Just some Saturday thoughts

I don't know whether we will ever get to the point where we can discuss a subject, offer a different opinion and proceed from there. I think we get to a point where if you change your mind, or if you vary slightly from your position, you have a chance of being called a hypocrite. I think if we stick to the subject matter and accept the fact that there's more than one way at looking at a topic, we would get to a point where everyone gets input, but we don't get clear cut winners. We need to treat our discussions like a business meeting, where we know the boundaries and the opposing opinion before the meeting starts. Then again, we've all been too boring unproductive meetings, so I guess we'll continue to play-it-by ear and let the chips fall where they may.

Recently, Michelle Bachmann brought up a topic I thought was a dead subject. She brought up the unsuccessful attempt by Governor Rick Perry to force young girls to be injected with the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. This one issue has several branches of discussion. They are as follows:

1. The use of an executive order for social conservatives and libertarians; it was about the executive order
2. Michelle Bachmann said a woman said the vaccine caused her child to develop mental retardation.... We could branch out by saying that a politician should not spread hearsay. According to what I have read, the vaccine works. Her statement might have scared away people who were on the fence.
3. I would like to know if there were any kickbacks from Merck to Rick Perry's campaign.

It's the same way with religious arguments where the Christian can't use scripture as evidence, because his opponent will not accept it. The two might agree on historical grounds, but that's about it. People who like to skirt around the edges should not get into political arguments because then it leads to parroting talking points. A good example of that is the voter ID subject I barely mentioned in my VA blog, but it attracted those they were offended that I called it for what it is. My opponents never did produce documented proof of voter fraud. Their argument for a preemptive strike was noticeable. We both knew the reasons behind a voter ID law, but my opponents were satisfied throwing up smoke screens like proactive measures and following the law. It's the same people that don't normally like proactive government measures being discussed. One poster thought it was a tragedy that someone from the government would even mention that eating Twinkies might be unhealthy.

I think most of us are hybrids, where we all can gripe about government intrusion, but most of us have a stopping point. The ideologues take it to the next level. We probably all gripe about the misuse of the emergency rooms, but only a few of us would take it to the next level by kicking out all the uninsured. That's the only reason I support the individual mandate for now. I'm willing to listen to the constitutional arguments, where I could be proven wrong, but until then, it’s the only option because unless the insurance companies get the additional 31,000 customers, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will not be cost effective.

I was called out for making a plea or not accepting personal stories. The poster never got clarification; therefore, he went with his assumption. My first option was to ignore the poster, but then his allegations would be taking for truth, by those that do not know me. I then thought, if I supplied him with some truth, it would vindicate me in his eyes, and he would  just go way. No such luck, he came up with new charges, but he never did dispute the content of the blog. I just take it for granted that people know when personal stories are important and when it's just another point that cannot be verified. One poster admitted that they aren't interested in stats. If that's the case, what's the point of discussion? I guess we could continue in a backyard gossip manner. I'm not comfortable in that format.

I guess it just boils down to the personality of the poster. There are some that like to troll and create mischief, others like to vent, while others just like to type words on their computer and see them magically appear on the forum. I was wrong about the lighthearted atmosphere at the VA, because it was just the calm before the storm.