ⓘ December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 “If you listened to these voices hoping for some kind of shared national vision, I think you'd be disappointed.” “Shared national vision” “That's not going to happen. People have too much invested in their core self.” “Their core self” “Catholic social teaching is pretty liberal. That's what I grew up with.” “Catholic social teaching” “Maybe democracy is a process, and the next step is always born out of conflict? But something does feel broken.” “Out of conflict” “Oh…yeah. That's right, people don't always live in the bubble of reading Politico Pro updates.” “Politico Pro” “It's really hard to come up with a representative comment about Christians, because we don't even agree.” “Representative comment” “I've been reflecting a lot on race and particularly whiteness.” “I've been reflecting” “I've transitioned into a chronic disbeliever in the idea of democracy in this country.” “Chronic disbeliever” “The reality that we can't even agree on what facts are is, to me, the biggest obstacle towards fixing the divide that we have.” “What facts are” “I'm in a constant state of shock and despondency and anger.” “Shock and despondency” “I pray for a leader that can elevate us out of this national conversation that has gotten so dirty.” “Elevate us out” “I would love to see politics at the highest levels begin to work from a position of honesty and vulnerability.” “Honesty and vulnerability” “I started to realize that the left doesn't give a shit about me or my company.” “Me or my company” “I believe in my mind that Donald is the Antichrist.” “The Antichrist” “I've seen the flip side where there isn't a rule of law, where there is a lot of corruption.” “Flip side” “Some participants couldn't be reached for an exit interview, but even that is part of the story.” “Silence” “While Americans can have conversations, I think our elected officials are failing to lead by example.” “Lead by example” “Some participants couldn't be reached for an exit interview, but even that is part of the story.” “The welfare state is loving these people to death.” “To death” “Everyone's all, 'We love Obama!' He was never helping out at any of our reservations, never nothing.” “He was never helping” “My job requires me to be able to talk to people who I could not be farther from in life.” “To talk to people” “I believe that America was founded basically on the 10 Commandments.” “America was founded” “This project helped me admit that I'm human, I'm vulnerable.” “I'm human” “The idea that you can make a society safer by not letting people say terrible things is a pathological illusion.” “Terrible things” “Some participants couldn't be reached for an exit interview, but even that is part of the story.”
Introduce yourself. What led you to take part in this project?
Share something about your childhood that shaped your political worldview. Examples: What did you imagine it meant to be President? Did you imagine yourself running for office someday? How did you view differences between you and your friends? What was your approach to authority figures?
Describe a time when you’ve changed your mind about a political issue, or disagreed with your peers.
“Virtual potluck”: participants called in by phone
Consider sharing a photo or video of your daily life. Do you have a question for people who disagree with you on a political issue, that might help you better understand their perspective?
Share your observations about this project so far. What have you heard, learned, or thought about since you joined?
(Created survey. Are you engaging as much as expected? If not, why not? What outcomes do you hope for? What kinds of questions are you likely to respond to?)
(10 survey responses. 7 said other things had come up in life. Other reasons for less engagement: less politics for personal sanity, and disappointment with outcomes so far. All hoped to better understand the other side; 6 wanted to feel better understood too. 4 suggested Facebook.)
(Created secret Facebook group)
Are you suggesting that "real life" exists outside FB? …
Boting Zhang I think your point about Muslim immigrants' desires to avoid recreating Sharia states is more true of America than Europe. Muslim immigration into America may be measured in the thousands compared to millions in Europe. …
This is a super interesting thread btw. All the time I'm spending here reading and thinking is keeping me from editing your audio files!! …
Haha, glad you found some solidarity here! And thanks for your honest thoughts. …
Honest thoughts- I am less interested in group norms. Or what certain groups think. …
I joined this group for two reasons: to have a dialogue with people who think differently than I do (particularly conservatives) and to check my assumptions on how people who are conservative think. And overall it has been a huge success! …
Checking in: I am actually really excited to see what feels like some conflict on this thread. It takes a TON of time to respond to posts like this, and many of you have taken time out of what I know to be very busy lives to craft some really thoughtful answers here. …
I don't believe I said anything at all about liberals or conservatives, only the current underpinning philosophies of both movements, neither of which do I agree with. I'm sorry you took it personally.
That would work if your statements about liberals and conservatives weren't so skewed. You're giving your perspective on what you think liberals are thinking as though your perspective is a hard truth. …
Another thing to remember is that many political analysts and armchair social scientist often talk about the ideology of liberalism and conservatism as ideas and philosophies that are propagated among a people group, as opposed to talking about individuals who believe those underpinning ideologies to be true or false. I've found it easier to have conversations about politics by not associating my personal identity with being a conservative or a liberal, but stepping back far enough to see the ideas that drive each group towards the poles we're currently witnessing.
THANK YOU!!!!
There’s an excellent Frontline about all the terrorism in Europe in 2015. I will find it and link it. …
_____ _____ well-said! These poor policy decisions of Ivy Tower EU politicians worry me a LOT more than climate change or marching and wearing a pussy hat or the NFL taking a knee or why Hillary lost (people seriously bought that book?).....it goes back to Steyn’s point of #3. …
Steyn's thesis as I understand it is that the Western governing class has encouraged mass Muslim migration into the West, particularly Europe (yes, Angela Merkel, I'm looking at you) because Europeans are not having enough babies to fund the expansive cradle to grave welfare state. Steyn criticizes this policy because it is far from clear whether Islam as it is practiced in much of the world is compatible with democracy. …
Thanks. That's a REALLY good reminder, and something I manage to continually forget!
Reading these comments, I noticed there have been a couple of instances where people have made statements about what or how liberals think. Instead of telling me (and the other liberals) what we think, please ask us! …
And that’s where Islam comes in - for point #1. Europe has declining birth rate. …
He talks about more than just Islam. He has three main points: 1. …
Also _____ - could you maybe talk a bit about why you arrive at a different premise?
Guys, thanks for jumping right in there!! Are there any elaborating questions I can ask? …
Ah thanks for clarifying. That helps. …
Not the fear of Islam, rather the fear of Islamic nations and it's spread through western civilization
Islamophobic*
But, isn't that just rationalizing Islamophobia? You also said above that the author wasn't Islamophobia - but you just ended your post with "that's why it's something to fear." …
Well, even pre-Jesus bible never ordered the eradication of anyone who refused to accept it's doctrine. As I said above, millions of Muslims choose to ignore portions of the Quran because they have no other choice. …
And most mosques don't condone murder either. It's a huge sin. …
The difference is that post-prophecy fulfilment bible does not condone the murder of non-believers. The Quran is another story
_____, harkening back to the text is not a valid argument for how folks practice religion, basically ever. Glad you mentioned medieval Catholicism, but if you read nearly any section of the Bible that lays out punishments you see that book is brutal and calls for lots of negative, hurtful things (death penalties for clothing choice, adultery, eating fish, being an independent woman, etc) yet somehow Christians are not "anti-american" …
I haven't read the book but I have read much of Steyn's journalism. While I would not call him Islamaphobic, he is very critical of Islam as a whole, primarily it's lack of ability to coincide within western nations. …
_____ _____ perfectly said!
Tagging the other liberals in case anyone wants to chime in here ... I'm getting a little self-conscious about the liberal attrition here! …
Thanks for your honest opinion! I think what's also tough is the memorialization of ideas in writing. …
A major underpinning philosophy of current conservatives is that liberals can’t be/aren’t willing to be engaged in calm, rational dialogue about social issues; A major underpinning philosophy of current liberals is that rational dialogue is in itself an oppressive tactic used primarily to exclude marginalized people groups from having a voice, and therefore is not a valid method of coming to an understanding. So, yeah: That’s a pretty toxic cycle.
An additional thought on trust and dialogue just came up for me — when both sides see doomsday scenarios, but different ones, it's as if we basically have lost trust in the "other side's" ability to work with us to stop these doomsday scenarios. …
Whoa. Reading the Wikipedia page on it, that's a brave share — the Wiki article scares me! …
I can’t believe it’s take me this long to start it (written in 2006!). But man, now I know why Trump won.
It's a great book. Steyn is really insightful and funny to boot.
Reading “America Alone” by Mark Steyn. Anyone else ever read this? Wow. Wow. Wow.
A lot has been going on in my life over the past month - new jobs, family visiting, etc. But even if those things weren't happening, I don't think I would have much to say. …
So if you look at the developing timeline, you'll notice that we haven't had activity here from the left side in over a month. Just coincidence? Or something more to explore?
Someone just tagged me in one of the articles that's been going around about social justice activism (link) and I responded with what I've realized have been some of my latest takeaways from our conversations. I'd be really interested in hearing if any of this resonates, or if I'm jumping to conclusions. …
I just got off the phone with another exit interview and a really interesting analogy came up — there's been a nutritional value to these phone calls that makes talking online feel like empty calories by comparison. Does anyone else get that? …
This has become a bit of a rant, so I'll try to summarize. I think that a nation-wide "wisdom" …
That definition also perfectly illustrates, in my opinion, the biggest divide between the Republican and Democratic parties and voters. The word "principles", which is defined as; "a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning". …
So to start, we would have to even define the world, before we could figure out how to accomplish it as a nation. There are several dictionary definitions for the word "wisdom", the primary one being; "the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise". …
I think that America is a country that would find it uniquely difficult to define the word "wisdom" collectively. …
I wonder: what might collective wisdom as a country look like, accounting for our disparate experiences?
In my experiences, I feel that the smartest people I know are the most curious and the best listeners. They take in knowledge and discern...before speaking. …
Haha sorry, that was a total leading question. Bad facilitator! …
Yes! A thousand times yes!
Is our need to be/sound smart a good or a bad thing? I wondered the other day if it's the case that when we individually need to sound smart, we behave collectively dumb. …
After our exit interview, _____ is joining us for the first time! We couldn't get his Wordpress login to work from his phone, and so you've never actually heard from him yet. …
I would merely add that we must always be careful to ensure we are measuring our success in this area by evaluating equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome.
It's actually very interesting how often I am asked race-related questions about my work. Friends, family, strangers constantly ask me if my whiteness impacts my ability to deal with minorities, if I've ever been accused of being racist, if I treat certain ethnic groups differently, if I approach different cultures with different techniques, etc. …
_____ _____ I respectfully disagree. I don't know how a place where 48% of your income is taxed could possibly be thought of as a land of opportunity. …
You do realize that today there is more inter-generational social mobility in Europe than in the United States, contrary to the American myth that the United States is still the world’s No. 1 land of opportunity. …
I had a thought on this a couple of days ago, while in a 20-person conversation about change that touched on race and unconscious bias. A number of people participating in the conversation were black, mixed-race, Latino, or Muslim, and were sharing their perspectives, and it occurred to me — it actually felt like optimism and hope driving the desire to continue talking about unconscious bias. …
I don't want to mention anything in a mean-spirited way....but I was bothered by the notion of the "game being rigged". In my opinion, if we allow people to think this way and raise a generation of kids this way, it will turn us into a victim culture and in a weird way, a self-fulfilling prophesy. …
I've been really enjoying your exit interviews so far — one thing many of you have made clear is that the topic of privilege is super frustrating for both sides! So, let's see if we can examine the knot a bit more. …
Danny Lewin is one of my heroes. I know that his spirit is part of my formation as a critical thinker. …
So I haven't had a chance to read all of your comments yet, and am excited to do so. But in the meantime thought I would share this article on privelege: link To me, it explains it really well, using height as an analogy for white privilege. …
This is directly related to someone's definition of "small government" for example. …
I know the following is a simplistic rendering but I will put it out there as a place to begin. The vast majority of people have privilege (a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people) because of attributes they had little part in creating - think: born into a well-to-do family, white, neurotypical, cis-gendered, ...) and areas where they have no advantage or may have a disadvantage because of factors they have little control over such as being born into poverty, female, black/brown, etc. …
The notion of "privilege" troubles me. …
This is a lovely thoughtful reply. I hope I can get back to the computer soon to continue the conversation.
Wow!!! Thank you for this. …
Thanks, _____! I think I’m understanding what you’ve said—that sometimes we can get stuck expecting others to understand our own struggles at a high bar that they’re unable to achieve, which makes both sides unhappy—and also that focusing on grievances can be counterproductive—is that right? …
I have said before that I don't have a lot of political conversations and don't know much about the concept of privilege. I know there is much talk about privilege and what it really means, however. …
_____'s recent reply, on privilege, reminded me that I've been so interested in hearing opinions different from what I'm used to that I've become neglectful of inviting stories and responses from "my side"! And that reflects a weirdly different kind of assumption about what I think I know. …
Me too. It's nice to see folks who are experts in our military and in power continue to put service and duties above the political repurcussions.
I was glad to see this today.
I understand and appreciate the value of fostering resilience in our kids (and in ourselves), but I take issue with the idea that words can't hurt or kill people. Words won't literally kill someone as a knife could or hurt a body the way that fists can. …
I thought this was apropos: link
One of the things I like about this group is it exposes me to perspectives I don't hear or have access to in my day to day life. Would people mind sharing the articles/things they've been reading this week? …
_____, what's more concerning to me on this point is that Donald Trump then was so defensive about it. You're right in the idea that media highlighted that fact, and I think at least Fox did the same with Obama's statements, and that is frustrating. …
If I would have had time to address _____'s post when it came up, I'd have advised her to take courage. Things are not as bad as they seem at least with regard to Trump. …
Where are the black and brown voices or perspectives? Too much of what is written here is from a voice of privilege, of safety, of I've got mine so we can stop here. …
I think you hit an important point there Bo, this idea that we "need to hear" certain things from our president, or else he believes the opposite. …
I think this is a great question to get to a place of understanding about why we would vote Trump over Clinton. Here are my two main reasons: 1) healthcare: I believe HRC would have expanded the ACA. …
Also, Boting, I think I would be surprised if a more liberal voter's regret didn't spark more discussion than that a conservative's didn't, precisely because, if most conservative voters really voted conservative for the reasons in which _____ expressed hope and regret, we wouldn't be conservatives very long. From my personal experience, the vast base of conservative voters are actually largely resilient (and some of us immune) to the the "American Idol" …
That's what I wanted to say, but you said it best. I wanted a vote for less "big government".
Sorry I've not had more time to comment but I resonate with earlier posts, perhaps better by saying I didn't so much "Vote for Trump" as I made the decision to continue electing leaders across the board who were most likely to be fiscally conservative and make decisions that ultimately reduce or keep at bay the size of the federal government and its reach into local and community life. …
_____, I agree that when I have firsthand knowledge of an event or topic, I tend to find the media's coverage incredibly un-nuanced and lopsided. An example is media coverage of extreme campus social justice activities, which make college kids sound totally bananas, when I find upon further investigation actually deep dialogue and learning happening among most students by far, even in the context of extreme campus events. …
For you, _____ and _____, how would a Hillary Clinton presidency have been more damaging to our country than Trump's? I ask this acknowledging that there are totally valid criticisms of Hillary Clinton. …
I'm reading this post and I am (d) - about to go to a BBQ! But this post - and _____'s comments - are making me think. …
The media's view on events is what concerns me the most. They only report what gets views, which, in turn, fuels fires....usually the wrong fires. …
This is all way beyond my scope and radar. I am not dumb, but I sure feel dumb when I read articulate posts like this! …
I'll lead off with that I voted for Trump, and I don't regret it. I don't agree with much if what his administration has done, and in fact I probably disagree with more than I agree with (maybe 55/45). …
I'm wondering if I should be surprised that _____'s confession of hopelessness over her Trump vote didn't spark more discussion. Though changing minds was emphatically not my intention in starting this project, I remember wondering after the election if Trump's attitudes on racial tensions, which continue to strike me as mercurial and glib, would feel so de-stabilizing that many reluctant Trump voters — of whom there are many here — would turn away from him. …
thanks for your thoughtful article. It gave me much to think about.
This is something that I wrote and posted on my FB page regarding the Charlottesville mess. I think this goes way beyond Trump. …
And this article captures my sentiments as well: it's the last straw link
link
I think Charles Krathammer summed it up best for me. I will give a recap, paraphrasing: every Post-war US President had a special sensitivity and understanding about race relations in our country. …
_____, I was in awe when you wrote this. I want to acknowledge the courage not only to regret a vote in today's political climate, but also to share that openly. …
I just can't believe what is going on in Charlottesville. I can't believe we have a leader who has indirectly supported a white supremacist group. …
My 2c: _____, I have felt similarly about feeling white guilt (I'm half Japanese, but I look pretty white—or at least I look "hard to place" :)), but I think I take a different view on it. …
Yes there have always been good people and bad people. But what we are experiencing now, politically, is unprecedented in my lifetime in this country. …
I saw this post today, and it is something to consider. "Remember ......what you focus on......is what you see. If you focus on the hate in America, you will find it. If you focus on the love in America, you will find it. Choose wisely!"
i guess I'm saying that the gap has always been there. As long as there is evil and sin in the world, people will hate and divide. …
I'm not sure it is the media opening up a gap. I am sad and afraid. It is hard to go about my day.
I have avoided this conversation completely (on both "sides") on my Facebook feed. Too emotional for all involved. …
What do we need to be talking about right now here? And would people be interested in a phone call to talk about it? …
I've been away from these posts for a bit, but I'm intrigued by the comments on sin. I grew up Catholic, and our catechism taught that sin was "an offense against God". …
I should add that the presenter in the video is a psychiatrist and not a pastor.
To me, this is theological question so bear witih me for a bit. My understanding is that Jewish teaching is that sin is anything that breaks Shalom. …
In my life, a person's definition of sin and God's definition would not be the same. So, there is already a divide in the concept. …
Yeah, I suppose that is what I'm saying - I mean, society might have been a misnomer - I suppose I mean a person's culture and lived experience. However, society does set some limits on sins, right, such as murder being illegal, etc. …
_____: When you say society reflects what a "bad behavior" is, do you mean the definition of "bad behavior" …
I'm not religious anymore. But to me sin is akin to bad behavior. …
Is everyone afraid to answer this? I may tackle this later. …
Something _____ said in response to my last question made me realize, I don't think I have a clear grasp on the concept of sin. What does the word "sin" …
Reading a book and thought this was a tremendous insight: "To speak of certain government and establishment institutions as 'the system' is to speak correctly, since those organizations are founded upon the same structural conceptual relationships as a motorcycle. They are sustained by structural relationships even when they have lost all other meaning and purpose. …
Agreed on this one haha
I don't think "it is all in the way you think about it and the stories you tell yourself." I think that victims do in fact exist and it is victim blaming to say they just need to control the narrative in their brains.
_____ - you are everything I need to listen to, because I need to learn and understand.
Unlike many religious conservatives who believe that capitalism is inherently moral, I believe that capitalism is not inherently moral but that it is instead the system with the best natural checks and balances to keep immoral people from gaining too much power. I believe that there is no such thing as a moral economy, only moral people, and that the more morality you expect from the economic system itself, the less moral the individuals who live under it are required to be. …
Haha reading nonfiction is my weird hobby
You are reading this heavy stuff, and I can barely handle my mystery novel. :/
Personal stories can really muddy things up. For example, when I know someone gay, I don't tell them that I think their lifestyle is sinful. …
You can just take the opposite of all my statements, and that will be what someone else might say. I'm usually the polar opposite of the norm, which is why I keep my mouth shut in public and talk about traveling or kids. …
For the record, I'm not just being mischievous and trying to get you all to chew each other out! I've been intrigued by this diagram from the book "Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together" …
Thank you for these!! I think we're ready as a group to be real with each other. …
(Note: Some of these are not my own, but from the Bible. I often think people attack the messenger, but not the source. …
Yes!
I have so many, you all might ex-communicate me. Want a list?
As someone raised Catholic, being pro-choice is a bit controversial.
Summer is the worst season of the four.
White queso is far superior to yellow.
Boy, that's a loaded question. I am afraid to put mine, even here. 😬
What's a potentially controversial belief that you hold?
I often hear that increasing voter turnout typically favors Democratic candidates, and was Googling to look for backup on that (because as a thought experiment, if increasing turnout favored Republican candidates, would I feel differently about it?) ... I couldn't find info to confirm, but found a couple of interesting pieces instead that counterintuitively suggest that vote by mail doesn't actually increase turnout: link and link (which dives into some detail and suggests that voting by mail increased turnout in early analyses only due to increased reminders about voting). …
I am in the middle of filling out my ballot for the August primary we are having here in Seattle. In Washington, we vote exclusively by mail. …
Reflecting upon what you wrote....will write more later. Thank you for making me think!
That's very cool! May I ask what sorts of things they share about it? …
It is really overwhelming to think about! Fewer things make me feel smaller than thinking about climate change. …
I do think about climate change, but don't often talk with friends about it. I receive emails and newsletters from Earth Ministry —an ecumenical group in WA State whose mission involves caring for the earth. …
Also, I live in Colorado now. Lots of environmentalists and people who loooooove the earth live here. …
I think this is such a great way to pose the issue. I feel like a lot of time I keep reading, "Science says so..." …
Hey everyone! Climate change and discussions of how we can work to reverse climate change comes up a lot on my feed. …
This Pew report is interesting in its entirety, but I wonder if this first graphic resonates with folks' experiences here: link
I think that's fair. 😋
I also like Rachel Maddow but I need my information faster then she likes to talk. :-)
love my NPR as well.
NPR is my primary news source as well. I aksi read articles from Mother Jones magazine (although I don't subscribe to it). Friends often post articles from this on Facebook.
Good question! It makes me wonder if there are any publications/sources we can all mostly agree are credible and reliable. I listen to or read articles on NPR. That's my main source for news and commentary.
I was wondering- could some of the liberal side share with me their favorite columnists, publications? I follow some liberal sites but wondering what you really read! …
...and my dad (who is "Captain Catholic". Ha!) always cautioned me with such behavior. …
_____ _____ I agree! And your last paragraph is something I think about a lot...it's the whole notion of "virtue signaling". …
"Harmony cabin"? "Tolerance Teepee"? …
Well, you know the whole "do not let your left hand know what your right hand does?" He probably didn't want us consciously giving both a thumbs up AND a thumbs down on Facebook with the SAME HAND AT THE SAME TIME, lest we become aware of our hypocrisy and repent, and change our ways.
(See? Mixed reaction emoji would be pretty useful hunh?)
OMG WHAT! (Doesn't this totally disprove intelligent design?? …
Boting Zhang I just looking at extra thumbs. We should collaborate. …
Update: I'm organizing a rally requesting Congress to pass a bill that requires Facebook to provide a "mixed thumbs-up with reservations" button. …
Boting Zhang Well, quibble away. I can't guarantee I'll always have time for a fully developed response but I can promise you I won't require an empathy tent, no matter what you say.
But thanks!
Haha I want to like half of this 👍 and quibble on the second half 🤑
Boting Zhang And I like you for being the 0.01% that actually sets up the tolerance teepee and the sympathy shack instead of picketing the Washington Mall demanding that tax payer dollars do it for you. So, in all seriousness, props to the people who know how to be the change they wish to see and not just vote for other people's "change" …
Boting Zhang *sigh* Yes, yes we are... But I like you for knowing that.
As one of the commenters said: "Yeah, take a left a the harmony cabin, head straight until you see the tolerance teepee on the right and make another left, empathy tent is two doors past the sympathy shack." My visceral response is, sign me up!, and then my next visceral response is, wait are they making fun of me?, and then my intellectual response is, yep.
My intellectual reaction is that this is a good thing, and that more people should be this way all the time. My visceral reaction is to bust out laughing. …
Hey, something in Breitbart made me happy! Until I scrolled down to the comments. Fellow snowflakes, I recommend skipping the comments. 😜
And sometimes both.
"I wonder if intellectual understanding is far easier in hindsight, and visceral understanding far easier in the present, and those two things can be very different, leading to the possibility of history repeating itself without people having any idea it's happening at the moment." I love this. …
I'm totally with you on news as entertainment. Especially the version that goes, "can you believe how stupid xyz is??" …
Hello, friends. I could spend this entire post telling you how sorry I am that I haven't been able to engage in these discussions more before now and why, but that would take a book. …
Yes- I oppose single payer system bc of stinginess with treatment. They may refuse treatment for certain conditions. …
I'll try to articulate a developed response tomorrow. Remind me/tag me again if it slips my mind--I haven't been on FB as often lately either.
I found interesting the note that "millions of people have been following this unfolding tragedy" — I admit that I have definitely been on Facebook less for my own sanity, but I actually hadn't heard of Charlie Gard until you posted this! …
I am saddened by what is happening to Charlie Gard and to his family. Denying potential life-saving technology is unconscionable. …
The driving force behind my opinion is freedom for property owners/business owners, and minimizing government intrusion. I am all for social welfare programs and I have no problem with the government creating said programs and using tax dollars to fund them. …
_____: Thanks for a reminder that policy decisions have real impacts on the lives of real people. I used to be a teacher, a high school teacher thank heavens. …
This is really interesting -- it almost seems as if the business actually benefited from increasing wages. Which makes me wonder (kind of riffing off _____'s thoughts) why didn't the preschool pay more to begin with, if it would have reduced turnover and stress all along? …
I actually had a similar thought when I was in China, related to the effects of regulation on large vs. small businesses. …
_____, would you say that the driving principle behind your position is freedom and limited government involvement? Or do you think there's an emergent order that comes from it that is better overall for more people? …
These are all some really great thoughts. I would like to add a personal anecdote with the caveat that I know you can't make decisions in policy based on how it affects one work place. …
Really good thoughts Bo! I don't think you're oversimplifying. …
While I am not opposed to the idea of a minimum wage, I would be very much okay with it not existing. I believe that if someone runs a business and they have a position that needs to be filled, that they should be able to pay whatever wages they choose and if someone is willing to work for those wages, then I see no problem with paying them. …
PS I found it fascinating that this piece in the conservative National Review wrote of inequality as a major issue for democracy, but pinned government policies as the source of that inequality: link Something that's been making the rounds on my feed is kind of the reverse case, suggesting that policies that had once encouraged parity among cities, thereby giving people more economic options, have been taken away: link
Part of what I used to love about local politics is that people were more open to nuance, and less entrenched in political posturing. As Seattle has grown, that has felt less true. …
Here's a little something that I shared on my page a week or so ago. Raising the minimum wage seems beneficent act. It doesn't always work out that way. This is from 538, which, if anything, leans Left.
Happy Fourth of July from our family! (Gymboree had a big sale...)
I'll go ahead and lead with the fact that I am a police officer. While I don't work for Seattle, I do work for one of the larger municipal agencies in the greater Seattle area. …
Tasers are a tricky proposition. A police officer friend approached a shooting suspect from behind. …
I have to admit that I'm really struggling to occupy the space between the two political shores. Recently in Seattle, two white police officers shot a black woman. …
Like most of you here, I am a blend of extrovert and introvert. I need and love people - I love to serve. …
Hey everyone! I'm so glad we have this forum to connect on. …
Hi All! I look forward to connecting with you via this forum. …
Being obnoxious is, sadly, good for ratings.
I'm probably an extrovert who needs time alone to re-charge. (Is there such an thing? …
I started this question b/c I'm married to a Trump voter, and that is ALL. HE. …
Thanks for doing this Bo, after having several phone conversations with you its very obvious that your intentions in this project are genuine and kind hearted, and you're not just looking to get people to say dumb political opinions. As to the question; I would say that I'm a laid-back extrovert, which might be a bit of a contradiction but I think it's accurate. …
Hi everyone! This is a much more flexible forum so I hope we can be more spontaneous with the conversation here. …
Welcome everyone. I am looking forward to this.
This is great! I hope you're all doing well!
I agree with _____. I'm more likely to quickly post or read stuff here, instead of signing in to website to post. …
This might work better for me. 👍🏼
Hi all! There are a couple folks who are interested in continuing who I still need to add.... …
I feel distressed by the reality that the Democratic Party seems to be known as the "party of the status quo". I know many who weren't thrilled with Hillary being the Democratic nominee for that reason, and I think this notion does point to why many working class folks didn't vote for her. …
I read this article today: link It is written by Democrats and it is about Democrats. It highlights how the democratic leadership has drifted away from its constituents. …
Thanks, _____, for what you shared. Helps me feel less like I'm "out there" …
I have to agree completely _____. As I read through, I have the same or similar concerns politically as what you just expressed, and I'm finding that with the posts of those who I've disagreed with, I'm really just finding that we think about the system in different ways. …
Regarding what I've discovered about myself as the result of this group—I think my world view is different from some of the other members. I believe things like universal health care and quality education for all are basic rights that, as a nation, we should provide regardless of what it costs. …
[photo] So typical of what goes on in our house!
I don't have a real opinion on this subject, but I do think that nearly anyone can be accused of "conflict of interest" for just about any reason these days. …
I did not support Donald Trump, but I really appreciate you posting this. It provides me with good "food for thought" …
Last week I heard a presentation by a medical doctor who has been tracking corruption in the medical industry for years. We spoke a lot about corruption that has been proven through fraud cases, about major progress made by reporting financial ties between doctors and certain industries (insurance, pharmaceuticals, etc) and through evidence presented by the well-funded Transparency International. …
The writer of the article is a self-proclaimed believer in the Roman Catholic tradition but she clearly defines some areas of disagreement with her own church. Most Protestants probably agree with her on a large percentage of her beliefs but there would be an increase in the areas of disagreement especially in the area of application. …
_____, I appreciate your response. Thanks for writing.
I voted for Trump for "religious reasons", but likely not the ones most people assume. It wasn't because he's a Christian (not sure anyone can say that about someone else, but that's another story). …
I voted for Trump mostly for economic reasons, also that he would appoint justices who would interpret the constitution and law as it is written. I do agree with Ms Renkle's article to a point; that Christians are not acting according to the Word. …
I would love to have everyone (especially those who voted for Trump for religious reasons) to read this article and let me know what you think: link
I am politically a progressive feminist liberal is so many ways. Yet I am personally quite conservative. …
[photo] This is me, _____, with my boys....my husband, _____, and my 2-year old son, _____. We took family pictures this Christmas at my parents’ house in Massachusetts.
I agree with you on most points, _____. I do not think our president lies, but I do think the news media does. …
I am much more afraid than I have ever been. I never thought that any percentage of people in the country would find blatant lying by the president acceptable - heck even endearing! …
I feel very concerned for those of us who may have received our security from our government. Each one of us should be secure in our own beliefs and standards and not rely on the government to set them. …
This question is, perhaps, broader that political. I would like to ask us to contrast how we feel about our general day to day life as opposed to a year ago. …
Yes, I still trust my elected officials to do as most of the Americans who voted this year want. I know from being in the medical field for so long that with government aid no one was left without coverage. …
I am from New England where hard work is a moral imperative, and my husband and I have only used credit or loans when we purchased a house. And, while there will be freeloaders and cheats in every system any human ever comes up with, I would rather have a healthy population, free from the fear of being financially destroyed by an illness, than leave healthcare to the for-profit sector. …
Thanks for your thoughtful response, _____. Regarding budget cuts, military spending is one area that would be slashed (if I were creating the budget). …
PS - I would like to add something about kids' programming and what I said about YouTube. One may argue that "poor" …
I think there is more to the narrative than just chopping "popular" programs than the mainstream media is reporting. …
I have to laugh at myself sometimes for having voted for Trump and yet being a person who holds objective facts dearly. It is hard to judge a person by the number of bankruptcies they have had without looking at the total number of companies they have run. …
I see two parts to what you are concerned about. The first is the budget proposal submitted by the President and the particular programs it would cut. …
Thank you for sharing your perspective. None the less, I continue to disagree. …
I understand the concern for cutting the enititlements, but I voted for Trump because he is a successful business man and knows how to get out of debt. I realize America's debt is way too much for one term to stablilize, but we must not add to it. …
This question may be too big or too broad, but I am growing increasingly concerned by Trump's budget proposal and his new health care plan. To me, they seem immoral. …
At our first virtual potluck, we feasted on the following imaginary dishes: Bo's beet salad with peaches and goat cheese; _____'s pulled pork; _____'s pizza; _____'s taco bites with beef, cheese, and jalapeños; _____'s tacos; and a hearty PCC-bought gluten- and dairy-free vegetarian salad from _____.
I was deeply distressed by the reaction to Obama’s election and the degradation of our democratic bodies and in segments of our population which followed (total obstructionism, “Obama is a Muslim”, etc.) I became increasingly uneasy as the primaries began and downright alarmed when Trump won the Republican vote. The election took me out at the knees. …
The first time I went rogue, it felt so obvious, but years later became really important to me. I grew up in small town Michigan, in a very conservative community - for context, I now identify as bisexual, but did not at the time. …
Having worked in and around the federal government most of my life, I saw wasteful spending of tax-payer funds as a daily routine. When I left the Department of State, I spent three years working to change the culture of wasteful spending by the federal workforce. …
During election season, I craved engaging with people of different viewpoints. On Facebook (in my filter bubble), I had been hearing a lot from friends on the left: their policy preferences, whom they planned to vote for, why they were Pantsuit Nation or Feeling the Bern. …
Hi All: I am a single mother in her late 40's living in San Diego. I was pretty far leaning left in my 20's, member of National Organization of Women, voted for Bill Clinton. …
I grew up in a very authoritarian environment. A traditional old style father, child of Swedish immigrants. …
If being rogue means becoming individual in your own thinking or beliefs I can share exactly when I went rogue! In my twenties I usually went along with whomever I was with and agreed with most of the views of those around me. …
I would say that 90% of my friends are different than me. It's like they say when dating - "I don't want to date myself!" …
At the time [I went rogue], I was working in educational publishing in New York City. I was at a party with my colleagues. …
THIS LAST ELECTION, I voted differently than any other member of my close family, (son,daughter). In other elections, I voted differently from my ex-husband, but with very little discussion about our beliefs. …
Hi, my name is _____ _____. I'm a 36-year old Seattle non-native and a product manager at Google. …
A political decision I made that ran contrary to some of my peers occurred in 2012. That was the year the WA State legislature approved civil marriage for same sex couples. …
Oh, this is a hard one. I have felt pretty much the way I do about nearly every subject in life for as long as I can remember. …
I also think the boundaries laid by my parents were definitely based on the ten commandments. These boundaries gave me security and a truth to base my political views on. …
On authority figures: I generally respected that the adults in my life were in charge and that I should listen to them, especially my parents. However, I remember being aware of the fallibility of leaders from a fairly young age. …
I’m struggling to answer any of these questions, so I decided to combine questions #2 and #3. The friend I would describe is my older brother, _____. …
As a kid I think I must have been easy to discipline. I was a pretty complacent child, my sisters and brothers thought I was spoiled, but I think it is because I never got into trouble too much. …
Before I tell you why I am here, I’d like to tell you why I am late to the party. It is weird, every time I started to write I just couldn’t. …
So I realize that I am a little late to the party, but I am happy to be here now. My name is _____ _____ and while my experiences might be different, my guess is that my story is very similar to many of yours. …
I was raised in a Seventh-day Adventist Christian home. (If you don't know anything about Adventists, think Baptists who go to church on Saturday and you won't be too far off the mark.) My parents taught me Biblical principles from a very early age and it would be difficult to overstate the impact that my parents' religious faith had on my childhood. …
I had a very sheltered childhood, the only child of a divorced mom, mainly brought up by she and her maternal mother, my "Gram". This continued when I married young, to a man who was slightly more worldly, in Military, lived overseas. …
I knew that all Presidents had been men, but I don’t think anyone ever pointed that out or implied that I couldn’t become President, even as a girl. (This is the 70s era.) I knew I could be President and imagined it sometimes, but only from the perspective of a kid. …
Hi, I'm _____. :-) I was born in _____ and grew up in the U.S., having had the opportunity of living in _____, _____, _____ and now the great State of _____. …
My name is _____ _____, I'm a 27 YO black gay first generation Carribean-American originally from New York. For the past 6 years I lived in Nashville, Tennessee as a student and an urban researcher. …
Greetings of Peace, I am a Computer Engineer by profession and came to America as an exchange student in 2000. I graduated with a Bachelors degree from _____ University. …
A friend referred me to this group. During the election season, I was afraid to post on social media because I am conservative.* Post-election, _____ posted really insightful stuff and welcomed opinions from all sides. …
Hi! My name is _____ _____. …
Hey everybody, my name is _____ _____. I was born in Seattle and raised in Bellevue and with the exception of military service I have lived in Western Washington my whole life. …
I was asked by my _____ colleague _____ and I gladly accepted.
Hello, I am a member of the Global Nomad Society, if there is one. My Political, Religious, Social, and other viewpoints have been formed through a lifetime of experiences that include: early childhood in a very small town located in The Big Horn Basin in Wyoming; Elementary school 2nd through 7th grades at _____, Tunisia, which was founded by my father in the spring of 1959; Middle and High school in Rome, Italy, Dreux, France, _____ in Laramie, Wyoming, The American School of Kinshasa in Zaire, now Republic of Congo, and _____ in _____, Vermont; _____ from 1969 - 1973; working for _____ in Vientiane, Laos during the summers of 1969, 1971. …
I had posted an introduction but forgot to answer the question regarding why I accepted the invitation in the first place, so since we haven't officially moved on to other topics, I guess I'll go ahead and complete that assignment now. I believe I was recruited, in part, because I apparently defy the media-promoted political stereotype for my gender, education level, and age, and I don't mind writing about it. …
Hi All, Sorry I am late to the party. I have been struggling with the crud that has been going around which won't seem to stay gone. …
This effort, to build dialogue and communicate with fellow Americans about issues is one that I couldn't pass up. I'm here because after the election I saw great divides between people based on ideology, and found myself at first looking into the void and finding no hope. …
_____ put this into words for me. I have been aghast at this particular election (and even the events since then), where people take a cause or belief and appear (and sometimes act) so ANGRY, resentful, opinionated, mean-spirited, etc. …
Since it is not clear how this conversation was intended to play out I thought I would share this article on "political correctness" and its role in current politics. …
While I've spent the majority of the last twenty years living and working abroad, I've endeavored to maintain my American ties and connections as carefully as possible, and have followed closely what has been happening with my beloved homeland over the years—especially throughout this latest election season. I wouldn't consider myself to be particularly extreme on either end of the political spectrum, as I've heard valid arguments made from reasoned and well-informed citizens on both sides. …
I've finally managed to make this account work, and I'm glad to be here! Originally from a suburb of Trenton, New Jersey, I spent most of my formative years in the Midwest—the Twin Cities of Minnesota in particular. …
Hi, all! I don't usually talk about myself at parties (per Bo's recommendation), but I'll give you the two-bit dating site rundown... …
I was asked to share my view on why I voted for Trump. It is because he shared my view on the supreme court justice nominees and also he is pro-life. …
Hi, my name is _____. I have been married 49 years, a mother of 4 and grandmother of 11. …
Hi there! My name is _____, and I'm excited to meet you all. …
A friend of mine once joked that he posts on social media because he has a surplus of opinions and when you have a surplus of something, you export! I got involved in this project because: (1) I like people; (2) I like politics; and (3) I like discussing politics with people. …
My name is _____. I'm from Chattanooga, Tennessee but I live in _____, Virginia where I work as an attorney. …
I am very interested in people, like getting to know new people. I think everyone has many stories, varied experiences, and I believe something to teach me. …
I'm _____ _____, recently moved to _____, Arizona, from Florida. I had lived in _____, Florida for 10 years, but was experiencing health problems associated with the high humidity. …
I pretty much avoid politics. My votes are mostly based on what is called a "Biblical worldview", meaning that I align my votes as closely as possible with the standards set out in God's Word. …
During the day, I work at a preschool where the kids range in age from infants to five-year-olds. The rest of the time I can be found either at home making things or at the beach watching orca whales pass by or looking at life in tide pools. …
Immediately after the election, I felt like I needed to get more involved in the political process. As I brainstormed possible ways in which to do that, I kept coming back to the idea that I wanted to have a dialogue with people who think differently from myself. …
My daughter-in-law suggested I contact Bo about joining the group. We have talked about some politically related subjects over the years; she leaning left and me leaning right. …
Hello, new friends. I am a 32 year old professional and mother of two, who holds a Master of Science from _____, as well as a minor in Creative Writing/Journalism alongside my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. …
Greetings everyone from _____ _____. I am looking forward to this year's discussions and really appreciate the way Bo has developed her Between Americans network. …
In my half century on earth, I have mostly been a student, wife, mother, and small business owner. Raised in Miami, Florida, I attended public schools, state universities, and private universities, and later taught in some of the schools in the same county. …
I felt very troubled and shocked by the results of the election for president. I admit I have been one who was quick to judge harshly and label those who voted for Donald Trump. …
Hi, My name is _____, and here's a little about who I am and what I love. I am a 67 year old recently retired woman who has been in a wonderful, married relationship for 40 years. …
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This project was done out of love for the country that we can be. It was partly funded by the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s smART ventures grant. If it meant something to you, contact Bo or feel free to donate to the development team. Thanks!

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You can reach me by email. From the beginning, this project has led me rather than the other way around. So I don’t know what it’ll want to be after Nov 8—maybe nothing. But if you’re interested in following any updates if I have them, sign up for the mailing list here: