General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHas anyone else ever been called "Far/Extreme Left"? Mystifying, isn't it?
Silly me, I'd always assumed that the designation applied to Marxist-Leninists or Maoists, but in the good ol' USA, the only prerequisites involve advocating universal health care, living wages and the cessation of drone-bombings.
When did sensible progressive platforms become revolutionary (particularly within the Democratic Party itself)?
shenmue
(38,503 posts)It's a religious one, and almost everyone there is a right-winger. Sometimes I feel like giving up, but then, I want to keep reminding them that not all people of faith are crazy right-wingers like them.
RKP5637
(67,032 posts)Party itself)?
When the power brokers in the democratic party decided they could only win elections by acting like republicans and the march ever rightward.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)talking about welfare queens and all those other commie institutions.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Gothmog
(144,005 posts)I find this charge to be amusing
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)anyone applies that designation based on the criteria you suggest; but rather, how these progressive platforms are presented.
For example, advocating for universal health care has one on the left; advocating universal health and being willing to risk getting no reforms to health care, has one on the far/extreme Left ... advocating for a living wage has one on the left; advocating a living wage of $15.00 and being willing to risk getting no raise in the MW, has one on the far/extreme Left ... advocating for the cessation of the drone program has one on the left (probably); advocating the cessation of the drone program with no room for its usage ... ever, has one on the far/extreme Left.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)That doesnt make any sense. I am very familiar with people that strongly advocated for universal health care. They did everything they could and none of their actions risked losing it all.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)you do not recall the calls for fighting for UHC/a Public Option, even if it would have scuttled the ACA?
ETA: You don't recall the calls to "Go over the cliff" because there were insufficient tax cuts to the wealthy?
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Those that you label "the extreme left" marched against the Iraq war. Would you say their actions were jeopardizing Bush's war efforts which were supported by the centrist Democrats? Did you support the centrist Democrats when they kissed King Georgie's feet and sent our troops to their deaths.
Explain to me what issues the extremists on the left have that you disagree with.
The extremists on the left disapprove of the TPP. I am guessing you think they are too extreme and that we should bow down to H. Clinton-Sachs and Penny Pritzker, and let the corporations rule.
The ACA was a great accomplishment, but unlike the sorry-assed centrists, I am not satisfied. I will continue to fight for universal health care. Call me names if it makes you feel better, but I am a proud extreme leftist.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Last edited Fri Jan 24, 2014, 11:19 AM - Edit history (1)
You don't recall the out-rage here on DU when the ACA came out and did not include the P/O? You don't recall all the cries that it should have been included even if it didn't have the votes? Surely, you remember this thread (just to cite one of probably hundreds): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5843431
Those are not those that "I" call the extreme Left.
I disagree with extremists whenever they would reject the doable imperfect for the undoable perfect. And I have provided examples.
I don't know anyone, that favored U/C or single-payer, that is "satisfied with" the ACA ... it doesn't go far enough and still maintains an unnecessary for-profit 3rd party. But that "unsatisfiedness" is not what makes one an extremist; that designation is for thoserejecting the ACA for what should have been.
Finally, a sure sign of extremism is finding solace in playing the victim in online posts where you would have someone "calling you names", where that never happened.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)that by actually taking a stance against the teabaggers, we'd be somehow putting the party and the country at risk.
Reason, like actual Dem policy, has no place in the BOG.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)health care too much? Basically the message is shut your mouth and accept what your authoritarian leaders give you.
TheKentuckian
(24,949 posts)I don't think the best negotiation strategy is yes at any cost but we all have our own perspectives.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)Democrats will let the 1% push us before they fight back. On second thought, they will never fight back because they are authoritarians and will take what their leaders dish out.
adigal
(7,581 posts)Any more tax credits.
Go figure.
JHB
(37,133 posts)Crap like that is why I coined the term "Eisenhower socialist".
That is brilliant.
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)broiles
(1,361 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Chan790
(20,176 posts)It's not the end of the world.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)American cable tv paradigms.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)If you stand up for working Americans and their families not getting screwed by the elite that bought this country. ..
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)I wasn't aware that FDR Democratic Values = EXTREMERADICALMOOSLIMLENNONISTLEFTIST.
It's unbelievable the water that people carry for a supremely overpaid handful of massahs that give not shit ONE about them.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)Far is a distance between two things. You don't have to be very left-wing by European standards to be a long way left of the mean American political opinion.
riqster
(13,986 posts)I just laugh in their faces. All good fun.
struggle4progress
(118,041 posts)LumosMaxima
(585 posts)bvar22
(39,909 posts)---bvar22
a mainstream-center Working Class FDR/LBJ Democrat for over 46 years,
NOW labeled a "Fringe Leftist" in the "New Democrat" Centrist Party.
I haven't changed.
What was wrong with the "Old Democrats" that they had to be replaced with the "New Democrats"?
When someone calls me a Leftist,
I know exactly where they stand.
I never had much use for a "Reagan Democrat".
socialist_n_TN
(11,481 posts)I'm so far left that I can't make a right turn. And I'm damn proud of it. That means that I KNOW whose side I'm on and it ain't the big money people.
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)(entitlement reform) is being far left - not even advocating increasing benefits - simply wanting to maintain the status quo in amount of benefit marks one as leftwing extremist
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Expecting us to not cut SS is impractical! You don't understand how government works! And you're a racist!
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)at least maintaining the current levels of benefits - I have seen even some of their most die hard members like ProSense and Steve Leser make it clear that they vehemently oppose any reduction.
Capt. Obvious
(9,002 posts)rhetorical question
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)They're the same people trying to convince you that up is down, domestic surveillance is good, and Republican ideas put forth by a Democrat are somehow a good thing.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)They are authoritarians. They want freedom but not to the extent that they have to fight for it. Not to the extent that they bother their authoritarian leaders. And they dont want the extremists to fight either because they are afraid they might have to suffer the consequences.
They are afraid if you fight for universal health care too hard, you might make the authoritarian leader mad and we might lose everything. These are conservative authoritarians.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Last edited Fri Jan 24, 2014, 01:18 AM - Edit history (1)
1000words
(7,051 posts)I think both were intended to imply a similar level of "extremism."
bobduca
(1,763 posts)Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)The current president has dragged a large portion of our once-great party to the fringe right. Their go-to defense is to call centrist Dems Marxists and such. It's why the party is almost dead.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)friends, they call me "their token conservative".
Our cultural isolation has produced a fucking scary population.
LWolf
(46,179 posts)on a board that USED to self-identify as "left-wing." The ironic thing is that when I found DU in '02, I was a moderate. None of my positions have changed, but I've been "the fringe left" since, let's see...about 2008 or 2009.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)If you are at all critical, you are immediately a fringe leftist
LWolf
(46,179 posts)Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)and the funny thing is that 20 years ago I was a moderate. The really funny thing is that on most issues, my opinion has not changed and on a few I may even have gotten a little more conservative (in my old age).
Far Left is the new normal. I am fine with it.
polichick
(37,152 posts)We are in some deep shit.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Pigeon holes are for pigeons.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)Yeah the ones saying it, funny story, most of them are NOT from America so I would filter out what they say since it doesn't even matter.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Apparently to some here I'm just to the right of Rick Santorum.