NationStates Jolt Archive

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p


Was a "Democrat" in my teens and early 20's. Then I joined the military and after that started a career. When I started to make a middle class wage is when I switched to independent. That is what I am today.

I don't quite understand. You've decided that you're a socialist so you've quit the democratic party?
Democratic party in case you didn't know is broad based progressive, maybe centre-left and social liberal if you pushed it, but it's in no way 'socialist', the only US politician who identifies as 'socialist' in Congress is an independent.

I don't quite understand. You've decided that you're a socialist so you've quit the democratic party?

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p

Remember the end of Animal Farm, where the pigs and the humans are eating dinner and slowly they merge until you can't tell which is pig and which is human?

Well that's the UK Labour party for you.

Gordon Brown's speech last week? If I was just reading the transcript without knowing who wrote it, I would have sworn it was conservative - he even bangs on about unified Britain speaking one language and other cultures having to assimilate, strong law and order and so on.

I'd hold your membership for a real socialist party if that's what you're looking for.

Best give the Labour Party a wide berth if you're a socialist. You're a good couple of decades late.

I don't quite understand. You've decided that you're a socialist so you've quit the democratic party?
What I don't get is that he's decided he's a Socialist and then tried to join the British Labour Party.
British Labour Party =/= Socialist ideals.

Just to confirm, 'New Labor' is basically a conservative party in progressive wrapping, it's basically a carry on of the neoliberal 'reforms' of Thatcherism.

Gordon Brown's speech last week? If I was just reading the transcript without knowing who wrote it, I would have sworn it was conservative - he even bangs on about unified Britain speaking one language and other cultures having to assimilate, strong law and order and so on.

I'd hold your membership for a real socialist party if that's what you're looking for.

Well be fair, you can be socialist, pro-law and order, against multiculturalism and anti-immigration.

None of those positions are incompatible.

Well be fair, you can be socialist, pro-law and order, against multiculturalism and anti-immigration.

None of those positions are incompatible.

Yeah, you're not wrong - yet these are but small facets of the mighty lurch to the right by the Labour party.

No one can quit the Democratic Party. Some time, some how, we will find you...and ask you to come back, in a very sincere manner.

Yeah I know. I keep having them show up and want to put signs in my yard. I politely tell them to "get off my lawn". ;)

If you haven't already tried it, I suggest setting up crosses in your yard; it usually keeps them away.
It should also deter most Jehovah's Witnesses, so you're killing two birds with one stone.

No one can quit the Democratic Party. Some time, some how, we will find you...and ask you to come back, in a very sincere manner.

Yeah I know. I keep having them show up and want to put signs in my yard. I politely tell them to "get off my lawn". ;)

Move to Canada and join the NDP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democratic_Party) :)

1500 Posts! I'm an AIMBOT!

I used to be in the Democratic party, but then I started doing research and I realize that it was the Democrat and Republican fault that my taxes are high and that government size and spending are out of control, so I became a Libertarian. There was a small period where I was a Republican, but then I realized that they were no better than the Democrat.

When I was in my early teens, I switched from being a conservative to being a libertarian after I found out that libertarians stood for pretty well all the conservative ideas that I agreed with, and virtually none of the ones I disagreed with.

Since then, I haven't really changed my political views, but I've refined them a fair bit.

I used to read a lot of Steinbeck and Vonnegut so I considered myself a socialist back in high school, but I still had sort of a F-Authority attitude due to all the punk rock I was exposed to.

Later in my early 20s I started reading a lot of Ayn Rand so I got more interested in political theory and I found my way to libertarianism.

I actually started a nationstate because I want to try and make a libertarian state and see how it did. I tried it on cybernations but that game isn't really geared around political standpoints.

I've bounced around and am generally moving more libertarian, and definitely back towards the economic right, as seen by the 3.4 point move right in my political compass score:

Economic Left/Right: 4.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.62

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p

You are doubly abhorrent. A socialist and an aspiring member of the Labour party to boot.

I am neither Democrat nor Republican. I vote for whichever applicant for the job seems to possess the best features for actually doing it, regardless of party affiliation.

Oh. Fair enough. Just keep in mind that New Labour aren't really as socialist as they once were, and that the Respect Party is made up of a bunch of Marxists with their heads up their arses.

Bit of a shame, really, that there are no decent socialist parties in the UK at the moment. Either too left wing (Respect, ach) or too right wing (New Labour, meh).

I'm a registered Democrat, but only so I have the power to scream at them "YOU"VE SWUNG TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT, MORONS!"

Hm? Oh, I change all the time. Sliding a bit here and a bit there. I couldn't tell you when the last time was.

Independant, always have been, always will be. There isnt any difference between America's main political parties except the demographic they try to appeal to.

I was born a Democrat and will die a Democrat.

I was born a Democrat and will die a Democrat.

Hey, I saw a congressman say that once! :)
Something like: "I was born a Democrat and will die a Democrat. Even if my politics and ideology are now that of a republican, I will never resign from the democratic party." Made me smile :p

I was born a Democrat and will die a Democrat.

A "yellow dog," yes?

Democratic party in case you didn't know is broad based progressive, maybe centre-left and social liberal if you pushed it, but it's in no way 'socialist', the only US politician who identifies as 'socialist' in Congress is an independent.

Bernie Sanders FTW!

I'm mostly pissing about with either Anarcho-syndicist or Green

so I became a Libertarian.

I switched from being a conservative to being a libertarian.

I found my way to libertarianism.

libertarian

hasn't this fad died out yet?!

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p


good for you,
someone told me this once:

"stupidity causes someone to join a political party,
embarrassment prevents them from quitting."

but Britain's Labour Party?
Tony Blair the GW of Britain

Bernie Sanders FTW!

Feh. Bernie Sanders was an independent Democrat.

hasn't this fad died out yet?!
Nope, being a pseudo-Republican still gets you street cred on their side of the pond.

I'm mostly pissing about with either Anarcho-syndicist or Green
hasn't this fad died out yet?!

i agree, people should own the places they work at, and operate them democratically with their co-workers/owners

Frankly, I'd vote for a yellow dog, if it were a Democrat. The Rethuglicans can't be trusted with anything, and the third parties are a joke. Sure, the Dems'll pussy out and throw us to the dogs because they have no spine, but at least they aren't the Republicans.

Gordon Brown's speech last week? If I was just reading the transcript without knowing who wrote it, I would have sworn it was conservative - he even bangs on about unified Britain speaking one language and other cultures having to assimilate, strong law and order and so on.

I'd hold your membership for a real socialist party if that's what you're looking for.

Actually, I'm not aware of Brown doing anything of the sort. But then again I haven't kept up with the Guardian nor the Times. If what you said is true, then I may not agree with Brown's anti-immigration views. Nonetheless, I do believe in the socialist ideals of free healthcare, government caring for the poor, etc.

I used to be a Republican but good lord that party is just ripe with moronicness. That isn't to say the Democrat party is any better, by all means they're still worse. So I switched to independent myself. It has become apparent to me that neither party, Rep or Dem, care about our country, only their pockets.

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p

I've actually changed a few times, originally a republican, then a democrat, then a libertarian. Presently I'm unaffiliated, but are still heavily sympathetic towards the general gist of the Libertarian Party. I do disagree with them on some fronts, so I could be labeled a moderate Libertarian.

Actually, I'm not aware of Brown doing anything of the sort. But then again I haven't kept up with the Guardian nor the Times. If what you said is true, then I may not agree with Brown's anti-immigration views. Nonetheless, I do believe in the socialist ideals of free healthcare, government caring for the poor, etc.

So not really socialist at all.

I used to be a strong supporter of the Democratic party in America, until I visited England for three weeks. When I came back I openly admitted that I was socialist. (And that prompted some interesting AP government class discussions!)

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party. I didn't know that till I tried to get my membership card last week from their website.

When was the last time you changed your political views? :p

Used to be a big-time Bush supporter Republican, back in '04. I don't regret it because the alternative was worse. But then I got slapped in the face with reality. Found out the GOP wasn't going to do shit, and I have come to the conclusion that the only thing that will save America is radical change. Then I read the Doctrine of Fascism, and the rest was history...

Edit: Given there is no chance in Hell that a fascist will get elected in this liberal-infected country, I will just have to vote for whoever benefits my wallet. (Or steals less than the other guy...)

the labour party doesn't even pretend to be socialist anymore, or even have any socialist sypathies.


what parts of england did you visit?

[QUOTE=Lame Bums;13090661Edit: Given there is no chance in Hell that a fascist will get elected in this liberal-infected country, I will just have to vote for whoever benefits my wallet. (Or steals less than the other guy...)[/QUOTE]


Awwwwww... Nazi's are so cute when they get flustered. Reactionary change is never a step foward.

When did Lame Bums start throwing people in ovens?

He didn't invite me?

Damn, he's not coming to my birthday party!

So not really socialist at all.

Oh? Elaborate please?

When did Lame Bums start throwing people in ovens?

He didn't invite me?

Damn, he's not coming to my birthday party!

Fascism =/= Nazism. By the same logic I could call America a democracy, or the Soviet Union an accurate representation of all forms of socialism/communism. Try again.

Actually, it was intended towards Kind Sensible People.

I hate when people start throwing around Nazi.

Actually, it was intended towards Kind Sensible People.

I hate when people start throwing around Nazi.

My bad. Well, then let's just say it's directed towards the little kid, then.

Oh? Elaborate please?

There is nothing particularly socialist about government providing universal healthcare or a social safety net.

Now, if we were to start nationalizing industries, phasing out private home ownership, guaranteed full employment and a centrally planned economy, then we'd be talking.

Anyway, the Labour Party is only nominally socialist. It gladly threw the working class overboard in the early nineties, and is very far from actually socialist today.

Go spend some time in the Jarrow CIU. If they don't kill you, it'll probably change your perspective about this.

In my younger years I used to beleive in socialism. However, after I had been attending my Lycée for a couple of years, I realised that socialism is a flawed ideology.
I found that Gaullism (or rather a form of Neo-Gaullism) is far more fitting for me.

My views change constantly and sometimes I have several different views on one subject. I have two main ideologies, one down to earth and the other for what would be perfect but is practically impossible to attain.

I'm a dirty lefty... I kinda always have been though my views change as do I.
I can't honestly say I understand why anyone would be right wing, as far as I can see the right is all about self and the left is about mutual growth... admittedly that's hideously generalised but hey, most political is generalised - "you believe we should feed the homeless? COMMIE!!"

At the risk of sounding moronic (I've been away from TV & newspapers for a while now)... what's Libertarianism? It kinda sounds like another name for the same old product...

Of all the wonderous choice of parties I have to go with over here in sunny England I'm mostly in favour of the Greens but I usually vote Lib Dem just because the Greens don't stand in my area... the gits.

I hate when people start throwing around Nazi.
Let me guess: Because they make such an awful mess when they land?
Am I right?

At the risk of sounding moronic (I've been away from TV & newspapers for a while now)... what's Libertarianism? It kinda sounds like another name for the same old product...

Here you go. Libertarian party http://www.lp.org/article_85.shtml advocates for a smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

Well be fair, you can be socialist, pro-law and order, against multiculturalism and anti-immigration.

None of those positions are incompatible.
I agree with that, it's pretty much where I stand. I support moderate economic socialism myself, but I think immigration is out of control and I'm against multiculturalism. I'd also say that those who benefit most from mass immigration are the economic elites. They like immigration because it helps them bring down wages and conditions.

There is nothing particularly socialist about government providing universal healthcare or a social safety net.

Now, if we were to start nationalizing industries, phasing out private home ownership, guaranteed full employment and a centrally planned economy, then we'd be talking.
I think what you're describing there would be better described as communist, particularly phasing out private home ownership. Moderate centre-left socialism (Along the lines of western Europe) can be achieved through things like universal healthcare, the safety net, nationalisation only of certain key industries like healthcare, water supply, transport, ect. Which is what I support to a certain degree.

In my younger years I used to beleive in socialism. However, after I had been attending my Lycée for a couple of years, I realised that socialism is a flawed ideology.
I found that Gaullism (or rather a form of Neo-Gaullism) is far more fitting for me.
I'm not sure what Guallism means in the domestic sense, but the Guallist foreign policy is something I admire. I think it's something Britain needs.

Pro law and order, anti-immigration, anti-multiculturalism, and socialist...

Sounds like my worst nightmare.

I BEFRIEND CHESTNUTS;13091759']
I'm not sure what Guallism means in the domestic sense, but the Guallist foreign policy is something I admire. I think it's something Britain needs.

Traditional themes of Gaullist domestic policy is social conservatism (most Gaullist are catholics) and what is called "Dirigisme" in French. Dirigisme is all about strong governmental influence on the economy.
However, Neo-Gaullism accepts a greater extent of free-market forces in the economy.

just what we need...another socialist.:headbang:

I BEFRIEND CHESTNUTS;13091759']
I think what you're describing there would be better described as communist, particularly phasing out private home ownership. Moderate centre-left socialism (Along the lines of western Europe) can be achieved through things like universal healthcare, the safety net, nationalisation only of certain key industries like healthcare, water supply, transport, ect. Which is what I support to a certain degree.


I'm not suggesting anything the labour party hasn't already discussed.

just what we need...another socialist.:headbang:
what do you mean by "another" ?

Given there is no chance in Hell that a fascist will get elected in this liberal-infected country, I will just have to vote for whoever benefits my wallet. (Or steals less than the other guy...)

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Anyhow, apparently you have to be a British citizen in order to be a member of the Labour party.

:p

what do you mean by "another" ?

surely there's more than 1 self-professed socialist in the world?

hasn't this fad died out yet?!

No, because apparently a lot of people like freedom, and don't like the incompetent and corrupt government destroying it.

Up until about two years ago, I was a Republican. Then in my freshman year of High School, I began to become skeptical of the party and realized that it was run by the Neo-Cons and Religious Right. Being religious, I took that blow rather hard.

Then, during my Sophmore year I finally cast off the shackles of the party and left, even though it didn't amount to jack since I wasn't old enough to actually have any impact whatsoever, but that's beside the point.

I'm now 17, will be able to vote in the Presidential Election, am still deciding who to vote for (not Hillary Clinton, because I'm a gamer. :P) and I don't really identify myself with anything.

No, because apparently a lot of people like freedom, and don't like the incompetent and corrupt government destroying it.

I like freedom and think the government is incompetent, but I'm not a libertarian.

No, because apparently a lot of people like freedom, and don't like the incompetent and corrupt government destroying it.
I was unaware that incompetance and corruption were facets only of governments and, conversely, that all business is absolutely streamlined, flawless and straight as an arrow.

Thanks for enlightening me, Vetalia!