I love how people here think they are "left wing DUers" and everyone else is a "right wing DUer."

[Renew Deal]

That just cracks me up. Everyone here thinks that the rec vs. unrec feature will allow "them and their fellow lefties" to finally do something about "Right Wingers" on DU. In reality, people here are all lefties with varying points of view.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. While I don't see how this is really a left vs. right issue, I can see how

there could be some people who might waste their time following folks around just for the sake of unreccing all their stuff. Weird, but the net brings out the crazy in a lot of us.

[Renew Deal]

10. That's one of many problems with the unrec feature.

And why the rec feature was so brilliant.

[Taverner]

2. I think of myself as a true centrist

However, not the MSM's definition of a Centrist

[PretzelWarrior]

3. you're wrong. there are sad bitter people here just pissing in the pool

that is a fact. now a majority can outvote those people. not to mention the disruptors who have nothing better to do but create an account here and cause trouble.

[Renew Deal]

11. You just proved my point.

To you, others are "sad bitter people pissing in the pool." To others, "they are supporting their cause." And creating accounts just to recommend threads was pointless before. Now creating accounts to rec and unrec might be worthwhile.

[MADem]

28. Yep. ++++1 nt

[rpannier]

4. I would add

That like most people, we all have some attitudes on things that would be considered conservative:

-We have people that support the Death Penalty
-Are gun rights advocates
-Believe that spanking is appropriate
-Support tax cuts in the stimulus bill
-Devoutly religious
-etc

[Luminous Animal]

5. Which "lefties" have made that claim?

In fact, I've seen the opposite. That most DUers farthest to the left feel that the centrists will finally do something to them.

[BlooInBloo]

8. ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6025232

[Luminous Animal]

19. That a tit for tat post.

The OP also said this:

"Will DU be worth having if views the conservative wing of DU'ers(and it simply isn't possible that progressives could support this)are going to be blocked from the Greatest Page?"

Maybe I am reading it wrong but the OP seems to be asking, will both the left and the right of the party will be blocked from the greatest?

[BlooInBloo]

21. (shrug) I don't care what the explanation for it is. You asked for an example; I provided one.

[DireStrike]

24. But that guy is complaining that conservative views will be squelched

Unless he worded his post wrong, he does not identify as a lefty.

[Renew Deal]

25. That's not what I'm saying, but that's in line with what I think.

That all opinions on DU should be respected. We're all Democrats. And I think this feature is a way to silently disrespect (I don't mean disagree) the opinion of all members.

[Renew Deal]

13. That's what I said.

:shrug:

[Individualist]

6. Uh huh - and that's why you refer to "them and their fellow lefties".

[Renew Deal]

16. Good point

I just put it in quotes. :thumbsup:

[The Magistrate]

7. Exactly, Sir

[Spazito]

9. I must admit, seeing the term "right-wing DUers" used in the context it was in another...

thread was, to say the least, enlightening.

[Uzybone]

12. If you do not regurgitate Chomsky, WSWS and counterpunch ad nausem you are not a true leftie

If you support democrats you are a right wing DUer. Got it.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

14. It will also be used by the people who consider themselves "moderate" or "centrist" to do something

about the "loony left" (which seems to be incredibly wide ranging given how it's pretty much used against anyone).

[KamaAina]

15. Actually, what I love about DU is, it gives me the chance to be in the middle of the road

in meatspace, I am the farthest left of anyone most of my friends have ever met, or are likely to meet, for that matter. Here, I'm kind of a "swing voter"!

[Renew Deal]

17. lol

:D

[BlooInBloo]

18. lol @ post, lol @ "meatspace".

[Laelth]

20. True. k&r

:dem:

-Laelth

[EFerrari]

22. Nope. People here are not all lefties by any measure. n/t

[Renew Deal]

26. You just proved my point.

:shrug:

[EFerrari]

27. LOL! Not really. We have people here supporting a right wing military coup.

And all sorts of other right wing positions.

But "you just proved my point" does seem to be the lazy argument of the day. :)

[WI_DEM]

23. my guess is that 90% of DU is "left" but some are farther left than others.

But most of us, I believe, are liberal/progressives.

[MADem]

29. The Democratic Party is a big tent. Some people here think that

social liberals/economic moderates are "rightwingers."

I always thought paying your bills was a rather upstanding characteristic, a sign of good citizenship, an unwillingness to rip off your fellow brothers and sisters. You know, a rather "liberal" approach to life.

There are DUers here who are opposed to choice based on their religious views. Is that a "rightwing" view or is it something else entirely? I am prochoice, but if someone isn't, I only consider it 'problematic' if the people opposed to choice want to limit the choice of others (in other words, if you don't like it, don't do it).

Conservative Democrats do exist, though there aren't many here on this forum. We know they exist, because there are a lot of them in Congress--someone's voting them in.

[DireStrike]

31. There is a huge problem in the way left/right doesn't account for social/economic

Social conservatives are generally frowned upon very heavily. That removes them from consideration as left-wingers, although people make an exception for an issue or two.

So of the four alignments, we have:

Socially right, economically right: DEFINITELY RIGHT WING
Socially right, economically left: (These people generally don't exist, but will be welcomed if they can explain their position with reason)
Socially left, economically left: Definitely left wing


That really leaves only one group in question. Economic leftists are in the extreme minority as far as power groups go. The Democratic party is not economically left. The Republican party is completely anti-economic left, even on issues that are demonstrably good ideas. As such, we are very jaded and pissed off. We also tend to view social issues as secondary to economic issues.

If you are just talking about a balanced budget, that's one thing. I consider myself an economic liberal and would support reducing deficits and the debt (but not at this moment.)

I don't see any other way to be economically right and still call yourself a leftist.

In my perfect world (assuming you are what I consider economically right), you would be in the opposition party, had it not been crowded out by crazies.

[Egalitariat]

32. You can't be economically right and be a leftist. You CAN be economically right

and call yourself a Democrat. This is, after all, Democratic Underground. Not Leftist Underground.

[DireStrike]

33. Indeed, that's the path to power in the Democratic party, isn't it?

[MADem]

35. A small pocket of the GOP was moving to the socially right, economically left bent.

The "WWJD" types....who really meant it when they asked the question.

These people were anti-choice, conservative in their social positions, but believed (still do) that they should live their lives based on the teachings of Jesus, and that included social programs--heal the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless.

There were (still are) more than a few minister-types who were espousing this POV. And they were Republicans, not Democrats.

I'm not "economically right"--I simply don't like mindless deficits like the one GWB ran up. I noticed that a fellow named Clinton paid off the Reagan credit card, started building a surplus, and then Porgie came along and ran the card up again, and put a lot of the debt on a war of choice. I don't go for that stuff. I say don't spend it unless you NEED to, not because you want to....if that makes me an "economic rightie" I just don't get that perspective, sorry.

[DireStrike]

36. It doesn't.

That's my perspective as well.

About those WWJDers... I don't think they'd be interested in fixing the systemic problems that result from our right-leaning economic structures. They seem like they type to fix whatever they can in their immediate area and not worry about the big picture as much. Individual charity, and all that. They would abjure others to help, but they wouldn't want government to change to fix things, I think.

[provis99]

30. well, a series of DU polls would give us more info

Really, I am curious as to how many of us are liberal/moderate/conservative, and on what issues. After all, this is Democratic Underground, not Liberal Underground (though I'm one of the liberals most other DUers complain about).

[Rex]

34. Not true, there are some lurking trolls close by.

And the function will have no net effect on this place IMO. Just more cannonfodder.

[redqueen]

37. Seems to me most of the angst comes from the self-appointed "true progressives"

who were decrying the supposed DLC faction, all out to conspire against them, and unrec their threads.


Yeah, it's a crack up all right!

[LeftyMom]

38. I guess it depends on where you sit.

MOST of the posters here strike me as pretty far right. For example, serious critiques of capitalism aren't terribly welcome, nor is serious discussion of class issues. That most/all DUers perceive themselves as being on the left just shows how rightward the slant of US politics is.

[TexasObserver]

39. That is one of the stranger delusions here.

"Everyone who disagrees with me is a troll! Or a disruptor!"