What the left believes versus what the right believes

I am sick and tired of being called a communist or socialist. My problem with people on the right is they are always trying to label people. People on the right are always determined to define what it means to be on the left. I'm sure people could possibly perceive the left as being the same way with the right. But I don't think people on the left have the "my way or the highway" mentality as strong as the people on the right do.

Recently I was in a thread and someone posted the following:

"The right believes in small government, and big freedom. "

"the left believes in big gov and restriction of rights"

This is a rather derogatory and negative way of looking at the left. So given than I am a liberal Democrat and much further to the left the many of the Trump cultists posting on ATS everyday here is my way of characterization left versus right. I tried to do this a little more fairly but it is impossible for me not to be a little derogatory of the right.

The right believes in anarchy, laissez faire capitalism, exploitation of workers, gouging consumers, freedom from consumer protections laws, and paying politicians to pass laws preventing competition in order to have monopolies and cartels.

The left believes government has a role in regulating businesses and ensuring free-markets, protecting consumers, protecting workers rights with public policies, and tempering the excesses and inequalities created by laissez faire capitalism.

It's kind of mind boggling to me the way the right thinks. It's always all or nothing. I see government has a role in curbing the abuses of power by having so much wealth concentrated into so few hands. However, if you say anything at all, even the most mildest regulation, the response is like a nuclear bomb of absolutes like calling someone a "communist". If you propose one small law at all for regulating business you are supposedly eliminating private ownership of companies in some people's eyes. It's either absolute freedom or communism. There is no in between.

I think government has a role in promoting the commonwealth and general welfare. I think the words of FDR best characterize what in means to be liberal Democrat.

"An old English judge once said: 'Necessitous men are not free men.' Liberty requires opportunity to make a living - a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.

For too many of us the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people's property, other people's money, other people's labor - other people's lives. For too many of us life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.

Against economic tyranny such as this, the American citizen could appeal only to the organized power of government."

Speech before the 1936 Democratic National Convention

I don't think Republicans and people on the right get to define what it means to be on the left. I think what it means to be on the left is mostly the responsibility of people who ARE on the left.

I do not have much hope things are going to change with people on the right. People are the right are not going to evolve into having the ability to make compromises.

Until the dollar collapses to nothing in value the majority of people really do not care much about politics. And if they did I'm not sure the way the system is rigged anyone could really do anything about it. The real owners of this country are never going to allow any real change from our scarcity economy no matter how much gains come in productivity from automation. Scarcity and controlling access is the source of the billionaires power.

"I don't think people on the left have the "my way or the highway" mentality as strong as the people on the right do."

I stopped reading right there...

a reply to: dfnj2015

I don't think Republicans and people on the right get to define what it means to be on the left. I think what it means to be on the left is mostly the responsibility of people who ARE on the left.

Wow that would be horrible if one Side tried to do something like that, wouldn't it?

I mean the MSM and the Democrats NEVER do that............ Good thing they are such honest and moral people.

a reply to: recrisp

Why?

While it is possible that "you" do not have that mentality. It certainly is a prevalent mentality in many on the right.

originally posted by: grey580
a reply to: recrisp

Why?

While it is possible that "you" do not have that mentality. It certainly is a prevalent mentality in many on the right.

No, I stopped reading right there because it was the limit to my vocabulary, after all, I voted for Trump.

a reply to: dfnj2015

I am sick and tired of being called a communist or socialist.

Pro Tip: If you stop quoting Karl Marx and stop backing Democatic Socialist politicians, perhaps that would stop.

Yeah, I am an actual leftists, which means I am demonized by the American liberals for being a right winger, and by the American conservatives for being a commie.

And I’ll note that the liberals think anyone who disagrees with them are just horrible people. And the liberals generally buy naively into the fake democratic neoliberalism, thinking that the corporatist Warhawk neoliberals really mean well for the world, and just implement it very badly.

And then there’s the conservatives, who think anyone who disagrees with them are just idiots. They also buy the bs from the republicans, and think it’s just mistakes when the budget continues to balloon under their own party, naively not realizing that their own party loves big budgets and waste and fraud, AND immigration just as much as the corporatist neoliberals.

And both groups miss the fact that they are in a class war, with their representatives and corporations on one side and all the citizens on the other, and that they have already lost again and again. But maybe if they vote for their enemies and overlords one. More. Time. Then maybe some of that trickle down will come their way.

I never cared for the left right mentality. I also dislike both parties because they both do a couple of things I firmly object to which is tax people differently and force everyone to pay for non essential services.

It's insane that I pay a higher % of my income in taxes than someone like Warren Buffet. It's also insane that most pay nothing at all when they absolutely could pay 10%.

The other thing is being forced to pay for things that are not needed. PBS, NPR, Planned Parenthood they are getting millions and millions in donations. Why do we have to pay for it. Why not give the government the money back equal to the amount they get in donations. It's nonsense.

At least let me choose which non essential services I want to give to if I have to give. Mine would all go to local organizations of like. If they start doing a horrible job then I can switch it the following year.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Unless the left starts policing itself to weed out all the loudest voices that label anyone and everyone a racist/nazi then there is no high ground for the left to stand.

Maybe you don't realize it, but both sides have a huge problem when it comes to unfairly labeling people. Nor am I seeing compromise coming from either side, but I do see both sides attacking freedoms they are just coming at it from different angles.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Left = evil

Right = good.

a reply to: dfnj2015

What i have learned specially here on ats: to be a right wing is more a personal thing, its about paranoia, anger and fear. They rather attack some teenagers instead of questioning the actions of egomaniac business mans. In germany they are a minority maybe 10 percent of the population, and the world should be happy about that. And we as germans are working hard to fight these kind of idiology because we have learned our lesson.

Oh, and another aspect of non essential services; they NEVER have enough money. They always want more more more.

PBS is constantly doing fundraisers. They should not be doing fundraisers on air. The government already gave them money to provide content. If they are fundraising on air they are not providing that service and they are not providing it with all their corporate donor commercials. I find it beyond sickening they get away with this year after year and they get richer and richer while robbing the public of content they paid for in full.

originally posted by: recrisp
"I don't think people on the left have the "my way or the highway" mentality as strong as the people on the right do."

I stopped reading right there...

I don't know what you are talking about. Democrats are notorious for not having any backbone and capitulating with Republicans.

I sum it up like this...

The right believes in teaching a man to fish...

The left believes in taking my fish and giving it to someone who refuses to fish while announcing to the world they cured hunger...

a reply to: dfnj2015

You're sick of being called a socialist?

Then stop spam-posting about how great socialism is.

Just a thought.

Could someone PLEASE answer the following 2 questions:

Per the Merry Webster:

"Definition of fascism
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition"

That describes the reign of two of the biggest mass murders in history; Hitler and Stalin.

So does that mean that the Nazi's and Soviets were both Fascist too?
As we know, the Nazi's and Soviets were both Socialist; the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

So does that standard American English definition mean that AOC and her ilk are not just socialist – not just Nazis and Commies - but that they are Fascist too?

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: dfnj2015

I am sick and tired of being called a communist or socialist.

Pro Tip: If you stop quoting Karl Marx and stop backing Democatic Socialist politicians, perhaps that would stop.

You bring up a great point. If Marx's brings up powerful and succinct criticisms of laissez faire capitalism, why does the right not listen at all to what he is saying instead of just engaging in character assassination of the author. Who cares who said? If what Marx is saying is right what difference does it make.

Understanding what is wrong with laissez faire capitalism is a completely different discussion than what public policies we should have to address it. I wish you were capable enough to see the distinction I am making.

This is kind of the point of the whole thread. With you way of thinking there is no compromise and nothing is to be done. I think government has a role to play but I am not advocating the elimination of private property. It's always one or the other with you people.

Republicans do not like being called racist facist sympathizers. They way I understand your post is this. Stop having a point of view different than my right wing way of thinking and we will be nice to you. It's YOUR way or the highway. QED.

originally posted by: Edumakated
I sum it up like this...

The right believes in teaching a man to fish...

The left believes in taking my fish and giving it to someone who refuses to fish while announcing to the world they cured hunger...

They would never admit curing hunger. They would say it's an even bigger problem now and they need more fish because single mothers are having more kids and those kids are demanding they have a basic human right to a median level of fish for life.

a reply to: dfnj2015
So..... Has Marxism or Capitalism been the more successful system?

Just asking for clarity.