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Comment by runjake | Hacker News Reader

Not to lessen your point, because I 100% agree, but I'd like to point out that you could swap a couple words in your statements to make the same point about the Democrats:

- Small government: cut things we don't like (e.g. military), and spend more on things we do like (e.g. social programs)

- Personal freedoms: more freedoms for things we like (e.g. LGBTQ), remove freedoms for things we don't (e.g. guns)

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The crucial missing element is Republicans identifying as "a party of small government".

Sure fine but they describe themselves as the “party of personal freedoms” so the same applies, in my mind.

The point being neither party is anywhere close to being a party of either thing. There are giant “plot holes” in both their platforms.

> party of either thing

Democrats don't say party of small gov, only republicans say that. Democrats want more regulations instead.

Democrats want freedom but not freedom that give rights that kills kids.

Thank you for demonstrating the hilarious insanity of bothside-ism by jokingly equating people running around carrying guns with people who do not identify as heterosexual, made me spill my Coke. You are joking, right?

I ran into this problem when I was a smart ass early 20 something on 4chan. Those were fun times being sarcastic and hyperbolic for effect. Up until I realized that it wasn't just edgy satire for a good chunk of the crowd. They actually believed a lot of the ridiculous shit we were saying. Then I learned about Poe's law and cut WAY back on my online shitheadedness. But no... Unfortunately a lot of folks who say crazy stuff believe it.

Since when has either party ever cut military spending? I wish Dems were as cool as you say.

Exactly. I was looking this up and only saw a couple of failed attempts at cutting military budgets since the 80s.

One such "cut" was only increasing defense spending by 4% instead of 10%.

Clinton/Gore.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_policy_of_the_Bill_...

Also the only time the US had a budget surplus (1998-2001) in recent times.

Thanks so much. I was positive I was missing something there.

No one is banning guns at the state level, but they are with abortion

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