The American Politics Thread

a)  Don't really consider Trump a "conservative."

b)  Don't consider myself a "conservative" or "Republican" either.  My views about politics are probably closer related to Libertarian ideas, or probably more accurately, Anarchist to some degree.  I dislike government in general, and think there should be a lot less of it.  I think the US Constitution has served the country well, generally speaking, but I don't think the Constitution is the "end all, be all" and am not certain it is sufficient to serve the country as it currently exists.

c) Think our government is rife with corruption on both sides of the aisle, and in the last couple of decades at least exists only to perpetuate a broken system for the sole purpose of amassing profit and power.

d) Think that the American people (myself included) find it easy to blame government for the ills of society, when in fact the American people (myself included) are really not that... governable, and are also plenty responsible for perpetuating these various "ills."

Anyway, I'm up for discussion.  I think your language about "treason" and "a movement of totalitarians" is a bit overblown, as is some of the language I've seen in the news about the so-called "insurrection."  I don't see this as much different than what I've witnessed at leftist "protests" - as soon as a protest turns violent, and people get shot, or buildings are set on fire, or private property is looted, the leftist protesters say it was the doing of "bad actors" and not the real, peace-loving protesters.  And yes, Democrat politicians have sometimes "encouraged" it and participated in it.  It's never malicious or treasonous or reprehensible when leftists do it, but when probably the majority of the media outlets bend left (and hate Trump), and when Democrats (who also hate Trump) are in power, Trump is portrayed as the evil of evils and a wannabe Hitler.  

On your items 'a' thru 'd', I accept the honesty with which you present your position. For the most part, I feel the same way about our government here in Canada, (whoever is in power) but lean decidedly left of centre and in some cases hard left.

But here is where I think you are missing a point in your argument. You're concerned about the terms "treason and totalitarian" being used and use the term "so-called insurrection" but they are completely appropriate terms for what took place. You can't compare it to any "protest" from the left because those were not directed specifically at a government building/institution during an event that was specifically tied to election outcomes as was the Jan. 6 event. It was treasonous because it was against a government process. I would also say this whole comparison to Hitler stuff is a right wing smoke screen. I have certainly heard plenty of prominent 'D's" use the term Authoritarian or even Dictator, but I have NEVER heard one of them invoke Hitler's name. Perhaps some minor outlier may have said it, but they don't count for 5hit in my book.

Well, he did slash a lot of government regulations, didn't he?  In that regard, he was undoing (or trying to, anyway) a more "intrusive big government" than his predecessors.

a)  Don't really consider Trump a "conservative."

b)  Don't consider myself a "conservative" or "Republican" either.  My views about politics are probably closer related to Libertarian ideas, or probably more accurately, Anarchist to some degree.  I dislike government in general, and think there should be a lot less of it.  I think the US Constitution has served the country well, generally speaking, but I don't think the Constitution is the "end all, be all" and am not certain it is sufficient to serve the country as it currently exists.

c) Think our government is rife with corruption on both sides of the aisle, and in the last couple of decades at least exists only to perpetuate a broken system for the sole purpose of amassing profit and power.

d) Think that the American people (myself included) find it easy to blame government for the ills of society, when in fact the American people (myself included) are really not that... governable, and are also plenty responsible for perpetuating these various "ills."

Anyway, I'm up for discussion.  I think your language about "treason" and "a movement of totalitarians" is a bit overblown, as is some of the language I've seen in the news about the so-called "insurrection."  I don't see this as much different than what I've witnessed at leftist "protests" - as soon as a protest turns violent, and people get shot, or buildings are set on fire, or private property is looted, the leftist protesters say it was the doing of "bad actors" and not the real, peace-loving protesters.  And yes, Democrat politicians have sometimes "encouraged" it and participated in it.  It's never malicious or treasonous or reprehensible when leftists do it, but when probably the majority of the media outlets bend left (and hate Trump), and when Democrats (who also hate Trump) are in power, Trump is portrayed as the evil of evils and a wannabe Hitler.  

There are plenty of things about Trump that I dislike - but I voted for him in 2020 because (as stated earlier) there were plenty of his policies and quirks that I approved of (and still do).

In my perfect and imaginary world, there would be a 2024 election boycott, and no one would vote for anyone.  Can you imagine how scared the fops and corrupt politicians (Republican and Democrat) would then be?  All their efforts to keep the greater society divided and at each other's throats would've failed, and they'd realize they no longer have the consent of the people to govern them, and maybe they'd get their collective sh*t together and make some decisions which actually helped people instead of decisions made to line their own pockets and keep themselves in power.

But I'm not holding my breath for that one.

Edited to add: Also, while I enjoy talking politics, it's certainly not why I come to this forum, and I'm not an "activist" about anything.  I'm an "inactivist" LOL.  The typical "hot button" issues that people like to argue about don't interest me much.  Abortion, racism, immigration, etc. - blah blah blah (to quote that climate-change advocate kid Greta).  Just doesn't interest me.

My biggest complaint about American socio-politics (and I suppose it isn't just an "American" issue, but an international one) is the demand for conformity of thought, and the various coercive, manipulative attempts by government, media, academia, and even just individual citizens to try to shape my thinking.  The whole vaccine-mandate thing is a perfect example.  I don't want the vaccine.  That doesn't make me "anti-vax" (I've not just visited, but resided for multiple years in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe over the decades, and been vaccinated from here to eternity and never had any problem with it.)  In my later years, I've developed a healthy skepticism for the medical and pharmaceutical industry.  I never get flu shots.  So now we have a new and more dangerous (but still relatively harmless) flu called covid-19.  I'm not afraid of covid.  Nor am I afraid of the vaccine, but I don't yet have any real level of trust in it (to not have as-yet-unknown adverse long-term side-effects), nor do I see it as a very effective vaccine overall.  The fear-factor of this flu has been greatly overstated/promoted, and I see people wearing masks outside with no other human being around them for a radius of 200 feet.  What are they so afraid of?  Fresh air?  That's not "science," nor is it even common sense.  It's irrational fear, and it's the product of propaganda, not science.