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Sure you can. But if your group is so wide that people so different as H.Clinton and Chomsky could be inside it, and you talk about their motivations instead o

Sure you can. But if your group is so wide that people so different as H.Clinton and Chomsky could be inside it, and you talk about their motivations instead of a specific idea, I think you deserve some criticism.

beaconstudios 9y ago
that's like suggesting that saying modern conservatives have a hard-on for forgiving/accepting aggressive foreign policy is unfair. Political wings definitely have trends.
- RobertoG 9y ago
  I think you are being a little unfair here. I think it is more like saying: "The modern Right is dripping with hatred for the Government - quite ironic given that we live in one the most free, prosperous societies ever created in human history. They are driven almost entirely by resentment, and lack even a shred of gratitude for the vast wealth, comfort and freedom they've been born into." You could ask me, and rightly so, who is this "modern right" and if I'm being fair when addressing their motivations. You could ask me, also rightly, how the debate advance in a positive way with this kind of all covering statements.
  - beaconstudios 9y ago
    but hatred for the government isn't an archetypal right-wing sentiment. Perhaps a libertarian one, to which I would agree (or maybe not hatred, more distrust). Is your main point that the GP said "modern left" where they should have said "progressive" or "far-left"?
    - RodericDay 9y ago
      There's no real way of describing the Clintons as "left" that would satisfy any self-described leftist. They just have no connection whatsoever to any historical leftist movement.
      - beaconstudios 9y ago
        that depends entirely on what you would call "left". She may not be an activist but her espoused policies were very similar to Obama's implemented policies, and she was on his cabinet after all. You can call her an opportunist for sure, but you couldn't reasonably call her a conservative.
        RodericDay 9y ago
        Obama is also not a leftist. Sanders, Nina Turner or Keith Ellison are the bare minimum that one could consider a leftist.
        beaconstudios 9y ago
        I think there's a difference between someone who is left, and someone who is a leftist. Leftist tends to be used to label communists and socialists, where "the left" generally includes progressives, social democrats, and so on. It's a pretty subjective concept though and easy to split hairs on. You could reasonably call Obama or Clinton centrists.
        boyce 9y ago
        In Britain or Germany they both would be more moderate conservatives
        beaconstudios 9y ago
        I think Obama's campaign rhetoric would have been in line with the British Labour Party, but his actual policies were definitely moderate conservative. Probably similar to Cameron.

beaconstudios 9y ago

that's like suggesting that saying modern conservatives have a hard-on for forgiving/accepting aggressive foreign policy is unfair. Political wings definitely have trends.

RobertoG 9y ago
I think you are being a little unfair here. I think it is more like saying: "The modern Right is dripping with hatred for the Government - quite ironic given that we live in one the most free, prosperous societies ever created in human history. They are driven almost entirely by resentment, and lack even a shred of gratitude for the vast wealth, comfort and freedom they've been born into." You could ask me, and rightly so, who is this "modern right" and if I'm being fair when addressing their motivations. You could ask me, also rightly, how the debate advance in a positive way with this kind of all covering statements.
- beaconstudios 9y ago
  but hatred for the government isn't an archetypal right-wing sentiment. Perhaps a libertarian one, to which I would agree (or maybe not hatred, more distrust). Is your main point that the GP said "modern left" where they should have said "progressive" or "far-left"?
  - RodericDay 9y ago
    There's no real way of describing the Clintons as "left" that would satisfy any self-described leftist. They just have no connection whatsoever to any historical leftist movement.
    - beaconstudios 9y ago
      that depends entirely on what you would call "left". She may not be an activist but her espoused policies were very similar to Obama's implemented policies, and she was on his cabinet after all. You can call her an opportunist for sure, but you couldn't reasonably call her a conservative.
      - RodericDay 9y ago
        Obama is also not a leftist. Sanders, Nina Turner or Keith Ellison are the bare minimum that one could consider a leftist.
        beaconstudios 9y ago
        I think there's a difference between someone who is left, and someone who is a leftist. Leftist tends to be used to label communists and socialists, where "the left" generally includes progressives, social democrats, and so on. It's a pretty subjective concept though and easy to split hairs on. You could reasonably call Obama or Clinton centrists.
        boyce 9y ago
        In Britain or Germany they both would be more moderate conservatives
        beaconstudios 9y ago
        I think Obama's campaign rhetoric would have been in line with the British Labour Party, but his actual policies were definitely moderate conservative. Probably similar to Cameron.