Reply #52: Political discussions in my family get heated

[Juche]

My dad & mom are total RW fanatics. They watch fox news because it is fair and balanced. Literally. It isn't liberal like every other media outlet in their view.

My older brother and his wife are RW, but not as fanatical. My younger brother and I are diehard liberals. he even recommended that I move out to california just because the poltiical climate is so much better.

I have had several discussions with my parents or family on politics where I just get upset and say 'you guys just aren't using facts, this is pointless'. I've learned to avoid the area. I can't have a give & take discussion with them because (no offense to them) their opinions are not very well informed. Most are just talking points.

My dad may say something like 'tax cuts for the rich create jobs'. Then I'll go into a long speil about job creation under Bush vs Clinton (3 million net jobs vs 22 million), about how demand based keynes economics or infrastructure investment creates jobs, the laffer curve, etc. And after it all he'll just say 'tax cuts for the rich create jobs'. I remember him saying 'volcanos produce more CO2 than man', and I replied that the USGS found that volcanos only produce 3% as much CO2 as man. He'd say the same thing, 'volcanos produce more CO2 than man' and after pointing out how that was false 3 or 4 times I just gave up.

I basically gave up. I honestly and sincerely want intelligent and open debate with conservatives because I realize there are things I can learn from discussions with people I don't agree with. But I haven't met many (online or in person) who had well thought out opinions. There were a few who made good points now and again, but none who really knew much about the issues.

Anyway, I just try and steer clear of politics in this family.

Ironically my dad makes over 100k a year and is in his late 50s, but can't quit his job because he can't afford healthcare since he has several chronic conditions. He is forced to work full time until he is 65 and gets medicare. My mom has said if it weren't for not being able to afford healthcare (even at $50/hr), he would work part time.

I want to bring this up with my parents and my brother's family, bring up how they are voting for the misery they are experiencing, I just don't know how to do it without a sneering 'I told you so' attitude.