The Dystopian Myths of Red America (parade, radical, extremist, Sanders)

[Cida]

This was a prominent piece by Paul Krugman, making an important point.

Democrats are often told they should try to be understanding about the views/mindset of Republicans. But it doesn't seem to me that Republicans have any interest in being understanding on their part.



The Dystopian Myths of Red America
The Big Lie is embedded in an even bigger lie: the claim that the Democratic Party is controlled by radical leftists aiming to destroy America as we know it. And this lie in turn derives a lot of its persuasiveness from a grotesquely distorted view of what life is like in blue America.
Now, the reality is that the modern Democratic Party is a mildly center-left coalition, consisting of what Europeans would call social democrats, and relatively conservative ones at that.
On the domestic violence front, a study by the Anti-Defamation League found that 75 percent of extremist-related domestic killings from 2012 to 2021 were perpetrated by the right and only 4 percent by the left.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/comme...ian-myths-red/

[rjshae]

If you look close enough, both parties embrace political mythologies. Once you embrace a myth, you'll accept the cultural trappings that surround it and endorse the confirmation bias needed to sustain it. It acts like a form of indoctrination.

[mattja]

One party, for the most part, is compromised of people who just want to be left alone.
The other party is compromised of people who want to control every aspect of another's life, their speech, and their thoughts, if they could.

Why in God's name should anyone want to be understanding with the latter?

[Mad_Jasper]

I am not concerned with blue states/cities or the people that want to live in them. Go for it, I fully support you. Cheers!

[bus man]

Originally Posted by Cida

This was a prominent piece by Paul Krugman, making an important point.

[. . .]

Now, the reality is that the modern Democratic Party is a mildly center-left coalition, consisting of what Europeans would call social democrats, and relatively conservative ones at that.

From Paul Krugman's point of view, the modern Democratic Party does indeed look like a mildly center-left coalition. But that's only because he's so far left that he can barely even see the center.

[shadowne]

Didn't Paul Krugman once claim that the internet's impact on the economy would be no greater than the fax machine's?


"The growth of the Internet will slow drastically, as the flaw in ‘Metcalfe’s law’ — which states that the number of potential connections in a network is proportional to the square of the number of participants — becomes apparent: most people have nothing to say to each other! By 2005 or so, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.”

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Cida

This was a prominent piece by Paul Krugman, making an important point.

Democrats are often told they should try to be understanding about the views/mindset of Republicans. But it doesn't seem to me that Republicans have any interest in being understanding on their part.



The Dystopian Myths of Red America
The Big Lie is embedded in an even bigger lie: the claim that the Democratic Party is controlled by radical leftists aiming to destroy America as we know it. And this lie in turn derives a lot of its persuasiveness from a grotesquely distorted view of what life is like in blue America.
Now, the reality is that the modern Democratic Party is a mildly center-left coalition, consisting of what Europeans would call social democrats, and relatively conservative ones at that.
On the domestic violence front, a study by the Anti-Defamation League found that 75 percent of extremist-related domestic killings from 2012 to 2021 were perpetrated by the right and only 4 percent by the left.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/comme...ian-myths-red/

Hey look, a heavily democratic organization declares which domestic killings are from the far right and left.

Go figure.

Do you have a link to that study because I would just love to see where the pulse nightclub shooter and the Waukesha parade driver and the Atlanta asian spa shooter are counted.

Takes a lot of gall after 2020 to try to pin all political violence on the republicans but I suppose if you just let your side count then it's just mentally easy to get the conclusions you want to hear.

P.S. Didn't you complain when Rush did this stuff? You should have.

[Babe_Ruth]

Originally Posted by mattja

Why in God's name should anyone want to be understanding with the latter?

Because we're neighbors.
It's unfortunate because social institutions that used to bring political opponents together (churches, bowling leagues, scout troops, etc) are crumbling. Political opponents are isolating themselves in to online echo chambers, etc.
As mutual respect, and shared social institutions, disappear.. the left-right divide becomes deeper, more intense, & less compassionate.

[Eyebee Teepee]

you said "Paul Krugman", which caused me, based upon the reading of many of his pieces that didn't pan out, and his obvious partisan bent, to disregard everything else.

Sorry.

Same would go for Jen Rubin and that Cilizza dude.

While I'm thinking of partisan economists, add the Moody's guy and Claudia Sahm, and that "LaborFirst" guy.

They're commentators and water-carriers, nothing more.

[FrankNSense]

Originally Posted by Cida

This was a prominent piece by Paul Krugman, making an important point.

Democrats are often told they should try to be understanding about the views/mindset of Republicans. But it doesn't seem to me that Republicans have any interest in being understanding on their part.



The Dystopian Myths of Red America
The Big Lie is embedded in an even bigger lie: the claim that the Democratic Party is controlled by radical leftists aiming to destroy America as we know it. And this lie in turn derives a lot of its persuasiveness from a grotesquely distorted view of what life is like in blue America.
Now, the reality is that the modern Democratic Party is a mildly center-left coalition, consisting of what Europeans would call social democrats, and relatively conservative ones at that.
On the domestic violence front, a study by the Anti-Defamation League found that 75 percent of extremist-related domestic killings from 2012 to 2021 were perpetrated by the right and only 4 percent by the left.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/comme...ian-myths-red/

Exactly what "important" point was he making? That if you write a report coming from so far left, it makes even Sanders and AOC look Conservative?

I do have to admit his main example to prove his point was quite interesting

Finally, about BLM: The protests were, in fact, overwhelmingly peaceful. Yes, there was some arson and looting, with total property damage typically estimated at $1 billion to $2 billion. That may sound like a lot, but America is a big country, so it needs to be put in perspective.

Vs.

Here’s one point of comparison. Back in April, Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, pulled a political stunt at the border with Mexico, temporarily imposing extra security checks that caused a major slowdown of traffic, disrupting business and leading to a lot of spoiled produce. Total economic losses have been estimated at around $4 billion; that is, a few days of border-security theater appear to have caused more economic damage than a hundred days of mass protests.

So his basic justification that the left isn't really that far left is "What's 1-2 Billion dollars of arson and looting, the US can handle it". But we can't have officials trying to protect our borders because the Federal Government won't.

You know what...I'll take the supposed 4 Billion dollars in "Damage" of trucks getting delayed over the 1-2 Billion of actual damage caused by criminal acts any day of the week.