AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/unabridged?va=collectivism&x=11&y=6
Main Entry: col•lec•tiv•ism
…
1 a : a politico-economic system characterized by collective control especially over production and distribution of goods and services in contrast to free enterprise <forces that have led to individualism have in the last fifty years been successfully opposed by the forces of collectivism -- M.R.Cohen> b : extreme control of the economic, political, and social life of its subjects by an authoritarian state (as under communism or fascism) c : a doctrine or system that makes the group or the state actively responsible for the social and economic welfare of its members
2 : a social theory or doctrine that emphasizes the importance of the collective (as the society or state) in contrast to the individual and that tends to analyze society in terms of collective behavior …

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/unabridged?va=individualism&x=21&y=7
Main Entry: in•di•vid•u•al•ism
…
1 a (1) : the ethical doctrine or principle that the interests of the individual himself are or ought to be paramount in determination of conduct : ethical egoism; also : conduct guided by the principle (2) : the conception that all values, rights, and duties originate in individuals and that the community or social whole has no value or ethical significance not derived from its constituent individuals b (1) : the doctrine which holds that the chief end of society is the promotion of individual welfare and the chief end of moral law is the development of individual character; also : conduct or practice guided by such a doctrine (2) : a theory or policy having primary regard for individual rights and especially maintaining the political and economic independence of the individual or maintaining the independence of individual initiative, action, and interests (as in industrial organization or in government); also : conduct or practice guided by such a theory or policy -- compare COLLECTIVISM, PATERNALISM, SOCIALISM c : any vigorous and independent striving toward an individual goal or any markedly independent assertion of individual opinions especially without regard for others or in defiance of an institution or larger authority …

cicerone imposter wrote:

Well, tracking by most of the polling agencies have shown the trend that the majority of voters were liberal.

Can you show me the polls on which you base that assertion?

cicerone imposter wrote:

So all of a sudden, depending on how the question is asked, that turns around the whole issue of party affiliation vs their politics?

I can only guess. One guess would be that respondents reply one way on a buzzword basis -- "are you liberal or conservative?" -- and some other way when you ask more specific questions: Do you receive Social Security? Are you happy with it? Are you happy with your community's public schools? Would you want to improve them even if you'd had to pay higher taxes? Discrepancies like this are quite frequent.

Another guess that comes to mind is that a lot of Democrats in 2006 and 2008 won seats in Congress by appealing to conservative swing voters. Their campaign messages were much more pro-gun, pro-religion, anti-abortion-ish, etc. I presume that the Democrats attracted quite a lot of self-identified conservatives in 2006 and 2008 -- and that they still do.

But these are all guesses. I don't actually know.

Obama is in a tough spot. He is preaching and practicing a far more radical left doctrine in some of his views than most Americans can stomach, but he angers his strongest base when he veers even slightly back to the center.

Twenty advertisers have now pulled their ads from Glenn Beck's FOX show.

Glenn Beck's advertisers flee - really?
August 17, 7:38 AM

As anyone who listens to or watches the Glenn Beck radio and television show can attest, Glenn Beck says what he thinks. The constitutional watchdog, talk show host, and entertainer is a firm believer in the American people, our Republic and the principles on which our country was founded.

About two weeks ago, in an impassioned statement designed to educate Americans about influences that may have shaped current healthcare reform legislation, the broadcaster connected the dots to make a bigger picture. His argument is if not strong, at least worth serious consideration and thought.

Spurred by two proposed offices of health within the Healthcare reform package (Office of Health and Office of Minority Health) and a multitude of Affirmative action inclusions that mandate most all business taking part in the newly proposed health system, Mr. Beck provides a compelling argument.

Upon review of such things as; the President’s long-time affiliations with leaders such as Reverend Jeremiah Wright, statements in his own book describing 350 years of slavery and segregation in the US, his recent treatment of the British Prime Minister and his wife, and even his ill-thought-through response in the recent “Beer-Gate” debacle, many including leaders in Jerusalem and reporters here in the United States see a connection clearly.

Since he aired his thoughts, hysterical progressives have launched a vicious Internet campaign led by Color of Change, a far left-leaning urban community organizing group, created to express that white racism was behind how we as a country prepared for and responded to Hurricane Katrina.

As the Glenn Beck program is growing exponentially in its’ viewer/listener ratings, and has effectively taken on educating Americans on the danger of enacting the hastily crafted health care reform bill, anger from the far left is reaching an all-time high and the broadcaster is their focus.

To a degree their campaign has been successful, with four large advertisers pulling sponsorship of the program, but it’s really not that simple. You see, the way ad-space is sold on cable television is in bulk and shuffled in time slots to satisfy demographic purposes. As a result ads may well have ended up on his program by mistake, violating some advertisers’ apolitical posturing guidelines.

Some of the advertiser explained that this was not due to anything Mr. Beck said, but the campaign brought attention to the fact that their ads were not intended to air on politically charged programs to begin with. So attention to any potentially controversial programming, would have earned removal of ads for any program, be it right or left leaning in nature.

Color of Change has developed a 600,000-member electronic mailing list to urge members to sign a petition and forward it to Beck's sponsors. James Rucker, the group’s executive director, explained that this was the first time Color of Change had been involved in this kind of action. It is also worth noting that while seemingly accepted, many question Color of Change’s motives as it at first glance the group appears to be racist itself and only operates under the guise of anti-racism.

As we see more and more left leaning groups utilize the Saul Alinsky " Rules for Radicals deconstructionist playbook, we must be wary of the intent underlying their Astroturf reactions. And remember, like I said, Glenn Beck says what he thinks, and I thank the Gods of radio and television that his opinion and carefully researched information is protected by the same document that protects us all equally.
http://www.examiner.com/x-8817-Pittsburgh-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m8d17-Glenn-Becks-advertisers-flee--really

Quote:

Obama is in a tough spot. He is preaching and practicing a far more radical left doctrine in some of his views than most Americans can stomach, but he angers his strongest base when he veers even slightly back to the center.

I wonder what you think Obama is preaching which is 'radical left.'

Cycloptichorn

As the Glenn Beck program is growing exponentially in its’ viewer/listener ratings, and has effectively taken on educating Americans on the danger of enacting the hastily crafted health care reform bill, anger from the far left is reaching an all-time high and the broadcaster is their focus.

Upon review of such things as; the President’s long-time affiliations with leaders such as Reverend Jeremiah Wright, statements in his own book describing 350 years of slavery and segregation in the US, his recent treatment of the British Prime Minister and his wife, and even his ill-thought-through response in the recent “Beer-Gate” debacle, many including leaders in Jerusalem and reporters here in the United States see a connection clearly.

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Quote:

Obama is in a tough spot. He is preaching and practicing a far more radical left doctrine in some of his views than most Americans can stomach, but he angers his strongest base when he veers even slightly back to the center.

I wonder what you think Obama is preaching which is 'radical left.'

Cycloptichorn

Well you can read back through the last six months of this thread and find it all laid out there pretty specifically. I won't take the time to repeat all of that. But pay attention. We'll no doubt point it out again here and there.

I think the writer not only knows the definition of exponentially, but used the term correctly. Do you?

Do I agree with Beck? On some of his views no. On whether Obama is racist in some of his views, I do agree with that as do many others including most conservative black writers and leaders who have said so, and they use the same criteria and rationale that Beck used to arrive at that conclusion. So why was Beck singled out while others have not been? Because he holds the #3 top rated cable news show. That's why.

And I suspect that if rightwing ideologues organized a protest to destroy one of your leftwing darlings, you would consider that a rather unAmerican thing to do.

I wonder what you think Obama is preaching which is 'radical left.'
...
I doubt you can point to a single thing he promotes which is 'radical left.'

Cycloptichorn wrote:

I wonder what you think Obama is preaching which is 'radical left.'
...
I doubt you can point to a single thing he promotes which is 'radical left.'

Obama is promoting the transfer of property from those who lawfully earned it to those who did not lawfully earn it.

In otherwords, Obama is promoting theft by the federal government. Clearly that's leftist/collectivist. Is it 'radical left'? These days, the left grows more to the left each day under Obama's leadership. So what used to be 'radical left' is now 'typical left' among the obamacrats.

I find nothing in definitions of expoentially that suggest a factor of ten. But I wouldn't be surprised if that would be applicable from the time Beck moved to Fox early this year to March when he had already become something of a media sensation.

Would you suggest that referring to your President as 'half-white' as an argument for why he could not be racist is in itself a racist argument? I know it is a favorite argument of the radical Left that black people (or half-black people?) cannot be racist, but Conservatives identify racism that can be found in all the skin colors, ethnicities, ideologies, nationalities etc. out there.

But here is what at least one of you Lefties considers to be appropriate to air on television. And nary a murmur from your side that this is in any way inappropriate:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNHuXU8nQ7M[/youtube]

Foxfyre wrote:

And I suspect that if rightwing ideologues organized a protest to destroy one of your leftwing darlings, you would consider that a rather unAmerican thing to do.

Some people would consider calling the President a racist a rather unAmerican thing to do.

Some people would say that ordinary citizens protesting that kind of message is what America is all about.

Some people would say that companies pulling their ads from a program that propagates that kind of message is the free market at work.

But I guess those points are only valid when we're talking about people who bring assault rifles to Obama town hall meetings.