Comments on: Liberals and Conservatives, part 1

By: Liberals and Conservatives, part 2 » Way of the Mind

Liberals and Conservatives, part 2 » Way of the Mind — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:02:17 +0000

[...] In part 1, I’ve described how both sides seem to view the other one. But what are they, really? [...]

By: new illuminati

new illuminati — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 05:45:11 +0000

Such dichotomies are meaningless and only mire us further in a ‘two party’ system which is really one party - the rich having a party at everyone else’s expense. If possible, vote the THIRD option - the Greens, for instance, in some juristictions. Or, like Spain in the 1930s you could elect an ANARCHIST GOVERNMENT - which worked fine until the corporations got pissed off and trashed the joint.
The eagle needs two wings to fly - and humans need a CONSCIENCE, which has nothing to do with left/right brain patterning but everything to do with balance - and cosciousness of what’s happening beyond the labels.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 10:24:09 +0000

I am glad to see your note of caution that beliefs and perception of political leanings depend on perspective…Michael Apple in 1998 identified 4 different strands within the conservative movement in the USA, which were the professional middle class, the authoritarian populists (read: Christian Right), the neo-conservatives (WASPs with a vision of a strong state), and most controversially, the neo-liberals (although I think he was really talking about libertarians with a commitment to free trade and a weak state). No doubt his observations were coloured by his own viewpoint on issues relating to educational policy. I think that someone writing from the other side of the fence (so to speak) could identify a similar spectrum of beliefs within the “liberal movement” if there genuinely is such a thing.

Of course I don’t live in the USA, so I can’t comment really on American politics, however it is interesting to note that in many parts of New Zealand, it used to be the case that you could get a well-trained monkey elected as long as you put the right coloured ribbon on it. This is no longer the case, and I suspect from what I see in forums and opinions I hear day-to-day that we are beginning to shake free from the prison of voting the way our parents did…

One can only hope.

By: Cynical Patriot

Cynical Patriot — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 12:35:41 +0000

Great Job! You nailed it. Those descriptions are near perfect fits for the mindsets of American Politcal Propaganda today. Fortunately I think most Americans are coming to a point where they’re seeing through the BS and realizing that the term “left-wing” “right-wing” “conservative” “liberal” are all just codewords for Politicians that equal “Con-Artists”.

Regardless of our belief systems, Americans need to stand together, united as a front to battle our current Leaders, it shouldn’t be Republican vs Democrat, it should be American People vs American Government. Just because you’re a “right-winger” doesn’t mean W. is standing for YOUR beliefs, you can bet on that!