4 ms·

I’m always caught of guard when the left-right scale is brought up in the context of American politics. Is so far skewed to the right that “the left” correspond

• humanrebar 9y ago
  The American political spectrum is different than the European one. Go back almost 250 years and the U.S. was a constitutional republic with explicit individual rights. It was populated by people who felt persecuted by their religion, indentured servants, entrepreneurs, and slaves oppressed by people who were "looking out for them". The U.S. has never really had too many neighbors to distinguish itself from. It was never centered around a language, race, religion, royal bloodline, or ethnic identity. 250 years ago, Europe was still ruled by kings. Basically, contrast the American revolution to the French one. Anyway, the American right has generally been for preserving liberal democracy, not a monarchy or a cultural identity. Trump is a bit of an exception to this pattern, and doesn't have full support from the Republican party in the aspects of his politics that mirror the European right's (building walls, America first, etc.). The fact that the American congress has problems passing significant legislation demonstrates this fact.
  • namelost 9y ago
    It seems that the biggest difference between the American right and left is whether to preserve the wealth of the rich at all costs, or whether to prioritise some other objectives ahead of that.
    • humanrebar 9y ago
      Protecting the rich is very bipartisan. There is plenty of evidence of that, but the Wall Street bailouts we're certainly supported by both parties in Congress. Likewise, incumbent friendly policies were implemented by Bush and adopted by Obama.