Iraq: Who Has the Right Plan?

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

In the modern sense of the word. Perhaps radical and radicalism would be a better term. IMO, the modern right has as much claim to the word liberal as the modern left does, but I use the term as it has been defined since around the 1970s. I mean the Radical Left. Generally they see capitalism as inherently unfair and opressive. They view religion as reactionary and repressive. They view the state and state power as a means and not an end (so long as they run it). Their worldview is largely informed by Marx and his approach to history (dialectical materialism) even if they don't realize it. In addition, any number of liberation ideologies have attached themselves to the modern left, taking in the areas of human sexuality, race relations, and the sovreignty of individual nation states.
I think the glue that holds these disparate phenomenon together, though, is their rejection of a compassionate, personal God. This is their most common refrain.

I'm glad you cleared that up, because if you talk face to face with any or at least most of the Democratic candiates in the race right now, they'll tell you that's flat out not what they stand for. While I don't disagree with "that" definition, per se, because I think you're talking about how the Dems in general embrace this philosphy, or at least have in the past, I will tell you it's become more of a label which has been unduly, in some circumstances, attached to anyone non-Republican. I really can't speak to whether or not the Dems are largely informed by Marx, but I do think it's foolish to assume that there aren't Replucicans that don't embrace his philosphy as well.

The term liberal has become a very "toxic" word, and it's become more trendy to say than actually informing us of one's views of the world and how they form and shape policy. I chuckle when I hear people say, "oh he's liberal or they're liberal because"...or "she's conservative because of this or that".

Case in point, I watched John McCain after the Dems took over the House and Senate during the mid-terms, say out of his own mouth that "America is still a Conservative nation". It was sort of one of these things said in passing that you usually don't pay much attention to, but it just kept bugging me and I knew in my gut if he ever launched his bid for the Presidency, which he later did, he would never win the nomination. He has proceeded to alienate his party almost to the point of having to shut down his entire operation.

Nothing against McCain personally or as a candidate, it's just that he among others, have bought into this notion of what a conservative looks like and believes as opposed to a liberal, and because he's so inflexible on that mindset, he's spiralling in the polls.