I have friends on both sides of the divide in the USA. My friends who are Trump supporters have always called me a pinko communist sympathizer, and that I should just go back to whatever socialist rock I just crawled out from under. But recently I realized the left side of the divide is now even worse.

I was talking to a Biden supporting friend of mine, and the subject of masks came up. I explained that I blamed Fauci for causing this problem because he lied to the American public in the first place. As a scientist, I am offended at how he abused his position and muddied the good name of science just to prevent a run on masks that were needed by the medical community at the time. I have spoken about that elsewhere so I won’t repeat it here, but suffice it to say that I find him no better than all the other doctors and scientists who selectively used science to advance a cause that represented a bias they supported, or were paid to support. This is what causes people not to trust science, and is in large part responsible for such idiocy as the growing anti-vax movements that threaten millions.

Well, my liberal friend exploded and told me masks were entirely Trump’s fault, called me a closet Trump stooge, a racist and that I should just go back with all my other racist Trump friends. Wow. So apparently now, if you don’t agree that anything Fauci says must be respected as gospel (except, of course, for in person voting…they’ll admit he gets that one wrong), amd you don't agree that eviscerating the American economy is automatically the right thing to do in response to this virus without considering the other implications, then you are automatically branded a racist and told to go back and kill some more Jews like Hitler. I was just stunned. This guy was never a radical before. He has just spent way too much time in the echo chamber.

Personally, I just want to find a group of people who aren’t completely nuts, and can accept that just because I espouse views from both sides of the divide, that doesn’t make me the enemy. I hate Trump, but I am now downright fearful of the America that the radical left intends to create. They are actively building an environment that will give rise to someone so much worse than Trump.

Postscript: So what do I think?

This isn't relevant to the discussion and the post is already too long, so I'll put this in PS. I think America is an empire in decline. I think neoliberal movement has left too many people behind in their attempt to push globalism beyond the point the vast majority can accept. Given these factors, America needs to close its borders, step back from the international stage, and concentrate on cleaning up its own internal problems. I think it must have single payer, socialized medicine. I believe in higher taxes on the wealthy, and tariffs to promote American businesses paying those higher taxes over foreign imports. I think capitalism is a nightmare of an economic system, and that large corporations need to be actively dismantled and discouraged by the government. I think the wealthy need to be forced by legislation to share more of what they have taken (there need to be limits on greed), and that even those who are lazy need to be provided with a subsistence lifestyle to prevent them from becoming bigger problems. I think pride in our history, good and bad, is a positive thing, and that we need to celebrate historical figures for all their aspects, and to recognize we cannot judge people from the past using the ethics of today.

Where is my party? Where is the rational, thinking crowd that realizes the Democrats actually PUSHED people into the Trump camp by not giving a voice to those who disagree with globalization? Where is the group that is promising not to allow another demagogue, probably an even worse demagogue, to take Trump’s place? I am still looking...

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/p ... s-1038206/
This is a great article in the Rolling Stone magazine.
Albeit a rather negative view of American society.

Sounds like you had an interaction with a single friend and have applied his extreme views to everyone within the liberal grouping.

People like to blame Trump, but he was just the backlash to Obama’s policies and partisan vitriol. However, Trump may usher forth someone even worse than Obama in 2024.

Personally, I just want to find a group of people who aren’t completely nuts,

Good luck with that.

The US has long tried to be isolationist, usually resulting in great harm.

Shortly after the country’s founding, pirates looting American ships and demanded bribes. Countries like Britain, looked the other way and greenmailed the pirates. America fought the pirates. Britain took sailors off of US ships and pressed them into serving the British Navy, the US was forced into war. The US tried to be isolationist in the last century and got dragged into two world wars as a result. Trump is trying to get out of the world policeman role and is being subsequently chided by Biden.

The rich are a straw target of this century, as the Jews were of the last century.

An easy example. Iron Man is poor. Just look at his yearly salary. In the US, the more one makes, the higher percentage and overall more taxes are paid. It’s called the graduated income tax.

Why blame corporations for following rules written by lawmakers that ALLOWS them to pay zero taxes? Why not blame the lawmakers?

Yet government bureaucrats (even worse in Europe and at the UN) have limos with drivers and stay in luxury resorts, all without paying themselves. At least the ‘rich’ pay for their luxuries.

America just needs to go back to it’s roots. Rugged individualism, the spirit of doing and giving, not receiving.

The Rolling Stone does hit pieces. That’s it’s job.

That’s why the media praises it to the sky.

Just my opinion.

Teddy1 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 11:26 pm https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/p ... s-1038206/
This is a great article in the Rolling Stone magazine.
Albeit a rather negative view of American society.

I had a subscription to RS in the 90s, cancelled it due to super heavy, annoying ads, and only once every 6 mos or so would there be a great article. Maybe was good in the 70s.