Everybody has his or her "3rd rail". . .

[BigDemVoter]

One's 3rd rail is totally personal and isn't always what might be the "worst thing" for all.

My "3rd rail" is ANYTHING or ANYBODY (nominees for SCOTUS, congressional meddling, etc) who wants to create/advance//facilitate ANY kind of religion, prayer, "protection" for intolerance based on religion, etc. You can include with this ANY kind of intolerance against Muslims too.

Of course there are other crucial things that affect our country--domestic or international that concern me enough to keep me awake at night, but THIS is what REALLY pushes my buttons and sets me off the most.

What are your touchy points? I'm always curious.

[TDale313]

1. Social Security and Medicare cuts

And I think they are true third rails in that they really will destroy politicians who touch them.

[smirkymonkey]

2. I would have to agree with this post.

They are non-negotiable. Some of us have worked our entire lives to see those benefits and they will not be taken from us by a load of useless, greedy oligarchs. I have not been able to save much for retirement due to a crippling student loan (which I am paying, not defaulting on), but I am going to need those benefits as I am sure many others will.

[Freddie]

5. Agreed

Willing to bet that the vast majority of GOP senators and congresspersons desperately want Ryan to STFU about this because they know it's the kiss of death to their reelection chances.
My personal third rail (having a daughter and a granddaughter) is women's reproductive autonomy. There is no more intensely personal decision than whether, when or how many children to bear. It's not up to the government or church, it's up to her. Period.

[Eliot Rosewater]

9. And yet I can almost guarantee you the cuts or elimination of said programs will occur.

And this destruction of the politicians you talk about, while certainly appropriate, will not happen.

The politicians who will advance this agenda rely on voters who dont have correct information about why something has happened or who did it.

The destruction that is coming will be blamed on Obama and Democrats and they will buy it. Buckle up and get comfortable, they are going to take everything you and I have worked our entire lives for.

[tenorly]

3. Same as yours - plus financial deregulation.

Anything that facilitates that compulsion banksters seem to have for gambling with everyone else's money, will only lead to disaster - as it almost did in 2008, and would have if the Fed hadn't printed $20 trillion to paper over the bad debts.

Great question, BigDemVoter. One of the best I've seen on this forum.

Happy New Year!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. I think you're using "3rd rail"

wrong. For decades now the "3rd rail" in politics has been Social Security and Medicare, and the usage meant that if the politicians touched them, they would die. Rather like one dies if one touches the 3rd rail in the NYC subway system.

I gather what you're describing as your "3rd rail" is the single most important thing to you, which is a bit different. Those in office who want to create any kind of religious protection for intolerance aren't going to be swiftly voted out of office for doing so.

[BigDemVoter]

7. You are right--And that IS what I meant.

I probably should have written, "What sets you off the most" or something along those lines. . . .

[SharonAnn]

6. Women's rights!

Choice - We own our bodies
Equal Pay
Social Security (many women's only income when retired0
Medicare (the only affordable health care for retired women)

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Mine?

Punching down.

Inspiring others to hate those who have less than they have.

Hating on immigrants, other races, the disabled, etc.

[gwheezie]

10. Reproductive rights

It's my redline & the 1st thing I want to know about a politician.

[lunatica]

11. Climate Change

Nothing else matters if we destroy the planet. Even if only partially destroyed it will have seismic effects on us at every level.

Physically the change in climate will create hotter summers, longer and colder winters, changes in rainfall because the weather generating currents of wind, ocean warmth, tidal changes and temperature will create the biggest mass movement of human beings across the planet.

And the growth of food difficulties are pretty well understood. The changes of vast areas of the planet from forests and rain forests to dry desert will be widespread. For example, a study by environmentalists in UC Berkeley came up with the scenario that just in California the coast may stay pretty much the same albeit a bit hotter because it gets the moist flow from the Pacific, but inland the forests will dry up and die and eventually burn to leave dry brushland such as there is in Southern California. This will basically destroy all the farmland that is so vital not only to California but to the rest of the country.

Nothing else matters if we don't do something to mitigate climate change.

[Runningdawg]

12. Corruption in the justice system