+2 votes
321 views
in Politics & Government ✌ by

With encouragement from Didge, I have been experimenting with the Q/A website Qu0ra. After a few false starts (I do NOT get along well with AI), I seem to be getting along better...and, here is a very interesting comment posted in response to a question asking why so many people on Quora seem to be left-leaning progressives. The responder is (I think) saying that it just appears that Qu0ra is so progressive because the USA overall is very right-wing. 

So I am attempting to assimilate all this, which I am NOT very interested in, because (sniff) without my input the country seems to have gotten really balled-up, somehow...so if you would be so kind, your impressions? Is the USA a right-wing, conservative nation overall, on balance? Here is what the responder wrote:

* * *

"Because the US is probably among the most right wing countries in the world right now. In fact, why am I saying "right now"? It always has been. Even under a Democrat President, Senate and Congress.

"The centre ground in US politics, if it exists, is possibly somewhere in the region of

  • leaving people to fend for themselves and die in poverty when they are no longer economically useful" 
  • (and then he listed 10-12 other similar points, this was the first)

4 Answers

+3 votes
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If a country let people to die when they are not economically useful, it is a country without socialism and social justice. It is pure capitalism. It is a right wing country.

Can you give a link to question, answer or your Quora profile?

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Yes Kninjanin, I will find it and add it here...

* * *

Kninjanin, here is a post from a Canadian who does NOT like Trump...he is very blunt, and I am finding I really like reading what people from other countries say about the USA. None of it that I have seen so far is good!

https://www.quora.com/Should-Canada-amend-its-constitution-in-order-to-make-it-like-the-US-so-that-the-freedom-of-speech-cannot-be-violated/answer/Scott-Welch

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Virginia, I couldn't help but notice in your Quora link, the phrase, "laughingstock of the world".

"I know it’s really hard for Americans to grasp this, but you have literally no idea how your country is viewed internationally now. You are the laughingstock of the world."

This is one of the stock phrases that the SJWs repeat over and over. If I were of a suspicious nature, I would begin to think they all get their marching orders from one place.  :D :D :D

I googled "trump laughing stock" and got 10,700,000 hits.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-ab&q=trump+laughing+stock&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwih6qmOioncAhWyt1kKHVUbBRAQBQgmKAA&biw=1600&bih=743

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Tink I just found this, it did not show up on my feed!

And yes, even as gullible as I am, even I can see that on Quora, the thinking about TheDonald is just a bit over-biased...:D

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Just a bit.  :D

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Tink, I actually wish I had listed the Quora file, because I think that post was from outside the USA. I do take less seriously internal criticism but there is A GREAT DEAL from other countries...I am still considering what that might mean.

Canadians of course very much on edge since the truly awful comments of Trump.

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Yes, Virginia, I think Trump is not very well-liked abroad, mostly because of his brashness, and partly because of what he said about European NATO members not ponying up their fair share of defense costs; they got used to prospering while we footed the bill for their protection since WW2.

I just got back from a week in Ireland.  I didn't hear anything about Trump, but I did hear a joke about Canadians from a tour guide.

Question: What is the difference between a canoe and a Canuck?

Answer: A canoe might tip. :)

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THAT is a very clever and funny joke! Delighted you took such an excursion, Ireland in summer would be so lovely...:)

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Yes, we had a great time.  I was especially impressed by the Book of Kells, housed in Trinity College, Dublin. I always find myself getting teary when I see ancient artifacts like that. I'm reminded of the best line in  Raiders of the Lost Ark, when in a standoff with the Nazis, Indiana Jones threatens to blow up the Ark with a bazooka. The Nazi archaeologist calls his bluff, saying, "Indiana, you and I, we merely pass through history. This, this Ark, IS history."

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Aw that's lovely Tink :cheerful:  <3  gf the writer who gave voice to the Nazi archaeologist.

+2 votes
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It kind of seems that way at the present but I don't believe it always has been. I still believe in the center and don't get involved in politics enough to really know the real truth.

I sure didn't see us as a right wing country during Obama's reign or lack thereof.

There are people on every website out there with different opinions about these things. I recently left one because of the arguing and bickering and name calling over it. I usually just posted a picture and backed away.

image

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ROOSTER!!!!!  :O

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@Tink: What? I didn du nuffin! :D

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@ Rooster:  

Then you and Marky had better go on the dark web and find out who's been hacking your account:blush:

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@ Synyster:

On here... someone's been using Rooster's account to post salacious pics of nekked women again.

Wouldn't surprise me if they hack into your account next.  :O :blush: :ermm: :) :D

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@ Synyster:

I hope he's denied internet privileges when he's in the slammer. :)

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She even looks good to me, Rooster, I like her red shoes and her tattoos, plus she has attitude!

+2 votes
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"Because the US is probably among the most right wing countries in the world right now. In fact, why am I saying "right now"?  It always has been.  Even under a Democrat President, Senate and Congress."

I find it difficult to take a comment like that seriously. That writer seems to have little or no knowledge of history. Was FDR right up there with Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Salazar, Horthy, Antonescu, Chiang Kai-shek or Tojo, for example?  I hope the quality of that post is not typical of Quora. I suspect the writer is an unhinged SJW of the sort we have been discussing lately. :ermm:

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@Tink : I agree!

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Tink I just learned Kninjanin already has an account there...I am seeing lots of political posts, some even I can figure out are a bit skewed...others like this I see over and over...idk, I have myself been amazed at some of the narrowness.

However, I am finding I cannot seem to differentiate right-wing from left-wing, liberal from conservative...that is, unless they themselves post what they think they are. There is one Navy man, he posted high praise of President Trump in a list. So I bookmarked it, I was going to ask you and Rooster what you thought of the points he listed. And I wrote and thanked him; but I think he took his post down because my bookmark is gone! The liberals were all over him I feel sure.

* * *

Here is one example of the strange liberal v. conservative, which is which, and it comes from that YouTube video (very interesting) on Bismarck. The author, Steinberg, said Bismarck did not like anything liberal. Democracy was okay with Bismarck, but liberalism was not, and liberalism included limiting the power of government.

Well I thought strong central government was liberal, and limiting government was conservative! Maybe i got that wrong...I listened to that part twice...but maybe I will look at it again. It was highly interesting, the audience was asking why Bismarck for instance allowed the treaty to be so harsh on France after the 1870 war. Answer was maybe Bismarck didn't have any choice.

I learned Bismarck was hypochondriac, misogynist...and a genius. Nobody liked him AT ALL, but Wilhelm I knew he was a genius and kept him on...oh, and the video explained the continuity over into Hitler, established by Bismarck in the process of unifying Germany; It was the semi-absolutism. Worked so well with Bismarck + Wilhelm I, Germany kept trying to duplicate that over again. (Theory only of course.)

Whew long post, sorry, ima get tea now.

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Yes, Virginia, I think Bismarck was not generally liked on a personal level, but don't forget, nobody personally liked Beethoven either.

And who likes big government, liberals or conservatives?  Hmmm... I think it depends on who is in power.

Liberals loved big federal govt under Obama, but now, especially CA libs, love states' rights. :D

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@Tink: Please don't lump us all together! That's their problem, not mine! :D

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Oh, I don't lump you together, Rooster.  I know you're not a CA lib. :D

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Rooster, would you consider yourself, on balance, to be more conservative in your views? All my adult life, I would ABSOLUTELY consider my views liberal, progressive... now, idk any more...sometimes I seem to have more in common with those who carry 'conservative' label...

I remember both you and Tink came out close to center on that Political Compass test.

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@Virginia: Yes, I would consider myself more on the conservative side rather than liberal. I also seem to sit in the center on most topics but I don't always agree with either side at times. So, I guess I'm pretty close on that test although a little more to the right.

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Received Rooster and upvote.

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+1
Hi Rooster
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+1

@ Jazzy! I will follow you! Good to see you.

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+1

:-)

+1 vote
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Virginia, on Quora most of the questions in the catagories i respond to are asked by liberals but answered by conservatives.  Not a lot of give and take like you see here and did on Sodahead.  Just a long list of answers to questions.  

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Oh, I just found this Skycruiser! I would agree about the give-&-take on Quora...or lack thereof...this site SOLVED is tiny, but I find better/deeper opinions insights here than Quora with its millions of members, I do believe.

ima look for that about the liberal questioners and conservative responders!

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Try the subject of guns and gun control.  Very few adherents to gun control in the answers.  But lots of gun advocates answering questions like, "why do you need more than one gun?"  Lots of Democrats are on the 2A side of the coin.  Itʻs not just a conservative thing - but they do seem to make up the majority.  Where ever you stand on the issue, though, itʻs unfortunate that the gun control crowd that pose the questions on the forum show a distinct lack of brain power.

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Oh Skycruiser, I am laughing...the gun control bit...lacking brain power? I have not seen those items, prolly not in my feed...

But just for the record, YES I am for gun control...I began shooting at the age of five when my father first took me out, and I hit all the little discs...by the age of twelve I was a crack shot. I liked the 30-06 (is that how you write thirty-ot-six?) except the kick hurt my shoulder...

Then 1980's in Seattle, I was threatened by bad person, and decided to give up my beautiful beloved guns because I never wanted to be tempted to use them on a human being. I gave them to the police, and they destroyed some but one officer, his F-I-L was a gun collector and gave me some money for the special ones.

But even ordinary people now DO NOT understand gun safety and I am convinced we need to back off and get some better protocol in place.

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Now, Iʻm laughing, too.  What is it with Seattle and ʻbadʻ people?  First I had a husband that beat me to a pulp, almost killed a puppy and threatened our toddler son.  I got rid of him, only to have a stalker that broke my door down and pull a knife on me.

Ex-husband with major "anger management issues" had guns but for some reason they were never part of the problem - ever - in all his life.  He was the one who taught our son respect for the weapons and how to hunt.  

Iʻm a firm believer in the second amendment but I see no conflict in requiring purchasers to provide certification of competency in safety and use.  And heavy penalties for use in a crime or failure to secure weapons and ammunition safely.  Long gone are the days we could store rifles over the fireplace in the antlers from a deer - or in the back window of a pick up truck!

Yep, 30-06 is how you write thirty-ought-six (I like spell it out). Iʻve used one (that husband) as well as a 12 gauge shot gun that threw me literally on my back.  My favorite rifle is the AR15 because the kick, or recoil, is so mild and it has low muzzle rise too, (remember that?) making that second shot as accurate as the first.

Iʻm with you on never wanting to use a gun on a human being.  I donʻt even want to shoot a deer or rabbit.  But, shooting at a target offers the same challenge I have with my recurve bow or darts.

And yes,I also think there are some people who should lose their right to own a firearm just as there are those who by their own actions lose their freedom.  

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Skycruiser, I enjoyed reading your comments...the opportunity to know you a bit here...and your username is delightful!

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