observation about the rightward shift in American politics

[leftofthedial]

"Mainstream" political commentary would have us believe that most Democratic candidates are "liberal" and "leftist." Dennis Kucinich is "extremist" and "far left" and "unelectable," yet he is actually one of only two who are even left at all and is actually very near the center. When you look at historic figures on this scale, you are left with the inescapable conclusion that this country is radically far-right. Given the utter failure of "conservative" philosophy and policies, it is no wonder that this country is in such deep trouble and that our citizens suffer as a consequence.

[Hydra]

1. If all of the cookies have to come from a particular cookie jar

that would mean we aren't getting a choice, doesn't it?

[thunder rising]

2. Our citizens elected the "chimp in charge"; hence they deserve to suffer the consequences

They were so sure they were going to reap the benefits cast down from God and it didn't work out that way. Jesus told Bush to go to war, murder, torture and enslave his people to his will.

[Hydra]

3. GWB never elected n/t

[ProgressIn2008]

4. I agree. And it's only shifting more and more to the right.

When I hear the money media rant about the "far left" in the Democratic party, my jaw drops. I always wonder, if that's the far left, what the heck am I?

[Hydra]

5. Probably somewhere in my neighborhood

they don't like to think such leftness exists :evilgrin:

[Stevepol]

6. The shift is imaginary. It's true more of these RW-ers have been elected

but the problem is not the American people. The exit polls show pretty clearly that the American people are about the same as they always have been, probably a good deal more progressive and Democratic than in the past, but certainly as Democratic as they always have been.

The only thing that has changed is the counting of the votes and the refusal of the Dems to oppose with steadfast determination the criminal cheating and dirty tricks and un-verified, privately conducted vote counting.

If the votes are counted fairly, the Dems will win almost any race in America. The American people are taking a bum rap. There has been no rightward shift in the American people. Among the politicians of course there's been a rightward shift. When Cleland and Strickland and Mondale all are denied victories that they almost certainly had all in one year (02) among many others since then, and then Bush not really elected in 2000 or 04, naturally the public discussion is going to shift in the direction of the elected (so-called) officials.

[undergroundpanther]

7. That is why Dennis is for me

He's the most left.Still too centrist for me but more left than the other options.If more people still do not realize how manipulated to the right this country is, and has been over the ray-gun years and the horrible two faced bullshit that has been twisting the very meanings of left and right so we on the left are more right,we have less chances of recognizing this rightward slant ,the toxicity of right wing policy,and seeing the dangers of it.Once the left leans rightward unawares it looks like we are in danger of ignoring the root of the problem, this right wing authoritarian crap that has gotten too 'normalized to be seen for what it is.