Is the Left - Right Paradigm Obsolete?

[C_Clayton_Jones]

For Christ's ******* sake Windbag, is it not possible to have any discussion around here at all without you oozing in and flaming everybody just to see your name in print?

Give it a ******* REST, dood.

Not going to happen, hence manual ignore – which is recommend.

 

[Pogo]

True.

Unfortunately, however obsolete and inaccurate, we’re stuck with these political labels for reasons of rhetorical economy; and although they may not be appropriate with regard to a particular individual, they do exist as recognized and sanctioned political dogma that can be used as a general reference.

I would say labels are the crutch of the intellectually indolent, those who can't be bothered to listen to the person's points and would rather take the easy route of interviewing their own strawman. It's a dehumanizing process since it ignores everything that makes that POV unique.

"Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Exactly.

It is in essence a form of rhetorical warfare where the ‘enemy’ must be dehumanized to facilitate the attack.

Rather than attacking the person the idea should be challenged.

I somewhat agree... though I think labeling is a kind of intellectual sloth more than a pro-active stroke. A manifestation of being too lazy to consider the issue as presented, favoring instead the issue as preconceived. The fallacy in these generalizations is not ascribing philosophies to the right or left, but in ascribing personality traits, including intent. Ironically, another thread on labelism was just created but soon devolved into "yes it's a fallacy but we can use labels because you guys are all (label...label...label). I won't even bother to link it. Sad commentary.

Anyway, to be clear, and on topic, that's not a right or left thing, that's a personal individual fault.

 

[uhkilleez]

The left-right paradigm is obsolete in terms of those in which we follow, and not so much in the ideologies they once stood for. Anyone who was comprehensibly alive for both the Bush and Obama administrations should understand full well that there is no longer a substantial difference between Republican and Democrat, all there is are corporations who wish to maintain control over the public, and the politicians who give in to their lobbying tactics in order to purchase their position of power.

 

[The Rabbi]

The left-right paradigm is obsolete in terms of those in which we follow, and not so much in the ideologies they once stood for. Anyone who was comprehensibly alive for both the Bush and Obama administrations should understand full well that there is no longer a substantial difference between Republican and Democrat, all there is are corporations who wish to maintain control over the public, and the politicians who give in to their lobbying tactics in order to purchase their position of power.

Yawn.
Do we really need another brain-dead poster spouting crap about "there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats" and "they are all controlled by the (Zionist) banksters"?
We have our quota of crazy here. Go somewhere else.

 

[Sallow]

No

 

[uhkilleez]

The left-right paradigm is obsolete in terms of those in which we follow, and not so much in the ideologies they once stood for. Anyone who was comprehensibly alive for both the Bush and Obama administrations should understand full well that there is no longer a substantial difference between Republican and Democrat, all there is are corporations who wish to maintain control over the public, and the politicians who give in to their lobbying tactics in order to purchase their position of power.

Yawn.
Do we really need another brain-dead poster spouting crap about "there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats" and "they are all controlled by the (Zionist) banksters"?
We have our quota of crazy here. Go somewhere else.

At which point did I claim they were consumed by Jews? They aren't, they are consumed by greed. Money is power, and power is domination. Yourself and sallow alike would do well to consider what you could do with the power of wealth, it has nothing to do with a Zionist movement.

 

[The Rabbi]

The left-right paradigm is obsolete in terms of those in which we follow, and not so much in the ideologies they once stood for. Anyone who was comprehensibly alive for both the Bush and Obama administrations should understand full well that there is no longer a substantial difference between Republican and Democrat, all there is are corporations who wish to maintain control over the public, and the politicians who give in to their lobbying tactics in order to purchase their position of power.

Yawn.
Do we really need another brain-dead poster spouting crap about "there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats" and "they are all controlled by the (Zionist) banksters"?
We have our quota of crazy here. Go somewhere else.

At which point did I claim they were consumed by Jews? They aren't, they are consumed by greed. Money is power, and power is domination. Yourself and sallow alike would do well to consider what you could do with the power of wealth, it has nothing to do with a Zionist movement.

Yawn. More OWS crap.
Is there anyone NOT "consumed with greed"? What does that even mean??

 

[editec]

It is illogical for two words to encompass the entire people in the USA and their political ideology.

yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes

GOD BLESS YOU, Moonglow.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

It is illogical for two words to encompass the entire people in the USA and their political ideology.

Good point. Yet, logic is many times subservient to emotion.

Only for extremes and they don't comprise most voters in this nation.

 

[Darkwind]

Yes you're a seasoned veteran. Or maybe you've just been on this same forum for too long? There are other avenues of debate. I have no necessity to bow to your expertise at typing.

I'd rather you throw counterpoints to anything I said rather than prattle on about how much of a seasoned veteran of the message board you are. Is it the practice of the members of this forum to shrug off anyone with good points as newbies?

Open my eyes then and show me how great at debating you are while stuck in your modicum forced on you by the programming of the parties everyone here so fervently defends.

Next time read the letters in red you highlight. DEBATE forum. Don't waste my time with you holier than thou god complex king of the message board attitude.

Like I said. Pretty sad.

Perhaps if you show a bit of talent to think critically and reason out the point of the words highlighted in red?

Maybe I'll just spell it out for you as I don't have any more time to spend here tonight.

Everyone comes here with the intent to debate. What they soon discover is that this is NOT A DEBATE forum.

Don't believe Me?

Spend an hour reading current and past threads and replies. Maybe you'll get it then.

I don't know what you call the discussions on USMB but certainly I wouldn't call them debates.

I don't even call them discussions. This place in nothing more than a penis throw down (not to be confused with a penis hoedown, which entails dancing by effete doods in tutus) in an effort to see who has the most testosterone.

 

[ShawnChris13]

Like I said. Pretty sad.

Perhaps if you show a bit of talent to think critically and reason out the point of the words highlighted in red?

Maybe I'll just spell it out for you as I don't have any more time to spend here tonight.

Everyone comes here with the intent to debate. What they soon discover is that this is NOT A DEBATE forum.

Don't believe Me?

Spend an hour reading current and past threads and replies. Maybe you'll get it then.

I don't know what you call the discussions on USMB but certainly I wouldn't call them debates.

I don't even call them discussions. This place in nothing more than a penis throw down (not to be confused with a penis hoedown, which entails dancing by effete doods in tutus) in an effort to see who has the most testosterone.

If we spent more time debating points and not pointing out how this isn't a debate forum we might get to debate. Instead we will pretend that having an account created on a message board makes you wise in the ways of the world if you e been there long enough.

 

[Katzndogz]

In reality, there isn't a middle of the road position that's rising. The left and right are dividing further.

 

[dblack]

In my view, the ideological divide that exists in the nation, isn't the same as the divide between the left/right as represented by the Democrats and Republicans. Libertarians, especially, are given lip service by whichever party is out of power, and then duly ignored once that party takes office.

 

[ShawnChris13]

As far as they're dividing we could find a middle ground. The parties are fighting the ends of the spectrum with the idea that whoever wins wins. There is no wining, this is politics. The middle ground is the only thing that should be looked for in politics.

 

[Pogo]

The left-right paradigm is obsolete in terms of those in which we follow, and not so much in the ideologies they once stood for. Anyone who was comprehensibly alive for both the Bush and Obama administrations should understand full well that there is no longer a substantial difference between Republican and Democrat, all there is are corporations who wish to maintain control over the public, and the politicians who give in to their lobbying tactics in order to purchase their position of power.

Yawn.
Do we really need another brain-dead poster spouting crap about "there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats" and "they are all controlled by the (Zionist) banksters"?
We have our quota of crazy here. Go somewhere else.

It's always telling when some wag finds an idea so threatening that they want to chase it away... let alone inject red herrings...

Ultimately we live in an oligarchic duopoly figureheaded by two puppet parties with little more difference between them than their color theme. We don't elect representatives; we elect puppets. "Left" and "right" may be legitimate political analysis terms, but to apply them to what we have to work with in the real world is largely illusory.

 

[Dot Com]

In reality, there isn't a middle of the road position that's rising. The left and right are dividing further.

I think this discussion went over your head. The left/right paradigm are merely subsets of the group of *cough* "people" who REALLY call the shots. The left/right window dressing is just to make you think your vote makes a difference. Glad to help.

 

[Wry Catcher]

If the Left-Right Paradigm has merit and is worthwhile in describing political activism, then the leaders of each should be easy to identify. Anyone willing to name names and describe what the named party hopes to accomplish?

 

[The Rabbi]

If the Left-Right Paradigm has merit and is worthwhile in describing political activism, then the leaders of each should be easy to identify. Anyone willing to name names and describe what the named party hopes to accomplish?

Left: Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Wasserman Shultz, others.
Federal control over most business. Increased regulation over business and personal lives. Higher taxes.

Right: Cruz, Walker, others.
The opposite of what the Left wants.

 

[Dot Com]

which party's President signed the DHS into law? If that aint Big Gov't, I don't know what is.

Regardless, they both work for the same people (the ones who fill the campaign coffers and give them fake jobs w/ exorbitant salaries after leaving Washington DC.

 

[jasonnfree]

Basically, it is still the Federalists of New England versus the Jeffersonians in the Heartland.

The Federalists are winning because they understand the tendency toward Decline of Societies.

They have mastered the art of borrowing money to give out free stuff in exchange for votes; and so have gained control of such groups as are happy on the Federal Plantation.

But, they couldn't borrow enough to fully fund ObamaCare, and they wound up sending the Middle Class a bill---due and payable now.

So, the Jeffersonians may do pretty well in the next election.

I never read on this site tea baggers, conservatives, Jeffersonians and the like complain about free stuff going to corporations and the extremely wealthy, including their ability to influence politics with big money. How about the supremes declaring corporations people? Nope, just whine about free stuff for votes.