We probably won't agree, but...

[EastCoastLiberal]

Hello,

Firstly, I am not here to troll. I used to spend almost all of my time on FiveThirtyEight.com, DailyKOS and Huffington Post. But I realized that I was spending nearly all my time talking with people who agree with my point of view!

Talking with people who you already agree with does not accomplish anything.

So I've decided to spend some time here, bring my point of view, and maybe convince some people along the way.

[kimberly]

welcome

it is never fun to debate with people that agree with you :P

so here is a question for you:

Why do you like Nancy Polosi?

[EastCoastLiberal]

welcome

it is never fun to debate with people that agree with you :P

so here is a question for you:

Why do you like Nancy Polosi?

She's been a leader on pushing forward environmental regulations, minimum wage and many other areas. Even some Democrats seem happy to demonize her though, which has annoyed me in the past.

It has nothing to do with her being a woman. As a man who supports feminism I do support equality for women, but sex is not a reason I would or would not support a given candidate.

[Fantasy Chaser]

Hello,

Firstly, I am not here to troll. I used to spend almost all of my time on FiveThirtyEight.com, DailyKOS and Huffington Post. But I realized that I was spending nearly all my time talking with people who agree with my point of view!

Talking with people who you already agree with does not accomplish anything.

So I've decided to spend some time here, bring my point of view, and maybe convince some people along the way.

Hi, and tentatively welcome.

The reason I hedged with the "tentative" because of that last line. I would caution you not to assume that we've never considered issues near and dear to liberals' hearts, that conservatives are just missing or ignoring some critical pieces of information that would make our positions just fall to dust. I assure you that the conservative position (actually, there's plenty of variation and disagreement among conservatives, as there is among liberals) has plenty of substance, complexity, and subtlety.

If you keep this in mind, I think our disagreements will be more respectful. And don't close yourself off to the possibility of being convinced yourself!

[Elmira Viking]

Welcome to RO !!

[Elmira Viking]

Welcome to RO !!

OK. I didn't read that you spent lots of time at The DailyKOS and the Huffington Post. I sure hope you don't use KOS methods of debate.

Aw, heck, welcome anyways.

[Midnight Rider]

You just might convince some of us? Maybe you better be prepared to be convinced yourself. I look forward to getting your point of view though.

Welcome

[EastCoastLiberal]

Hi, and tentatively welcome.

The reason I hedged with the "tentative" because of that last line. I would caution you not to assume that we've never considered issues near and dear to liberals' hearts, that conservatives are just missing or ignoring some critical pieces of information that would make our positions just fall to dust. I assure you that the conservative position (actually, there's plenty of variation and disagreement among conservatives, as there is among liberals) has plenty of substance, complexity, and subtlety.

If you keep this in mind, I think our disagreements will be more respectful. And don't close yourself off to the possibility of being convinced yourself!

No, I don't entirely discount the possibility of changing my positions.

One thing I'm taking a second look at is Nuclear Power, which I was previously strongly against. But since talking with people outside of the environmental groups I was previously active in I've gotten a different point of view.

I don't think that Conservatives are not familiar with Liberal positions, far from it. But I do think that both sides can readily portray the positions of the other as simplified caricatures. Even if I don't change anyone's mind about anything here, at least I can better understand where conservatives are coming from.

[Newman]

....convinced by a lib?

...unless the debate is over the sun rising, or the snow falling, I find that prospect highly unlikely....

[EastCoastLiberal]

....convinced by a lib?

...unless the debate is over the sun rising, or the snow falling, I find that prospect highly unlikely....

heh.