Brutal Honesty

[Rainman4u2C]

I have been a lurker/reader here for about 15 years. I have registered and been banned here numerous times for posting unpopular opinions. While I am not hard left nor hard right I guess I am what some would consider Independent. There are some things I agree/disagree with on the moderate sides of both parties. I come here to read and rarely post. This is a great site to get news and opinion from.

With all that said I had a recent interaction that has changed my mind and pushed me more left. I am caught up in a battle with Social Security Disability and was denied on the first application. Upon appeal and reading here someone mentioned that they contacted their reps and they thought it helped. I contacted my reps here in Virginia. Everyone from my county level, state level, Governor, House and Senate. The ONLY ones who responded were Democrats. Tim Kaine's office emailed me back on the same day I contacted him. The whole reconsideration process should take 6-8 months if you're lucky. I contacted Tim Kaine's office at about 2.5 months. Within 4 days of him sending a letter to Disability Determination Services I got another email from him with a letter from Disability Determination Services saying my claim has been approved.

This interaction has nothing to do with the result. The main thing here for me is the ONLY people I contacted that responded were Democrats. Also the fact that republicans care so little about their constituents that they cant even send an auto response? What kind of shit is that?

While this experience isn't going to turn me into a hard left progressive it was a great learning experience about who cares and who does not. If relaying this gets me banned from here that is fine. I just wanted all of you to know my experience and I will be lurking/reading ether way.

[mr715]

1. Thank you for this

I appreciate your experience.

It is also my experience that Democrats are more responsive to their constituents because they are, well, Democrats.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. And the reason the cons dont respond is they have no intention of helping, ever!

[mr715]

4. Why help people that you are contemptuous of

Why try to make things work when you believe, quite fundamentally, that things cannot ever work.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Glad you had that experience, and that you are sharing it...Having said that

do you see why those of us loyal on the left get pissed when people ONLY decide to come to our side or at least give credence to our side AFTER something bad happens to them, at the hands of the GOP?

Only then do we hear how upset they are, but not when it is happening to SOMEONE else!

Dont get me wrong, I am glad you said that here and you are welcome here as far as I am concerned. But maybe think about how your experience actually applies to almost all areas of life, the cons always work AGAINST you while the libs work for you.

[Rainman4u2C]

6. Thank you for you're kind response!

From you're post, "decide to come to our side or at least give credence to our side".

That's why I think of myself as being in the middle. There are some things I am never going to agree with that are bedrock issues for both parties. There are some issues that just need to be settled and left alone, not evolved. Roe is a good example. I don't know why the republicans couldn't just call it good and leave it be. Wedge issue I guess to pander to the Christian right base.

I follow politics pretty close and I feel like what I am currently watching and have watched for the last decade has been a clown show on the same level as Jerry Springer. The rest of the worlds citizens have to be laughing their asses off at us. I have refrained from saying this when opinions have been posited about 2028 but if the candidates the Democratic party put forth are the Mayor, the rep from New York or Texas we should be ready for a beatdown of epic proportions. The only saving grace any of those 3 candidates could possibly have would be if tRump has us in another Great Depression by then.

The sad reality we as Americans find ourselves in is that we even need to have sides other than finding common ground for the common good.

[Clouds Passing]

13. Jerry Springer was a good Democrat

[ReadItnWeep]

23. But is responsible

Springer may have been a fantastic democrat but I think his talk show was so horrible that his legacy ends up entirely negative.
My boyfriend watched his show and it drove me crazy to even hear it. It pandered to the MAGA crowd before MAGA existed. And in my opinion it lead to the existence and popularity of reality shows as a genre. And again IMHO those reality shows have little value while elevating people to celebrity status who had no talent other than being controversial. Like the Kardashians.

[leighbythesea2]

24. Jerry Springer

& reality everything was one leg in the stool that got us here imo.
Fame used to be about good, & talent behavior; and notoriety was being known for bad behavior. But in a not socially acceptable way.
Those 2 things got confused & became one starting in the 90s. One could be well regarded & famous for being a jerk, selfish, cruel, dysfunctional etc.
We then elected it.

[Skittles]

5. thank you for the testimonial

although I honestly have a hard time understanding why anyone thinks republicans give a DAMN about them

[Ms. Toad]

7. FWIW - it is pretty routine for SSD to be denied on the first application.

Success is better on appeal - but that often means getting attorneys involved (who typically take a portion of the award). It unfortunately follows the insurance model - deny, hope there is no appeal, deny the appeal, hope they don't request a second level appeal, and then ultimately grant it.

[Cirsium]

8. hard left progressive

What is a "hard left progressive" in your view?

[Rainman4u2C]

11. I think I said that wrong

Far left would be a better description of what I meant I guess. I would say it's views that are far outside the mainstream. Being on the wrong side of 80/20 issues doesn't get people elected as we saw in November. That doesn't mean the 20% weren't right i.e. slavery. But, we either have to get elected and create change or have another civil war.

Some of the things I say and type may come off like I am a conservative republican which I am not. I am 53 years old, I have lived most of my life in a very small, rural town in Virginia. I was raised around right wing christians and made to go to church all of my formative years. So I apologize if I sound that way but deprogramming takes time.

[Cirsium]

26. What are those?

What are those "views that are far outside the mainstream?

[druidity33]

38. Nationalizing oil companies, Space X, and more...

Universal Basic Income, taxing the rich at 90%, free college, Universal HC (this one is slightly more popular), etc.

I personally think these are all great... but they are "extreme" to the general pop.

[Cirsium]

41. Nope

Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2025, 05:38 PM - Edit history (1)

Not very many people are calling for nationalizing the oil companies. Otherwise, you are wrong om the other issues. Of course there is a lot of propaganda out there telling you that those things are not popular, and push polls that seem to confirm that.

The public supports Universal Basic Income, taxing the rich at the levels of the 1950s, free college tuition, and Universal HC. That is despite massive ad relentless propaganda campaigns and weak advocacy most Democrats.

By the way, "don't get me wrong I agree with you on those positions, but they are not popular so we shouldn't push them*" is a "soft" way to oppose progressive politics. If you truly "think these are all great" then you should stop helping the opposition.

* Were anyone saying that, which people who argue somewhat deceptively for centrism often do say, but I am certainly not trying to claim that you said that.

Seventy percent of people in this country support Medicare for All.

https://medicare4all.org/

Two polls conducted in 2021 found that most Americans now support Universal Basic Income (UBI) or some form of Guaranteed Income.

A survey by Data for Progress found that 55% of Americans support UBI, while 39% oppose it. Another survey by Skynova found 67% of Americans support UBI, with only 20% opposed. In comparison, a 2011 poll by Rasmussen Reports showed that only 11% of Americans supported a Basic Income, and 82% were against it. These new polls suggest that support for UBI has increased significantly, with opposition dropping sharply.

https://ubiadvocates.org/what-is-the-public-opinion-around-ubi/

The Campaign for Free College Tuition’s latest poll, conducted in October 2023, shows continued consistency in the overall support of state free college tuition program. In the nearly seven-year period that CFCT asked the following question “Do you favor or oppose your state providing free tuition at public universities or colleges for anyone who is academically qualified?” overall support over 20 polls – which includes respondents who strongly or somewhat support the concept – has ranged from 70 to 81 percent.

Our most recent poll indicated 78 percent overall support of the concept which is in the margin of error of our February 2022, July 2022, and January 2023 polls showing 79 percent, 78 percent, and 80 percent overall support, respectively. Leading subgroups for this idea in October 2023 were African-Americans (92.7 percent overall), Plurals aged 18 to 24 (92.4 percent overall), Millennials aged 35 to 44 (85.9 percent overall), and Millennials aged 25 to 34 (85.6 percent). In January 2023, the top four subgroup for this idea were Hispanics (90 percent overall), Millennials aged 35 to 44 (89 percent overall), African Americans (87 percent overall), and Millennials aged 25 to 34 (86 percent).

https://www.freecollegenow.org/polling

Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans support taxing the rich. While these individual polls have been important indicators of public opinion, in a first of its kind report the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute has aggregated those polling results into a systematic analysis. The result is an even stronger case for critical reforms of the American tax code.

This report compiles undeniable evidence that the American people are ready to increase taxes on the wealthy. This is true across race, zip code, and even political affiliations. The six types of tax policy proposals discussed in this report are supported by a majority of Democrats and Independents, and quite a few Republicans as well.

https://inequality.org/article/extensive-polls-find-americans-support-taxing-the-wealthy/

[druidity33]

42. I appreciate polling...

but in my experience, here in MA, the only "extreme left" position that has any possibility of becoming reality is IRV.

Also, I do not appreciate you ghost quoting me. I absolutely did not say they are not popular so we should not push them. I push them and i expect other Democrats to as well. But i am a realist. If you hadn't noticed i was responding to another poster about what would be considered "far left".

What level of taxing the rich do people support? Is it 90%? Free college tuition for only Public school? Or ALL school like i was implying? A UBI that is a living wage? Or one to just keep people from falling through the cracks? There are levels to every polling question you are leaving links for... and you know, polling does not equate to voting.

Take note also that all your links are from groups that want to show how much support they have.

[Cirsium]

43. Oh stop it

I didn't "ghost quote" you. I characterized what "but I am a realist" usually means. I will change my post so that it is abundantly clear that it is it personal.

Of course those groups want to show how much support those issues have. What is wrong with that?

You responded to me and I responded to you. Maybe you meant to respond to another poster?

[druidity33]

44. You put the words in fucking quotes.

That's ghost quoting. And you still haven't changed that. Just put up a passive aggressive asterisk. I responded to the question, what is considered "hard left progressive"... which apparently you didn't want an honest answer to. And yes organizations tend to choose polling that matches their perspective. They may even pay for the polling. There is nothing wrong with that, but it should be noted. That's why i said "Take note". Sorry i responded to you. I won't be doing that anymore.

[Cirsium]

45. lol

"A passive aggressive asterisk?"

No, every time something is in quotation marks does not mean you are being "ghost quoted."

[Cowpunk]

30. Unfortunately, it's not just the indoctrination.

Fundamentalist religions actively discourage critical thinking. I've often put it this way: One of their primary goals is to destroy your BS detector. That is something that can take a very long time to fix. What drove me leftward in my 30s was seeing that the right wing was less rigorous about making sure they were factual in their reporting than people who leaned left were. In the 20 years since then, the right has gotten much, much worse. They really don't care if anything they are saying is supported by hard evidence any more. Whatever sounds like it should be true to them is true to them. The left has also gotten worse, but the right has gone completely bonkers.

[Chemical Bill]

37. Far left would be...

killing the rich and taking all their money for the rest of us. I don't remember seeing that too much in the public discourse. Most countries that are "communist" only get the first half done, and the guys at the top keep everything for themselves.

As far as this country goes, Americans have consistently polled in favor of socialized medicine, a more equitable distribution of wealth, and more spending that benefits the majority of people, including housing and schools. See fair.org

But very few issues have an 80/20 split in opinions. Ukraine is the only current one. Most are 60/40.

As for November, what I saw was that Republicans cheat to win. See Greg Palast.

Do you really think that Harris/Walz had any policies or beliefs that were shared by only 20% of the country? Where do you get your news from?

[B.See]

9. Interesting admissions. It's

what I (and others) call the school of hard knocks. An empathy acquired from an experience(s) in common with those whose faces are traditionally and routinely eaten by the "leopards."

Not everyone learns from such. For instance, just read a story about parents who stubbornly and adamantly remain anti-vaxxers even after losing their child to measles. Signifying (imo) a deliberate and willful ignorance despite all that followed.

(Frankly I think they should be locked the... heck.. up for negligence, but hey, that's just me.)

My point being, not everyone is man (or woman) enough to admit they were wrong.

Thanks for the honestly.

[FirstLight]

10. Thank you for this information and Outlook,

I was just mentioning today that I should probably go ahead and file a disability claim even though they're ripping things to shreds right now. At least it would be on the books so to speak. And, it's also good to know that I can reach out to my Representatives on some level if and when I get denied. Thank you for your honesty and we appreciate you

[LoisB]

12. I am happy for you and glad you got a good result.

[dalton99a]

14. Kick

[SleeplessinSoCal]

15. I think the disaster of "trickle down economics" made their takeover possible.

That helped kill the middle class. That helped turn the modern Republican Fascist. The refusal to raise the minimum wage has destroyed working families. Seeing corporate success obscenely enhance the portfolios of CEO's and weaken benefits of employees. Everything is being sucked up to the top via illegal methods paid for with money that could've been used to raise wages.

They're sick. They turns race against race to enrich themselves. We desperately need more people to understand this. Otherwise there will be more and more Trump's.

[pandr32]

16. Apples and oranges.

We are not the same.

[Martin Eden]

25. Yes. A sliding scale between Left and Right is 2-Dimensional

Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2025, 09:32 AM - Edit history (1)

And a lot of baggage gets loaded along the way which obfuscates the most important issues.

Voters need to assess how policies of the federal government impact not only them directly but the American people as a whole and sustainability for future generations.

My highest priorities as a voter are:

Be responsible stewards for the ecosystems of Earth which sustain life itself.

Protect and improve our Constitional rule of law, including the right to vote. There should be no discrimination or special privilege based on race, religion, gender identity, etc.

Foster an educational system that helps every student become a good citizen and reach their potential, providing equal opportunity for.

The concentration of wealth in a few hands is detrimental to all the above. Innovators, entrepreneurs, and successful business leaders deserve the fruits of their hard work. Marxism is a failed idea which ignores human nature.

However, no wealthy individuals can succeed without the working contributions of the majority. Living paycheck to paycheck and/or going bankrupt for medical reasons is unacceptable amidst vast wealth.


Do the values expressed above make me "hard" or "far" left? If so, I embrace that with pride.

[Mountain Mule]

17. Congratulations on getting your SSDI!

I know all too well what a battle that can be.

[milestogo]

18. When I had a Medicare problem a couple of years ago

it was the office of my Democratic Senator that helped me out. The 6-7 months before that were a pure waste of time.

Constituent services shouldn't be partisan, but some elected officials are better at it that others.

[1WorldHope]

19. That is wonderful news. Thanks for sharing.

[ZDU]

20. Please consider...

... remaining open to becoming a "hard left progressive," we are welcoming people!

[stoned]

21. Your republican reps

are too busy doing damage control for the things trump is doing that everyone disagrees with and is associating with them....

[Figarosmom]

22. Glad to hear the acknowledgement

Of being helped by a Democrat.

And I'm glad you got good results.

I always remember when Condaleeza Rice was Secretary of State and she instructed the heads of the armed services not to tell veterans or retirees from the military their benefits. She was hoping that if they didn't know their benefits they would never apply for them. (I knew that's what she was thinking because I was management with a corporation that did the same thing and learned it was common practice) That is the Republican mindset. Democrats go out if their way to inform and help. Just as they do all they can do to get people to vote while Republicans make it harder. Republicans are really good at straw man arguments. Like their most stupid one about illegals voting or collecting Social Security. It's almost impossible and persons in the country without permission don't give a shit about voting and won't sign up to collect Social Security because they are too afraid ofbgetting caught. ( I find it funny that companies like Smithfield go down to Mexico and have interviews and tell them if they find a way into the states they'll give them a job and provide them with a SSN)which was shown in Documentry "food inc."

Anyway what I took so long in saying is , I don't know how any working person could support the party that wants to destroy unions, OSHA,labor laws or not pay a living wage.

Is it just because the party that is on the side of the workers is also onthe side of equality for all? Including trans and gay? Why is that such a big deal? How does that over ride all that they do for the workers in the rightwing mind?

[NoMoreRepugs]

27. Seriously, how could your story NOT turn you hard left???

[luvallpeeps]

28. What is a hard left progressive? N/T

[GoodRaisin]

29. Good. My mom was a determiner in Va. for about 20 years.

From what she told me about her work, most applicants were turned down on their first try. It sounds like you did really well getting it turned around. Can’t say I’m shocked Republicans ignored you.

[William769]

31. You don't have to become a hard left progressive.

If I were to take your OP at face value, at least I hope you understand the dfference between the two parties now. I would also be curious on who you voted for in Past Presidential elections.

to me 2+2=4 I'm not quite there yet with this OP.

[Rainman4u2C]

33. This right here

is why I don't post. I knew the difference between the parties before. I was just pointing out the disparity in the simplest of things like responding to an email.

As for who I have previously voted for, your being not quite there and 2+2=4. I can understand your apprehension considering the number of trolls I have seen on here over the years. I don't know you and nobody on here knows me but in order to attempt to pass your litmus test for being here. I didn't vote for anyone in previous elections. I drank a lot when I was young and did some stupid shit. I was convicted of a felony in 2 different states when I was 18 and lost my voting rights. I never tried to get them back and that's on me. If you need more details than that just send me a PM.

Have a nice evening.

[William769]

35. Sorry you feel that way.

I have been here 20 years and served on MIRT since it's inception on rotating terms. So yes I don't take anything at face value.

You have a good evening also.

[Meowmee]

32. I am glad he helped you

I hope that means you will be voting D to save the country from the current nigtmare.

[Rainman4u2C]

34. I absolutely would!!

If I could.

[Meowmee]

36. If you could, not sure what you mean?

[druidity33]

39. Explained upthread. Lost voting rights... never got them back. nt.

[3catwoman3]

40. Here is a good brief description of the main difference between the 2 parties.

Democrats want to do things for people.

Republicans want to do things to people.

(Can’t remember where I saw this .)