Are the American people predominantly right wing or left?

[Straybow]

In the US we don't have "real" right wing or left wing politics. Except maybe McCarthy. Our leftists are tame, too. US (and British) conservatives are cut from a different cloth from the Continentals.

Right wing and left wing were originally designated in revolutionary France. The right-wingers were just as devoted to Robespierre, et al., as the leftists and center, but they were not in favor of lopping off the heads of those who were guilty only by association.

[Lancer]

Straybow, that's true. People like to get worked up but we're all fairly civilized.



Balloon bomb pic:

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Airships_in_WWII/LTA10G10.htm

Balloon bomb story:

http://www.bootsnall.com/cgi-bin/gt/namericatravelguides/wyghost/oct01riverton.shtml

Japan under ATTACK from bio weapon balloons from NK! My what you find when you search...

http://www.weeklypost.com/021118/021118a.htm

[MikeH]

BTW the words "Leftist" and "Rightist" really annoy me. Never heard them anywhere other than from US posters on the internet. I don't normally mind Americanisms too much but those words just sound stupid.

[Straybow]

ACW was as horrific as any of the wars in Europe, with a million dead and wounded out of a population of 33 million. Kansas and Missouri suffered the kind of stuff recently seen in former Yugoslavia, with overflow into surrounding states. Economic devastation in the South. We didn't turn pacifist.

[Straybow]

BTW the words "Leftist" and "Rightist" really annoy me. Never heard them anywhere other than from US posters on the internet.

They do get thrown around a bit much, and have been so diluted with the overuse…

[MikeH]

The estimated total casualties for Europe in WWII is about 40,000,000. 7 million in Germany (half of them civilian), another 7 million in Poland and 20 odd million in Russia. That came 20 years after the 10 million casualties of WWI.

Two huge wars and 2 generations of young men decimated in one lifetime had a huge effect.

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Straybow
ACW was as horrific as any of the wars in Europe, with a million dead and wounded out of a population of 33 million. Kansas and Missouri suffered the kind of stuff recently seen in former Yugoslavia, with overflow into surrounding states. Economic devastation in the South. We didn't turn pacifist.

1 war does not change people perceptions. It was also a different era, people did what they were told and if that meant fighting thats what happened. Vietnam caused the US to be vary wary of foerign engagements and IIRC the amount of US casulaties in that conflict were about the same as the allied casualties ont he 1st day of the Somme.

There was then another war following WW1 20 years later, this makes people a little wary of conflict.

In any event europe by any definaition is not pacifist.

[MikeH]

Originally posted by Straybow

BTW the words "Leftist" and "Rightist" really annoy me. Never heard them anywhere other than from US posters on the internet.

They do get thrown around a bit much, and have been so diluted with the overuse…

What I don't like about them is that they seek to define a person into one of two (maybe three if you include centrist) bands. Which is a totally oversimplistic and unrealistic representation of the political spectrum. It seems to be the same with US style useage of "Liberal" and "Conservative".

In the UK it's much, much rarer to seek to use one word to define someone's beliefs. It seems very strange to a non American and I think it sometimes hampers debates. People make too many assumptions about other people based on one word. If someone describes themselves as a Liberal or whatever people leap to all kinds of conclusions about what they must believe and sometimes seem to not actually read what the indiviual themselves is saying.

[Winston]

Tough one.

On some issues, I'd say the US takes a relatively conservative stand, while on others, they're clearly progressive...

I gotta go with centrist overall, but it's really more like I can't tell/undecided/other/banana.

[alva]

A relative conservative stance???

Looks Like I choose the most populair of the non-american options.

[Frankychan]

I think things are more complex than just stereotyping America as either "leftist" or "right-wing". It's like saying all of Europe is arrogant just cause the French (supposedly) are.

I think the political axis changes from region to region...the South would most likely be heavy right while the West Coast probably is left. Even political conceptions such as socialism differ between Europe and the US. Being a "socialist" in the US carries a negative stigma that most people wouldn't like to admit.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by Lancer
However Clinton COULD have led a war against terrorism, SHOULD have led a war against terrorism, but didn't.

How can you possibly have a war against terrorism?

[MikeH]

It's nearly as ridiculous as a war against drugs.

[Arrian]

I guess we just like to declare war on things.

Clealry, the US is "right" of Europe on most issues (all?). I think Jaguar Warrior's post goes a long way toward explaining why.

But the right/left distinction is just way too simplified. Especially when you're talking about the political opinions of hundreds of millions of people.

-Arrian

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Arrian
I guess we just like to declare war on things.

Except countries, which you invade or attack without a declaration.