conservative

Political Movements: the Role of Political Orientations

Submitted by Alex Budarin on Thu, 10/31/2019 - 12:39pm
800px-San_Francisco_Youth_Climate_Strike_-_March_15,_2019_-_22 cropped.jpg

Protesters march with signs along Market Street during the San Francisco Youth Climate Strike. March 15, 2019. Photographer: Intothewoods7. Cropped from the original.

What provokes political movements? They can only occur because a large number of individuals decide to cooperate with one another to obtain a political outcome they mutually value. Not everyone joins the same political movements, even if they share the same circumstances. And it’s not because some people have more information than others, or some have been “brainwashed.” Often it’s because of individual differences in political orientations and value priorities.

Political Parties (Part Two): The Factions Within The Factions

Submitted by Alex Budarin on Sat, 03/23/2019 - 3:23pm
FWF 1_1.jpg

Studies of authoritarian personalities have provided considerable insight into the conflicting political factions of “Conservatives” and “Liberals.” There also appear to be identifiable factions within these factions, with their own distinguishable value priorities. Thus, the major political political factions themselves experience internal conflict.

The Conservative Worldview: Herrenvolk and Untermenschen, Revisited

Submitted by Alex Budarin on Sun, 08/19/2018 - 9:13am

The following essay is one that I published during the Presidential election year of 2012, except for the photo and Postscript. It was more of a conjecture at the time, and it ruffled a few feathers, but I think the passage of time has provided even more confirmation of the underlying hypothesis.

Democrats Should Win on Values, Jesus

Submitted by hungeski on Mon, 01/02/2017 - 1:07pm

'The Sermon on the Mount' by Claude Lorrain, 1656

(Analysis.) "All politics is moral," writes cognitive scientist and author George Lakoff. For years he has counseled Democrats on winning hearts and minds from the dishonest, but effective, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh-style Republican propaganda.

[S]tart with values, not policies and facts and numbers. Say what you believe, but haven't been saying. For example, progressive thought is built on empathy, on citizens caring about other citizens and working through our government to provide public resources for all, both businesses and individuals. Use history. That’s how America started. The public resources used by businesses were not only roads and bridges, but public education, a national bank, a patent office, courts for business cases, interstate commerce support, and of course the criminal justice system. From the beginning, the Private Depended on Public Resources, both private lives and private enterprise.

Over time those resources have included sewers, water and electricity, research universities and research support: computer science (via the NSF), the internet (ARPA), pharmaceuticals and modern medicine (the NIH), satellite communication (NASA and NOA), and GPS systems and cell phones (the Defense Department). Private enterprise and private life utterly depend on public resources. ... And stop defending “the government.” Talk about the public, the people, Americans, the American people, public servants, and good government. And take back freedom. Public resources provide for freedom in private enterprise and private life.

The conservatives are committed to privatizing just about everything and to eliminating funding for most public resources. The contribution of public resources to our freedoms cannot be overstated. Start saying it.

Of course, having, as the Republicans do, hundreds of radio stations and a major news network devoted to the messaging would greatly help. Still, every liberal-minded person that speaks a clear message grounded in values, whether to one or a million-and-one, would also help.

Campaigning Like It's 1999

Submitted by Alex Budarin on Tue, 05/31/2016 - 8:09pm

According to The Hill, "Clinton allies" are blaming Bernie Sanders for Hillary Clinton's poor performance in recent opinion polls. They complain that Sanders' continued attacks on Clinton and his failure "to begin bringing everyone together” hurts Hillary Clinton because it "... holds her back from controlling the narrative.” What I see are changes in the U.S.

Les Beastiables Cartoon Friday: Presidential Candidate Mike Houndabee!

Submitted by elenacarlena on Fri, 07/24/2015 - 6:11pm
Les Beastiables ("Les Bez"): Beasties say the darnedest things!

Today's Beastiable is Presidential candidate Mike Houndabee. He has said a lot of narrow-minded things, but what he has said about marriage equality was beastly enough that he has earned his turn as one of Les Beastiables. Which I summarize thusly:

NOTE FOR NEW READERS: This series features a new Les Beastiables cartoon every Friday afternoon/evening here at caucus99percent. We indulge in a little Franglish because the French are tres classy. But I digresse.

For a short course in serious information, please join me below the break. As always, you'll be able to "cleanse your palate" with a cute photo before you leave.