Political Labels: Up or Down v. Right or Left

[LDS Patriot]

Questions:

1) Would this alternate map of the political landscape make for more productive political dialogue?

2) Using my new political landscape, how would you rate the two major U.S. political parties?

I dont view political parties by the standard labels of "right" or "left", "conservative" or "liberal." These tired, old, wornout terms are loaded with biases, prejudices, preconceptions and baggage, with all good, bad and ugly that implies. Each passing day these labels become less and less meaningful, serving as a pejorative to hurl at ones opposition more than a anything else. So Ive drawn up a different map to reference and created a different compass that I use to navigate the political battlefield and its minefields.

I vision a flagpole on which Old Glory is raised. The flag symbolizes to me the ideals and principles of liberty contained within the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the gospel, the ideal balance between government and religion. Thus, I view political parties, platforms, policies, etc., as either moving Up towards the ideal or moving Down away from the ideal.

I apply the idiom "run (something) up the flagpole" to test the idea, measure, party, policy, etc., and create my response or opinion from a principle based standard as opposed to a party line. Using that metaphor I can more easily judge all political matters from a non-partisan vantage point & analysis, and decide whether its moving us either Up the flagpole towards the ideal or Down the flagpole away from the ideal.

Using the 80/20 rule, I believe the Republican party is Up 80% of the time, whereas the Democrat party is Down 80% of the time.

[Wyvern]

It may be a good place to find an accurate definition of "evil" to think that drug addiction is a "good" thing. Whether legal or illegal, drugs are bad.

How many people die from alcohol "related' incidents?

Bad versus good is not that hard to define.

Not all drugs are bad in fact many of the drugs that are considered bad have many legitimate uses. Opiates are the pain killers of last resort when no others will work or pain is that great(burn cases and cancer patients among others). In fact other than hallucinogens(and even peyote has legitimate uses in some native american tribes for religious uses) most drugs have legitimate medical or veterinary uses. The problems come when these drugs are used for "recreational" uses. Just as the war on drugs is coming at it the wrong way so does this, drugs aren't bad in and of themselves but how they are used and then what people do to get them is.

Defining good and evil is an easy exercise as long as you don't actually look deeply into the realities of the situation or merely are trying to simplify for other reasons. Only on the extremes are these terms easy to define.

[bernee51]

Drugged out crazies commit many violent crimes. They also violate the civil rights of others to live in peace.

Usually to get funds to meet the exorbitant costs of their habits. Remove the profit incentive, provide support to the addicted in the form of drugs (if necessary) and efficient rehab programs. Turn the funds wasted on the failed 'war on drugs' towards education and health initiatives for those most at risk of addiction.

How many people die from alcohol "related' incidents?

Far too many

Bad versus good is not that hard to define.

My bad is different to yours as is my good. Finding a common definition across the board is difficult.

[The Persnickety Platypus]

How many people die from alcohol "related' incidents?

Just as many, if not more than in drug related incidents.

So why is alcohol legal, and drugs are not?



The GOP would abandon this rediculous "war on drugs" (which is really just a disguised money making scheme) the minute it became legal to tax marijuana. Or maybe they wouldn't... who knows, it may be more profitable to incarcerate millions of Americans in the prison system.

Either way, this whole ordeal only relates back to money. Lax drug laws have been consistantly proven to be more effective.

To ignore this fact in favor or manipulating young adults to gain a petty revenue? Seems pretty evil to me.

[OccamsRazor]

Lax drug laws have been consistantly proven to be more effective.

I think that a great example is in the Netherlands. They have more relaxed drug laws and have the lowest levels of drug abuse in Europe.
Here is a comparison between the Netherlands and the US
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/thenethe.htm

Also the Netherlands has the most liberal laws on sex and children are taught openly about sex both at home and at school. They have also the lowest levels of teenage pregnancy in Europe.

(Edit: Added the following question)
I am ssuming that 'Old Glory' is the US flag? If so Why not respresent the Parthenon as the simble of Liberty? It was the birthplace of democracy.