Hi from newbie

[CenterField]

Welcome aboard. Put your seat belt on. It get's bumpy every once in awhile.

Well, then, that's how it gets to be fun, I hope, because only a smooth ride will get boring.

[Dr. Who]

Thanks. So what's the proportion here, as far as progressives, moderates, and conservatives?

I haven't taken a recent head count, since we have had a few members who have been away, return of late. However I would say that the forum leans to the right, based on participation.

[Ethereal]

LOL, is that so? Anyway, I like to think that my position is a bit nuanced... there are many things I don't like in Trump but there are a few I do appreciate, such as standing up to China. I consider China to be a geopolitical enemy that sooner or later will try to undermine our country. Nothing against the Chinese people, but rather, I'm not impressed with the Chinese government... I believe them to be expansionists and a threat to region, and later to the world, so I cheer Trump up when he counters them.

The tendency of Americans, of all people, to play the victim and accuse others of being "expansionist" is absolutely mind-blowing.

Remind me... which government has its military and paramilitary forces deployed to virtually every corner of the globe right now?

Which government is responsible for invading and destroying multiple countries over the past thirty years?

Which government has been incessantly sanctioning and destabilizing other countries over the past thirty years?

Which government is currently catalyzing multiple insurrections and civil wars across the world?

Which government is spending taxpayer money on propping up client states that oppress their populations?

That would be the US government, your government.

But let me guess... it's different when Americans do it? Because they have noble intentions? Because Americans aren't governed by the same standards as everyone else?

[CenterField]

The tendency of Americans, of all people, to play the victim and accuse others of being "expansionist" is absolutely mind-blowing.

Remind me... which government has its military and paramilitary forces deployed to virtually every corner of the globe right now?

Which government is responsible for invading and destroying multiple countries over the past thirty years?

Which government has been incessantly sanctioning and destabilizing other countries over the past thirty years?

Which government is currently catalyzing multiple insurrections and civil wars across the world?

Which government is spending taxpayer money on propping up client states that oppress their populations?

That would be the US government, your government.

But let me guess... it's different when Americans do it? Because they have noble intentions? Because Americans aren't governed by the same standards as everyone else?

You guessed wrong. I don't think we are saints. But I do think that if the Chinese take over completely, at some point most humans will look back at the time when the USA was the main superpower, with nostalgia, as the Chinese will be probably a lot more ruthless. I believe that the idea of American imperialism overlooks the fact that we've also been a stabilizing force over the 70 years that followed WWII.

Noble intentions? I'll settle for my country doing well. Isn't it what most nationals want for their countries?

[Docthehun]

I haven't taken a recent head count, since we have had a few members who have been away, return of late. However I would say that the forum leans to the right, based on participation.

Leans? lol

[Docthehun]

Welcome CenterField!

[countryboy]

Hi, everybody. I haven't had the time to change avatar, signature, etc. but I'm glad to be here given that I really like to discuss politics (it's a hobby for me). I define myself in the political spectrum as a centrist, thus my username (I lean left in many - not all - domestic issues and lean right in many - not all - international issues so I guess one inclination balances the other and I'm a centrist with mostly moderate views - I'm fully aware that this is a dangerous position as I may just end up pissing off both sides, haha). I'm particularly interested in the COVID-19 situation, in order to share what I've been learning and to learn from others. I intend to be very civil and never engage in personal attacks. Thanks for having me.

Welcome to the forum.

[Ethereal]

You guessed wrong. I don't think we are saints. But I do think that if the Chinese take over completely, at some point most humans will look back at the time when the USA was the main superpower, with nostalgia, as the Chinese will be probably a lot more ruthless. I believe that the idea of American imperialism overlooks the fact that we've also been a stabilizing force over the 70 years that followed WWII.

Noble intentions? I'll settle for my country doing well. Isn't it what most nationals want for their countries?

The US government hasn't been a stabilizing force, that is ridiculous. It's been invading, attacking, sanctioning, and subverting dozens of countries for decades. Millions of people have had their lives needlessly destroyed because of the US government's aggressive foreign policy. I saw the carnage firsthand while I was in Iraq. Absolutely shameful and disgusting what's been done to that civilization by the US government. But the many victims of US foreign policy are basically invisible to the average American.

[Dr. Who]

The US government hasn't been a stabilizing force, that is ridiculous. It's been invading, attacking, sanctioning, and subverting dozens of countries for decades. Millions of people have had their lives needlessly destroyed because of the US government's aggressive foreign policy. I saw the carnage firsthand while I was in Iraq. Absolutely shameful and disgusting what's been done to that civilization by the US government. But the many victims of US foreign policy are basically invisible to the average American.

I believe that the word stabilizing is used in a very narrow sense, as in maintaining the status quo for vested interests, whether it serves the interests of those being stabilized or is in fact averse to their interests.

[CenterField]

The US government hasn't been a stabilizing force, that is ridiculous. It's been invading, attacking, sanctioning, and subverting dozens of countries for decades. Millions of people have had their lives needlessly destroyed because of the US government's aggressive foreign policy. I saw the carnage firsthand while I was in Iraq. Absolutely shameful and disgusting what's been done to that civilization by the US government. But the many victims of US foreign policy are basically invisible to the average American.

Like I said, I haven't denied that we aren't saints. But the stabilizing force relates to keeping in check the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and the Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea. The world could have been in a lot more trouble if we were isolationists during the last 70 years.