Why are a Majority of Americans a Victim of the Phony LEFT-RIGHT Paradigm?
827465
Now your talking! A political renaissance is already underway. It will not be lead by the pundits or party leaders. Like most revolutions it will start in backyards, taverns and bedrooms. Welcome aboard!
1119100
It is most gratifying to read such an eloquent discourse and I whole heartedly agree with the thrust of your most erudite question. The thing is, bless'em they're a bit brain washed you know and believe that there is a worldwide conspiracy against them. Paranoia indeed! The extreme right wing proclivities of this nation are a great concern to me and it is causing the polarising, divisive and skewed nature of US politics today. Of course, the really worrying trend, is that those that are hurt most by this type of hysterical, disabling, right wing thinking are the ones that rush to it's defence when it's under threat! Presumably out of some misguided sense of loyalty or patriotism. No, I'm afraid you're right, America needs to learn to play nicely and have a bit of humility. Terrorism is in large part a result of this rigid, militaristic, right wing foreign policy she has dished out over the last 5 or 6 decades and I can't see it stopping anytime soon. Jules, lecturer. Australia.
1158785
There's nothing particularly "bad" about either one, it's just that some individuals see things more in "black" or "white" than others, which would put them on one end of the spectrum or the other as far as politics.  The irony of the matter though is the answer to a lot of issues that "conservatives" and "liberals" often fight over is often in the middle of all this clamoring.  In the end, this is part of what makes America great...the fact that you CAN have any opinion you want about anything, regardless of which side of the political spectrum you are on.  There are many other nations around the world that having an opinion outside of the majority or what is in the government's interest isn't even a remote thought in the minds of the people.  I'm thankful to be here whether I agree with everyone about everything or not.
394705
I believe this is true for any political party anywhere in the world, don't you? I mean, you have O'Reilly blaming everything on the liberals, Al Franken blaming everything on the conservatives....and that's just in the US. And frankly, we're all so busy blaming each other that nothing will improve! People are far too stupid to look into the facts and get a real, intelligent argument going. They will parrot anything their party tells them to. This is not a phenomenon that is exclusive to liberals.
416759
It becomes an issue of public priority. There is an underlying American opinion that your supposed to be able to make it on your own if you work hard enough (even though this is some times a very silly theory in praxis). So theres a general discontent for things which some people see as freerider type things. You could argue there is probably a lack of empathy as many people favor as little government as possible by cutting social safety net programs for the poor. When people keep blaming the victim, these type of injustices occur. Not to mention there are quite a few government expenses that are on the board right now, so people who see us in a defecit think, well now certainly isnt the time to help these people out. It is certainly frusterating and sad but its a part of the american psyche and probably wont change any time soon.
717390
probably the same reason the right wingers hate everything else.\n\ndemocrats suck and republicans blow. thats how it works.
1021001
at the root of the political institutions of the left and right, there are simple human emotions.  Because of this, what those institutions eventually achieve or fail to achieve is ultimately beyond the reach of such institutions to predict, no matter how much the followers of a particular philosophy want it to be otherwise.  \n\nto sum up the emotions I'm referring to: If the status quo benefits someone, they tend to be conservative and on the right.  If the status quo doesn't particularly do any good for a person, they tend to be liberal and on the left.  \n\nthis is why students and young people tend to the left - they have no property or high social status to defend, no great steady job to hang onto.  But these same people, a few years later, often wouldn't be going to protests anymore, because they have a good job and a mortgage and car payments and whatnot.  Generally, as people age they become more conservative.   \n\nthe more status and property people have, the higher their priority is to protect what they've got.  So, the old dad who used to be a hippy, is a grumpy stick-in-the-mud by the time his kids are idealistic teens!\n\nthis dynamic all works on a large, collective scale as well.  It's all about what people have to lose.  The more they have to lose, the further right they drift...
407868
because it is a "secret society" and people see secret societies as devil-worshiping, tongue-speaking, politician-influencing republicans.  and all of you liberals are scared of the power of the right.  BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE RIGHT!  \n\nj/k, i'm a libertarian.  seriously.
658255
I felt it incumbent upon me to inform you that many "right-wingers" can spell words that others have difficulty with.  Conversely, I have also found that many "left-wingers" are acceptably proficient with spelling, grammar and vocabulary.\nThe fact of the matter is, there is no way to prove a theory that only left-leaning people have any semblance of intelligence.  \nYour "question" is inflammatory, biased, and most of all, completely and utterly untrue.  In second grade, I had a college vocabulary.  I always had an A+ in English/Spelling.  Even now, my friends know me as the one to come to when they need a spellcheck performed on something they typed or penned by hand, because I rarely miss a thing.  Yet, I do lean to the right.\nOn my own works, I may have the occasional typo, but usually that occurs only when I am feeling the effects of sleep deprivation.\nBut, I digress.  To answer your question, "right-wingers" and "left-wingers" are each comprised of both morons and geniuses.\nEdit:  By the way, by insinuating that "right wingers" are intellectually deficient, you are actually further perpetuating the hate and intolerance between the two groups.  It's horribly immature, and most definitely not exemplary behavior from anyone!
385287
Why don't americans realize....?\n\nAnswer; Right wing fascist propaganda.
627363
I don't think anyone can grasp all of it. We are inandated with right wing conspiracies that want to take power and wealth from the American people.\n\nTake the oil companies for example, they own our politicians. They are the wealthiest lobby. If you were a politician, who would you listen to? The man that just paid for your children's education, or someone with just one vote?
360048
Nevermind what the moron said here prior. Yes, the country thankfully is slowly becoming more conservative. And the liberals hate it! They can't stand that their "ideas" never really worked and are fading faster by the day. And today's youth sees that. They're not as confused as the liberal media tries to portray them. \n\nFunny how it works: When the liberally biased media needs kids to say something that suits their lies, then they focus on the youth. But as soon as the youth speak out for god, country and true patriotism, then you can't find a camera in sight. \n\nKids are not as stupid as some people make them out to be and they see the lies and hatred liberals spread around like peanut butter. And they are putting two and two together and realize that these extreme kooks on the left are not the way to go. \n\nThey see a president that is calm, resolute and does not respond to the vitriolic attemps made by the left hate america first crowd. They can spew whatever lies and hatred they want, but as usual it is falling on deaf ears. \n\nWant proof liberals? You sickos call our president similar to hitler? if you bastards had any shame whatsoever, you'd stop what you're doing right now. I couldn't stand not so slick lying, cheating and strealing willie when he was renting my country out like a cheap suit, but I nor my republican brethren would ever stoop so low to compare him to hitler. \n\nThat's one of the many differences between us conservatives and you liberals. We know where the line is and you will say and do anything do get what you want. And the kids see that and are tuning you out. \n\nLiberals are also fuming because they know they are becoming extinct, and taking their fossill hippie counterparts down with them! Good riddance liberalism!\n\nPeace through patriotism. No victory, no peace!
1141744
I guess you're talking about the morons on here (and their counterparts in the real world) who spew nothing but hatred for anyone who disagrees with them about anything.\n\n1.  I think they never learned to think for themselves.  They've only been taught WHAT to think, so when they encounter different opinions, all they can do is yell.  They can't hold a reasoned discussion.\n\n2.  They're not really liberals in the truest sense of the word.  A real liberal supports freedom for all people.  They may be social liberals, but I even doubt that. In America, however, the economic liberals have traditionally been called conservatives or libertarians.  When's the last time you heard a so-called "liberal" in America talk about 'economic liberalization'?\n\n3.  It's not really love they feel for people in the developing world.  It's a combination of guilt and pity. They feel guilty because they have something that others don't, and they don't understand why. And they pity the poor people who don't live like them. It's easier to pity, because that carries with it no requirement to effect change.  All you have to do is feel sorry.  If they met real people in a developing nation, they wouldn't really want to associate with them socially, or see them succeed.  Because, after all, success is equal to greed in the modern American liberal's mind.  We wouldn't want to corrupt the helpless with success.  Instead, they just want to give handouts and feel good about themselves.  There's a moral superiority here...they truly believe that they're doing the right thing.  The sad thing is that their policies have perpetuated poverty around the world. \n\nThe confused mind of American "liberals" is a result of not understanding economics.  But only recently has all that confusion turned into outright hatred.  All this hatred doesn't bode well for the future.
92533
Because American's are lazy and no longer think for themselves. Our generation as a whole has become profoundly gullible and we eat what society feeds us because we don't want to work for our own cognitive nourishment.
683577
Americans (really "US citizens"--Americans include all those who live in North, Central, and South America) are not really stupid--many tend to be very ignorant though.  This, coupled with their patriotic jingoism, makes for an interesting combination.\n\nWe must remember to examine structural reasons for this rather than blaming people in terms of biology.  For example, how can US citizens be informed when their mass media is controlled by very few billionnaires who constantly espouse pro-corporate messages rather than messages that could make people feel like they have a sense of community with each other and the rest of the world?
269131
Eventually?  I believe this has already occurred.  Those who think Americans live in a democracy are sorely mistaken.  There are two main forces that currently control America: The conservative corporations and the liberal media.  (Neither of those statements are intended to be a negative judgment on either group).  Those two groups are the ones with the money, and the power.\n\nI'm not sour about that.  But I do think that anyone who thinks that every person has a say is fooling themselves.  Both of these groups, over time, have gotten very good at positioning their message so that the majority of people will vote for their candidate.
261100
Don't despair.  All things in life are circular and cyclical. What does that mean?  Eventually the people with the greatest of political power/those in control will lose their status because of their success affords them more opportunity to fail and then they are thereby exposed.  The further things swing to right, the more they will eventually have to go to the left.  So, the more successful they are at advancing a far right extremist political agenda, the greater the eventual swing back to the left will be so maybe/probably one day National Health Care, equal marriage rights for all people, things which are tauted as extreme left positions will be seen as possible and fair.