Europe And American Definitions Of Politics

[Anarchist Patriot]

I have heard this to be true: A liberal in Europe would be considered a Conservative in Europe. A Conservative in the US would be labled a Fascist in Europe. A liberal in Europe (Socialist, laborite etc) would be considered a leftist in the US.

For instance, can anyone really tell me that Clinton was a liberal? Could a man like Bush have gotten elected in any European nation? Hell, he would be considered so far to the right that only a few neo-Nazis like LePenn could compare to him.

[tusaki]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Anarchist Patriot,)
I have heard this to be true: A liberal in Europe would be considered a Conservative in Europe. A Conservative in the US would be labled a Fascist in Europe. A liberal in Europe (Socialist, laborite etc) would be considered a leftist in the US.

For instance, can anyone really tell me that Clinton was a liberal? Could a man like Bush have gotten elected in any European nation? Hell, he would be considered so far to the right that only a few neo-Nazis like LePenn could compare to him.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

This is mostly true, I'm considered a center-right person here. But compared to most Americans... There are two things which tick me off: Leftist ignorance (man is never the cause of his own fate and we will pamper everyone because they need it.. really!) and Right-wing self-centered egoism (We are better, we are right, don't tell us it isn't so!).

The conservative party here (VVD) also calls itself the liberal party.

[Impenitent]

"Originally Posted by (Anarchist Patriot,)
I have heard this to be true: A liberal in Europe would be considered a Conservative in Europe."

no, A liberal (as per locke, hobbes, kant) in Europe would be considered a Conservative in america

a liberal in america is one who thinks government can live your life better than you can...

[eburchelli]

Most US Presidents end up governing from the middle because basically the mainstream of citizens are not either way far right or way far left. Clinton would have preferred a more socialist goverment, but a Republican Congress forced him to move towards the middle.

George Bush, contrary to what people want to believe, is very much a centerist. His views are fairly mainstream and that is why his popularity remained so high, until the recent bout of Democratic primaries.

The Democrats hate him so much, that they are blinded to the fact that he's not nearly as conservative as his Dad was and far less conservative than Ronald Reagan.

But I think socialism rules Europe and Bush and Clinton do differ on how far government should go in controlling its citizens. It's not surprising that Europeans and their leaders are more comfortable with a Democratic President.

[sven]

In Australia the Liberal Party are the conservative side of politics.

[eburchelli]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (sven,)
In Australia the Liberal Party are the conservative side of politics.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
And in Europe and South American, the leftists are socialists or communists. In many ways Democrats in the US are socialists, on their way to becoming communists. It would be a different kind of Communism, than the world has come to recognize because Americans will never willingly give up their capitalism.

[Impenitent]

american democRATS are socialists on their way to becoming totalitarians, not communists

[eburchelli]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Impenitent,)
american democRATS are socialists on their way to becoming totalitarians, not communists<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'> I guess that's because they are already communists.

[Impenitent]

not at all... communism is an impossibility... it contradicts human nature...

that's like saying republicans are on their way to becoming apathetic criminals...(oh wait)

[FreedomFirst]

The American left is truly an anomaly. The term "liberal" anywhere else in the world implies a smaller government belief. In America the term has been modified to Libertarian, as the term "liberal" has been co-opted by the Democratic Party, which is all about big government fascism (so are the Republicans for that matter).

[bentodd]

Republicans and democrats have way too many labels. Want to see where you relley fit in politics. Take the worlds smallest political quiz.

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

[FreedomFirst]

Ben, actually I found a better quiz than the WSPQ. While it takes more time to do it is less biased. It's still only 11 questions so it takes less than two minutes.

Here's the quiz: Quiz 2D

[RebelWithanAK]

Quiz 2D is obviously written by a libertarian, and each answer's bias reflects that. You can't pigeon-hole people with multiple-choice questions - the issues are far too complicated for that. You're running down a slippery slope when you dumb down the issues like that, and the results from that quiz prove so.

[FreedomFirst]

As I mention in my original message, it's LESS BIASED than the WSPQ. This is not to imply that it isn't biased. However, I admire its neutrality. Can you give me an example of where it is extremely biased? Of course the issues are far more complicated than multiple choice questions, but can you deny placement somewhere in the field?

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (RebelWithanAK,)
Quiz 2D is obviously written by a libertarian, and each answer's bias reflects that. You can't pigeon-hole people with multiple-choice questions - the issues are far too complicated for that. You're running down a slippery slope when you dumb down the issues like that, and the results from that quiz prove so.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>