After a series of episodes that focused on a more comprehensive theory of politics
, and several others exploring the rampant polarization
and extremism
of today’s political culture, we thought it was a good time to drill down a bit more and offer some more concrete policy proposals. As Alan Dershowitz said, “everyone is right when it comes to abortion”. Our job, of course, is to figure out who is more right, and what to do about it. When do rights start, and is there something between “pro-life” and “pro-choice” stances? Should some things such as healthcare or prisons be exempt from the profit motive, due to perverse incentives? Should universal health care be afforded to all American citizens? We are currently in the midst of a dangerous resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough, largely due to states
that allow “personal exemptions” for vaccinating their children, as well as an epidemic of misinformation about vaccines on the internet. Should people be forced to be vaccinated, even if some believe it can cause autism? Do marginalized groups have the right to prevent certain cultural memes, practices, or artifacts from being “co-opted” by other subcultures? Can a nation like America truly be a “melting pot” if we enforce this kind of cultural segregation? How much freedom should citizens be afforded when it comes to things like sexual autonomy or drug use? Should things like prostitution and drugs be legalized across the board? What about far more ethically dubious ideas, like sex robots designed to look like children, which are presumably designed to give pedophiles an outlet for their sexual drives without inflicting sexual violence on children?