I came across a great blog post from Glenn Greenwald outlining how logically irrational Bush supporters are about anyone who does not agree with his policies. Essentially if you aren’t a follower, you’re immediately cast as a “liberal”, which is apparently a bad word.
It used to be the case that in order to be considered a “liberal” or someone “of the Left,” one had to actually ascribe to liberal views on the important policy issues of the day – social spending, abortion, the death penalty, affirmative action, immigration, “judicial activism,” hate speech laws, gay rights, utopian foreign policies, etc. etc. These days, to be a “liberal,” such views are no longer necessary.
A very insightful post. While you’re at it, give the World’s Smallest Political Quiz a try (via Rod). I’m just barely in the liberal category surprisingly enough– while socially I scored 90%, economically I scored 40% (0% being uber liberal).
So I guess that means I support social diversity & tolerance and moderate economic policies to help keep people educated and with jobs? I’m riding the Centrist / Libertarian / Liberal fence it would appear which would probably explain why I haven’t been compelled enough to register as a Democrat rather than an Independent.
I took that same quiz at a Libertarian booth at ‘People’s Fair’ in Denver, last summer. I ended up in the upper right corner of Centrist, very close to the junction of Centrist, Libertarian, & Right. I’m very fiscally conservative, but socially liberal. I also have strong freedom leanings. I love the test and think that more voters should take it, in order to get an accurate assessment of their political beliefs.
Yeah, I used to be a card-carrying Libertarian…they even have little pamphlets with that test on there that you get when you pay your dues, IIRC. I also seem to remember thinking some of the questions were leading questions, but it’s been a while.
Anyway, yeah, the Bush crew really amazes me…they don’t even cling to conservative values anymore, and they have a whole fleet of talking heads on corporate networks and newspaper writers to deflect people from noticing (or discussing) that.
(Shameless promotion) See my blog entry on “Remember when Republicans were conservative? Those were the days” It’s about how they really haven’t been all that “conservative” for years - even since the Reaganites…obviously, I get this observation from Chomsky, but the more I’ve thought about it over the years, the more correct it seems to be IMHO.
surprised to find anyone guessing what makes a conservative liberal tick?
an act of futility does not go unabashed
is there therefore a politically oriented God?
when we acquiesce we take a liberal view of things and turning them into profit(conservativism).
…and by turning, we handily manipulate a materialistic world bent on naive self-destruction.