Testimony of What the Left Believes...

It is more than passing interesting to plumb the depths, the thinking of those with whom we debate....

Sometimes the testimony is from the Right, which opens it up to obvious debate.

But it is pure gold to see the statements from an inveterate 'leftie' who gives his views of 'the other side.'

First, here is a statement from the Right:


1. The American left hates the America that believes in American exceptionalism, is prepared to use force to fight what it deems as dangerous evil, affirms the Judeo-Christian value system, believes in the death penalty, supports male-female marriage, rejects big government, wants lower taxes, prefers free market to governmental solutions, etc. The American left, like the rest of the world's left, loathes that America.

2. So what America does the American Left love? That is for those on the left to answer. But given their beliefs that America was founded by racists and slaveholders, that it is an imperialist nation, that 35 million Americans go hungry, that it invades countries for corporate profits, and that it is largely racist and xenophobic, it is a fair question. The World Doesn't Hate America, the Left Does - Dennis Prager - [page]


Now, from a piece by the New Yorker's John Cassidy, describing what he sees as 'the craziness' of Right-wing Americans.., establishing the proof for what Prager writes.


"Are firearms the only subject on which Americans are, let us say, a little batty?

Not all Americans subscribe to them, of course. In some instances, the true believers may amount to a small but vocal minority. Still, the popular sentiment underlying these statements is so strong that politicians defy it at their peril.

1. Gun laws and gun deaths are unconnected.
2. Private enterprise is good; public enterprise is bad.
3. God created America and gave it a special purpose.
4. Our health-care system is the best there is.
5. The Founding Fathers were saintly figures who established liberty and democracy for everyone.
6. America is the greatest country in the world.
7. Tax rates are too high.
8. America is a peace-loving nation: the reason it gets involved in so many wars is that foreigners keep attacking us.
9. Cheap energy, gasoline especially, is our birthright.
10. Everybody else wishes they were American.

...the point here: it is whether or not certain beliefs are amenable to reason. I don’t think these are, which is what puts them in the category of irrationality, flakiness, nonsense, nuttiness, absurdity, craziness…."
Is America Crazy? Ten Reasons it Might Be : The New Yorker


If it is not evident to you lefties what the point is, reverse each of the ten statements and you have the catechism of the Left.

The list is stupid and a reversal would be incredibly more stupid.

The eternal lefty argument:

"Yore dum!"
 
I'm not sure if America is crazy...but you are putting in a pretty good showing for yourself.

I love the way we throw a blanket on each other just for shits and giggles. I've seen it happen on both sides and the reason seems to be that some asshole just wants to be mean and miserable to their fellow Americans.

If you think you're really making a value point here....Your fucking nuts. If your just trying to be an asshole....congratulations....you've succeeded.

You've more than succeeded.
 
I'll address the points by number...

1. Thanks....however...as I had said in a different thread, yesterday...I think...I didn't used to be like this...when I first came here I was cordial and respectful to people I disagreed with...but, after a year of being called a fucking commie, a leech on society and all the other right wing crap that you guys say....SORRY if I don't show much restraint these days...in short, you guys helped make my online persona on here....You can consider that my apology.

2. No...I don't know who John Cassidy is...I don't particularly care. but I do disagree on your "the left hates the America that believes in American Exceptionalism" premise...That wasn't Cassidy....that was you. I just disagree with the right wing vision and definition of it.....THAT'S NOT HATE. and perhaps what drew my ire the most was your ridiculous assumption and pompous judgement that reversing the list was ....the "catechism of the left".....That's where I had to talk about "blanket throwing"....and that's exactly what you did.

3. What do I care what Cassidy said? I don't agree with that list point by point. BTW....I love that when a left leaning person writes something...it's a "gratuitous attack", but when someone on the right does the same thing, it's like the unadulterated truth....and you felt the need to lash out against everyone but the author of that attack....and the idea that one person says something, that those ideas are immediately attributable to the entire group who share an ideology is just plain lazy.

4. I think that I answered #4 with the earlier part of my reply....

I'll be here when YOU'RE ready to aplogize...I won't hold my breath.



1. "I don't know who John Cassidy is."

Cassidy is a well-known journalist, paid to present the Left's view.



2. "I don't know who John Cassidy is."

That's why you post is erroneous.


3. Why would you expect me to apologize? First, I used far less inflammatory language than you did....

...and, secondly, everything I stated was correct.

4. Oh...I see....it's that man thing about not apologizing when you are wrong.
Try it....confession is good for the soul.

1. Great...whoop-de-doo....Once again, how is what HE wrote attributable to every Democrat?....like I said...LAZY

2. See #1.

3. See #1.

and lastly....you're full of shit.

You have neither intelligence nor class....


...and, therefore, must be relegated to the franco class.
 
"The common wisdom holds that 'both parties' have to appeal to the extremes during the primary and then move to the center for the general election. To the contrary, both parties run for office as conservatives. Once they have fooled the voters and are safely in office, Republicans sometimes double-cross the voters. Democrats always do."
Coulter, 11-27-03
The federal debt/GDP ratio actually reached its lowest point since WW2 under the much maligned Carter Administration (32.5%)and was further reduced by 9.7% under Clinton. Nice try to spread the blame "PoliticalChic" - but no cigar!

Why are conservatives long on annecdotal comments and innuendo, but short on documented facts?


History of the United States public debt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Isn't it as plain as the nose on your face????

It's because Liberals are soooooo much more brilliant.....

....why, simply look at the man they put in office...and the job he's done!!
"Simple" appears to be the operative word - long on anecdotal comments and innuendo, but devoid of documented facts!

"PoliticalChic" is in jeporady of being relegated to political "BIMBO" status (aka. Michelle Bachmann).
 
The federal debt/GDP ratio actually reached its lowest point since WW2 under the much maligned Carter Administration (32.5%)and was further reduced by 9.7% under Clinton. Nice try to spread the blame "PoliticalChic" - but no cigar!

Why are conservatives long on annecdotal comments and innuendo, but short on documented facts?


History of the United States public debt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Isn't it as plain as the nose on your face????

It's because Liberals are soooooo much more brilliant.....

....why, simply look at the man they put in office...and the job he's done!!
"Simple" appears to be the operative word - long on anecdotal comments and innuendo, but devoid of documented facts!

"PoliticalChic" is in jeporady of being relegated to political "BIMBO" status (aka. Michelle Bachmann).


Now, my claim that the Left believes the following:

So, #1…the Left believes that reducing guns would cause a drop in gun deaths.
2. The Left believes that hiring government workers is as salutary for the economy as workers hired in the private economy.
3. For the Left, of course, there is no God, and America is no different than any other nation.
4. The Left believes the World Health Organization, which places America’s healthcare system…before ObamaCare, at #37.
5. The Left believes the worst possible rumors about the Founders, wanted only the rich to benefit, enforced slavery for the various immoral purposes, and were irreligious.
6. The Left agrees with Obama, that every nation is just as exceptional.
7. The Left believes as of A.B. “Happy” Chandler, a former Kentucky governor: “[A]ll of us owe the government; we owe it for everything we have—and that is the basis of obligation—and the government can take everything we have if the government needs it. . . . The government can assert its right to have all the taxes it needs for any purpose, either now or at any time in the future.”
8. The Left believes that America is imperialistic, and loves to colonize third world people.
9. The Left believes that “Less than 5% of the world‟s population lives in the United States and we are consuming over 25% of the world‟s resources, creating over 30% of the pollution.” http://theendofpoverty.com/pdf/teoppressnotes.pdf
10. The Left believes every other nation is, in some way, as good as or better than the US, and their people know it!

So…did I basically cover the Left’s ‘Manifesto’?



So.....did I highlight all of your most deeply held beliefs?

Most of 'em?
 
The left believes in colonizing, too, is the thing. They like to colonize third world countries with baby-killing factories. And if the women die too...so much the better!
 
It is more than passing interesting to plumb the depths, the thinking of those with whom we debate....

Sometimes the testimony is from the Right, which opens it up to obvious debate.

But it is pure gold to see the statements from an inveterate 'leftie' who gives his views of 'the other side.'

First, here is a statement from the Right:


1. The American left hates the America that believes in American exceptionalism...


PoliticalChic, I noticed you bolded the term "American exceptionalism", so I have a couple of questions:

What is your long-version definition of American exceptionalism? I know there are multiple definitions, but I'd like to see what you feel it is.

And, if we are indeed exceptional, how do you feel that manifests? What does it get us, why does it matter if we're exceptional or not?

Thanks.

.
 
Wow!

Wish I could live up to that: Malkin's great!

Michelle is one of my favorites too...

Indeed. Political Chic is her own person...NO doubt about it. But she is a force here to be reckoned with like other Conservative women like Michele Malkin, and frankly other Conservative women on the boards...but her work resembles so much that of Malkin.

A force to be reckoned with? You do realize that this forum is a collection of anonymous political junkies killing time, right? Even you aren't this delusional
 
It is more than passing interesting to plumb the depths, the thinking of those with whom we debate....

Sometimes the testimony is from the Right, which opens it up to obvious debate.

But it is pure gold to see the statements from an inveterate 'leftie' who gives his views of 'the other side.'

First, here is a statement from the Right:


1. The American left hates the America that believes in American exceptionalism...


PoliticalChic, I noticed you bolded the term "American exceptionalism", so I have a couple of questions:

What is your long-version definition of American exceptionalism? I know there are multiple definitions, but I'd like to see what you feel it is.

And, if we are indeed exceptional, how do you feel that manifests? What does it get us, why does it matter if we're exceptional or not?

Thanks.

.

I appreciate the opportunity to point out what others have said on this quesstion:

1. Alexis de Tocqueville first wrote of America as ‘exceptional’ in 1835.

2. The French Philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy noted in a 2006 interview with the WSJ: “In France, with the nation based on roots, on the idea of the soil, of a common memory…the very existence of America is a mystery and a scandal…The ghost that has haunted Europe for two centuries is America’s coming together as an act of will, of creed. It shows that there is an alternative to organic nations.” [A society that took shape through conscious decisions and willful sculpting by its various founders and builders. –Medved]


3. “In most countries in the world your fate and your identity are handed to you; in America, you determine them for yourself. America is a country where you get to writh the script of your own life. Your life is like a blank sheet of paper, and you are the artist. This notion of being the architect of your own destiny is the incredibly powerful idea that is behind the worldwide appeal of America.” Dinesh D’Souza, born in India.

4. “The United States is comically bad at making its own case,” Maddox writes in the book’s opening pages. This observation will ring true to those Americans who wonder how their country—which welcomes more immigrants than any other, is more generous in its foreign aid than any other, and whose culture is so popular—could be loathed by so many. It will sound even more spot-on to those non-Americans, like Maddox, who consider themselves friends of the United States. For years, overseas admirers of the U.S. have had to endure witless editorials and boorish dinner companions ranting about how Uncle Sam is the root of all evil. Unfortunately, the government of the United States has failed miserably at defending itself in the court of world opinion.

Maddox makes the case for American indispensability. “American values are Western values,” she titles her third chapter. She stresses to her non-American readers that whatever differences they might have with America, they would do well to understand that the United States ultimately stands for individual rights, political freedom, and the free exchange of goods—all distinctly Western ideas.
CJ Mobile


5. In the speech that JFK had prepared for delivery on the day that he was assassinated:

“We in this country, in this generation, are--by destiny rather than choice--the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of "peace on earth, good will toward men." That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: "except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
Selected Speeches of John F. Kennedy - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum



"What does it get us?"

“The shining city on the hill” as Ronald Reagan described it, from John Winthrop (who took it from the bible.)


America.
 
PoliticalChic, I noticed you bolded the term "American exceptionalism", so I have a couple of questions:

What is your long-version definition of American exceptionalism? I know there are multiple definitions, but I'd like to see what you feel it is.

And, if we are indeed exceptional, how do you feel that manifests? What does it get us, why does it matter if we're exceptional or not?

Thanks.

.

I appreciate the opportunity to point out what others have said on this quesstion...


Okay, so let me try to distill a bit and let me know if I'm close here.

Per the Kennedy speech and the general outlook of those who believe in American exceptionalism, we are "the watchmen on the walls of world freedom", and that we have an obligation to remember that "the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength". I also see the word "destiny" in there.

So, and here's the part I'd like to have you confirm, are you saying that:

1. We are exceptional as a result of the intervention of divine providence?

2. Being "watchmen on the walls of world freedom" not only allows us, but obligates us to intervene in the affairs of other countries if we determine that their level of freedom is not acceptable to us?

3. Our ability to determine the acceptable level of freedom in other sovereign countries has been given to us by God? In other words, He has made us judge and jury?

Thanks for the first response, looking forward to this one.

.
 
PoliticalChic, I noticed you bolded the term "American exceptionalism", so I have a couple of questions:

What is your long-version definition of American exceptionalism? I know there are multiple definitions, but I'd like to see what you feel it is.

And, if we are indeed exceptional, how do you feel that manifests? What does it get us, why does it matter if we're exceptional or not?

Thanks.

.

I appreciate the opportunity to point out what others have said on this quesstion...


Okay, so let me try to distill a bit and let me know if I'm close here.

Per the Kennedy speech and the general outlook of those who believe in American exceptionalism, we are "the watchmen on the walls of world freedom", and that we have an obligation to remember that "the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength". I also see the word "destiny" in there.

So, and here's the part I'd like to have you confirm, are you saying that:

1. We are exceptional as a result of the intervention of divine providence?

2. Being "watchmen on the walls of world freedom" not only allows us, but obligates us to intervene in the affairs of other countries if we determine that their level of freedom is not acceptable to us?

3. Our ability to determine the acceptable level of freedom in other sovereign countries has been given to us by God? In other words, He has made us judge and jury?

Thanks for the first response, looking forward to this one.

.

I really liked answering this one....but it was kind of long...I gave it its own OP....

...it can be found here:


http://www.usmessageboard.com/history/237145-the-source-of-american-exceptionalism.html
 

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