rusty wrote:GfB, you seem to think “leftist” is an insult.
If a leftist is someone who is progressive rather than regressive, someone who believes the middle and lower middle class should be able to provide for their families without working 2 or 3 jobs, someone who believes that corporations will take every handout we give them without reciprocation, someone who wants every man, woman, and child in this country to have access to proper health care without having to file bankruptcy, someone who believes that the church shouldn’t be involved in politics while they operate tax-free. Then you’re damn right I’m a leftist and damn proud of it.
The big question is why anyone who participates in this board think they have enough income/assets to be effected by any “leftist” policies. You’re not that guy.
I'll try to keep this simple: We believe that "Leftist" means someone who believes that there are a host of different "victim" classes, and it's the job of government to codify, administer and enforce a host of remedial actions to "level the playing field", even when those actions are racist and/or sexist. Leftists believe that an ever-larger, more powerful bureaucracy is the key to their imagined utopia. Staples of the conservative view, like the traditional family, religion, and unapologetic patriotism are anathema to Leftists.
Leftists will talk about concepts like free speech and personal freedom, but what they really believe is "do as I say, not as I do". This was clearly in evidence during COVID, when church-goers were jailed, while Democrat leaders at all levels went, unmasked, to fancy restaurants. Leftists believe that "dangerous" speech should be suppressed by using government agencies to pressure companies to ruin the lives of people who dare to express their heretic beliefs.
Leftists believe that children are political pawns to be exploited, and parents are the enemy. Leftists believe that murdering babies is not only a legitimate form of birth control, but a positive public good.
Conservatives believe that everything that government touches becomes more expensive and more unobtainable by the average person. If there is a problem in any area of society, Leftists believe government intervention is the ideal and only solution. College loans are getting expensive? Put government in charge. Result? College costs skyrocket uncontrollably along with loan debts. Leftists believe that not enough minorities own homes? Solution: force banks to make loans to unqualified borrowers. When this leads to massive foreclosures, then have the government take over home loans. When I was in high school, I hurt my knee, and spent a couple of days in the hospital. The total bill was less than $150, including surgery. THAT was affordable. But, no, the government needs to get ever more involved. My bill for surgery last week was $20,000. Not what I paid, of course, but I haven't seen all of the charges. I do have good insurance, and that's not an accident. I'm sure that the Leftist solution is more government involvement.
