Media Mum on Dean's 'KKK' Fundraiser

FloydGondolli · Dec 17, 2003

xpanda,

We do have third parties (Reform, Green etc.) that have made serious inroads lately. A Green nearly won the San Francisco Mayor's race last week and we've had a Reform Governor (Ventura in Minnesota) and Reform Presidential contender (Perot) who got nearly 20% of the popular vote in 1992. In fact, I would say Third Party candidates in the US have come closer to the Presidency in the recent past than any Third Party MP in Canada has come to being PM.

I do miss getting some of the CBC shows (I lived in Quebec for almost a year).

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man." - The Dude, 1998

xpanda · Dec 17, 2003

I'm aware of your third parties (isn't there one called Libertarian as well?) ... question: do any of them have any "seats" at all? I've never fully understood your political framework.

Since you lived in Quebec, I now understand your Bloc reference earlier. Yes, they are a bit on the radical side, to say the least.

FloydGondolli · Dec 17, 2003

xpanda,

"I am anti-racist, anti-war, pro-choice, feminist, and all those other left-wing thingamabobs..."

I don't view those things as 'left-wing'. I am against racism (though I also believe affirmative action is state-sanctioned racism). I am anti-war and believe it should be used only when all rasonable dimplomacy fails and you must defend yourself. I am pro-choice (except late-term, partial birth abortions. And I beleive in parental notifcation for minors). I think a woman should get paid the same wages for the the same job as a man does.

Yes I'm a Republican, and many, probably most, Republcicans have the same/similar beliefs.

I think many in Canada view Republicans as racist, anti-feminist, war-loving Christian extremists.

I assure you, that is not the case.

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man." - The Dude, 1998

FloydGondolli · Dec 17, 2003

There are no 3rd Party members of Congress (House or Senate) There are 2 or 3 Independents who are left-leaning.

The 3rd parties tend to have niche areas like San Francisco and areas of New England.

The main that differentiates the US and other systems is the divergence WITHIN the parties themselves. Just look at the vast political differences between Joseph Lieberman and Howard Dean (two of the leading Democrat presidential candidates). In the Canadian system there is no way these two would be in the same party given their vast differences.

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man." - The Dude, 1998

xpanda · Dec 17, 2003

Interesting your comments on Lieberman and Dean: I am currently reading 'Hegemony: The American Quest for Global Dominance' by Noam Chomsky who makes Lieberman sound like one of Bush's henchmen. Simultaneously, I am reading 'Dead Right' by David Frum in which much of the criticism of the Republican party is centred around it not being right enough.

(I was surprised to read, in 'Dead Right' that it was 'emancipated upper-class Protestant women of the Republican party [who] put support for an Equal Rights Amendment in the party platform as early as 1944 ...')

You are correct in your assessment of Canadian views on Republicans. However, I don't think Canadians have a dissimilar view of Democrats, either, although the latter is generally a better reflection of our state values. At any rate, the type of Republican you describe yourself to be would qualify for neo-conservative status if I'm to understand your position?

You see, when you ask the right questions, you'd be surprised at how much the two parties really agree on ... which goes back to my previous disenchantment with the fact that the arguments in this forum tend to be a right vs. left standoff.

FloydGondolli · Dec 17, 2003

I guess you could call me neo-conservative but I would say I am closer to Ronald Reagan's conservatism that George W. Bush's, though not totally in agreement with either.

Reagan was staunchly pro-life whereas I am not. I beleive Bush is spending too much domestically and is not reducing government.

I am also very libertarian in many areas. If gays want to marry, be my guest. Though I have never smoked, I think the new anti-smoking laws in many cities are draconian. I don't think there is anything wrong with adults owning pornography. Though I have never used drugs I believe the 'war on drugs' needs to be re-examined. If you want to own a gun and do it responsibly, you have the right to.

My main philosophy in life is 'Mind Your Own Business' As long as you aren't hurting me or something else, knock yourself out. Don't tell me how to live my life and I won't tell you how to live yours.

So as you can see I am no right-wing 'Nazi' as many here would categorize any Bush supporter. I am however very conservative when it comes to security and defense issues.

What you have to understand is that many of the 'left' that post here represent what I see as the extreme left of the Democrat party so yes I guess it is not entirely correct to lump all Democrats into the same group as the extremists you find here.

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man." - The Dude, 1998