Both Sides

[knapplc]

I'll just leave this here and repost it every time someone uses the term "both sides."

 

https://np.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/8xt55v/the_fcc_wants_to_charge_you_225_to_review_your/e25uz0g/

[mrandyk]

I enjoyed the reply to the comment where someone challenged the Republicans to come up with their list that shows the Democrats are "wrong".......Spoiler alert: It's the same list.

 

Should be easy enough to read this over and make a conclusion about which party deserves your support, but tribalism.

[Danny Bateman]

This reaffirms my belief that Dems are by no small margin the less awful of the two major parties in America.

 

Thanks for digging that up Knapp.

[BigRedBuster]

Not sure I follow the point.

 

The data in the Reddit post shows that all of these votes were very polarized along party lines.  So, each party (for the most part) votes along party lines.

 

Now....it's a valid discussion about  which side you agree with the policies the most and that discussion is healthy.

 

I'm perfectly fine using the phrase "both sides" because I think typically I use it in terms of how they go about their politics (and not a blanket statement).....not necessarily about the policies themselves.

 

A grey area example might be the votes on closing GITMO.  In this example, it appears the Dems are all for closing it and the Republicans are against it.  However, as much campaigning Obama did on the issue, did he really ever put forth a real effort to close it???  No.

[knapplc]

That a person can look at those votes and think the problem is truly "both sides" explains why we're where we are. 

 

"Both sides" are not equally at fault. If the litmus test is "I can find gray area in a few of these votes..."   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Moiraine]

16 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

Not sure I follow the point.

 

The data in the Reddit post shows that all of these votes were very polarized along party lines.  So, each party (for the most part) votes along party lines.

 

Now....it's a valid discussion about  which side you agree with the policies the most and that discussion is healthy.

 

I'm perfectly fine using the phrase "both sides" because I think typically I use it in terms of how they go about their politics (and not a blanket statement).....not necessarily about the policies themselves.

 

A grey area example might be the votes on closing GITMO.  In this example, it appears the Dems are all for closing it and the Republicans are against it.  However, as much campaigning Obama did on the issue, did he really ever put forth a real effort to close it???  No.

 

 

The side of the line they're on is the point. Some of those vots shouldn't have any votes on the other side of the line if they are in favor or the citizenry yet have 40+ GOP votes.

[TGHusker]

I thought this thread was about a Joni Mitchell song.    I guess I was wrong. 

 

The list shows are far apart the country is politically--  funny thing is - I found myself agreeing wt the Dem vote more times than not when I survey the issues being voted on.    That wasn't true of me 3 years ago.

 

 

[Danny Bateman]

1 hour ago, BigRedBuster said:

Not sure I follow the point.

 

The data in the Reddit post shows that all of these votes were very polarized along party lines.  So, each party (for the most part) votes along party lines.

 

Now....it's a valid discussion about  which side you agree with the policies the most and that discussion is healthy.

 

I'm perfectly fine using the phrase "both sides" because I think typically I use it in terms of how they go about their politics (and not a blanket statement).....not necessarily about the policies themselves.

 

A grey area example might be the votes on closing GITMO.  In this example, it appears the Dems are all for closing it and the Republicans are against it.  However, as much campaigning Obama did on the issue, did he really ever put forth a real effort to close it???  No.

 

I wish more people just saw simple vote data broken down by party for various priorities like in the post.

 

The implication is there are a lot of ideas voted on in there your average (disengaged) voter probably supports that ultimately go nowhere.

 

Whereas they might think politicians in general don't care, the truth is the GOP took it upon themselves to vote down these things as a group.