Annual politics cross-post.

[koga]

I am not a democrat. I am not a republican. I am not a particularly good libertarian. I don't go to rallies because I invariably find some ignorant son of a bitch who thinks freedom of speech only applies to them, who wants the government out of their life but meddling in the interpersonal relationships of others or who thinks they are entitled to

Comments

[kest]

What is your opinion on *legal* immigration?

Also, what's your opinion on state vs federal when it comes to the lawmaking?

[koga]

Legal immigration: Bring it on. It makes us a better place.

State vs Federal: You need to be more specific in what you're asking.

[squeekiemouse]

I think I would feel better about the immigration part if our country didnt make it SO DAMN HARD to properly and legally come in. IF we do NOT actually want people to come in, then we need to be willing to pay more for the jobs that no one wants to do, the ones that usually get sluffed off to immigrants who're willing to settle. I think that if we really got rid of most/all the immigrants, legal or otherwise, people would screetch at how fucking expensive food, cleaning, everything would end up being. I think our system just needs to choose, and stop shooting itself in the fucking foot by creating a system that makes being legal really difficult.

[koga]

Thats all well and good. But the reality is, it is illegal. Fix the system, don't ignore it.

[squeekiemouse]

Fair enough--Im not saying illegal immigration is great. Im saying that I've certainly interacted with people who have TRIED to be legal in every way, but its really friggen hard and really unclear to the point of being kinda idiotic. I'm absolutely in favor of fixing the system and not ignoring it. I'd certainly welcome that.

[koga]

If you want to come to America, and America says no?

Don't come to America. I do not hold 'Living In America' as an inalienable right for Non-Americans, any more than I hold 'living in Mexico' as an inalienable right for Non-Mexicans.

I recognize that the issues facing those who wish to immigrate can be vast, but the reality is if we do not have these barriers, these hurdles, you will find yourself faced with many of the same problems gripping Germany, France and England since the paper-less travel portions of the Euro-Union went online.

You have had mass immigration from poorer member states to wealthier member states, driving up cost of living, driving down wages, taxing health care and school systems. And much like Illegal immigrants here in America, the money they make is remitted back to their home nations, and thus leaves leaves the nation significantly poorer than when it started.

[sy4]

Reasonable stances, ones that I mostly agree with. We vary on gun rights. Then again, this probably comes as no surprise to you.

As for not socialist/communist, but not a capitalist, either - I tell people that I believe in a regulated free market. It may sound like a contradiction in terms at first, but think about it. Some regulation is good. We do not want unfettered capitalism that operates without morals or ethics. Nor do we want to stifle economies by taking industry over.

There's a healthy balanced that can and needs to be achieved. Go too far one way and you have corporate tyranny. Go too far the other and you have government tyranny.

[koga]

Yeah. Too far one side, and you have stagnation. Too far the other side, and you have stagnation. One flavor is government run dystopia. The other is corporate run dystopia.

Neither is appealing. The path forward is moderation.