Actually, when I wrote it I was thinking "free and independent". But, but given how un-independent the EU nations are becoming, I like your interpretation better.
How much do poster's views here reflect the views of Americans as a whole?
- Thread starter Tez3
- Start date
Actually, when I wrote it I was thinking "free and independent". But, but given how un-independent the EU nations are becoming, I like your interpretation better.
Personally I think that in general the people gravitating here are more of the conservative nature. So I think the accumulative views are a bit right of the middle.
How ever, certain trains of thought have skewed the perspective and make all but 2 or 3 look like extreme left wingnutters
and then, of course, a lot of the posters here are not even American....
Doesn't that make you reconsider where the center may really be?
granfire
Sr. Grandmaster
No, because the engineer of those trains has his directions mixed up....
Steve
Mostly Harmless
The center on this board, certainly, but the topic of the thread is this board relative to America as a whole. I think it's safe to say that center on this board is to the right of the country as a whole.
OP
OP
The EU countries are becoming more independant not less, they are using the freedom of being part of a commercial and trade community to break off from the larger countries to become independant. We've seen that with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland getting their own governments. There is a security for smaller countires within the EU that wasn't there before, the small communities feel that they have support and don't get ganged up on quite as much. I think we will see more small communities breaking off and use EU money to set up on their own as it were.
We have a great many conservative people who don't vote Conservative, the same with liberals who may or may not vote Liberal. If it has a capital letter it's political here, if it starts with a small letter it's descriptive as in 'she poured him a liberal amount of alcohol' or it was a conservative estimate'.
It may upset some lol but I think the British see all American politicians as Conservatives and without much difference between them, I expect there must be but we simply don't see it. Far from being socialist we see it very much as the capital of capitalism, the sheer amount of materialism in America means we could never see it as 'socialist', it's the mecca of consumerism, the promised land of gimme, gimme, gimme.
Of course socialism is more than that but if you told any Brit that America was becoming socialist they'd laugh in your face. The idea of Obama being socialist is to us ridiculous, we couldn't see him as a member of the Labour Party or of even getting on with a Labour Government here.
If asked I think most English people would see themselves as moderates, willing to compromise and always playing the game ie being fair. Extremism in any form is unsettling even embarrassing. Ask the Scots and Welsh and they will tell you they are nationalists, independant and proud. Ask the Shetland Islanders and they will tell you they want to go back to being Norwegian. I'd suggest not asking an Irishman, it will depend on his religion and will get far too complicated anyway. I don't think as a whole either we take politicians as seriously as the Americans do, we generally think that we pay them to run the country and that they are there for us to laugh at, mock and generally make miserable for wanting to be politicians. We've just had one sent to prison for claiming expenses he wasn't entitled to and we are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of some more from both parties.
We have a great many conservative people who don't vote Conservative, the same with liberals who may or may not vote Liberal. If it has a capital letter it's political here, if it starts with a small letter it's descriptive as in 'she poured him a liberal amount of alcohol' or it was a conservative estimate'.
It may upset some lol but I think the British see all American politicians as Conservatives and without much difference between them, I expect there must be but we simply don't see it. Far from being socialist we see it very much as the capital of capitalism, the sheer amount of materialism in America means we could never see it as 'socialist', it's the mecca of consumerism, the promised land of gimme, gimme, gimme.
Of course socialism is more than that but if you told any Brit that America was becoming socialist they'd laugh in your face. The idea of Obama being socialist is to us ridiculous, we couldn't see him as a member of the Labour Party or of even getting on with a Labour Government here.
If asked I think most English people would see themselves as moderates, willing to compromise and always playing the game ie being fair. Extremism in any form is unsettling even embarrassing. Ask the Scots and Welsh and they will tell you they are nationalists, independant and proud. Ask the Shetland Islanders and they will tell you they want to go back to being Norwegian. I'd suggest not asking an Irishman, it will depend on his religion and will get far too complicated anyway. I don't think as a whole either we take politicians as seriously as the Americans do, we generally think that we pay them to run the country and that they are there for us to laugh at, mock and generally make miserable for wanting to be politicians. We've just had one sent to prison for claiming expenses he wasn't entitled to and we are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of some more from both parties.
You're probably right....errr... I mean correct.
I think the linear left-right spectrum is ridiculously inadequate to describe where people really are politically. I would like to see the Nolan Chart or something similar used more often. Maybe it would also help break the whole two major party Us v. Them stranglehold that has taken over some many issues. I suppose I can see why the establishment would want to maintain the left-right spectrum and status quo.
granfire
Sr. Grandmaster
You're probably right....errr... I mean correct.
I think the linear left-right spectrum is ridiculously inadequate to describe where people really are politically. I would like to see the Nolan Chart or something similar used more often. Maybe it would also help break the whole two major party Us v. Them stranglehold that has taken over some many issues. I suppose I can see why the establishment would want to maintain the left-right spectrum and status quo.
LOL, I see what you did there!
Blade96
Senior Master
true, but i still feel most the american views on here are to the right of center. which is kinda what america is actually (ignoring Obama). At least more right than we are (if you ignore our conservative minority government)
Something that I think is important to remember -- esp. for the good folks abroad -- is that Americans agree on a lot.
We as a nation don't want to see our fellow Americans unemployed, or see sick people without needed healthcare, or watch children grow up without an education, or drink dirty water or breathe filthy air...where we disagree is how to get there.
I think I can be so bold to say that none of us...right, left, center, apathetic...wanted to see Rep. Giffords and her fellow Arizonans get shot.
We as a nation don't want to see our fellow Americans unemployed, or see sick people without needed healthcare, or watch children grow up without an education, or drink dirty water or breathe filthy air...where we disagree is how to get there.
I think I can be so bold to say that none of us...right, left, center, apathetic...wanted to see Rep. Giffords and her fellow Arizonans get shot.
Steve
Mostly Harmless
We also, as a general rule, agree that Football... real football... is way better than soccer.
I'd like to nominate Carol as my official political advocate on this board. She often writes what I'm thinking, while at the same time sounding much more reasonable and nice. My new mantra is WWCW (what would Carol write?)
I'd like to nominate Carol as my official political advocate on this board. She often writes what I'm thinking, while at the same time sounding much more reasonable and nice. My new mantra is WWCW (what would Carol write?)
We also, as a general rule, agree that Football... real football... is way better than soccer.
I'd like to nominate Carol as my official political advocate on this board. She often writes what I'm thinking, while at the same time sounding much more reasonable and nice. My new mantra is WWCW (what would Carol write?)
*blush* Aww thanks
I have an unfair advantage....I explain stuff for a living. My seeekret skillz
granfire
Sr. Grandmaster
We also, as a general rule, agree that Football... real football... is way better than soccer.
I'd like to nominate Carol as my official political advocate on this board. She often writes what I'm thinking, while at the same time sounding much more reasonable and nice. My new mantra is WWCW (what would Carol write?
Too bad that the real Football is soccer....
Blade96
Senior Master
We also, as a general rule, agree that Football... real football... is way better than soccer.
I'd like to nominate Carol as my official political advocate on this board. She often writes what I'm thinking, while at the same time sounding much more reasonable and nice. My new mantra is WWCW (what would Carol write?)
Awe.
Seems I'm not the only one who loves Carol. @ Carol: Purr.
Blade96
Senior Master
Love you all back! :inlove:
Blade -- the orange tabby cat and I send you a big PURR right back
Blade loves you both and as she said on your fb, a big hug for you and a big kiss for the sweeeeeeeeeeeeet big orange tabby. :angel:
