Shakesville - Latest Comments in Question of the Day

Re: Question of the Day

Amy — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:43:47 -0000

I'm woefully late, but I'd love to see the health care system sorted out.

Re: Question of the Day

Rachel — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:41:17 -0000

It's so hard to decide on just one- but I would like to see some serious action on climate change. We're pretty screwed if we don't start taking action right now.

Gbl- Bringing in no-pornography internet for everyone, urban and rural.

I really disagree with this. We are getting this in Australia and it is awful. They are bringing in strict Internet filtering for everyone- you have to ask to be in the 'adult' filter, and even that will block 'inappropriate material'. It is completely horrific and disgusting.

Re: Question of the Day

Solitary — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:10:58 -0000

In four years, I want to be able to say "We did a good thing when we elected him". I want all the hope and optimism and starry-eyed joy of the first days after the election to be justified. I don't really care if it is completely justified, I don't even care if it's a bit tarnished. After 8 years of Bush, I simply want to feel good about being an American.

Re: Question of the Day

TheSeaHag — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:16:17 -0000

With the understanding that children's rights and immigrant rights also need reform:

Every adult American citizen--every single one--enjoying equal rights and protections under the law. Make it an amendment. Put it in the Constitution and be done with it. That's what I want. I want someone or, more likely, several someones to have the spine to say that discrimination for any reason is un-American, and then make it stick. If I could get my hands on an original copy of the Constitution, I'd write it in myself in bright red crayon.

(ETA: Sorry, I thought I'd posted this comment last night but it was still sitting here in the comment field. It's late and kinda random now.)

Re: Question of the Day

Scott Madin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:46:32 -0000

Well, yes. That's what soaking in it will do to you, however pure your intentions...the problem comes in because people want to believe they're pure, and tend to see these things in binary terms in the first place, so the merest hint that they're not a bar of Ivory soap is taken as an accusation of being utterly debased and evil.

Re: Question of the Day

bettyboondoggle — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:38:05 -0000

"on the other hand, our current "unconditionally support Israel" policy could use some work too."

Prezactly. There's a happy medium between unconditional support and unconditional rejection. We need to find it.

"But to go from "this action by the Israeli government was wrong" to "we should not support the existence of the state of Israel"...well, I have to wonder if some on the Left have accidentally absorbed some antiSemitic memes."

Of course they have. The same way they've absorber other racist memes, sexist memes, ableist memes, etc.

Re: Question of the Day

Scott Madin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:10:19 -0000

Yeah, I think "totally withdraw support from Israel" is a pretty clearly wrong position — on the other hand, our current "unconditionally support Israel" policy could use some work too.

Re: Question of the Day

Flewellyn — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:48:45 -0000

Oh c'mon Flew! *EVERYBODY* knows that the JEWS are the ONLY problem in that area. I mean, c'mon! haven't you read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion?!

This is something I've felt uncomfortable about for some time, the widespread support on the American and European Left for condemning Israel for actions they do not condemn in other nations. I know that there are legitimate reasons to criticize some actions of the Israeli government. Hell, many Israelis criticize actions of their government; it is a democracy, after all.

But to go from "this action by the Israeli government was wrong" to "we should not support the existence of the state of Israel"...well, I have to wonder if some on the Left have accidentally absorbed some antiSemitic memes.

Re: Question of the Day

bettyboondoggle — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:30:24 -0000

"Okay, why would we want to withdraw our support for one of only two truly working, liberal, secular democracies in the Middle East?"

Oh c'mon Flew! *EVERYBODY* knows that the JEWS are the ONLY problem in that area. I mean, c'mon! haven't you read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion?!

/snark

Admittedly, there is no small amount of a "To Serve Man" Twilight Zone feel of Christian support of Israel, so I get why one might want religious orgs to butt out, as it were, but for our gov't to remove support completely just seems outrageously irresponsible. That's not to say there isn't legitimate criticism of Israel to be stated and heard. But completely abandoning Israel seems like a punishment more than a reach for justice.

Re: Question of the Day

Flewellyn — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:56:33 -0000

Withdraw support of Israel. Which will never happen, of course.

Okay, why would we want to withdraw our support for one of only two truly working, liberal, secular democracies in the Middle East?

Re: Question of the Day

Ousighian_Zodahs — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:54:09 -0000

Just end the war in Iraq. The money that frees up can go to so many other projects that we need, like a New Green Deal.

Re: Question of the Day

$158441 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:24:33 -0000

Most of all I want the Equal Rights Amendment passed. Also I'd like the Partial Birth Abortion Ban repealed, CEDAW ratified, the Global Gag Rule (aka the Mexico City Policy) repealed, women allowed in combat, selective service ended, and gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity covered under hate crimes law. And I'd like it to be illegal to deny someone adoption, visitiation, and/or custody because they are part of the LGBT community.

Re: Question of the Day

Vir_Modestus — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:00:02 -0000

I think there's hope for much of what's been written above. There's hope for UHC and bringing the troops home. I'm going to write down something I think is vital to our future security but it's also something that never will happen. But I'm writing my wish here:

Fully investigate and prosecute anyone and everyone in the Bush administration and the current Congress (yes, enabling Democrats too) who have been complicit in the egregious lawbreaking down by this administration over the last 8 years, starting with those who had a hand in Bush v Gore and going on from there.

Why is this important? Look at Gerald Ford. He pardoned Nixon and we ended up with Cheney. Bush I swept Iran Contra under the rug and we ended up with Iraq. If we don't clean up -- legally, publicly, and thoroughly -- the host of illegal activities we've seen over the last 8 years, we'll have Monica Goodling et al back in 20 years doing the same stuff all over again.

And, more to the point, I'm telling Obama just that: http://change.gov/page/s/yo...

Re: Question of the Day

gravyrug — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:53:52 -0000

I very selfishly want health care, including dental, so I can get my teeth fixed properly, once and for all. I also want it only slightly less selfishly so we can get my wife's back working well, and so our friend and roomie can get her various health issues taken care of.

Re: Question of the Day

Jae — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:55:23 -0000

I would have to join in the Universal Healthcare choir. While there are about a zillion and one things that we need to fix ASAP and they are all in ways interconnected, there are a lot of people leading lives of quiet desperation (or screamingly loud desperation) because of the current healthcare system.

Re: Question of the Day

Constant Comment — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:37:40 -0000

We all are aware of the important things that need to get done: Iraq, healthcare, environment, jobs, equality for all, etc. But what I most want to see is people in the Bush administration investigated and made accountable for their role in all of the above.

Re: Question of the Day

Melissa — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:32:33 -0000

Everyone has really good ideas. I would hope for getting the hell out of Iraq, better educational policies and universal healthcare. I would also like there to be a solid stand taken from the administration on abortion. I know that may end up being second term with the ecoonomy being priority number one.

Re: Question of the Day

JoAsakura — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:18:35 -0000

so many of these are good.

selfishly, I would hope that some sort of legislation ordering the forgiveness of credit card debt in order to improve the economy would be on the plate, because we're struggling/

But there's so much wrong right now...

Re: Question of the Day

moonmystic — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:08:44 -0000

They're intertwined: (1) stop the war and bring what's left of our brave troops home to their families. (2) take the gazillions being spent on the war and support universal health care. (3) and with what's left over, tell the big corporations wanting a hand out to shove it up their proverbial rear ends and give stimulus support to all working class Americans. Not much, really. Just what's right for those of us who bust our butts every day and who are the ones who are really hurting during this recession.

My partner served in Iraq and came back a completely different person. Since then, we've suffered huge financial reverses because of her deployment and subsequent Hurricane Katrina and her inability to maintain employment because of PTSD, agorophobia and panic attacks. We have no real healthcare. Even though I pay for it through my employer, they continuously find reason not to pay. Thus, more financial ruin. Ad infinitum. It just goes on and on.

It's about time those stuffed suits got over themselves and brought to the American worker the kind of help that we need and pay taxes for.

Re: Question of the Day

InfamousQBert — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:53:22 -0000

oh god, i don't know if i can pick one. i think something in the vein of "all humans have all rights equally" and have that really actually be enforced effectively. that would take care of a LOT of other problems.

Re: Question of the Day

Mikeb302000 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:34:25 -0000

I'm with the many who say get out of Iraq. For me the sooner the better.

Re: Question of the Day

Jesurgislac — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:53:55 -0000

Okay, I don't disagree with anything anyone's suggested so far (aside from maybe GBL) but:

Electoral reform. So that every American eligible to vote is registered to vote, and every one who chooses to vote can be sure their vote is counted if their intent is clear.

That way, you don't have to hope Obama can get everything done in his first term before the next Republican candidate steals the election... because he can probably win the next electio, given a fair chance.

Re: Question of the Day

MRBill30560 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:46:59 -0000

The environment is the big one: oil/forestry/pollution....
Then health care, the wars, the consititution...

Re: Question of the Day

Bitty — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:08:59 -0000

So many things on my list have already been covered, but a big one would be to pick the Constitution up off the outhouse floor, clean off the muddy bootprints, hang it back on the wall, and start using it as our operating instructions again.

I think we stand a good chance of that happening.

I'm in deep agreement with everyone who has said all these issues are interrelated.

Re: Question of the Day

Michelle Garcia — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:49:49 -0000

Oy, there's so many! My big four are the environment, healthcare, sorting out the wars in the Middle East, and education... And when you think about it, they're all related (or at least they can be, depending on your school of thought).