Quote:
Originally Posted by Weiser Wonder
I disagree.
While politics in Canada are much more reasonable than in the United States, I find that this is more the product of the system and culture of the United States, rather than a general unwillingness to be reasonable.
The United States is in a curious political position, where 30% of the country is right wing, to the point that they are unreasonable. That sounds like liberal rhetoric, but it's not. The far right wing cannot be debated with because they don't use reason, they use God and other stringent ideologies to justify their beliefs. Why isn't healthcare reform a good idea? Because God doesn't want it. You cannot debate that point and reasonable discussion dies there.
Though 70% of the country is reasonable, they are stuck with the Democrats. The Democrats are driving off the tracks as we speak, so the American people will be looking for a check on this corporatism with a side of incompetence. What's the check? The Republicans. People will vote Republican in order to have some sort of voice, which gives a completely unreasonable party ideologically, a political foothold in America.
The entire political spectrum in Canada would side with the Democrats ideologically, sans perhaps the Wildrose Party.
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You make a lot of good points. I'll just add that there are some unreasonable people on the left too--up in the Northeast particularly.
But I take your overall point to be that there is really no liberal voice in the political conversation--and I definitely agree. There's a huge disconnect between the political appetites of the people and politics as it's practised in Washington. Health Care reform is a perfect example--there's appetite for reform, people want it, they start demanding it...
And Washington produces a giant **** sandwich, slaps a label on it that says "Health Care for Everyone" and says "OK, America! Chow down!"