(10-15-2020 12:45 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  The likes of OO, Tanq, Hambone, and me aren't "head nodding"--in fact there are substantive differences among us on numerous issues.

True, so very true. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a policy discussion on this board with Ham.

But it made me wonder - do we have the same tunnel vision toward them? I cannot for the life of me think of how 93, Big, Lad, or any of the others differ from each other or from the party leadership policy-wise.

(10-15-2020 08:26 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-15-2020 12:45 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  It's a process whereby we express our points of view

I think this is the problem, especially when our POVs are that any Democrats are bad in any way and their election would be a disaster.

Despite the fact that many of us have quite regularly voted for Democrats.

(10-15-2020 08:21 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-15-2020 12:12 AM)mrbig Wrote:  OO - our decision to engage with you doesn't mean that we think you are right or that you are right. We just don't enjoy interacting with you on this forum.

Go Rice!

A. Who else are you speaking for?

B. What is your excuse for not interacting with others?

I respect that finally we have some truth. Thank you. I always thought it was personal.

A. I guess I am just speaking for myself, but some of the other left-of-center folks seem to have suggested similar sentiments.

B. The same explanation. Initially I enjoyed interacting with you, Tanq, and 69/70/75. But that really disappeared during our coronavirus discussions through March/April. Civility trickled away from all of us (myself included) and it wasn't fun any more.

postscript - It isn't personal in the sense that I hate you. It is personal in the sense that I do not enjoy discussing politics or policy with you on this forum. I'm not sure whether that qualifies as "personal" or not. This place makes me more stressed and more anxious 95% of the time. Who needs or wants that in their life?

(10-15-2020 08:42 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-15-2020 12:45 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  The likes of OO, Tanq, Hambone, and me aren't "head nodding"--in fact there are substantive differences among us on numerous issues.

True, so very true. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a policy discussion on this board with Ham.

But it made me wonder - do we have the same tunnel vision toward them? I cannot for the life of me think of how 93, Big, Lad, or any of the others differ from each other or from the party leadership policy-wise.

Oh I can. It's as easy as comparing Biden to Harris. They're both democrats and they support general democratic ideals, but clearly Harris is way to the left of Biden. Biden can talk the party talk, but it's not who he is. I'm not saying he's a moderate... I'm simply saying he's an old-school Democrat... who pays lip service to 'social justice'.

Just as none of us are bible-thumping right wingers, nor are any of us off-gridders (to avoid the government, not to conserve energy) or racists, and certainly none of us are anti-vaxxing, 6,000 year old earth science deniers... I don't find any of them to be especially extreme representatives of the left... but I do see very clear differences in their positions.

Even if 'at the end of the day' they all end up voting exactly the same way, that doesn't mean they simply nod to each other.

(10-15-2020 09:38 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(10-15-2020 08:26 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-15-2020 12:45 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  It's a process whereby we express our points of view

I think this is the problem, especially when our POVs are that any Democrats are bad in any way and their election would be a disaster.

Despite the fact that many of us have quite regularly voted for Democrats.

True, even of me. I guess I have fallen into the Big trap of speaking for everybody.

FTR, the last time I voted for a Democrat for Prez was 2004. The last time I voted for the Democratic nominee was 1976 - and that taught me a lesson I have never forgotten.

I always vote a split ticket, out of principle, but mostly at the bottom. Of course, most of the local Dems are what we used to call "conservative Democrats", back in the days when winning the Dem primary put you in office.

I wonder why we have stopped hearing about this.