Conservatism in America - minority or not?

[Tanasi]

Okay, this discussion should be about Conservatism in America. So we should all get back on topic.

I find myself to be half and half, conservative in some respects, and liberal in others. So if you count simply having conservative views as being 'Conservative' than I guess I am.

I'd say the vast majority of folks are in the same boat as you.

[Gravekeeper]

American conservatism is pretty hardcore though. I'm fairly middle with a lean to the left. But by American standards I'm apparently a filthy liberal communist hippy.

Our conservative party is left of your democrats up here.

[Boozy]

Our conservative party is left of your democrats up here.

I hear Canadians say that all the time, but I haven't found it to be true. If one had a good look at their platforms, I think they'd find that the Conservative Party is slightly to the right of the US Democrats.

The big difference is social issues. Our conservatives still tend to be more "liberal" than Dems on issues like abortion, gay marriage, and human rights. Not all of them, but many.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Liberal party is further to the right on some economic issues than even the US Republicans. Outside the US, policies like trade protectionism, tariffs, and subsidies are more and more being considered Wacky Liberal Economics. But in the States, these policies are considered middle of the road.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Makes me consider prefacing all my posts in this forum with:

"Remember, all politics are local"

Left right and center are all based off what the perception is in a country at that moment. How far a hypothetic policy shift would move in either direction determines how crackpot it's described as, all too often flying in the face of what happen elsewhere.

I'm just waiting for some moron in the US to pass something along the line of the UK's VCRA. Given the current state of 'screw what they do, 'dis be our doins' I'm fairly confident that it's a long way off. I can only hope the local community will prove as resilient as the UK's did and muscle through a compromise/repeal...

[Gravekeeper]

I hear Canadians say that all the time, but I haven't found it to be true. .

Really? I find Canadian vs American politics to be like day and night. But I suppose thats because they don't drive me nuts and Canada already basically has what Obama is trying to accomplish at the moment. Although I wouldn't say the Dems are trying to accomplish it at this point. But Obama still seems to be. >.>

I suppose if you dig into it and weight it all the Conservatives might drift a bit right of the Dems. Though our politics as a whole seem to be less ideological and certainly much much less driven by religion then American politics.

Though to be bluntly honest I think Republicans are basically just a bunch lunatics and petulant children at this point. I wouldn't call them conservatives, regardless of how much they like to throw the word around. I think the actual conservatives among their voting base have been abandoning the party as of late if the polls are any indication.

Left right and center are all based off what the perception is in a country at that moment.

True, and the US has basically spent the last 10 years dividing itself and polarizing itself into two vehemently opposed camps that people cling too and cheer on like baseball teams. "Liberal" and "Conservative" have practically become insults down there lately.