American Politics - Social Issues v. the Economy
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-06-29/american-politics-social-issues-v-economy
Recent polls show that the economy remains the number one issue on the minds of most voting-age Americans. But lately social issues have been grabbing a lot of the headlines. Last week New York became the sixth state to approve same-sex marriage. Dozens of states have placed new restrictions on abortion rights this year. And Kansas just moved to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. Politicians, of course, have taken notice. As the first round of presidential primaries draws closer, candidates are keen to take the nation's pulse and respond accordingly. Social issues versus the economy in American politics.
Guests
Carroll Doherty
associate director, editorial, Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Michele Swers
associate professor of government, Georgetown University.
Reid Wilson
editor-in-chief of National Journal Hotline.
Comments
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pew research of registered voters
GUN RIGHTS AND GUN CONTROL - SEPTEMBER 2010
Q39: What do you think is more important – to protect the right of Americans to own guns, OR to control gun
ownership?
Protect the right to own guns 51%
Control gun ownership 45%
Michelle better get her facts right!
I actually agree with monte- in part.
I don't really care what people do, as long as long as it does not hurt others, and I do not believe the government has a right to tell any family what they can and can't do in the privacy of their home. Homosexuals deserve the same rights that my wife and I enjoy- all of the legal protections (there are hundreds) which married couples are afforded.
In terms of abortion- I would much rather my taxes be spent on abortions then seeing millions of unwanted children. But I agree with monte on this aspect- women have the right to choose whether or not they have a child but they do not have the responsibility of having to care for their children on their own. I believe we have an obligation to care for children (and the poor) in this country but I do not believe that people have the right to have unlimited amounts of children with me picking up the bill.
I almost wish, like in adoption, that women (and men) had to show that they are financially secure enough to have children- that they have the ability to care for a child emotionally and financially.
I see these 'Teen mom' shows on MTV- some of those girls work but many seem to believe that because they want a baby they are entitled to one- and that other people have to pay for it. They feel bad about abortion (as ALL people do) and it seems like a game to most of them.
People are free to be religious- or not- in this country but your religious feelings do not oblige me to pay for child after child after child. I do not know the solution- I don't think we can realistically stop people from having children but we can make it as undesirable as possible.
More than abortions- I would love it is every young woman in this country had access to free birth control. When I hear about cases like the Octomom it makes me want to vomit- and it makes me fear for this country.
monte- be careful with polls where the difference is only 6%. Most polls have a margin of error between 1-5% (some much higher). At a 4% margin of error a slim majority would support gun control. At 3% it would be a tie.
Anyway statistics can always be manipulated.
At a minimum people who have been convicted of felonies involving firearms should probably not have access to assault rifles- just my perspective.
Whoops!
Monte seems terrified that someone somewhere may "choose" the hard road and need help--as though we all were islands, unconnected to each other. I guess his precious money isn't good enough to be useful to the rest of society. Others wonder why "disagreeing" with the gay "lifestyle" shouldn't get them the reputation of being a hater. Well, I damn well disagree with the lifestyle choices of rightwing antitax antisocialsafetynet greedheads and rightwing antisex antiscience evangelicals, and I don't mind being called a hater of such groups. Until we take care of everyone regardless of income and permit social freedom for everyone without reference to primitive religious ideas, this will not be the great country we keep lying to ourselves about.
Social conservatives are ignorant, fearful, and backwards, and this world won't be a worthy one until their kind has been educated out of existence.
"so far left on the Democratic side"--as if! There are scarcely any true left liberals among the Democrats anymore. The Democrats are conservatives, and the Republicans are reactionaries, and both are committed corporatists.
Those Republicans who suddenly favor gay rights when public opinion has reached the tipping point, those are the worst.
WillT26, Michelle Swers stated the majority favors gun control by a large margin or something like that, followed by the usual NRA bashing, I do not remember the quote exactly, will have to wait for the transcript. I merely post a reputable source that files in the face of very typical left wing propaganda.
See yesterdays post regarding gun dealer mandatory background checks. Convicted felons cannot buy any firearms legally. I doubt if any gun dealer would be stupid enough to sell a gun without making the required phone call to the FBI, they would almost certainly loose their FFL if they did, thus putting them out of business. There is no control over anything sold illegally as you know and all the laws in the world cannot stop criminals from obtaining just about anything they want.
I find it amusingly hypocritical of the Republican party constantly touting individual rights and "stay out of our house" yet this same group always wants to restrict the individual rights of anyone and everyone who doesn't agree with their narrow-minded views. Women cannot have the right to control their own reproductive freedoms, gay and lesbian cannot have any rights as couples. The fetus has rights until it's out of the womb then the screw it, fend for yourself, no social programs or basic rights to health care.
On Religion: well, I believe two basics: organized religion is the root of all evil; and, one has the right to believe whatever they want so long as they harm no others and do not push their beliefs on others. Evangelicals constantly feel they have to shove their narrow-minded beliefs on everyone else. One of the founding principles of The United States of America was freedom of and freedom from religion. (Notice the use of United States - that's our country, NOT America. Referring to America includes North, Central, and South Americas. If anyone's every traveled to South America you will soon be corrected for saying you are from "America." Maybe change the name to Amerika.) BUT, all this talk of Mormons yet no mention that Michelle Backman claims to guided by god ~ to tax law school, to her husband, to calving out numerous kids.... No one sees irony in this? AND finally, go ahead GOP Primaries in selecting the most reich of the ring-wing fanatic candidates to run for president. Do ya'll think you can get a majority vote from the populous in 2012?
Hey Kathleen:
55% of the American People according to Rassmansaun are against Obamacare.
As far as "these People hiding behind their Christian faith. The guy in office has been doing it for years.
Joshua Hendrickson wrote:
Social conservatives are ignorant, fearful, and backwards, and this world won't be a worthy one until their kind has been educated out of existence.
June 29, 2011 - 1:16 pm
Your the one that sounds ignorant and fearfull and somewhat backwards. Why do you not look up how Americans took care of other Americans during the Great Depression. It was individual people, the churches, and the non-profits. There was no government support for these people when there was 25% unemployement.
The present problems has been made worse by Obama. A guy who has never had a job in the private for profit sector. He made all kinds of promises telling the Recovery Act was to bring the economy back.
Nothing of the kind has happened costing us taxpayer more debt than we can afford. We just heard Obama say "shovel ready not so shovel ready"
Perhaps you and John F can find some employement with George Soros. He has the same kind of ideas as you guys.
He abandoned religion once his pretending got him what he wanted.
To John F Wagenknecht:
You sound like a wacky narrowed minded individual with a far leftist agenda. Thank goodness you are in the minority.
Greece would make a great home for you like those wacky looking Commies on Monday's thread.
Q: Boated and overpaid public sector, Greece or Wisconsin? A: Both
To Meangreen
I agree with you, in part, on Joshua's comment. That was 'out there'. But the gov'ment did put thousands of people to work during the Depression with the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Obamacare: true, a majority of people are opposed to it. But this opposition comes from both sides, Republicans just hate the whole thing to begin with, but a lot of Democrats and Liberal minded people oppose it because there is no individual payer option. Don't you think/agree that in a wealthy first world democracy health care should be a right afforded to everyone?
I'm actually quite open minded. Just can't stand the Religilous thinking they know what's right for everyone. Far as my comment on "the root of all evil" - think about all the people tortured, murdered, killed in the name of religion and 'My god is better than your god' and flat out intolerance of others beliefs. And, glad I got a rise out of you. I'm sure you're in the other minority, especially with the far-right comment to rush and call people Commies or Socialists. Perhaps we'll meet and become friends over a beer, who disagree on just about everything.
many of us think the economy and wars are social issues
is there much shame left today?
are you talking about junior bush?
isn't the economy a social issue as it deals with the production, distribution and consumption of resources?
until we the people say enuf
u go girl..all u need is a couple of billion and ur president..u can't do any worse than the 535 jokers and assorted thieves that are calling the shots now..as william f buckley said ..he'd rather be governed by folks selected at random out of the phone book than the elected folks currently serving at that time..
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