US budget

[Thomas Fitzcharles]

Good day Serban

On our talk we where both right. As I am sure you know, there are two types of spending discretionary and mandatory. Mandatory makes up about 2/3 of over all spending discretionary about the other 1/3 the payment on the debt 7%. Military and home land defence makes up about 50% of discretionary spending nothing else even comes close. SS and Unemployment make up 50% of mandatory spending with medicare and medicaid about 35%. The over all gov out lays. SS and unemployment make up about 33%. Medicaid and medicare make up about 24% military and home land defence 17 % then everything else is less then 6% each. Great talk we should do it more often! It was nice when others respected your views and could present a their views without personal insults.

Sincerely

Thomas

[Fritz]

What?! A political discussion without personal insults?! What is this, Canada?! You get back in there and call each other Nazis! This is 'murica!

[Berserker]

Thanks Thomas. It really was a great political talk that night. I even learned a few things. Turns out that speaking with people that don't necessarily hold your political point of view actually is a very good thing. =)

[hypo]

I enjoyed our discussions and hope to do it again soon.

[Fritz]

THIS IS THE AGE OF TRUMP! SOMEONE THROW A PUNCH ALREADY!

[Berserker]

Your wish is my command. *punches Fritz*

So actually, in one of my sociology lessons we were talking about the layout of people in communities, how that changed over time and how it impacted politics. So the professor was saying that a few decades back, if you were to look outside at your neighbors, it was a high probability that they varied in their political views from yourself (much like how Galatia is made up). That forced people to listen to other points of view and helped folks learn to compromise. It also allowed them to see the opposition as people and not as these evil idiots that only want what's worse for you and will doom the country.

What you see today is that you have conglomerations of people of the same political view living in the same areas together. That basically insulates those folks from hearing the opposite view and makes them less likely to think of someone in another party as a good normal person. It makes it easier to hate someone based on their political views simply because you've not been exposed to those people besides the negative comments you hear from your side. You never get to hear the other side.

I think discourse like we had that night is what Congress is missing. They are now very insular and go into Congress with a "my way or highway" type of attitude.

[boagrius]

Sorry Thomas if your discussion got cut short because of the game. I thought that's what everyone wanted to do. I'm happy to participate the next time we have one. And don't worry Fritz I'll be sure to kick a cat or something if it looks like a Trump supporter.

[Thomas Fitzcharles]

Good Day, Chris.

Not a problem! it was really just Doug, Serban myself and a little Jeff who were participating. I notice Jeff and Jason were joansing for a game. So it was really time to end the debate.

Sincerely

Thomas