Blogroll Me!
US Political Parties And Hobson's Choices: Right, Right And/Or Right Again ...
This particular post quite possibly (probably?), won't interest in the slightest, several sections of the so-called 'left' in the United States.
So what? We've been believers in the old principle of 'Publish and be damned' since before billions of 'em were blinkin' born.
But now to get down to business; blog-roll business.
Another laughingly labeled US 'lefty' blog - and another bloody big one to boot - has today been unceremoniously buggered off into oblivion from our blog-roll. And by the way, when we say big we mean BIG, BIG.
Honestly, the more we learn about US politics the less we understand - and the less we like.
Summed up? It seems to us that in so many Americans' minds, anyone leaning left of The Right absolutely must, must, must be a communist.
Duh!
And this from those who for the most part positively can't come close to comprehending any of the (very many), massive differences between even liberalism and socialism - let alone communism.
Well, whatever. As an ancient adage advises - in the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man is King.
And no, we're most certainly not saying who's been 'binned' by us today. Since we're pretty sure that far too many readers couldn't resist the temptation to 'hit' such cited sites.
And that, as sure as shit stinks, would definitely defeat the object of the exercise.
Right?!
We will say this though - the first one that went (an awful long time ago too), was this one.
Then, not too long later, this one.
(So sue us, surrogates.)
Labels: communism, conservatism, liberalism, phony, socialism
posted by Richard at Thursday, October 18, 2007
11 Comments:
Richard, "Liberal" is considered a dirty word by many Americans. The gutter press and Republican hosts of daily talk-radio shows deliver regular diatribes lambasting "Liberals" as everything bad, morally corrupt (they believe in abortion, don't ya know, and sex before marriage, and birth control pills!) and generally treat them with contempt similar to that shown to the low castes of India. Even academics are railed against as evil and heathen. This is one mighty sick country that refuses to take the medicine necessary for recovery. Terminal, it just might possibly be.
Liberal's a dirty enough word here, but try saying you're a socialist and you'd be lucky to escape the ducking pool (used for witches in mediaeval times and probably a variation of it at Gitmo!)
I've stopped trusting any politically leaning website (except this one). I read all with my cynical hat on. Everyone has an axe to grind - even the best of 'em. Good on you Richard for giving some of them the heave-ho.
I don't pretend to understand the subtle differences between shades of politics here in the US.
I reckon each state and each generation make up their own version anyway. It'd take a genius to unravel it all.
The 'Progressive Democrats' seem to be the nearest thing to socialist as far as I can tell, but even they shy away from saying so.
We could sure use a Tony Benn or George Galloway over here. Sigh!
There are easily as many different political points of view in America as there are in any Western country, BUT the two main labels used are phony.
Everyone is supposed to align himself/herself with one of the two (Republican or Democrat), which are the only labels considered legitimate. The labels mean nothing in reality, but almost everyone is trained to believe they are totally different.
It's no wonder Brits can't figure it out. It takes a lifetime in American to learn this and most of us never do.
Case in point is the vote just taken in our House of Representatives where the Democrats (the supposedly "opposition party" holding a solid majority of members) just gave Bush everything he asked for on the FISA domestic spying issue, AGAIN! The media is spinning this as weakness and "caving in" but it is pure BULLSHIT. The proper word should be COLLABORATING.
I am very angry, but no longer surprised.
USA!
Love it or leave it!
Bizzy bodies, whiny creeps and straight out traitors .... what a bunch of losers
I'd rather be a whiny creep or bizzy body than an ingorant slob.
I want to love your damned country but it's getting harder by the hour.
People like you are no help at all.
EEP, I am dying to know as there are several BIG BIG blogs out there.
Some of the so-called "left" are aligned with the Democratic Party - which is not a left wing party by a long stretch. It's centrist and more often than not, right of centre. George Bush is so far to the right he makes anything standing on his left appear left wing.
One of my favourite rightwing skewing blogs is SadlyNo. They take no prisoners and largely target the idiotic and stupefying pundits who write for mainstream newspapers and periodicals as well as on-line. One of their writers takes Democrats to task for having no gonads to speak of.
TBogg's another good one for snark.
Crooks and Liars is good and so is http://majikthise.typepad.com/.
And, never to be missed, is Jon Stewart (not sure if you folks get his shows but damn, they are very good).
moon rattled,
Most of the BIG, BIG blog boys and girls are alligned with the DLC rather than the regular Democrat voting Americans. And the DLC is not even close to "liberal"- despite what it says to the contrary.
It's "owned" by big business and other ultra-powerful and ultra-wealthy lobbies.
I can see clearly where Richard's coming from when he says Hobson's Choice
The US two party system could easily be officially called the Hobson's Choice system -- and it would be an accurate description.
Ther way things are and have been for a long time, ther's only ever been Hobson's Choice in US politics. Sure Dem is better than Pub, but what's to like about the best of a bad bunch?
anonymous, BINGO! Thanks for the inspiration.
So that that's what you meant Richard? (I felt too dumb to ask)
Surrogates .... of the D.L.C.
Right? :)
Brit,
If the missing blog is the one I think, you will be missed.
FWIW UK has a two party political system, too. From this side of the Atlantic, I don't see all that much difference between them, either. And virtually no difference between UK foreign policy and the US one for that matter. If they dance to the same tune, I fail to see how important it is who leads.
They both operate under the financial heel of a virtually identical corporate economic system, anyway. To me that is even a bigger danger than relatively slight differences in elective political structure.
'Ello, ello, ello.
Three reasons for for making one of my (increasingly infrequent, I realise) personal pronouncements via the comments section.
1./ It's about time I thanked (again) each & every single commenter for their truly valued contributions. If it weren't for you I'd probably have thrown in the proverbial towel and put me poor old feet up quite a while back.
2./ My related excuse re; the above. I've regularly been a guest (thought not long term - yet), of our 'by no means perfect but still a damned sight better than any of the alternatives being touted) NHS. (Don't ask).
3./ For Dutch (and all the others who've contacted me by email), even now I don't want to give ANY more oxygen of publicity to certain blogs.
However, if the one you're thinking of, Dutch, is the one I think you're thinking of, ie: L.A. - don't worry. It ain't.
In fact, you've just reminded me that the one I think you're thinking about - should have been on the OB blogroll for a long time. So, stand by.
oops!
Dutch, the UK system is increasingly ALMOST as bad over here - but I think there's a BIT more hope of improving it over here.
Post a Comment
<< Home