I'm TonyPDX - hoping there are still progressives like myself out there

[TonyPDX]

I found DU after becoming disillusioned with communities that were once progressive and now barely unrecognizable to me.

My beliefs? I'm against inequality and discrimination in every form, anti-TPP, anti-NAFTA, anti-conservatism and authoritarianism, and against anyone's religious beliefs shaping our laws. I'm for saving our environment, pro-science, pro-women's rights, pro-cannabis legalization (like we have here in Oregon), pro-union, pro-immigration and immigrant rights, PRO-BERNIE SANDERS, pro-return to tariffs on imported goods, pro-returning manufacturing to the US. I believe that we're now living under an oligarchy and that fascism is where we're headed if we don't change course.

I am not inspired by the prospect of having another Clinton as president, with corporate darling Chuck Schumer at her side, and Henry Kissinger's number on the WH speed-dial. Internationally I believe people are people everywhere (some are good, some are bad, some are greedy, some are generous) but cultures can definitely be evil and exert their oppression on good citizens. In general I think if it was left up to the world's citizens we'd mostly get along fine, but the governments tend to screw things up.

I'm a parent of two teens and we have raised them to be active participants in the world, not observers.

I am here because I believe there are others with values similar to mine in this community. Whoever and wherever you are, I send warmest wishes for a peaceful, fulfilled life. Nice to meet you.

[MH1]

1. Welcome to DU!

(what is PCC? am I being a dolt this morning?)

Happy to have you here. Please do be aware of the DU policy once the primaries are done. If Hillary is the Dem nominee (and probability is strongly pointing that way), posts trashing her will not be treated kindly. For now, check out the General Discussion: Primaries forum and keep the discussion of Bernie v. Hillary in there, and you can mostly get away with anything. (Mostly.)

Hillary's my third choice. I wanted O'Malley, voted for Bernie, and am prepared to support Hillary enthusiastically in the GE if she is the nominee, and I expect she will be. I agree a little more with Bernie's position but I am a realist about politics and recognize the strengths "the establishment candidate" brings, especially on women's rights which is absolutely #1 priority for me (because everything else gets worse if women's rights go backwards).

It would have been nice to have Bernie as the nominee and President (sigh), but there are far worse things than Hillary as Prez. Trump as president is close to the top of the list. I guess nuclear war would top the list, but since Trump would probably cause that ...

Anyway welcome to DU and I hope you like it here.

[TonyPDX]

2. Thank you

HA! I meant TPP (PCC is a nearby community college-- need more coffee). Fixed it.

Thanks for info about not trashing candidates. I'm not prone to that sort of discussion anyway, but it's not difficult for discourse to cycle out of control these days.

Thanks for the warm welcome. Have a great weekend.

[historian]

3. You are a delight

I think exactly like you and in fact during the 60's was very active in all sorts of protests, mostly anti american and viet nam. I think that America has become the symbol of fascism, and is a dangerous influence in the world. It is a nation of racist war mongers and, worse of all, of incredible ignorance. I have traveled and lived in many different countries (NOT military - soldiers regardless of nationality are nothing but murderous zombies) and am constantly amazed at the comments i hear. Want an example? I told someone I had lived in Brazil for several years and was told that they had been to Tijuana!!. Now we have Donald Trump, a raving lunatic if I have every heard one who has just announced that there is no drought in California (where i live) but that it is simply a Democratic conspiracy.
Money and so called contributions (bribes) are destroying us. Greed is manifest everywhere you look, and the proliferation of guns and violence is beyond belief. I travel frequently to Europe and am always amazed at how much the attitude towards the USA has changed. In the 60's and 70's the USA was admired, mostly because of the great sacrifice made by the GI's (the last American heroes for whom i have nothing but admiration) but that admiration has turned to astonishment with our "choice" of idiots such as Dan Quayle, Sarah Palin, W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and others who either ran or were elected president. It is a very sore point with me to hear people say this is the greatest country in the world when they have never been anywhere beyond their own back yard.
Now the reaction to this rant will be probably be one of nasty comments telling me to go back where I came from (hello this is a country of immigrants) but that attitude is exactly what the politicians want. Divide and conquer. Instead of threats why don't people discuss and exchange ideas instead of ranting and raving. And when I say discuss I dont mean to quote Rush Limbaugh but to actually do some research and come to personal conclusions.
As far for religion, and being a devout atheist, it boggles the mind to think that a book of such mumbo jumbo written thousands of years ago by tent dwellers who believed the earth was flat and was the center of the universe, can still exert such influence. In a universe which, as measured by the hubble telescope and which probably extends further, is 126 million light years (one light year = 6 trillion miles)., it boggles the mind to believe that someone is watching over us every moment to make sure we dont have sex before marrying!
As far as economics goes, we have a tax code which allows huge corporations to park trillions of dollars elsewhere or, as Warren Buffet said, allow people like him to pay an average 6% tax while the rest of us pay 20 to 30% and get mostly nothing for it.
As for Sanders, he does not stand a chance of winning. He is a socialist which everyone equates with Stalin but who fail to recognize that social security and medicare are both creations of socialism. He is also Jewish who killed Christ, or some such nonsense, so naturally the good christians of this country will never vote for him.
What sorry harvest we shall reap when our 20 trillion debt comes due.
Well enough of this rant and I shall wait for the insults. It was a pleasure to read your post and i hope we can communicate often.
Victor

[TonyPDX]

4. Thank you, Victor. Look forward to reading your posts here. Be well. n/t

[smith_70]

5. I hear that