Do you consider yourself a Lefty or Righty

[Leoreth]

Yeah, that's why I'm pretty sure CH is kidding. I hope.

I've read enough from CH to take him seriously no matter what he says.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

It's delightfully surreal to watch an argument about me unfold.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Lefty in more respects than a righty.

 

[Cutlass]

Cheezy is American though, the notion that leftists in America are actually right of centre is absurd.
There is not some mythical political centre that trancends space and time, it all depends on the country

Clinton and Obama, who are called "far left" by many in the US, are more or less right of center by UK standards, and far right by continental European standards.

 

[Core Imposter]

I put myself on the right but would have prefered a "riding on the far side of the right wing nut" option.

 

[Mango Elephant]

I've read enough from CH to take him seriously no matter what he says.

Yeah I tend to do that too but but I try to think the best of people Otherwise I get depressed.

 

[ZeletDude]

Left

 

[Tahuti]

Clinton and Obama, who are called "far left" by many in the US, are more or less right of center by UK standards, and far right by continental European standards.

That's really hard to tell. The political centre is different in the US than in most EU countries. The main question could be - and perhaps should be - what they wish to achieve: Had Obama become prime minister of Britain, he might have brought Britain leftwards too, nevertheless, idem dito for Germany. He may also have upheld the status quo, or move the right, even despite appearing ostensibly left-wing.

You could pretty just as well argue that the Mainstream Left-Wing throughout the Western Democracies is pretty much the same, but faces more constraints and opposition in the US.

 

[Save_Ferris]

I put myself on the right but would have prefered a "riding on the far side of the right wing nut" option.

 

[Gatsby]

Stupid question: do you consider yourself to be on the Left or on the Right? POLITICALLY, THAT IS

Because polarisation only works when people confine themselves to a black and white worldview, you only have two choices.

What is Left and what is Right? Many tenets can be (and have been) considered important by self-proclaimed Leftists and Rightists alike, e.g. protectionism, resource independence, protecting families, personal freedom, promoting innovation, and rewarding hard work. Political vices such as cronyism, pork-barrelling, jingoism, imperial ambition, groupthink and suppression can also be very much at home in both Left and Right regimes.

Imo the Left-Right dichotomy turns out to be a false upon closer inspection. This false dichotomy is useful to political groups as a means of distracting and manipulating people in ways that serve those groups' interests.

 

[Tahuti]

What is Left and what is Right? Many tenets can be (and have been) considered important by self-proclaimed Leftists and Rightists alike, e.g. protectionism, resource independence, protecting families, personal freedom, promoting innovation, and rewarding hard work. Political vices such as cronyism, pork-barrelling, jingoism, imperial ambition, groupthink and suppression can also be very much at home in both Left and Right regimes.

Imo the Left-Right dichotomy turns out to be a false upon closer inspection. This false dichotomy is useful to political groups as a means of distracting and manipulating people in ways that serve those groups' interests.

The Left-Right divide isn't as much about policies as it is about the virtues you believe in.

Left-Wing virtues: Equality, Freedom, Diversity, Sustainability, Renewal
Right-Wing virtues: Order, Freedom, Unity, Wealth, Tradition

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

The Left-Right divide isn't as much about policies as it is about the virtues you believe in.

Left-Wing virtues: Equality, Freedom, Diversity, Sustainability, Renewal
Right-Wing virtues: Order, Freedom, Unity, Wealth, Tradition

Order is not a virtue. Unity is not a virtue. Tradition is not a virtue. Wealth is not a virtue.

All of the left-wing values are actually virtues. The right seems to have copied one, but doesn't actually believe in it unless it only applies to them.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Left Side: Deposing Louis XVI
Right Side: Keeping Louis XVI

This is the question that formed the political left and the political right, and it's the standard by which they should always be judged.

 

[Traitorfish]

Clinton and Obama, who are called "far left" by many in the US, are more or less right of center by UK standards, and far right by continental European standards.

They're only centre-left by US standards, you just have a media that is dominated by psychopaths.

 

[Arakhor]

Clinton and Obama, who are called "far left" by many in the US, are more or less right of center by UK standards, and far right by continental European standards.

We may have a bunch of near-identical right-wing parties at the moment, but that doesn't mean we shift the political centre to pretend that we don't.

 

[Oruc]

Nope!

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

Well, seemingly a lot more tolerant of immigrants, better access to healthcare, and more people self-identifying as socialist.

 

[Leoreth]

Does Europe really have a better reputation with regards to immigrants?

 

[Mise]

Does Europe really have a better reputation with regards to immigrants?

Dear lord no... Not with me anyway... America, for all its flaws, is still MUCH more immigrant-friendly than Europe. Of course there are crappy states where crappy politicians have made crappy laws, but on the whole, America is still pretty welcoming to immigrants. Europe is just.... ugh....

 

[Quackers]

Britain is the best place in Europe for immigrants though. The rest of the continent is just...full of nasty backward Josef Fritzl esque politicians.

EDIT: If you include Russia, they have a good record for accepting many immigrants - especially from central asian republics. They just struggle keeping their skinheads under control. So UK + Russia the shining beacon in Europe