Are the American people predominantly right wing or left?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Lancer
The US just took Iraq, in some polls 70% of the people approved of the action. Mostly it was the left that opposed. On the other side, Gore won the popular vote, slim margin, but still.

Gore is hardly a leftist except by the most right-wing standards. He is rather solidly centrist, with left-leaning social views.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Southwest: Libertarian Liberal

How are states like Arizona and Utah liberal? IIRC, Just about every elected position in Arizona is Republican. Also, I believe New Mexico and West Texas are pretty conservative as well.

I'd call the Southwest simply Libertarian (but more belonging to the Republican party).

[Odin]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Considering voter turnout, the majority of Americans are neither conservative, liberal, nor moderate.

The majority of Americans simply don't give a ****.

Unfortunatly, you are right. The US is turning into a Corporate Oligarchy because of voter apathy. A lot of incumbents in the House are UNOPPOSED, WTF? I think the Senate should be scrapped, it is a relic of the States' Rights BS from the 1800's, and so biases the congress towards conservatives (The less densely populated states are usually conservative). The Electoral College should be trashed too, it is undemocratic. There should also be election reforms to make it easier for a 3rd party to win (there would be several Greens and Libertarians in congress right now if the major parties didn't make it so hard for the others to get public campaign funds).

[Boris Godunov]

Arizona just elected a Democratic governor, IIRC. And New Mexico is considered more of a Democratic state (also has a Dem governor), and was won by Gore.

[SKILORD]

Libertarian Liberal is an oxymoron, as a fellow Pole once said it is like "Fried Snowballs."

Libertarians beleive that all men are created equal and therefore no man or group therof has any right to take your liberties. As I am fond of saying "I'm gonna grow old and die someday, 'aint noboddy gonna tell me how to spend that time."

Liberals beleive that the welfare of some is to be provided through taxation of others.

On what Left and Right stand for, I recently read an arcticle by a Ms. Ayn Rand entitled "'Extremism' or the Art of Smearing" in which she takes care to note that the 'left' and 'right' are not divisions as to whether rich or poor are more important, they are divisions between those who seek freedom and statists.

Guynemer put it quite eloquently when he said that most americans don't give a damn. I was at the DMV gettin my liscence renewed lately when I overheared a young lady refusing to register to vote, she had only come in at 18 to get a liscense so she could smoke. I SWEAR TO GOD I ALMOST WENT BERSERK.

Most Americans beleive that their input will matter little and therefore their effort is wasted. This is the standpoint which veiws men as a seperate entity from oneself and not as a sum to which we are a part. A more significant part since the rise f Democracy.

God, I pity the ignorant.

[alva]

God, I pity the ignorant.

Therefore you must educae them.

[Odin]

Too me liberal and conservative represent your social and civil rights views. Left and right represent ones economic views (even though that is not how it originated in the french parliment, it seems better to me).

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Jaguar Warrior
We're right. We have Republican majorities everywhere, and even our democrats are further right than most Euros.

Heh, you say this from Montgomery County? Hard to find a more liberal place in the country. I should know, i live here.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Jefferson made a "police action" (and you folks thought Truman or Johnson made up that phrase) against the barbary pirates. No war was declared.

Egad, you're right. I went back through my notes. The decision to go to war against Tripoli was decided in a cabinet meeting on May 15, 1801--not knowing that 5 days 5 earlier, Yusuf Caramelli, the Bashaw of Tripoli had cut down the flagstaff in front of the American consul's residence in Tripoli...which was a symbolic declaration of war.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Arizona just elected a Democratic governor, IIRC.

The one statewide elected official who is a Dem . And she's as Democrat as Zell Miller is, Boris.