on-stolen-time said: Are Tories like our Republicans in the US or something? All I know is Tories are what you called people who supported British rule during the colonial times.
Short answer; yes and no.
They’re the right wing mainstream party here, and are very much supporters of the rich (ie. lower taxes, reduced public expenditure), but they are nowhere near the right GOP extend to.
They would never dare to outright condemn gay rights, they are not a religious party (Cameron said he is agnostic), and they still very much support a welfare state. They DO advocate certain aspects of socialism, as most of the moderate right wing parties of Europe would. And right now they are in a coalition with the liberal democrats. Obviously, such a partnership would be impossible with US republicans, who are generally anti-liberal.
If GOP were translated over to the UK, they probably wouldn’t be a mainstream party. They would probably be rubbing shoulders with the BNP who are an extremist party.
Likewise, if our Democrat-esque party, the Labour party, were translated over to the US, they would be labelled communists, as in their purest form they self identify as socialist. Such is how much more to the left the British political spectrum leans.
But then that mainly reflects the historical context upon which America was founded; the fear of a loss of liberties and the seeking for a small, less-intrusive government in the wake of newly found independence. In Europe, where the threat of foreign jingoism was never a problem as they themselves were the perpetrators, most people believe it is a government’s duty to provide for the people. So if that means higher taxes and a big, centralised government in return for universal healthcare, for instance, then they don’t really care for a choice on the matter.
So our Conservative Party is defined by European values, whilst US Republicans are defined by American values.
a fundamental point of cleavage between the parties
is the relationship between economic growth and the liberation of oppressed groups.
Republicans seem to believe that what’s good for the economy will eventually be good for PoC, gender and sexual minorities, women, disabled people, and so on - at least, when they bother to think about members of oppressed groups.
Democrats believe that what’s good for women, PoC, GSM, disabled people, and other oppressed groups will be good for the economy. That the protection and enforcement of people’s rights will enable them to more fully participate in the economy and that a more robust, equal population will produce more wealth.
One is trickle-down. The other is ground-up.
Neither party is perfect. The Dems are not fighting nearly hard enough for my tastes (though I understand the necessity of pre-election “moderation”). But I know I sure as hell am more likely to be economically self-sufficient if I am legally equal and that equality is enforced and protected by our legal system.
this might be a no-duh kind of thing but it was important for me to articulate it somewhere and this is my blag.
trombonechurchill replied to your post:JOHN I GENUINELY LOVE YOU LESS THAN I USED TO. I…
NOOO, DON’T SAY THAT. I JUST HONESTLY CARE SO LITTLE ABOUT NZ POLITICS. LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW RIDICULOUS I FIND OUR COUNTRY’S POLICTIONS. I DON’T CARE. I VOTED GREEN BECAUSE HEY, GREEN. AND I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT NATIONAL. COME BACK I LOVE YOU
YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE VOTED, YOU APATHETIC…PERSON. Fuck. I can’t properly be mad at you. BUT YOU GO BUGGER OFF TO ANOTHER COUNTRY AND LEAVE US WITH THE RUINS OF YOUR DOING.
Our politics might be stupid, but they affect us. And our politicians generally suck, yeah. BUT JOHN KEY SUCKS MORE. And I voted Green for my main vote. Because Green actually has good policies and is more likely to have a coalition with Labour. Instead of fucking National. And the Maori party! THOSE LITTLE DICKS THEY BETRAYED US WHY WHY MANA PARTY MUCH BETTER ANGER ANGER.
christophernolans replied to your post: omg I would just I would kill for an actual news…
yesssssss that episode covered the issue so well.
I just started tearing up at this Senate member who lost his primary to a Tea Partier because he said it was stupid to focus on whether or not Obama is a Socialist.
And it’s fucking scary because that’s EXACTLY how it is. We have a terrifying Tea Party movement where I live. Like, they’ve been threatening my dad (who is an elected REPUBLICAN official) because he doesn’t agree with them on all of their stupid shit. They try to get him to investigate Obama’s birth place and to come to their meetings and he always turns them down, and when he does they pull shit by saying that they would have someone run against him in his primary and stuff. It didn’t end up happening - no one ran against him so he was just reelected in June - but these crazy people just do not lay off. My parents have been saving all of their batshit emails to use against them if they ever need to.
And people think that I, and other Republicans, are like them just because we’re Republicans. But they scare the shit out of me as much as they scare the shit out of everyone else.
I know. I get that some people don't like Obama and that's fine, but what the heck. Romney is like, uh whut.
bb
it’s so sad
Obama inherited a country in such a shaky state, and many Republicans were super impatient. I remember just a few days into his presidency and these dudes said that oH WOW HIS PLANS AREN’T WORKING.
IN WHAT WORLD IS GIVING ONE GUY EIGHT DAYS TO FIX A COUNTRY YOUR GUY—what’s the right word? Well you get the point.
Obama didn’t follow through with a lot, but I do think we’re in a better state of a country than before.
Though, I don’t know if that’s just him or the course of the economy.
HOWEVER. ROMNEY WOULD DEF NOT DO BETTER THAN OBAMA. He’s extremely out of touch with the present as well as past state of America.
In his speeches he paints such a perfect picture of America.
That never existed.
