When you live in Ireland where most parties seem to have polarised into the centre, it's quite interesting to see the stark difference between `left' and `right' that you do in the US.

Having never lived in the US, it's difficult to fully understand the system. Although from checking into a variety of different internet sites, I've found myself drawn to those with more conservative viewpoints.

I think it's because the 'right' comes across as more honest, more....moral, I guess.

Of course extremism (in any form) whether it is right or left is a bit scarey.

Ah, you're from Wexford!

There was an old woman from Wexford,
in Wexford town did dwell.
She loved her husband dearly,
but another man twice as well!

Hee, hee, sorry!

Hey!!! Less of the `old' *ROFL*

Agree with you on the fanatics...

I've never been to Europe and I am anxious to go in the next year or so. I am really looking foward to going to my ancestors homeland, Ireland. cactmh

You'll love it over here. When you planning on travelling? If ye need any help picking places to go (off the touristy track!) just let me know. I make a great tour guide! Methinks jla can testify to that? *L*

bump

I am a Tory firebrand, so my opinion of the American Right is that they are bretheren, our comrades in arms. We have some weaker Tories who could possibly fit into your Democrat party. Anything left of us would likely be welcome in your Democrats. Blair and Brown would probably be among your more centrist Democrats, except they have the capacity to rise to the occasion at times.

Regards, Ivan

FreeBritannia.co.uk

Bump
To keep up with
This should be good :)

When I lived in Italy I found that the great majority of the people absolutely loved the USA. Shopkeepers would treat me with courtesy and reserve until they found out I was American, when they would become very warm and friendly, saying that they thought I was a German.

But there is also a nasty Stalinoid left that I encountered from time to time. They would go out of their way to announce to me in a loud, what-do-you-think-of-that voice that their favorite country to visit was Cuba. One guy, a pharmacist, asked me if it was true that there were a separate class of pharmacies in the USA for poor people where they only sold inferior, past-expiration-date medicines.

In Canada, views widely regarded as "fascist" would barely qualify for the center of the Republican Party. Such is the toll of 30+ years of state-sanctioned multi-culturalism and general enforced political-correctness. The United States' Constitution, besides being among the most moral and magnificent documents ever constructed in the English language, is a light to freedom loving people throughout the entire world. Accordingly, those who strive to uphold it are the beacon-keepers. Canada should be your cautionary example. Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless America!

JLA...is it possibly you? From that "dreaded" Irish board? (The one people should infiltrate and upset the "liberals" over there for a while...shake them up a bit.) Thanks for starting this very interesting discussion. We ran into some serious anti-Americanism in a pub in Dingle, Ireland from a lot of drunk doped out Euro-trash but I do believe that most Irish people truely like Americans. And some of the Germans you encounter in Ireland are much more arrogant and rude than any American could ever be....and Irish people realize this. I had a conversation with our bus driver (I was on a hiking trip there in August) and he said that the Germans were arrogant but that he would like it if I came to live in Ireland because I was nice, had a good sense of humour, was not too loud, etc. etc. I also know a cab driver who has driven me several times back and forth from Shannon Airport to Ennis or to Limerick and he finds the English to be arrogant. I asked him what they said about us Americans when we aren't around...I don't remember what he responded to that...I think he just laughed.

Hey there Jean, nice to see ya in better environs.
I was just in IA. I was 'challenged' to a debate on Noam Chomsky.
It appears my opponent was mistaken, (a common trait among liberals), when she thought I hadn't read 'Manufactuing Consent', aka 'Communist Dogma'.

There's a few Irish folks here, I'm sure you'll like them.

Regards,
jla

It's sad to say, but American pols are becoming more and more centrist (like Europe) though slightly more to the right of centre than Europe. Third parties in the US are alienated and nearly always called 'extremist' (even on FR). I think American conservatives are more honest than big 'L' Liberals and conservatives seem to have a better grasp on reality and rely less on ideology. However, the Federal gov't continues to grow no matter who is in charge.

Thanks jla. I'm always so much happier here than "over there". There is so much creativity here and so much going on constantly. It's hard to even try to keep up. There is also SPIRIT here and PRIDE and I like that. It's lively, it's interesting, and it's for real.

Ye got that right girl *S*

I was in Dublin in early 1963. Everyone wanted to buy me a Guinesses and ask me if I knew JFK. (Of course I didn't) Very friendly people.

,,, hello from New Zealand! I spend a good amount of time here at FR. I think the left is sad; end of story. As for the right, there are sensibilities and extremes. My perception is that once enough dialogue has run on this site it's usual to reach agreement, if not understanding, when views are at variance. An example? Well, where I am, there isn't the burning issue of firearms as there is in the US. I'm not anti-guns. I'm not necessarily pro-guns. It's a matter of context.

The right to bear arms is written into your Constitution. Under the Constitution it's perfectly understandable to defend your right. In New Zealand I can't imagine people running around with handguns. Everyone who passes the firearms code test and qualifies thru Police to own a rifle should be allowed to do so though, in my opinion.

As for the structure of politics - we have a Parliament with no Upper House (as Australia has). We have a system called MMP (mixed member proportional), which is expensive to run and generally needs more politicians and process attached to function. It's probably fair to say that Kiwis aren't as focused as Americans are on politics. Why? Because Labour (left) and National (right) are both centre in our terms - although, in reality National would equate to moderate Democrats.

,,, input?