Democrat or Republican

[Kev]

For an American perspective it's interesting to see what you guys are saying here. The logic overall is pretty similar to how many Americans choose affiliation. Both parties are corrupt and inevitably hurt the country when in power for too long. What is essential (and many will disagree with me here) is pendulum that swings from right to left, left to right. Because most Americans are far more centrist that politicians.

My own take though is that the pendulum never really swings to the left. It wavers back and forth, but always on the right side. In terms of US politics of the past 40 years, I see all too few initiatives that I would class as truly left wing.

haha it's waaaaaay to the left now. Did you know that in American universities 8/10 professors are now liberals?

I read it in Time a few weeks ago. Has to be true.

[Gandalf]

For an American perspective it's interesting to see what you guys are saying here. The logic overall is pretty similar to how many Americans choose affiliation. Both parties are corrupt and inevitably hurt the country when in power for too long. What is essential (and many will disagree with me here) is pendulum that swings from right to left, left to right. Because most Americans are far more centrist that politicians.

My own take though is that the pendulum never really swings to the left. It wavers back and forth, but always on the right side. In terms of US politics of the past 40 years, I see all too few initiatives that I would class as truly left wing.

haha it's waaaaaay to the left now. Did you know that in American universities 8/10 professors are now liberals?

I read it in Time a few weeks ago. Has to be true.

Academics are typically smart and observant people, but they are not in government nor forming policies. I don't see what that has to do with this.

The left has been attacked and dismantled for a long time now and with so called talk of a deficit crisis we are seeing an expansion of this policy. Politics has been and is firmly on the side of the right. I am sure you can bring up examples of this not being so, but as a whole you cannot say that US politics is 'way to the left'. That is silly talk.

[VictorCharlie]

You left off Libertarian and Green Party. But to answer the question I vote Libertarian.

[VictorCharlie]

To go off of Killer's post I don't think we should swing left or right but have a federal gov't that strictly follows the constitution. Individual states can have varying degrees of left/right gov't but not at the federal level. The Constitution was written specifically to provide the feds with a strict set of enumerated powers and to allow the citizens of individual states to have much more autonomy over their local policies. Once the 17th went into play the whole crux of the system was removed.

[Gandalf]

I was too strong in my last statement, some academics obviously do have influence, but name me one from the left that has influenced government policy. They are few and far between.

[VictorCharlie]

Miles there is a quote that I don't remember verbatim but the gist is you'd rather have control over a school board than a legistlation. Basically if you control the education system then ultimately you will control the politics. My college experience was that many of my professors had never worked in the private sector and were woefully disconnected from reality. Whether they consciously lectured a certain way I can't say but considering their job it was of course in their best interest to promote and foster big gov't ideals.

[Gandalf]

Miles there is a quote that I don't remember verbatim but the gist is you'd rather have control over a school board than a legistlation. Basically if you control the education system then ultimately you will control the politics. My college experience was that many of my professors had never worked in the private sector and were woefully disconnected from reality. Whether they consciously lectured a certain way I can't say but considering their job it was of course in their best interest to promote and foster big gov't ideals.

I don't see the connection really. Sure a school board can influence viewpoints, but ultimately big corporations are funding elections and the parties are setting the agenda. I don't think the views of ordinary people are reflected in US party politics.

As for academics, I would be surprised if Bilbo's figure was accurate. How can you measure such a stat? I think academia is a more open avenue than politics, but having said that these people would be foolish for going against the grain too strongly. Chomsky has lectured on this, most people are just looking for their niche and they stay within it. You don't defy the system and try to break it. I look at my own degree in politics to see how much I have rebelled from the prescribed course. You will get liberal professors, but those who have influence are more likely to be from the conservative areas.

[Kev]

Miles there is a quote that I don't remember verbatim but the gist is you'd rather have control over a school board than a legistlation. Basically if you control the education system then ultimately you will control the politics. My college experience was that many of my professors had never worked in the private sector and were woefully disconnected from reality. Whether they consciously lectured a certain way I can't say but considering their job it was of course in their best interest to promote and foster big gov't ideals.

I don't see the connection really. Sure a school board can influence viewpoints, but ultimately big corporations are funding elections and the parties are setting the agenda. I don't think the views of ordinary people are reflected in US party politics.

As for academics, I would be surprised if Bilbo's figure was accurate. How can you measure such a stat? I think academia is a more open avenue than politics, but having said that these people would be foolish for going against the grain too strongly. Chomsky has lectured on this, most people are just looking for their niche and they stay within it. You don't defy the system and try to break it. I look at my own degree in politics to see how much I have rebelled from the prescribed course. You will get liberal professors, but those who have influence are more likely to be from the conservative areas.

I can't find the exact article but if you google 'Why are professors liberals' you will see it's a very well known truth and one that sociologists have tried to determine why.

Browsing some of the articles it looks like an quite interesting subject with all kinds of different, and polarising viewpoints. If you read up on it we can argue over the conclusions and add a whole new reportoire to our debates.

[marbleheadmaui]

Miles there is a quote that I don't remember verbatim but the gist is you'd rather have control over a school board than a legistlation. Basically if you control the education system then ultimately you will control the politics. My college experience was that many of my professors had never worked in the private sector and were woefully disconnected from reality. Whether they consciously lectured a certain way I can't say but considering their job it was of course in their best interest to promote and foster big gov't ideals.

I don't see the connection really. Sure a school board can influence viewpoints, but ultimately big corporations are funding elections and the parties are setting the agenda. I don't think the views of ordinary people are reflected in US party politics.

As for academics, I would be surprised if Bilbo's figure was accurate. How can you measure such a stat? I think academia is a more open avenue than politics, but having said that these people would be foolish for going against the grain too strongly. Chomsky has lectured on this, most people are just looking for their niche and they stay within it. You don't defy the system and try to break it. I look at my own degree in politics to see how much I have rebelled from the prescribed course. You will get liberal professors, but those who have influence are more likely to be from the conservative areas.

Doubt it all you want. It is true. How do you measure it? Easy, political contributions. You simply could not be more wrong when it comes to the Academy in the US. Here are some examples. Boston College, a Jesuit School. 94% of faculty contributions went to Dems in 2008. At Brown University Faculty contributions went 10-1 for Obama. Gustavus Adolphus since 2006? 100% Democrat. University of Texas? 71% in 2008. University of Houston? 81% Dem in 2008. California Universities in total? 86% Dem. Harvard? 77% Dem. Stanford? 75% Dem. Columbia? 72% Dem. Princeton? 100% Dem.

[HattonTheHammer]

republican

give me right wing idealism over left wing liberalism every day of the week

[marbleheadmaui]

Grew up Irish-Catholic outside of Boston so I was, like everyone, a Kennedy Democrat. When I went to college in 1981 I saw what "progressives" were really all about and decided, well THAT is something to stridently oppose!

I guess I'd call myself now a Libertarian Hawk. Gov'ts are, almost always, corrupt, untrustworthy, inept entities governed by non-rational decision-making. I think Jefferson was right. The government which governs least governs best. I more or less now subscribe to the thoughts of Frederic Bastiat on domestic issues. Taking at the point of a gun the labor of one person and handing it to another is simply immoral and unjust.

I have also had the misfortune of spending time with perhaps a dozen Senators and 30-40 Congresscritters who came to raise money during my career in finance. With only a very few exceptions, you wouldn't hire these jokers to run a McDonalds.

In terms of foreign policy I think the notion that there can be such a thing as International Law agreed to among nations as diverse as Liberal Democracies, Islamic Theocracies, Communist Dictatorships, Tyrannical Dictators of various stripes, Military Dictatorships etc is a laughably naive concept. When it comes to international politics it is simply look out for number one. Now when we can act in accordance with both our values and our interests? Great! But if they conflict? Interests must come first.

[marbleheadmaui]

I was too strong in my last statement, some academics obviously do have influence, but name me one from the left that has influenced government policy. They are few and far between.

You're kidding, right? Robert Reich, Lester Thurow and John Maynard Keynes in Economics off the top of my head. If I get into social policies the names will go on and on and on.

[Master]

You left off Libertarian and Green Party. But to answer the question I vote Libertarian.

What is a libertarian?

[killersheep]

You left off Libertarian and Green Party. But to answer the question I vote Libertarian.

What is a libertarian?

Anarchy with an army that maintains a belief system in money that is backed by a commodity.


From what I understand Libertarian has a far different meaning elsewhere in the world.

As with all parties there are different views of what Libertarian means, especially as far as it goes. When I was in the party the talk was to abolish the IRS, get rid of the federal reserve, get rid of all entitlement programs, open the borders and make sure the constitution is followed to the letter. There were those that wanted to further privatize things such as all schools, police, fire, postal service etc.

Basically the Ayn Rand's fictional heroes.

Since that time, the GOP (republicans) have had a greater influence and have moved some of the candidates to a less far right ideology, more in line with the general public.

[Master]

You left off Libertarian and Green Party. But to answer the question I vote Libertarian.

What is a libertarian?

Anarchy with an army that maintains a belief system in money that is backed by a commodity.


From what I understand Libertarian has a far different meaning elsewhere in the world.

As with all parties there are different views of what Libertarian means, especially as far as it goes. When I was in the party the talk was to abolish the IRS, get rid of the federal reserve, get rid of all entitlement programs, open the borders and make sure the constitution is followed to the letter. There were those that wanted to further privatize things such as all schools, police, fire, postal service etc.

Basically the Ayn Rand's fictional heroes.

Since that time, the GOP (republicans) have had a greater influence and have moved some of the candidates to a less far right ideology, more in line with the general public.

That sounds like socialism or maybe even communism.