10 Ways Communists Are Like Conservatives: An Appeal to the Righties

[MagisterCultuum]

Before the year 2000, the news networks actually had a policy of alternating which color was used to represent each party. States that went for Regan were blue, at least for one election. The terms "Red State" and "Blue State" originated during the controversy around Bush's first election, and quickly became so well known that the networks decided not to switch them for the following elections.


I slightly surprised that no one has suggested making the Republicans White if they need to add a third party.

 

[Traitorfish]

Since America is basically a one-party state anyway, I don't see any issue here.

"One-party state" tends to imply the existence of a hegemonic mass-party with a centralised leadership. It's problem is, if anything, the opposite- rather than mass parties with an identifiable social base, they're grand-yet-nebulous coalitions of individual, professional politicians, which in the absence of outside influence (the powerful labour and African-American voting blocs of the post-war era, for example) tends toward homogenisation in most areas. It honestly makes more sense to describe the US as a "no-party state" than a "one-party state"- not, mind you, that either is very helpful as more than rhetoric.

 

[Crezth]

Yes, but America is basically a one-party state.

 

[Cutlass]

The red comes from the fact that Republicans are red-blooded Americans.

More for all the red ink their policies saddle us with.

 

[Antilogic]

I don't see why you think any color other than red could be more appropriate for the Republicans....

Actually, blue. It's the traditional color for conservative movements, and red for the left. As explained previously, it only flipped recently. White, of course, is more funny.

(In the Reagan election of 1980, I think, Carter was yellow, Reagan was blue, and unallocated states were red. You can go and watch the news coverage on Youtube if you like, some guy uploaded a bunch of election night coverage going back to Kennedy-Nixon.)

 

[Cutlass]

Actually, blue. It's the traditional color for conservative movements, and red for the left. As explained previously, it only flipped recently. White, of course, is more funny.

(In the Reagan election of 1980, I think, Carter was yellow, Reagan was blue, and unallocated states were red. You can go and watch the news coverage on Youtube if you like, some guy uploaded a bunch of election night coverage going back to Kennedy-Nixon.)

Well red really does represent the current Republican party better. Both for their endless red ink. And for the fact that they closer resemble the Politburo of the USSR than they do a conservative movement these days.

 

[Antilogic]

Yeah, I wasn't thinking that literally.

The post-election attempts of each wing of the party to purge the other half is sounding like something out of a bad alt-hist novel, though.

 

[Traitorfish]

Only because it's unusual. In Europe, that sort of intra-party politicking is pretty mundane.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Only because it's unusual. In Europe, that sort of intra-party politicking is pretty mundane.

So in trying to be less like Europe, we're being more like Europe?

Could that be because Europe is trying to be less European?

Spoiler :

 

[Traitorfish]

...That's actually sorta true, yeah- a lot of European countries parties are moving away from traditional mass-parties to a looser, more professionalised form of organisation like the US. They're sort of moving to meet each other somewhere in the middle.

 

[bhsup]

The Democrats have blue blood?!

Kennedy. Dur.

 

[Traitorfish]

Kennedy was a mick, they can't be blue bloods.

 

[ace99]

FDR was

 

[Cutlass]

FDR, yes. Kennedy was new money. That blood won't be blue for a good long time yet. Gore and Kerry I think have somewhat purple blood. Not sure of the shade.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

I spit upon thee oh evil communism and will resist you until my last breath. I reject being forced into becoming a kalkhoznik. I reject the idiot we have now for a leader.

 

[Traitorfish]

...What?

 

[holy king]

is he from belarus or something?

 

[Murky]

I spit upon thee oh evil communism and will resist you until my last breath. I reject being forced into becoming a kalkhoznik. I reject the idiot we have now for a leader.

That reminds me a lot of this quote:

"To the last, I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee."
-Star Trek, The Wrath of Khan (quoting Moby Dick).

 

[holy king]

We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats. They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far and no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!

 

[Traitorfish]

Link to video.