It’s Time To Focus On Helping People And Not The Liberal Versus Conservative Divide

[texshelters]

In the United States, we have divided the political landscape into liberal versus conservative for too long. These terms only serve to divide us and stereotype each other and this infighting only benefits the ruling classes.

Fox News commentators and Republican politicians have painted liberals as un-American, lazy, anti-work, pro-terrorist and made many other false claims about this group they call “liberal.” There are also the bumper stickers that highlight this stereotype, “Annoy a liberal: work hard, succeed and be happy.” Do liberals really want others to be unhappy? Who are these liberals? I am still looking for them.
A better question than is someone liberal or conservative is to ask, “Is this person, policy or politician pro-corporate or pro-human?” What do I mean by pro-corporate or pro-human? Let’s take a look. (snip)

For more, read here:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/12/02/it’s-time-to-focus-on-helping-people-and-not-the-liberal-versus-conservative-divide/

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[izquierdista]

1. "Helping people" is the CAUSE of the divide

Consider for a minute, the unemployed, children below the poverty line, homeless people, gay couples in the majority of states who would like to get married, women who need reproductive health services, people who could benefit from a cannabis prescription, students who have no way to pay for college, former students paying off enormous debts, people who would like to immigrate to the United States, people who are trapped in substance abuse, and finally people who need mental health services; have the conservatives ever had a kind word to say, or a productive suggestion on how to help any of these groups?

[grasswire]

4. well, conservatives want to put many of those people in prison as possible...

....and pay $35,000 each for their care!

[MADem]

2. Because it's so important to say "fuck politics" as a Presidential election year ramps up.

Cui bono, here?

Depressing the vote, playing the "politics/parties/position doesn't matter" card--that is helpful to one party, and one party only--the GOP.

Like it or not, you'll get a fairer shake from the worst Democrat than you will from the best Republican. That's because the GOP enforces party discipline like a ringmaster with a whip.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Liberals help people. Conservatives help the ruling class.

Hence the divide.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. False dichotomy...

...if you want to harness the immense power of the state to help people, you're right back to working politics, and that means the liberal v. conservative divide.

[yurbud]

6. generally, the ''beyond politics'' talking point tends to serve corporate interests

since it is either ignorant or disingenuous in the extreme.