What do Americans agree on across party lines?

This question came out of an exchange with another Brit last night. There are subjects in the UK that the three major parties roughly all agree on. What I mean by this is subjects that do not really tell you much about another person's political leanings.

For instance there is broad party support for

Northern Ireland (rarely will the opposition criticise the government's stance)
The National Health Service (If a political party should suggest getting rid of the NHS they would not get in power)
Troops actually at war.( we might argue the troops should not be there, but no opposition party would not support them)
The Monarchy (Most UK people love the Queen, its not a party issue)

So what are the issues that unite America?

 

Sorry, but at the current time, the USA is on the verge of a Constitutional crisis about to be caused by the current US President interpretation of executive privilege meaning that he alone, can make a decree which must be enforced like a law.

You may get to witness what the American people will do, should law enforcement and the US military be issued orders from the Commander in Chief, to enforce his decree, despite Congress not approving it, and/or the Supreme Court declaring the decree unconstitutional.

So sit back, enjoy some popcorn, or whatever snack Brits, Scots, and Irish enjoy, and stay tuned to YouTube, or whatever favorite instant news internet you have, so you can witness the turmoil.

 

Apparently nothing.
I and other conservatives have offered real world solutions that save taxpayers' money. We might as well be talking to brick walls with socialists. They bury their heads in the sand and refuse to look at reality.

 

better solutions at lower cost; all the right seems to have is more government programs, blah...blah...blah.

 

Is the US really that polarised? Australia is heading the same way.

 

That IS the Question.
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to be a republican,
Or to suffer the constant slings & arrows of Outrageous
Dimocrats.
Or to take arms { an Election } against their
constant sea of troublmaking.
And by Opposing them,
End them.
The insolence of office,
makes us bear those ills,
we have.
Thus conscience does make Cowards
of us all.
Than fly to others that we know not of.
To be or not to be a Conservative.
That Could be the Question.
That IS the question.

 

Just because you and a few others are crazy enough to see it this way doesn't mean that's the way it really is. Most Americans are moderates, not fanatical partisan hacks and look upon the current dealing in Washington with a bit more intelligence and understanding.

 

Ok, this is encouraging what do you think the majority of americans agree on? For instance, man has a heart attack in the street, what would be his immediate care? And would the majority probably agree on whatever care he gets?

 

It seems that there are many points of agreement by most Americans. Most Americans want to keep most of the money they earn. When liberals are specifically asked what percent of their income (or the rich) should be 'allowed' to keep, they will usually quote a percentage lower than the current tax rates.
When asked if they want the internet censored and free speech, most will agree that freedom of speech should remain a basic right.
Americans seem to agree war is bad, children should get a good education, the police should not kick in doors whenever they want, everyone has a right to a fair trial, the government should leave us alone to make our own choices.
All but the ardent communists living in the U.S.A. would, for the most part, agree on these basic rights and protections. It is how the issue is framed and the ignorance of some folks that creates the arguments.

 

Hatred for people who hold an opposing view.

 

Shoot him in the head to put him out of his misery.

 

Pretty sure that most everyone would agree that he shouldn't be left out in the street to die, and should be taken to a hospital and treated. Its how it gets paid for that would start the disagreement.

Disclaimer!!! Notice that above I was careful to say "most people". I realize that there are some here who will chime in and say he should be left to die if he can't pay. Personally I choose to believe that this is internet rhetoric and all of them would save someone they saw collapse in the street. I could be wrong but in this case I cherish my delusion.

 

Too funny...

 

Luxury!

In the UK we would put you in a leftie ambulance, take you to a leftie hospital, leftie doctors would make you well again, then the final ignominy, leftie roast beef and yorkshire pud!

 

It's been my observation that both sides want much of the same things. The problem stems from the want in which to accomplish those goals.

 

You'd save time if you just ran them over.

As for healthcare, we can't agree in this country. That's why we have Obamacare, a huge handout to the biggest insurance companies. We basically said "here you go, every person in the US is no a required client of yours, and those little guys, eh don't worry about them, they'll be regulated out of the market". Really though what do you expect when the industry wrote the legislation and no one read it (and even if they did it's unlikely they would understand it or care due to partisanship).

 

It was the only humane thing to do. The large insurance companies needed a safety net.

 

There are lots. For starters, we agree that Brits have bad teeth. just kidding, but really there are many. Despite how new it might sound given a reading of US News, Americans have for over a decade supported legalizing homosexual unions (the split has been that gay rights advocates have been unwilling to 'settle' for civil unions, thereby basically pushing those who support civil unions but not marriage into the category of those who oppose all recognition). Americans broadly believe in the 2nd amendment as a protection against tyranny. Americans broadly support background checks for the purchases of handguns(again, despite what you might think of from hearing the news, this is already in place). Americans pretty generally agree that cigarette taxes are unjust (though this is changing). Americans broadly favor net neutrality. Americans broadly support raising minimum wage. Americans overwhelmingly support voter id laws (requiring voters to show a photo id). Americans believe in the 1st amendment and religious freedoms, and that it/they trump laws passed by the government, such as Obamacare.

it really isn't, it's just that we focus on the issues that we disagree on, which kind of makes sense. If all the Republicans and Independents disappeared, Democrats would still find issues to disagree on and then they'd focus on those.

 

I'm an off-the-charts "lib" but I think that a government can get too big, bureaucratic and expensive. The problem is that the anti-tax and anti-government people are not at all sympathetic. They come across as angry jerks.

It seems to me as if the left and more moderate right agrees with some kind of civil union for gay couples, as Troianii stated. As for ISIS/ISIL, I've yet to meet a liberal who sympathizes with them. While it seems as if almost all Americans are against ISIS, I see lots of disagreement about ground troops.

 

Well, believe it or not, there's a lot of things that we agree on, it's just that we disagree on the details and how to implement things.

Not making a joke.

For example, health care. We want to help people and help them get good medical coverage.

 

You're wrong about everything but your posts are awesome.

 

Just wondering... what's so great about the NHS?

Only five out of 51 hospital trusts pass hygiene test, say inspectors
- Sarah Boseley, November 24, 2008 [Guardian Unlimited]

Heart patients dying due to poor hospital care, says report
- Sarah Boseley, June 8, 2008 [Guardian Unlimited]

Cancer patients ‘betrayed’ by NHS
- Sarah-Kate Templeton, June 1, 2008 [The Times]

Pensioner, 76, forced to pull out own teeth after 12 NHS dentists refuse to treat her
- Olinka Koster, March 26, 2008 [Daily Mail(UK)]

Dental patients face care lottery
- March 26, 2008 [Metro(UK)]

Lung patients 'condemned to death as NHS withdraws their too expensive drugs'
- Jenny Hope, March 24, 2008 [Daily Mail(UK)]

Women in labour turned away by maternity units
- John Carvel, March 21, 2008 [Guardian Unlimited]

Health inequality has got worse under Labour, says government report
- Andrew Sparrow, March 13, 2008 [Guardian Unlimited]

NHS chiefs tell grandmother, 61, she's 'too old' for £5,000 life-saving heart surgery
- Chris Brooke, February 28, 2008 [Daily Mail(UK)]

Patient 'removed' from waiting list to meet target
- January 31, 2008 [The Scotsman]

One in eight patients waiting over a year for treatment, admits minister
- John Carvel, June 8, 2007 [Guardian Unlimited]

The drugs the NHS won't give you
- May 11, 2007 [Telegraph UK]

UK lagging behind on cancer drug access, study finds
- May 10, 2007 [Guardian Unlimited]

Specialist stroke care 'lottery'
- May 9, 2007 [BBC News]

Smokers and the obese banned from UK hospitals
- May 2, 2007 [Healthcare News]

Cancer patients told life-prolonging treatment is too expensive for NHS
- Lyndsay Moss, February 13, 2007 [The Scotsman]

UK health service "harms 10 percent of patients"
- Kate Kelland, July 7, 2006 [Reuters]

5,000 elderly 'killed each year' by lack of care beds
- June 26, 2006 [Telegraph UK]

NHS plan to ration patient care
- Nigel Hawkes, April 7, 2006 [The Times]

British Healthcare To Be Rationed
- April 7, 2006 [United Press International]

British body rejects EPO drugs for cancer patients
- March 17, 2006 [Reuters]

National Health Service - Grappling with Deficits
- March 9, 2006 [Economist.com]

Hundreds wait to register as another dentist quits the NHS
- Martin Williams, September 23, 2005 [The Herald (Scotland)]

Life-saving cancer drugs 'kept from NHS patients by red tape'
- Sam Lister, September 20, 2005 [The Times]

NHS slides into the red despite record increases in health care spending
- September 20, 2005 [Telegraph UK]

Alzheimer's sufferers hit by further delay in NHS approval for vital drugs
- Michael Day, September 18, 2005 [Telegraph UK]

UK health 'unsustainable'
- August 14, 2005 [Finance24]

NHS faces rising bill for negligence claims
- Ben Hall, August 8, 2005 [Financial Times]

Top crimewriter funds drugs for cancer victim refused by NHS
- Martyn Halle, July 8, 2005 [Telegraph UK]

Report says NHS is mired in huge debts
- David Simms, June 25, 2005 [ABC Money (UK)]

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Just wondering why you're so incredibly happy with it.

 

The page where you took that from the links no longer work if you can provide a link to each article I will happily give you the truth.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-225330

Until such time it is unsourced rubbish. Looks impressive until you think of how many people are treated by the NHS. 1 million every 36 hours,
And we spend much less on healthcare than the USA per person, we have more doctors per person than you. And we are justifiably proud of our NHS.

I injured my back when I was quite young and had to have several operations at a time in my life when I could not of afforded to pay for them. Thanks to the NHS I have been able to enjoy a full life, build my own business and employ up to 50 people and retire very young. I was from a poor working class family there is no way I could of afforded private healthcare without the NHS who knows what would've become of me. So I pay more tax, so what, I would never of had the chance without the NHS.

If you want private health care in the USA then fine but do not believe a few horror stories about the NHS, its not perfect but it is very very good. My grandmother had cancer aged 83 she had an operation on the NHS and lived to 91, My mother is 80 now, she had epilepsy as a little girl and was in and out of hospital frequently I dread to think what would of happened without the NHS.

I am interested to know, I had three lots of neurosurgery carried out on my back between 17 and 22, I had to have six months of while I recovered. During my life I have had many more procedures carried out which has meant I have been productive to society all my life. Coming from a poor inner city area what would of been my prospects with private health if I had been seriously injured so young?

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/jun/30/healthcare-spending-world-country

 

If we're not going to take care of each other when we're sick, what's the point of forming a civilization, again?

 

Should we care for the indigent sick by our choice through charity or at the muzzle of a gun?