US Election 2016 Poll and Disscusion

[RudieCantFail]

In response to the last two previous posts made by SRMW and WF88 respectively, I don't like the Confederate flag either. I think those who do wave the Confederate flag that aren't from the Confederate states do it in bad taste. In my opinion, they don't have a great reason to wave it, other than the 1st amendment right that they have to do so. Some may say that it's not a racist flag, but it's a historical one that shows southern pride. I'm an Asian-American, and I know that the flag isn't directed at me. However, it makes me uncomfortable as a minority.

I don't have as much of a problem with those touting the flag and they're actually from the Confederate states that fought in the Civil War. Am I comfortable with someone who falls under that category? Still, no, because this summer, I saw someone in a hot tub in Hawaii with a small Confederate flag tattoo on his arm with a bald eagle. It made me uncomfortable and unsure of whether or not I should go into the hot tub. Fortunately, there were two tubs, and I chose to go in the one where that person wasn't in it because I was afraid of harassment of any sort. I didn't think the person would do anything in the first place, but I didn't want to put myself in a situation where it could.

I'm not trying to bash anyone on here that's from the south, and I know that those who do wave the flag aren't representative of all southerners. I know that it also doesn't mean that a person who waves it is a bad person. It's just that if I see it on anyone, I will feel uncomfortable.

[WalshFan88]

In response to the last two previous posts made by SRMW and WF88 respectively, I don't like the Confederate flag either. I think those who do wave the Confederate flag that aren't from the Confederate states do it in bad taste. In my opinion, they don't have a great reason to wave it, other than the 1st amendment right that they have to do so. Some may say that it's not a racist flag, but it's a historical one that shows southern pride. I'm an Asian-American, and I know that the flag isn't directed at me. However, it makes me uncomfortable as a minority.

I don't have as much of a problem with those touting the flag and they're actually from the Confederate states that fought in the Civil War. Am I comfortable with someone who falls under that category? Still, no, because this summer, I saw someone in a hot tub in Hawaii with a small Confederate flag tattoo on his arm with a bald eagle. It made me uncomfortable and unsure of whether or not I should go into the hot tub. Fortunately, there were two tubs, and I chose to go in the one where that person wasn't in it because I was afraid of harassment of any sort. I didn't think the person would do anything in the first place, but I didn't want to put myself in a situation where it could.

I'm not trying to bash anyone on here that's from the south, and I know that those who do wave the flag aren't representative of all southerners. I know that it also doesn't mean that a person who waves it is a bad person. It's just that if I see it on anyone, I will feel uncomfortable.

Exactly RCF...I cringe every time I see it, and I'm a caucasian. I feel for those who it makes feel even worse.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I agree with you both RCF and WF88 and the Confederate flag makes me uncomfortable no matter what state I'm in. I’d also like to address some other comments that have been raised in this discussion:

First of all to RCF – I agree in theory with your comments about "trickle-down economics, "If you're going to do a tax cut, you need to cut gov't spending otherwise, yes, there will be increased deficits”. But, as I see it, therein is the problem – it’s a great concept, but it never turns out to be very practical. It’s like if I decide I’m going to switch from full-time work to part-time. – I know I won’t have as much money so I won’t be able to spend as much. But, it’s very hard to reduce spending in real life when I discover termite damage in my home, or if I unexpectedly get sick and incur lots of medical expenses, or my old car needs repairs, or I have to pay for my own benefits once I terminate my full-time employment, etc., etc., etc. I either have to get that money from my savings or borrow it. The government works pretty much the same way, which is why tax cuts traditionally result in higher deficits. Even when spending is cut, we don’t really save because the reality is that we end up with situations such as the one you described with the San Jose police department.

Secondly to SRMW – It is simply not true that Hillary Clinton stated she was going to raise taxes on the middle class. Here is a video of the remark she made:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-me...nton-wants-ra/

The claim is that she stated “…we are going to raise taxes on the middle class” when in fact she said “we aren’t going to raise taxes on the middle class”.

If you listen to her remarks in context, the first statement does not make any sense. So even if you want to believe that’s what she said, then she obviously misspoke. I agree she didn’t enunciate very clearly, but I don’t think this is the issue. The important part is what she intended. She released the written transcript of her remarks to the press and it included the word ‘aren’t. Since then, she has repeatedly reputed any notion that she would raise taxes on the middle class. You are free to believe what you want, but there is zero evidence that Hillary Clinton has ever been in favor of a middle class tax hike.

With regard to claim that Donald Trump never said anything that stirs up violence – here’s one of many examples … the incident when he said he may help pay legal bills for a supporter who punched a protestor:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...otester-220685

And lastly, my reaction to RNC speech about Benghazi that you posted is that it is a very moving, powerful account. However, it is also obviously partisan. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, however, I choose to believe the results of the 10 congressional committee investigations that found no proof of wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton.

[WalshFan88]

SRMW-

I just watched the speech in full. I have to agree with Dreamer here. It IS very moving, but also very biased and obviously so, it's at the RNC with support for Donald Trump.

I trust the government's investigators and committees than have done a LOT of investigating and cleared her in every case. I feel that the whole thought she is "evil" or doesn't care about Americans is false. I feel she didn't do anything on purpose, and I'm not even convinced it was all her fault. People that call her Killary and everything else are way over the top and nowhere near reality.

Hillary Clinton has more experience, self-control, and even class than the Donald could ever hope to have. Now he's saying the media is against him and that if he doesn't win PA, then it's rigged and watch for the same person voting 5 times. Really Trump? Is he that stupid? Obviously that won't happen. It is crazy talk.

[EagleLady]

The flag is not racist at all, it is representing Southern Pride and what's wrong with that?

[travlnman2]

I agree the Flag is not Racist Lynyrd Skynyrd can tell you that.

Anyone here about the latest Email hack lol
I live in a very Liberal state. Connecticut travling through Hartford,Bridgeport,New Haven are perfect examples of how the Democrats have failed us. I would rather have some guy who can't stop talking(who judging by his behavoir has the same issues as me.) Over a lying, corrupt lady. The Taxes in my state are among the highest in the state and we lose jobs every year from buisssness leaving. Also I hate how the mainstreem media and Public Schools treat Republicans. I wore a ,Trump/Pence shirt to School before it ended and my god I thought I was going to get beat up. I was called down by a teacher and ask to remove it and I said. Hell no I am not going to remove it! You teach repsecting peoples belifes and hate speach etc. I am not going to remove something that I belive in 100% and know much more about then you do. I also take offfense calling someone Racist and Ignorant because I support LEGAL IMMIGRATION as my father did all the steps from a poor Italian kid leaving his home at 11 to the sucessful Insurance aget he is today.


Haven't had a problem since Got a 3 day detention though for some language I used but the Principal applauded me for telling my views.

Most of my friends are GOP(includeing two black guys) except for a few who are moderate democrats. My sister was turned into a hardcore Democract by Her college. I tole her don't believe everything ur Professors tell you.

As you can see by this disscussion I have no problem with diffrent oppinons as long as there is a good debate. Which unlike 99.99% of them on the internet decend into anarchy,chaos and insults

[travlnman2]

By the way quick history lessson. The Flag and Confederacy were originally founded by Democrats and the Republicans were Anti-Slavery. But it somehow changed in the 60s. George Wallace was also a Democrat.

My problem with calling someone a bigot is because the deffintion of Bigot is

big·ot
ˈbiɡət/
noun
a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions.


So by calling someone a Bigot you are being a Bigot. Classic irony.

[WalshFan88]

As I've said, a lot of the South WAS racist, and from what I've seen the ones that post the flag or wave it all the time are very likely to be racist. I never said the Republicans had anything to do or not with the flag, that was separate.

You can call it whatever you want but racism is wrong and discrimination against homosexuals is wrong.

Again, I'm not saying it's all of the south but Skynyrd DID stop using it BECAUSE it was inflammatory. They may not think so themselves, but they know other people do. They themselves KNOW that. But it's the skinheads and groups like the KKK and the ones who are still in that mindset that have made it something else.

http://www.salon.com/2012/09/21/lyny...federate_flag/

Again, it's not so much the flag as it is the mentality of those who wave it so proudly tend to be bigoted and racist and proud of it and when I see that flag, it pisses me off. No one can deny the South WAS racist and there are some "rednecks" that still are very much so and are not very forward and modern thinking. I support a more modern viewpoint in that equality is number one today. You have to move with the times and it's inappropriate IMO to be against that in 2016. I like to think that most country folk/rednecks and southerners are against racism and use it for southern pride. But the "bad" ones have ruined it and most people view it in a bad light.

[AlreadyGone95]

Ah, the flag. I've grown up surrounded by it. My dad supported it, and he was one of the kindest people I knew. My paternal 5th great uncle fought for the Confederacy, so that's why my dad supported it, family heritage. Both sides of my familiy can be traced back to the south during the Civil War.

I support it to a certain degree. I see it as being proud to be southern. I do understand people, especially blacks, being offended by it. I do know and have personally seen racists use the flag as a symbol of hatred. Racist rednecks are very common here, and I even have some in my own family. It's my right or anyone else's right to do what they please with the Confederate flag, whether that be fly it, burn it, wear it, or stomp all over it.

I'm very pro- LGBT. There is no "gay lifestyle". The only difference between gay and straight people is who they sleep with. I don't want to see too much in a public forum, but I fall under one of the letters of LGBT. I'm also agnostic, which has caused me some trouble living in a predominantly Christian area. I don't know if there is a god or not, and I really don't care. I grew up going to church, but I started questioning Christianity as a teen, and I eventually left the church. I just know that I don't want religion and government to mix together. A person's religion doesn't matter to me, but it should cease to exist beyond their homes and places of worship, IMO.

[RudieCantFail]

Oh great, now we are on the social and moral issues. I'm not a very religious person (Buddhist, here), but I can appreciate what Christians have done in the history of the world. The people that founded the United States were either Deists or some sort of Christian. You can correct me if some were in fact proven agnostics or irreligious people. I'm not trying to put Christianity on a pedestal, but I'm just saying that it's a decent religion with some imperfections. It's been pretty good for democracy. I know that the U.S. is not a Christian nation, but the people that founded as I stated before had believed in some degree of it. The U.S. gov't cannot and should not impose or promote a religion. I think Israel is a democratic country, but unfortunately, Islamic countries don't practice democracy that well. They missed out on the western ideas of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment. I don't know a lot about Islam, but there needs to be some sort of Reformation and/or Enlightenment.

As a minority, when I see the Confederate flag, the first thing that comes into my mind isn't that it's a sign for southern pride. If you fly it in California, it will probably be seen as disrespectful, unless you're actually from the South. Even then, how are passersby going to know that you're just full of southern pride? They'll probably think you're a racist redneck or a white supremacist, due to the diversity in my state, esp. in the Bay Area. Once again, I'm not accusing anybody of being a racist, a redneck, a white supremacist, and/or a combination of the aforementioned. It's just that feeling that comes into my head if I see the flag. Here's an article of what the Confederate flag means outside of the US: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-i...-the-us-2015-6 Some countries have thought of it as a flag of rebellion, but the Neo-Nazi Germans have used it instead of the swastika. The swastika is prohibited in Germany, so they use the Dixie for their purposes.