The American Left

I wrote the below article more than one year ago, and posted it on various sites. A question arose in another thread as to what constitutes the "American Left'. The article addresses my views on that subject.

The terms “Left” and “Right” are used frequently in political discussions. Such terms can be very confusing. To be accurate, the terms must be defined differently for specific cultures and historical periods. For the purpose of this article, the definition of “The American Left” applies solely to the United States, and to the period of 1972-present. There are exceptions to every rule that prove the rule. Nevertheless, I believe that the following description accurately reflects "The Big Picture" of the “American Left”. The American "left" is comprised of three major groups, with subtle differences among the components of each.

Let's call one of those major groups "The Good Hearts". These are people with the very best of intentions. They want the world to be a better place for everyone, and want to eliminate everything that might cause discord. I considered myself part of this group when I was younger, from about 1962-1980. We saw "racism", "sexism", and "war" as unacceptable, and we strove to make things better. This group used to be quite large. There were obvious failures existing in the US that needed to be resolved. Many of us young, idealistic activists tried to heed the call for reform. The size of this group has shrunk greatly in the past 25 years or so. It's been reduced by the resignations of those of us who think logically, and who see that our earlier idealism and our successes have subsequently been bastardized. This comment is not intended to ridicule the illogical members of this group who continue to vote for liberal Democrats. The folks remaining in this group still want to do the right thing. However, they're incapable of logically determining what the right thing is. They act and vote on the bases of "Feelings" and "Perceptions", not on "Logic".

When Democrat demagogues accuse whites of racism, these “Good Hearts” FEEL the claim is justified. They're incapable of seeing that bigotry against whites is rampant in our country, far more prevalent than white bigotry against citizens of color. When Democrat demagogues claim that we Conservatives are anti-female because of our anti-abortion stance, the folks in this group will agree. They don't want to be perceived as sexists. They're incapable of reasoning that the taking of an innocent life is FAR worse than inconveniencing a man and woman who've failed to exercise good judgment and self-control! These folks are similar to the group in Russia that Lenin referred to as "useful idiots". Although that term is certainly applicable to the group described in the next paragraph, I find the term detestable when applied to “The Good Hearts”. Most of these folks are decent, loving human beings. However, I'm not sure if they'll ever "get it". Nevertheless, I keep trying to convert them, for their hearts are indeed in the right place. I dearly love many of them.

Let's call the next group "The Losers"! This is by far the largest of the three major groups today. This group consists of the incurably stupid (and unfortunately many of our poorly-educated youth), the self-serving, the self-loving, the "victim class", the "give me what I deserve' crowd, all those who DEMAND everything and contribute nothing. The members of this group are the “sheep” of the intelligent, power-seeking leftist “Users” who tell them what to think and do. These “Losers” cling to the powerful “Users”, hoping to get partial credit for the fame and ill-gotten successes of their leftist Masters. I'm not sure that anything could ever be done to accomplish worthwhile change among such worthless humanity. Perhaps the experiences of life will lead the more-intelligent among our poorly-educated youth to eventually see the light?

This last group, we'll call "The Users"! This group is by far the smallest of the three, and unquestionably the most foul!!! These are the Masters and the Fuhrers who call the shots of the American left! These people KNOW that their policy positions are wrong for our nation!! These are not stupid people! Nevertheless, they support political positions that damage our nation, and they'll use any means available to implement them. They pursue this path for one reason and one reason only; Personal Power! These are the demagogues of the left. These are the politicians who offer a "free ride" to the “Losers” who'll vote for them and give them more power. These are the race-baiters, the corrupt union bosses, and the powerful business and financial barons who seek international power for themselves. They care nothing about ensuring the survival of our Constitution and our nation. They seek international dominance for themselves alone. To achieve it, they're willing to discard our Constitution, and destroy our American Republic! These are the internationalists who believe they'll eventually control the entire world population, a population of dependent slaves!

There are indeed some leftists in the Republican Party. Their number is small. The Democrat Party, on the other hand, is owned lock, stock, and barrel by the American Left! There is no longer room in the Democrat Party for anything but total obedience to leftist dogma. I used to consider Democrats as just political opponents. I believed they’d be open to honest and well-intentioned debate in pursuit of truth, justice, and national prosperity. I haven't believed that to be true for a long time now. The left in our nation IS the enemy. It must be defeated at ALL costs! The only alternative to our victory is our slavery!

 

Seems a bit whiny and emotional not to mention inaccurate. There is no US left, there are just various shades of right, up to and including full blown authoritarian extremism.

1/10. At least you had a go.

 

and you lost, so get back ion the kitchen and scrub the floor , BOY

 

^ Based upon this leftist's remarkably intelligent and relevant reply, it's obvious in which group he belongs.

 

Since this is all conjecture, what would you like the PF members to say? Perhaps just add more bull to the pile?

 

Do you have supporting arguments and a logic-trail for your disjointed claims? Your response appears to be nothing more than leftist gobbledegook. Have you anything meaningful to say?.

 

So how old are you now?

Just wanna know if the claim that white old men tend to support the GOP has any merit.

 

Members who have worthwhile comments to contribute are welcome to make them. Those who are only capable of childish, simple-minded remarks are welcome to reply as well. Thanks for your very insightful and highly intellectual reply.

 

LOL. I used to be one of the left. Now they are all stupid and illogical.
Yeah, sell it to someone who cares.
BTW - fiscally conservative. Socially liberal.

I love how you stated you were sort of a hippie in the day. Now are against abortion. I call BS when it's presented.

 

My intellegent Conservatives friends here should note the above example of leftwing bigotry. Those on the left are quick to tell us how open-minded they are, and how sensitive and tolerant they are to all lifestyles and cultures. As you'll see time and time again, leftists are the first to attack their political opponents on the bases of ethnicity, gender, religion, and age. The poster quoted here lacks tolerance, and should be challenged for his/her bigotry every time it arises. One would hope he/she will eventually see their behavior for what it is. It is blatant Intolerance.

 

Self-serving impositions of definitions elicit a dismissive, "What's in a name?"

Rightists defining leftists and leftists defining rightists are tedious masquerades, propaganda-as-etymology wearing a silly wig and grouch mask.

Rather, the reality, how most Americans vote, defines the vast middle, and the fringes then define themselves - often by futile attempts to define the other.

Are the 51% of the American electorate that chose Barack Obama for a second term as President, the 90% who support universal background checks for firearm purchases, the 53% who favour the elimination of gender discrimination in marriage laws, all "liberal"? If you cite such majorities as being "liberal", then you conclude that is the democratic will of the United States. It makes more sense to recognize that the political centre is where most folks are, and the ideological departures in either direction will define themselves.

Label ye roses while ye may, where it is is where it's at.

 

The above is another attempt at "ridicule", one of the lefts favorite tools since they can't win arguments on the bases of facts and logic. All of the replies here so far have been from juvenile leftists. As any intelligent person can detect, their reponses clearly place them in the largest of the leftwing groups. Sad, isn't it?

 

You're talking about Senator Lindsey Graham (R) and his comment on the current GOP, aren't you?

“We're not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business."

 

Well I'll try but I dont really understand, youre actually saying that the Democrat party is composed of good hearts, losers and users. But mostly losers, who you describe as worthless humanity.

Arent you ashamed of these comments? After all, many people over centuries strove to create the internet for the ease of information transfer that we see and enjoy here and the best you can manage is to castigate millions of people as worthless humanity. Shouldnt you be confessing to your priest right now instead?

 

I agree that the political center is where most US citizens are. The article I posted addressed the far left, not the center. The left couldn't have won the election with leftists alone. They needed that portion of the center that's uninformed about the issues, and those that bought into the lies of leftist demogogues. The simple fact that a greater number of voters cast votes for Obama, doesn't make them or Obama right on the issues. They're wrong on the issues, and their policies are harmful to our nation. The election of Obama was a victory for the extreme left, not for the political center.

It's almost impossible to find a politician who'd agree with you on every issue. That's the nature of politics. Political compromise, however, must be based upon mutual give and take on all of the issues. I believe that mindset is what's driving a renewed interest by some young Americans in libertarianism. Liberterians tend to be conservative on financial and budgetary issues, and more liberal in their social positions. Although I consider myself a Conservative, I see numerous Libertarians for whom I could vote.

 

The key point is that I recognize the differences in those persons who voted Democrat. Not all of those voters are losers, and I didn't describe them as such. I expressed deep affection for one segment of those voters. Although the "Good Hearts" reflect a smaller percentage of voters than in the past, they remain a large group. As a Conservative, I try to judge people on the basis of individual merit, not on the basis of some group into which they may fall. You may also note that I said there was hope for some of those I termed "losers". Those persons I described as "poorly educated" and uninformed may learn from lifes experiences, and may eventually become worthwhile citizens. The only segment of the Democrat electorate that I condemned 100% was the one termed "Users", the smallest of the groups.

I'm not Catholic. You assumed that I am. Why? Do you believe I fall into some "Catholic" group?

 

I'd say the same thing about Black people of any age, that they tend to support Democrat.

Just because I want to gather more evidence of a certain claim doesn't mean I'm intolerant, so how old are you? I'm 32.

 

20 of the last 33 years have been presided over by Republican presidents in the US. And in those years so many things have changed that anyone thinking about economics and politics based on pre- 80's reality is living in a delusion.

The misinformed middle? OK, I can't think of a good reason to disagree with you there. People vote based on emotion, they want a leader who seems strong, in control, and contemporary. I am sure the Republicans will win again someday because of this.

The whole recent scat about conservatives being more logical and less emotional than liberals seems like complete hogwash to me. I have too many conservative relatives who practically have heart attacks talking about political and economic issues (that they have no clue about) to buy into that narrative. I do think that conservatives are more likely to pick a side and stay loyal to it despite any opposition, emotional or otherwise.

But my main point would be this: If conservative policies are really best for everyone, including median pay earners, they should be all about educating the public on this. Most debates on the issues that I have seen resort very quickly to finger pointing and obscure histrionics which do a much better job confusing the public than informing it. The liberals have done a much better job of stating their case (Watch Bill Clintons DNC speech), unemotionally and without over dependence on blame, to the American people.

Peace

 

Facinating, you have affection for one section, and hope the rest will be educated by 'lifes experiences' to become worthwhile citizens. Dont these losers also pay taxes and go to work, take care of their family etc? Dont they also pay for the benefits that they receive? Dont they also historically serve their country in war time and volunteer for charity?

Well perhaps not your priest, shouldnt you be praying for forgiveness with your pastor? Or to the cross on your wall?

 

I apoligize, as it appears I misunderstood your question. I'm used to seeing leftists attack folks on the sole basis of age. I suspected that's what you were doing.

To your point that a vast majority of black Americans voted for Obama, you're correct of course. Those folks voted for him for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was his skin color. That's a darned poor reason to vote for someone, regardless of your ethnicity.

Other blacks and quite a few whites and Hispanics voted for Obama because they bought into the claims made by Democrat demogogues. Those claims made by the Democrat "Users" included that Republicans were anti-Hispanic. Republicans have elected more minority members as State Governors than the Democrats, two of whom are Hispanic. That fact refutes claims made by Democrats. The claim that Republicans are anti-Hispanic because we support secure borders and the enforcement of our immigration laws is ridiculous. Democrats seem to think it's ok to break our immigration laws, and one must ask what other laws they think are ok to break. Republicans don't like the fact that law-abiding American citizens are forced to pay taxes that in many cases support folks who are here illegally. One wonders how Democrats would react to a mass influx of Anglo-Saxon illegal immigrants. I suspect that they'd be screaming to enforce our immigration laws in that case.

Many Obama voters bought into the Democrat lie that Republicans would "gut" or eliminate Social Security and Medicare. Republicans understand that if things continue as they are now, citizens of your age will never get one cent back of the taxes you paid into those programs because they'll be broke. We Conservatives want to modify those programs so that there'll be viable when you're old enough to retire.

Many Obama voters bought into the Democrat lie that we don't have a spending problem, and simply need to tax our wealthier citizens more. That is a demonstrable lie based on simple mathematics. The Government could take 100% of monies earned yearly by "wealthy" Americans, and it would pay for only days of Government expenditures. Only by taxing the middle class will taxes make a significant difference, and we Conservatives oppose that too. The way to American prosperity lies in maximizing the citizenry who are working and paying taxes. We need more employment, not higher taxes. Democrat policies of higher taxes restricts employment, as will the full implementation of Obamacare. Democrat policies ensure that their claimed desire to help the poor and the middle class will never be realized. The Government doesn't produce wealth, it only takes wealth. If everyone worked for the Government, there'd be no GDP, zero!

I'll be happy to discuss the political positions of each party with you on any issues, but it's the economic issues that present the clearest and most present danger to our country.

 

Another anti-Christian comment? Please tell us again how tolerant those on the American left are.

Some Demorat "losers" have jobs and pay taxes, and some have served in the military. As is typical of leftists, you seem to think that everyone fits perfectly into one homogenous group or another. Groups are easier to ridicule than individuals. The "groups" that I described in my post aren't homogenous, and I freely admitted that at the beginning of the article. Apparently, you believe that Judeo-Christian citizens are all bad. I'll say again that such a belief is intolerant and bigoted. You criticize people because of their religion. I criticize people because of specific policies they support, regardless of their religion, lack of religion, skin color, sex, or age. Maybe you'll become more tolerant as you grow older.... IF you're capable of learning from experience that is.

 

Indeed, and those are the folks that elected and re-elected the President. Neither the far-right that are in a tizzy because of that reality, nor the far-left that are similarly critical of the stable middle majority, are about to shift it substantially. Americans are inveterate moderates in the aggregate whose progressive drift is tectonic, and the fringes will always try to drag it backward or forward with minimal impact.

 

Im tolerant of christians when they are kind like their christ is.

So you admit that the 'losers' do contribute to their country. Indeed yet because they support things like Obamacare and the welfare state and a peacful foreign policy you call them losers.

How can I be tolerant of this base evil? Would a real christian be so tolerant?

Lets not talk anymore, Im sick of people like you.

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Im tolerant of christians when they are kind like their christ is.

So you admit that the 'losers' do contribute to their country. Indeed yet because they support things like Obamacare and the welfare state and a peacful foreign policy you call them losers.

How can I be tolerant of this base evil? Would a real christian be so tolerant?

Lets not talk anymore, Im sick of people like you.

 

It’s time to teach American history.

I’ll be happy to list just a few for you. Please pay attention, kid, and try to learn. Opposing slavery were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Rufus King, Benjamin Rush, Richard Bassett, James Monroe, James Madison, Bushrod Washington, William Few, Charles Carroll, William Few, John Marshall, Richard Stockton, Zephariah Swift, Ceasar Rodney, William Livingston, George Wythe, John Randolph, and George Washington.

I’ll cut you a break on this question. I’ll only list a few of the founders who were actually officers or members of anti-slavery organizations. Examples include Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Benjamin Rush, William Livingston, Richard Bassett, James Madison, James Monroe, Bushrod Washington, Charles Carroll, William Few, John Marshall, Richard Stockton, and Zeohariah Swift.

It is so sad how little you know about the history of your own country. I suppose we can attribute that to the pathetic state of the modern-American education system. I’ll teach you more about your nation’s history. I won’t even tax you for this education, even though it’s far more valuable than the one you’ve received so far in life.

Slavery couldn’t have been ended completely at the time of our founding fathers. Had the Federal Government tried to outlaw slavery in the southern States, war would have resulted at a time when our fledgling nation couldn’t have survived it. The United States would have been relegated to the trash heap of history. By outlawing slavery in those areas that weren’t economically dependent upon it, the founders saved the nation. The founders did outlaw slavery at every opportunity short of war and the dissolution of the Union.

Slavery was outlawed in the States of Pennsylvania in 1780 before the American Revolution had even ended. Slavery was outlawed in the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island in 1784, the year after our revolution ended. The State of New Hampshire outlawed slavery in 1792, Vermont in 1793, New York in 1799, and New Jersey in 1804. A law that was authored by founding father, Rufus King, and singed into law by founder George Washington, outlawed slavery in the territories that eventually became the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

You claimed that our founders did nothing to end slavery. The above facts prove that you are wrong! I don’t mind if folks are wrong, as long as they admit it, and learn from their lesson. I’ve made many good friends that way. However, those people who stick with their wrong claims after being proven wrong are not worth knowing. What kind of person are you?

It was the founders who were smart enough to conceive of the Amendment process. They were smart enough to recognize that our nation would change, and that Constitutional changes may be needed to accommodate them. On one hand you praise the Amendment process, yet you support the American Left which refuses to use that process. The left bypasses our Constitution’s Amendment process at every opportunity. They appoint judges who rule that our Constitution doesn’t mean what it says. Those judges rule that there are guaranteed rights that are not guaranteed by the Constitution. They rule that rights that are clearly stated in our Constitution can be modified on the whims of a politically-appointed judge instead of the Amendment process.

You claim that our founding fathers were morally inferior to modern Americans. Rather than simply making the claim, you should give us specific examples of modern morality that are significantly more praiseworthy than those of our founders. One or two examples are not sufficient to prove your claim, as they’ll be counter arguments on numerous moral issues.

 

You worry more than is required. 'Leftwing' Americans belong to the human race: 'rightwing' Americans come from some other planet or under the sea and are an evolutionary dead end anyway. End of story.