this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2023
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Pretty easy to imagine really.
Republicans are republicans because either
A. they are greedy with the money that they have (or imagine they will have in the future)
B. they are super religious and socially conservative (anti-lgbt etc.)
C. they are gun nuts
D. they are racist
or
E. they are a combination of the above
For some people (like the gay conservative group mentioned here), reason A is the most important of all reasons to choose a political party; they also discount the fact that very many people in the republican party have B as an important reason for being republicans themselves. Until moments like this that is...
What's crazy, from a European point of view, is that they act as if Democrats are a bunch of leftists who would redistribute their hard-earned money, when they would be considered economically right-wing here in Europe. The disconnect is insane "I've got mine, so I'm just going to ignore all the GOP reactionary bullshit, 'cause, you know, capitalism and small government and America fuck yeah."
In America the Democratic party is made up of several sub groups. There are 'Progressive' Democrats, like Bernie Sanders, and 'Conservative' Democrats, like Joe Manchin. Largely the Democrats in America fall under what most people would consider to be Neoliberals.
Due to America's voting system third parties are often better off running under the banner of one of the two large parties, siding with the one they closest align with.
People tend to strawman the entire party based on their most radical sects.
The extremisim that a political party is unwilling to stop says a lot about the party's principles, I'd think.
which is why the Overton window always drifts deosil. Neolinerals are right leaning enough for them to lose their balance and take a step right every few years.
I'd argue it's actually shifting left, and bumping neoliberal views left, and this has been happening since Clinton
Arguably since Bush 1 since had more of a social focus than Reagan.
The "bumping" is what you would describe is "taking a step right." The more rightward neoliberal views aren't a new right direction, but a refinement of classical ones (either through adaptation or loss of that part of the neoliberal base to R). E.g. libertarians should align with neolibs, but generally align R, largely due to social policy, they were lost via leftward shift.
Sounds like wishful thinking to me.
Implying I like all of these changes is a bit of a reach. Social issues sure, but Biden is too protectionist for my tastes. Free Trade and open borders please
There's no such thing as 100% Free Trade and Borders and there never will be. Trade restrictions are favorable to going to war, and a true open border is an excuse for every country to unload all their criminals.
Sanctions are not generally considered when discussing free trade.
I'm all about them sending their criminals. We'll make em prosperous Americans instead. An accident of birth should not define where you live.
Anyone with half a brain sees it that way, which obviously excludes a large swath of Americans 😅.
i was a right libertarian at one time.
The more research i did, right libertarianism just didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t reconcile their politics because i have empathy. I wish i was lying. These are selfish fucks who twisted the word to fit their needs.
There's also rich white gays who only join/participate for social appearances.
"Did you hear John is gay?"
"Oh yes, but it's okay, he's a Log Cabin"
And then no one knows who you vote for, so it's whatever.
Sounds weird but I assure you this happens.
Though it seems that B through D threaten A increasingly more. Seems that people in the A camp would be giving up on the Republican party, what with them risking economic disaster towards the end of advancing their other interests.
There are plenty of gun owners that vote progressive fwiw, I say this because “gun nut” reads as “gun owner” to many, and understandably so.
It's fair. I don't know of anyone outside the US with such an affinity for guns that they get offended when you mention anything about gun control, be it conservative or progressive.
Bragging about your firearms raises suspicion and is seen in bad taste where I live. I wish USians could see how weird their gun fever is to outsiders.
It's a bit of a sensationalized way of putting it.
You also forgot the Libertarian group who see them as the slighlely lesser of two evils. To be fair those would be more Republican voters rather than card carrying party members.
They're idiots then, if they don't see the Republicans marching us all towards fascism