How do I become more fully informed?

I've been reading up here. Trying to become more fully informed. I agree with the liberals about social safety nets and programs to help the poor and needy.

I was a Poli Sci minor at Duke, B student in that area. But I've forgotten everything I learned lol. I don't know a lick about politics, not global warming, not illegal immigration, not health care, not even abortion, especially not Israel/Palestine. I read a great deal but I forget everything that I read.

So how did you become so abrest of the issues?

 

Politics are a really broad subject, if you include international politics especially. But about the politics and issues in my own country I would just say take notice of different news sources. If you find you don't quite follow all their decision making or missing background of the issue, or find yourself clueless about the details in any way, and you are interested in them, it seems best to look for some book or in depth articles on the issue.
Take your time to get into it and don't limit yourself to one source or one side's info only. But you will most likely get tired keeping up to date on everything (can't blame you). Neither do you have to stay up to date on everything by the way, but on the things that matter to you and others it is always advisable to take notice of what's up of course.
Personally I would advise not to get stuck in terms like liberal and conservative or hang up too much on terms like global warming or 'i will never vote or support to this side because most of them are pro or against abortion' as it is pretty much always more nuanced than that.

 

Read the online Washington Post. I think it's the best free source of reasonably good journalism. Also, I recommend listening to certain NPR shows like On Point and All Things Considered, because they pick guests who really know their stuff.

Since I hate Republicans, I also read the Huffington Post and Salon.com everyday.

Avoid CBS, NBC, CNN, FoxNews, ABC, MSNBC. More and more, I'm realizing that their owners are interfering with good journalism.

And always -- follow the money.

 

Hate is a strong word...so you hate me without even knowing me?

 

Yeah, pretty much. If you choose to be a Republican, I know your heart is not in a good place.

 

That is an ugly thing to say.
My heart is in a great place but yours must not be to have hate in it for people you don't know.

 

You guys have just successfully proven how politics is used to create division.

As far as the op, just read as much as you can. I dont feel like I remember a lot of what I read either but that's the great thing about written word, you can always go back and reference if need be.

 

Take the Nation mag, Mother Jones, read Huffington and also watch Fox news and read any other right wing mags(?) and then see how you feel/think about the present political situation. I say look at all sides. PBS spends a lot of time with their guests and they book knowledgable people. I like Bill Moyers very much, He's on PBS also.

 

i thought it was like religion...meaning we're supposed to just continue whatever our parents believe

 

I don't follow American media that much, but I'll offer some suggestions:

- PBS
- The Intercept
- The Daily Show (comedy, but sadly they are too often offering the best analysis of an issue)
- Democracy Now! (hour long tv/radio broadcast, monday to friday. news about social justice and international issues as well as US domestic issues, pretty left-leaning)

 

I don't like republicans because they're the ones picking on homosexuals, marijuana, women's rights, etc. and they tend to be religious nutjobs.

 

So you are another closed minded person?
Tell me the republican position on gay? and women's rights?

 

From the Huffington Post

 

the bs i've been unfortunate to hear from the republicans is anti gay marriage, anti choice, anti contraceptive.

 

Makes no sense, brother. The positions she stated are the close minded ones.

 

exactly. they try to act like they're for the working man, but fact is they're just shoving their morality down everyone's throats. i mean really, who's against love and rainbows?
as for contraception, it sickens me that it's still even a question. my vagina my business.

 

letting people who love each other marry? keeping what goes on in a doctor's office private?

 

I meant that you are correct.

 

From Salon.com

 

republicans want to keep women down. any woman that identifies as republican must be a sabotess knowingly or otherwise.