I'll bite, since I was interested enough (or bored enough) to read through all responses so far.
I'm pretty progressive socially, however I agree that identity politics is getting ridiculous. As much as people on the right claim it's purely a lefty issue, so many of them have also formed their identities around aspects of their identity that define them. I'm a gun owner. I'm a Christian. They're just as bad as people on the left who reduce their identities to one defining characteristic and fight on behalf of that group. It shuts down all discussion on such topics and allows people to glom onto it even harder, which is not a good thing. Fundamentalism in most things is not a good idea.
Being respectful and polite is not "political correctness", in my mind. It's being a decent human.
I agree that guns are not inherently evil. That would be silly, as we have two (for hunting). However, I think there do need to be some regulations surrounding them. People who abuse their families should not be able to go buy a gun, they're already unstable and violent. Same with other people who are unstable and have a history of violence. The risk is too high. Also, I'm not sure how to address this appropriately, but there needs to be some way to keep kids from getting guns. There are far too many instances of kids getting ahold of their parents' guns and shooting someone else or themselves. That shouldn't happen.
I disagree with the people on the right who get absolutely rabid about guns. Tone it down, dude.
I think there needs to be some sort of welfare system but think our current one is ridiculous. I'd much rather go with UBI.
Can agree that some regulations are total shit. But, the most onerous ones are put in place to benefit Congress's corporate overlords (both sides are guilty) and keep small businesses down. The ones that don't do that? The environmental regulations that are always on the chopping block. Oy. So short-sighted and, frankly, stupid to destroy the environment we depend on for everything.
Agree that most subsidies should be taken away, particularly those for factory farming and fossil fuels. There's no fucking way they need subsidies.
Yes, tax code should be simplified and progressive. Also, HUGE disincentives for offshoring/hiding money. Fuck that, it helps build dynasties, corruption, and dishonesty.
Yes to more technical trade schools and whatnot. Not everyone needs or wants a college degree, and I don't see plumbers having their jobs taken away by automation very soon.
Yes, the federal government should be smaller. We're such a huge and diverse nation that if the feds try to control everything then everyone's going to be unhappy. However, human rights (marrying who you want, healthcare, etc.) belong everywhere and environment crosses state lines, so those are things that should be legislated in. In addition, I think some things like worker safety standards should also be kept nationally.
Where I will never agree with the right:
Abortion. No, that parasite's right to live ends at my right to bodily autonomy. If a woman can't or just doesn't want to carry it, so be it. It doesn't matter the reason. And despite what people hysterically claim, no one gets an abortion just for fun. Those much-maligned third trimester abortions are already solely for severe birth defects or when the mother's life is in danger. As a woman who's been pregnant, no one makes it that far and goes, "Nah, I'm done with this." And if she did, I really wouldn't want to force her into parenthood.
Science. This ridiculous anti-science, anti-intellectual bullshit. When did it become okay to be proud of being kind of dumb and uneducated? When did your "belief" in a 6,000 year old Earth become more important than facts and reality? Yeah, believe whatever the hell you want. That's religion and has no place in our federal government per the Constitution you claim to love. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. Your right to your beliefs ends at yourself. You do not get to make or influence policy due to "belief". Have some actual facts and science to back it up or GTFO.
The idea that other people should be left entirely to their own devices and that everyone is responsible only to his/herself. That ignores that there are huge discrepancies in everything from intelligence to upbringing and resources. A kid who grew up eating McDonald's and Mac 'n Cheese when she got a meal, indifferent or absent parents, is going to grow up very differently from me with my three squares and supportive parents. I don't think those people should be looked down upon. But, this also goes back to my idea of UBI.
That being said...I'm so sick of people whining that "their" region is in decline. There are often historical and even ecological reasons why. Yep, the coal industry is dying. That's proving to be a good thing for human health. If your small town is dying, maybe it should? Maybe try moving to find a better job? Turning back the clock is not going to happen, so stop trying to force it. The world moves on. Industries change. Deal with it. Find something better to do than whining about "the good old days" and blaming others for your problems. I roll my eyes every time I see someone talking about "personal responsibility" who then turns around and blames others (immigrants, The Man, whatever) for keeping them down. Uh, no. You're doing a fine job of that yourself by looking backwards instead of forward.
There are others, but this is too long already and skews more toward "what don't you agree with the other side about". :)
