debating this in 2016?

[100% pro-life no matter what]

There are a lot of issues where I don't think the GOP is far enough to the right on- some examples:

-I don't think we're committed enough to supporting 100% free trade

-We should ban the income tax once and for all

-We've set our sights way too low on banning abortion, and we have too many Republicans who would prioritize other things over ending abortion

-We have become way too libertarian on surveillance- if you're not doing anything wrong, why do you care?

-I also disagree with the populist strand on stuff like term limits and campaign finance.  We shouldn't have ANY restrictions on donating directly to campaigns.  Non-profits should also be able to be directly involved in politics (though, again, there shouldn't be an income tax in the first place)

-We are not doing anything to curb the problem that is alcohol in our society.  I can virtually promise that, without alcohol, things like rape and suicide would be reduced by way over half.  I have some ideas about how to fix the drinking culture, as it isn't feasible to ban it, but I won't go into that here.

-That some of us recognize "transgender" as a real thing in the first place and not a mental disorder that needs to be treated, not celebrated (or, usually, someone looking for attention)

-Letting the left frame the narrative too much for the American people (ex. controversies in Indiana and North Carolina)

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

^^ It's pretty clear transgenderism is real. Doesn't mean people don't lie about it, but it still exists.

[RI]

My side doesn't really exist as an organized political or ideological structure in the United States, even as a notable third party, so that's a bit frustrating.

[Horus]

The Democrats frustrate me on gun control and trade.