[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Sorry, I was just heading out, didn't have time to elaborate - allow me. MarchHare explains well what seems to be happening in the US. The political spectrum, as we know, is further to the right of what we're used to in Canada. A moderate democrat is probably more similar to a 'conservative' here in Canada. Further to MarchHare's point, the far right in the US seems to have a place in the mainstream, so while ultra right-wing loonies like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly have widely broadcasted platforms, the far left in the US is relegated to what? the blogs and the occasional NPR program? If you would assume that either form of extremism is bad, the far right has far more influence on society and therefore more scary - the far left is for all intents and purposes irrelivant.

This group of ultra-conservatives also has co-opted the republican party inciting a cultural war in the US centred largely on social and what they believe to be moral and religious issues. It has this bent of hyper-nationalism, is anti-immigrantion, anti-muslim, homophopic and lots of other stances that, from my perspective, are quite scary. On the other hand, the far-left seems to be based a lot less on fear, ignorance and hate and besides being far less relevant, is innocuous.

Western world doesn't need radical far-left when it has marxists such as John Pilger winning mainstream journalist awards.

In my perspective mainstream left does more damage than Rush Limbaugh because it holds actual power and not a microphone.