For the record, my political philosophical views in support of moderation

These thoughts were expressed in a series of dialogues with those from the opposite side of the political spectrum than mine on a local Facebook forum.  Such dialogues are healthy because it forces those participating seriously to sharpen their thoughts and arguments.  Unfortunately, sometimes those dialogues are presented in competing memes and shouts of "fake news"  instead of reasoned arguments and evidence and data or an attempt to kill the media messenger by calling it slanted...without telling why they think it is so.  I am challenging them also to  give serious examination and support
 of their views as well, not just to parrot memes and slogans and slurs as if that is a legitimate response.  I am not trying to change views of those dedicated to Donald Trump as much as to provide argumentation to bolster those who support mine who are following the dialogue on the Facebook platform.


I am constantly told to go back to Venezuela since my views support socialism.  Those uttering those views are the most extreme proponents of laissez-faire capitalism I have ever encountered.  My answer to one of those extremists is the following:

• .let the poor, the kids, the sick, and the disabled eat cake. Socialism and populist revolution were born as an extreme reaction to extremely self-centered people like you.who ran governments that saw no need to look after the well-being of their citizens so long as they themselves were comfortable. That is true since the French Revolution and industrialization Extreme attitudes breed extreme reactions. There is a blend, a midway, a balance, but to extremists, there is none on either end of the spectrum. My views; my take on history; my belief that moderation is the key to a country's stability.

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  Venezuelan socialism was born of extreme income inequality and corruption, the Chavez revolution, and a flood that killed 50,000 people which Chavez used to impose his form of socialism. It has a complicated history and is an example of extreme socialism which I also oppose as much as I oppose laissez-faire capitalism. Both are failed models of governance. I know of no candidate running for office now in the US that embraces the kind of socialism Chavez created, or the rollback of the New Deal to pre-depression years, making your shrill extremist views irrelevant to current politics. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-19652436   Even George Will, the conservative columnist, in 2015, did not think Sanders was a socialist by definition.  In a later 2019 column, he said he was more closely akin to an FDR New Dealer.   https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/george-will/2015/06/05/will-bernie-sanders-neither-socialist-independent/28496461/     Mark Leibovich of the New York Times gave an excellent explanation of why Biden is polling so well is because people do not care to make America great again, but just to make America OK again.  (Sept 2, 2019: MSNBC Morning Joe)   This is also a good explanation why Biden is promoting enhancing and improving Obamacare instead of uprooting the entire health care system by either repealing and not replacing Obamacare or replacing Obamacare with Medicare for All which would eliminate employer insurance and choice. Trump's use of fear, and bullying has made the GOP into what it was not once was. We will be talking in 2020, not 2024.. A thorough defeat of Trump...a routing..in 2020 will restore those left with the old values of free trade, a less strong executive instead of a strong hand willing to see how much power he can exert, ruling by edict whenever he can get away with it,, and some sense of debt being important., and our defense and national security enhanced by multinationalism. .. It is not that I am a Republican, but a do believe in balance and a strong two-party system that forces compromise so that neither far ends of the spectrums go off the rails. America Alone is not America Great again as Trump seems bent turning us into a Russian satellite, making Russia great again and supporting Russia's foreign policy. The GOP powers in Congress have just rolled over and played dead, granting Trump the ability to do what he is doing. Four more years of Trump...and the GOP will be even more of a shadow of its former self...as those who used to swear to those old values retire and fade into the shadows...leaving the political battlefields to be dominated by those who are now millennials. http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/millennials-arent-that-into-god-patriotism-or-kids-poll.html   https://www.huffpost.com/entry/george-will-republican-dumb-party_n_5d01d0ace4b0304a1209b01d?fbclid=IwAR0_8U7ab1wbYdgLKuH9NcYqbEUaE95u3zZXEQsmQFPk6J8EvYna55fZZGI
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