This just in:  I have a lot of political opinions.  However, I usually vote based on Character rather than Position.

Here are a few examples…

Republicans claim “Gun control is useless”.  In fact, they won’t even support a measure to research the issue.  Now, what is their motive?  My belief is that they have 2 motives here.  First, they want the NRA money and endorsement.  Secondly, they want the gun owners that actually believe this statement.  In short, they are allowing people to be killed at the rate of 30,000 per year so they can get some extra votes.

Republicans claim that the “Free Market” is best for healthcare.  Why?  There are two reasons for this.  First, “Free Market” appeals to the uneducated.  They hear this term and think “God Bless America”.  They think the Free Market is fitting in every situation; a belief suitable for someone short of a high school diploma.  Secondly, Obamacare is not their idea.  Republican, Mitt Romney oversaw socialized healthcare in MA where it is still a huge success.  He opposed it nationally because credit for doing that would go to the Democrats.  So, the Republican party is willing to let healthcare kill people or cause bankruptcy for elders so they can get votes.

These are just a couple of examples.

I can hear it now.  “They both do it!”

To this I say, “Beware of the false equivalency.”

I have started posting ridiculous things the GOP is doing along with the comment, “Do you think both parties do this?”  Trump lying in yesterday’s Op-Ed is an example.  No, both parties don’t do that.

However, to an extent, I agree that both parties are misleading.  I saw Hillary misrepresent the cost of national healthcare so she could slam Bernie Sanders.  She lost my vote that moment.  Not because she was against healthcare.  Rather, because she showed she was willing to lie and not do the obviously right thing in order to get votes.

Also, both parties take positions to get votes.  In a way, that is their job description.  However, misrepresenting the situation is a problem.

For example, Yesterday, Trump had an Op-Ed posted where he slammed the Democrats on healthcare.  Fact checkers found lies and misleading statements in nearly every sentence.  He did this for votes.  However, by misrepresenting the truth, he is getting votes from people that want better healthcare that he has no intention of providing.

He should say, “I want the Free Market to rule healthcare” and then make his case for it honestly.  Let people hear his position and compare it to the opposition’s position.  In this way, we can all make good decisions.

For example, the Republican Party should say, “We oppose gun control because many of our voters support it.  We clearly understand that this will cause tens of thousands of gun deaths but its a price we are willing for you to pay.”

I know this is a Pollyanna position for me to take. However, I know it’s within our grasp.  The internet, which is notorious for allowing the spread of misinformation, may, someday, be the very thing that says, “Here are the results of your search and we have annotated those that are fake or misleading.”

Time to save the world.

Up, up and away…

Jim