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416 Comments
- SuperMoses, on 11/16/2008, -20/+302"Do you think the government should provide a national health insurance program for all Americans, even if this would require higher taxes?"
Yes - 64%
No - 35%
- http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/15715
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"On the whole, do you think it should or should not be the government's responsibility to provide a decent standard of living for the elderly?"
Should - 80%
Should Not - 16%
- http://www.pollingreport.com/social.htm
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"Poll: US taxpayers want more funding for scientific research"
- http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080702-poll ...
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Americans have also favoured ratifying the Kyoto Protocol before the massive anti-environment campaign. Surprisingly Americans have remained consistent in wanting universal health care despite both parties actively preventing it from happening.
Center-right my ass. - JoeRandom, on 11/16/2008, -15/+197I still think Americans don't understand. The idea isn't that people are telling the democratic party to reach over the isles and strive to make the federal government more centralist. The fact is, the democratic party ran a campaign that in other English speaking western nations would have been the 'far right' party. In reality, if a political party ran a campaign the way the republicans did in a country like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England they would have been laughed out of the country. I'm Australian and in Australia the American Democratic party would have been considered to be 'those crazy Christian right wingers' that would be too crazy to possibly elect. If the Republicans had run in Australia, most would have been arrested for libel, slander, inciting riots, hate speech etc. America Politics starts on the right and goes out to ultra right. There is no left in America.
- doctorfungi, on 11/16/2008, -10/+122Hate to break it to you... but:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008
Obama may be very liberal in comparison to the rest of congress in the United States, but he is still essentially right of center on the global/universal political spectrum. The same goes for the United States as a nation. You're capitalist for god's sake, of course you're going to be right of center. - pspeas, on 11/16/2008, -25/+99The far right can just have a fine old time telling themselves that they are not marginal and impotent. Reality, with its notorious liberal bias, is in charge now.
- NinaOdell, on 11/15/2008, -11/+60Meh.
I dugg it because I love Cenk's writing and it's a very good piece of opinion.
What I'm more interested in now is that CNN poll - I wish he'd put a link to it... - Weatherwaxx, on 11/16/2008, -12/+58Center-Right is just another Big Lie buzzword, like "Christian Nation." It doesn't have a basis in fact; it doesn't have to. If something is said often enough, most people will buy into it because it sounds familiar.
"What good fortune it is for governments that people don't think." --Adolf Hitler - Phylter, on 11/16/2008, -23/+69***** the right wing. Let them wander in the desert forever, scratching their heads as to why they're misunderstood.
- Zeitgeister, on 11/16/2008, -10/+54Well, we can look forward to at least four years of the Rebuplicans screaming about the communists taking over.
- GawtMilk, on 11/16/2008, -8/+51Lame, lame, lame. America is a center-right country. Democrats are center-right. Look at the world political stage for an example of true liberals. HUGE tax rates, much higher than America's, with much more emphasis on the public / government sectors.
http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008
Barack Obama is a center-right politician. "More left" than McCain, sure, but still center-right. He doesn't even support universal health care; a trait of true liberalism [I think it's good that Obama doesn't support universal health care, and it is good that Obama is a center-right politician]. - slubby, on 11/16/2008, -3/+44Yeah I don't get this. I agree with doctorfungi. There is no way America is anything left of center right, even if ralph nadar became president. Listening to American's call Obama a socialist during the campaign makes me think Americans don't really know what socialism is, or at least the country is sooo right that their sense of Left Wing is off from the rest of the world. I still think a Conservative Government in Canada isn't as Right wing as a Democratic government in the States just as a result of the culture in the USA. Does anyone care to comment on this because I'm interested if my opinion is off base.
- TotalHalibut, on 11/16/2008, -0/+41Gotta chime in and agree with the aussie. In Britain it's the same deal. Both the democrats and republicans are right-wing parties by european standards.
- GhostyBoy, on 11/16/2008, -1/+40The whole thing started and ended so quickly and quietly that I didn't even notice.
- jizzlies, on 11/16/2008, -10/+49Shhh, don't tell sarah palin, she thinks she's moderate...
http://www.bofads.blogspot.com - uncajoe, on 11/16/2008, -11/+44We all know the MSM has a definite liberal bias, at least that's what every GOP pundit has been preaching since the 70's.
Now it seems the left will have nearly total control (depending on the AK, GA, and MN senate races) and the MSM is leaning center-right. Could the reality be that the MSM is driven by controversy, which as we all know, sells papers and/or builds ratings?
The MSM consists of for profit businesses, and their political positions are usually based upon the bottom line. - slubby, on 11/16/2008, -1/+33Europe on the other hand is such a great place filled with a wonderful history of extreme politics and people trying to destroy each other while eating all sorts of cheese.
- tamman2000, on 11/16/2008, -2/+32The problem is that a hell of a lot of republican voters like democratic policies better on most issues. Some of them are ignorant about the issues, some of them are hard core anti-abortion voters, some of them believe the "only republicans can keep you safe" crap. But if everyone took a little test that told them which politician they agreed with on the issues, I'd wager that we would have a much farther left government.
- samimnot, on 11/16/2008, -0/+28It's interesting getting perspectives from people outside our country...and I've heard this (the premise from your post) many times before. I've just recently started going online to other countries Newspapers trying to get information that's not "Americanized".
It's sort of hard figuring out which ones are reliable, just as it is in my country. Seems to be so much Bias...between them. What would be the more "legitimate" News source from Australia? - digitronix, on 11/16/2008, -5/+32Face it. It was mostly right-wingers that voted for it.
- FountainDew, on 11/16/2008, -7/+33Who cares. There shouldn't be gay rights, black rights, womens rights, etc. The only right we all need are individual rights.
- egocogito, on 11/16/2008, -3/+28I agree with the above two posters. I voted for Obama but just because he is left of Bush does not make him left of center as far a geo-political standards go.
- SuperMoses, on 11/16/2008, -1/+24The sad truth is that European countries have also been moving more to the right, same goes for Canada and Australia. But ya, the Democrats would be considered the center right party in most western countries. That being said, the Democrats have also ignored public opinion just as much as the Republicans. They had 8 years in power and did nothing to bring universal health care, despite public support. Obama's new plan would not pass off as Universal Health Care in any other western nation. It's a half assed attempt.
- homercles337, on 11/16/2008, -1/+23Like RFK Jr says, "80% of Republicans are just Democrats that dont know what is going on."
- sephiroth965, on 11/16/2008, -0/+22Well on a global scale (i.e. in comparison to most countries) we're practically far right.
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -2/+24Compared to whom, Pinochet?
- trickstertales, on 11/16/2008, -14/+34The problem is getting the "right" agenda folks out of our media, trying to tell us what we think, should think and distorting the facts to fit a view that only benefits the money brokers--their conglomerate owners. Deregulate the media? Yes, the Republicans did, and we the people do not like it!
- ShootTheCore, on 11/16/2008, -0/+20The BBC is definitely the way to go.
- Greg2k, on 11/16/2008, -2/+21I'm sorry but Obama barely makes it to the Left of Center. I'm pretty sure the Huffington Post crew would be shocked to learn that U.S. left-wing has nothing to do with what is internationally considered left-wing. Americans shouldn't be ashamed of being center-right, it's perfectly OK if most of the country agrees.
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -1/+20"America created the notion of human rights"? Please. I think you'll find that honour goes back to the Persians, and specifically Cyrus the Great and freedom of religion. Ironic that Iran is now a theocracy, eh?
- godofpumpkins, on 11/16/2008, -1/+19the rest of the world thinks of US politics as a two-party system with "moderate right" and "further right" as the only options.
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -5/+23Wow, you beat me to it, that's exactly the link I was going to post when I saw this story. We can only hope that someday we get a _real_ left-wing candidate like Nader or Kuchinich, not another corporate shill.
On that note, it's sort of funny how HuffingtonPost thinks that they're all radical and progressive and left-wing. What a bunch of douchebags. - Aroundtown27, on 11/16/2008, -1/+19Hawaii confirmed the legitimacy of Obama's birth certificate you ignorant ass.
- derbloodlust, on 11/16/2008, -4/+21meh... your lack of enthusiasm for meh displeases meh
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -9/+26That has absolutely nothing to do with being left-wing or right-wing. Don't let the democrats and republicans define a broad ideology.
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -10/+27There was an election? Who won?
- sugarazor, on 11/16/2008, -1/+18Obama got the biggest majority vote in 16 years. He eclipsed Bush's re-election in 04 when the media claimed he had a "mandate."
- novenator, on 11/16/2008, -0/+16samimnot, I read various foreign news sources, such as
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/default.stm BBC
http://www.iht.com/ Intl Herald Tribune (US run, but foreign view)
http://www.mnweekly.ru/ Moscow News
www.haaretz.com/ Israeli paper
http://www.theonion.com/ for the best news anywhere
The key is to browse around and find what works for you. The more you read, the more you understand that *every* nations news is slightly biased. The problem with american news is that the country is so xenophobic that we really don't get foreign sources or perspectives - inactive, on 11/16/2008, -9/+25Yes. Yes! YES! Someone is smart enough to realise that Obama isn't a leftie, at least on the global stage.
If he were a British politician, there would be no way I'd vote for him. He just happens to be the lesser of two evils in America. - Smuikas, on 11/16/2008, -5/+21I'm burying it. We are a center-right country. All of the democrats running were center-right, except Kucinich and Gravel. Repubs are far-right; democrats get demonized for being "socialist," when they are right of center.
- SpeedSteamBoat, on 11/16/2008, -3/+19"This is an issue for the states to address, not the federal government."
The states have done a ***** hob of addressing it.
This problem is too big to be left to the states. We live in a republic not a confederacy. I don't care what Ron Paul says, everything is not a states issue. That's his answer to EVERYTHING. "It's a states issue." If everything is a states issue, why the hell even bother having a federal government? Just to maintained a military? The federal government exists for a reason. Everything the government does that you don't like isn't automatically unconstitutional. If Mr. Paul honestly doesn't understand why making everything a states issue does not work he needs to read some American history, and I think you should too before parroting his position on every issue.
That said, you can't say that because what we tried in the past didn't work we should just give up, say "states rights" (which really just means "never mind"), and continue to let the situation deteriorate. Every other first world nation has a social health care system and the all work. Nothing is going to be perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than letting 44 million+ people fall through the cracks. - NinaOdell, on 11/16/2008, -1/+16Five correct words out of 1.5 million wrong ones.
Watch her on Larry King (or pretty much anywhere else - the Food Channel eventually), she says she supports the new administration and bashes Barack Obama for like the umpteenth time in the same frickin' breath.
I don't like to cuss to much in writing, but ***** Sarah Palin. - FountainDew, on 11/16/2008, -4/+19Anytime you try to speak to about universal health care to some Americans their communist alarm goes off. Some people need to stop living in the Cold War, its over.
- ZenMojo, on 11/16/2008, -3/+18Center right my ass.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200706270007?f=s_sea ...
We're not a center-right country. We're a center-stupid country. People are willing to vote against their self interests for the most stupid reasons. - TPorter72, on 11/16/2008, -7/+22Your still Center-right to today's standards. Congrats on moving on something most developed nations have.
- JoeRandom, on 11/16/2008, -1/+15Sorry I don't trust any of them. Every time I watch or read news from an Australian source I end up yelling at it. The news on TV in Australia is the biggest joke in the world. I think I would call it propaganda but I always assume the people who create it aren't smart enough to push a secret agenda. Even the news from ABC (Australia's national broadcaster) seems like propaganda. They are always using emotional language and creative camera angles. When I watch it i'm always yelling at the TV to get to the point.
The only news I watch that I don't yell at is The News Hour with Jim Lehrer (American news). - Greg2k, on 11/16/2008, -5/+19I know a lot of left-wing people who would vote for it, and another lot of right-wingers against it. It has nothing to do with left vs right, it's about respecting people or not.
- ramilehti, on 11/16/2008, -3/+17The United States has two right wing parties.
Get over it. - 4321234, on 11/16/2008, -0/+14Compared to other democracies, America is center-right. But if you define "center" as some point midway between the current republican and democrat philosophy, the majority of voters are center-left. That's what the election proved. I think that's more a function of the republican party shifting to the right than any movement in demographics.
- TPorter72, on 11/16/2008, -0/+13wow, I can't believe your using that as an argument. So Britain electing Margaret Thatcher made them left wing even though Thatcher was the leader of the Conservative Party? Policy decides the place in the political spectrum not who's the head of state.
- Cerebron, on 11/16/2008, -0/+13There is more than just left right, there is up and down as well.
- inactive, on 11/16/2008, -3/+16The so-called liberal media elite are waaaaaayyyy different than us liberals out here in the real world. I think the media's idea about what is ultra left, center left, centrist, center right, ultra right is inaccurate. They see the world through their own lens, which is typically not a comprehensive view of the US. I love watching KeithO and Brian Williams, but I can guarantee you I would not be comfortable with him in real life because he lives in a world of privilege, tuxedos, Manhattan high rises, and Alfred E. Smith dinners with white ties. I agree with him on principle almost all of the time, but KeithLiberal is waaaay different from BethLiberal. I'm probably better educated than him (no sarcastic jokes from retardicans please), but I'm still different from him. I'm a blue/white collar hippie liberal.
Most liberals are not hard core left wingers, in my experience. They are center left folks. When President-elect Obama voted yes on telcom immunity, the hardcore progressive ultra leftists went nuts. When he said he wanted to continue funding some religious initiatives started or continued by the Bush administration, they lost it. The talking heads said no politician ever benefited from running a centrist campaign. *****. If anyone truly believes President Obama is going to be a hardcore liberal, they will be either hugely disappointed or pleasantly surprised, based on their own version of liberal vs. conservative.
I am one of those liberals who realizes compromise and consensus are necessary to successfully govern this nation. I think most liberals are like me. We bristle at over-sensitivity and political correctness gone wild. We also bristle at the notion that religious doctrine should determine public policy, and we don't tolerate the suppression of civil/equal rights, be it racial, gender, or sexual orientation.
No one can effectively govern this nation from one of the two extreme ends of the political spectrum. Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II tried and look where we're at now. Clinton was pretty centrist and he was a successful president in spite of his character flaws.
A take no prisoners style of governing is inevitably going to leave tens of millions of American citizens out in the cold. We've already had enough of that in this new century.
We are living in a post-Reagan revolution era. All of the old definitions need to be cast aside and retooled for the era we are living in now. The Obama administration will be very, very different from all prior administrations, including Democratic administrations. -
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