Here's an idea: Be constructive!

As the conventions of the two major political parties kick off, I feel the need to rant political yet again.

 

First off, I see myself as liberal and progressive.  I think evolution is an ongoing process and the conservative belief of stopping progress where it stands now is against our nature as humans.  So when I hear about any laws that seek to stop or reverse the progress we've already made, I get frustrated.  When I hear people touting outmoded ideas as gospel, it's everything I can do not to slap them.  I don't limit those reactions based on party line, it's just most of it ends up coming from conservatives who are usually Republican.

So this year, after seeing so much reactionary extremism from both sides, I feel the need to reiterate some points I made before since it's clear they were ignored the first time:

1.  Offer an alternative instead of just shooting down an idea.

This goes for anyone who disagrees with a policy.  In the interest of fairness, I'll try to give examples on both sides.  Say you don't agree with the healthcare act (what some are calling Obamacare).  Instead of just saying you're gonna repeal it, maybe have an alternative plan to offer.  If that plan is shot down, then how about working with your opponents on reasonable compromises?  

Or let's say you disagree on how much the military gets in its budget.  Instead of just complaining, do the work and find where the money can be cut without sacrificing military readiness.  If you can't get all of the cuts, find out which ones you can make by discussing it with the opposition.

This country was founded of the idea of group consensus.  It's why we have both a house and senate; the continental congress couldn't decide between equal or proportionate representation in the legislature, so they chose both.  We citizens should be able to expect cooperation from our elected officials; it's a bit sad that we can't.

2. Check your facts.

This one should be fairly obvious, but it's amazing how much it doesn't get done.  There are a lot of policy suggestions that are based on incorrect facts.  If those facts were checked on beforehand, the policy could become more feasible.  It's when you use outdated facts for modern policy that people can't take said policy seriously.  For example, a Republican congressman recently stated that women are able to block fertilization in the case of "legitimate rape".  This assertion was based on the congressman's outdated knowledge of anatomy from a single doctor.  Had he bothered to verify his information prior to this with other doctors, he might have looked less foolish and/or came to a different conclusion.  Now I'm not saying abortion should be open to all when/wherever, but I'm looking to decrease the need for them altogether through comprehensive sexual education and making birth control available to all; abortions should be seen as fail-saves, not contraception.

3. Take more than your own point of view under consideration.

When I want to watch a 24 hour news network, I tune to MSNBC.  I am not, however, blind to its bias.  So before I solidify an opinion, I try to look at the other side's POV as well.  I'll check CNN, BBC News, and some other sources and websites for the exact same news story to get an idea for what the facts are by noting how each one gets spun by both sides.  From that comparison, I can begin to extrapolate the raw facts from the story and make up my own mind.  This is a practice that I try to do in my personal life as well, though I'll be the first to admit that biased in certain ways.  However, being aware of your bias is useful; it will allow you to see what's actually there and what you're adding to or filtering from it.  This will help to reinforce your viewpoint by backing it up with actual facts, which in turn will strengthen your argument by making it palpable to other viewpoints.

4. Vote wisely.

First of all, vote.  Not voting because you feel it doesn't matter is foolish.  Clearly it matters, otherwise no one would spend money on campaigns or try to restrict the ability to vote.  By not voting, you're adding to the autocracy as much as those who just vote on the party line without thought.

Now that you're voting, look into the candidates and issues you're voting on.  This means reading both the pro and anti arguments; it also means looking at a candidate's relevant history beyond their own statements.  Try to gather as much information on a vote before doing it, because then you can at least say you voted your way and not just your party's way.  Having your own ideas and thoughts isn't a crime against any gods or higher powers, we wouldn't have free will if it was.  Without your voice and your mind is when your vote is truly meaningless.

5. Don't wait for an election to voice your thoughts.

If you truly care about something, why would you wait for it to come up for a vote?   It is your right as a voter and a citizen to tell your representatives your thoughts for or against policies they have a say in.  If they aren't listening or doing anything about it, you still have the right to try and get it up for a vote by getting enough people to say they want to vote on it to sign a petition to do so.  There are different rules on how in each city/state, so look into how to do it if you truly want to have your ideas become a topic of legislative discussion and be voted on. 

I'll admit right now that I don't always adhere to these points, but I do try to keep them in mind.  I've no problem with people calling me out for not practicing what I preach, but when you do just remember Wheaton's Law: Don't Be A Dick.  I really hope people vote en masse, but more importantly I hope people think/vote for themselves.  Let's remember that we're all part of the same system and try to work together, otherwise I'm moving to Mars.