What I've learned is that complex political issues -- essentially anything that isn't a universal "no-brainer" -- comes down to tradeoffs. In fact, I've found

What I've learned is that complex political issues -- essentially anything that isn't a universal "no-brainer" -- comes down to tradeoffs. In fact, I've found a good political test to see if the person I'm speaking to can articulate a valid criticism of their own position. I.e., if they're for universal healthcare can they state why one would oppose it, without calling into question the opposition's character. If they can, you can have a fairly thoughtful discussion/debate on the topic. If they can't, then there's no point discussing things.