http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6376018Oh my.
old mark Donating Member (381 posts) Tue Jun-17-08 03:49 PM
Original message
Where does Obama fit on the conservative/liberal scale?
Where is he? Is he very left, centerist,what? Does this even mean anything anymore?
I read a right wing post this afternoon that expressed the opinion that Obama is a Marxist.
But then they also think McCain is a Democrat.
I don't know. What do you think?
For the record, this is a scientific measurement of franksolich:
franksolich got this score even though he "strongly agrees"--not just "agrees," but "strongly agrees"--with the expansion of democracy throughout the world by any means necessary, with the pro-life position, with lower taxes and less government, with the Second Amendment, &c., &c., &c.
franksolich is so "centrist" he gets it from both sides.
This ideology test is all over the internet, and the primitives were the first to endorse it.
Anyway.
ananda (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 03:50 PM
Response to Original message
1. Obama is rightwing but..
.. a little to the left of McSame.
Obama_for_our_future Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:00 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. Of course on DU, Kucinich is a centrist, with everyone else far to the right....
Which means, one supposes, that primitives don't know shit about politics.
11 Bravo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:03 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. Or, in the real world, slightly left of center.
And by any rational examination, FAR to the left of Grandpa McSame.
Bornaginhooligan (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 03:51 PM
Response to Original message
2. I'd say far left, with broad appeal into the right.
Hmmmm. The deformed again primitive's read too many bouncies and stretchies.
MookieWilson (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:01 PM
Response to Reply #2
5. Why don't you just say "He is uniformly loved by all." ?
He's no Feingold or Barney Frank.
Neither he nor Clinton voted in Congress or campaigned as progressives.
Bornaginhooligan (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:29 PM
Response to Reply #5
21. Because that would be untrue.
Enemies of liberalism dislike Obama. So do the Naderish drama queens who say they're all the same.
He's got a good liberal scorecard when it comes to congressional votes, and in less tangible qualities like his opinions on the war, death penalty, and the drug war.
BlueDogDemocratNH (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 03:54 PM
Response to Original message
3. The old labels don't fit very well
Like most politicians of his generation, Obama is, at heart, pragmatic. He doesn't easily fit into the old liberal vs. conservative framework.
He was against the Iraq War from the start, but has worked with hawks like Nunn and Lugar on nonproliferation policy. Is that liberal or conservative?
He has partnered with Tom Coburn to reform the budget process and make it more transparent and accountable. is that liberal or conservative?
Cleita Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:09 PM
Response to Original message
8. I find him left of center right now, however, there seems to be glimpses of him being more of a lefty in the past. If he gets elected and we show him that we want him to be more liberal, he could warm up to the idea, I believe.
Dream on, primitive.
Then someone posts an ideological chart of Barry "Goldwater" Obama, showing the Democrat candidate to the right of center--meaning franksolich is ostensibly "left" of the guy--after which an argument ensues, but as it's pretty boring, I'll skip it.
democrattotheend Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:15 PM
Response to Original message
15. I think he is hard to pinpoint because he's not an ideolog
I think his instincts are liberal but he is not dogmatic. He wants to hear all sides of an issue and then decide based on what makes sense, not what's ideologically correct. That means he's going to make us mad sometimes, but I think it's (at least to an extent) a genuine desire to find the best solution, as opposed to merely selling out to corporate interests.
Or as opposed to selling out to the whims of the primitives.
uponit7771 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:17 PM
Response to Original message
17. Right moderate fiscally, left moderate socially....MOST of America is
Liberal_Stalwart71 (777 posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:17 PM
Response to Original message
18. He's NOT liberal. He's NOT conservative. He's a centrist but not a corporate, DLC Dem.
franksolich is a centrist; according to the primitives' own words, Barry "Goldwater" Obama is right-wing.
Uh-oh. The old primitive causes offense:
old mark Donating Member (381 posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:32 PM
Response to Reply #20
22. I kind of feel this way, too, but I think he is more of an opportunist than anything else.
Although he does seem to have a real opinion on some things and he actually says what he thinks in public.
I think he is very smart, and very adept at what he does and I believe he will be a great president.
An Obamaite gets upset, a harbringer of things to come, this supersensitivity to even the mildest criticism--even if praise, not criticism--of Barry "Goldwater" Obama:
FrenchieCat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:41 PM
Response to Reply #22
23. Please provide me examples of this "opportunist" label that you have foisted on to Barack Obama.
One gets the impression that if Barry "Goldwater" Obama were to hoist his dirty underwear up a flagpole, the gaullic feline primitive would stand and salute.
wyldwolf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:51 PM
Response to Original message
26. based on the standards set on DU, he's a centrist
And the standards set on Skins's island of course have no relation with the real world.
And Barry "Goldwater" Obama's out there running for president in the real world, not huddling on Skins's island.
Occam Bandage Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:52 PM
Response to Original message
27. In the context of American electoral politics? He's pretty left-wing, with a willingness to negotiate/compromise on issues when he finds himself in a position of political weakness, and with broad appeal extending into the center-right.
mvd DU Moderator Donating Member (1000+ posts) Tue Jun-17-08 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
28. In current American politics, slightly to the left
In reality IMO, he's pretty centrist (as is Hillary,) with Bill Clinton slightly to the right and most Repukes FAR right.
You know, if Skins's island ever gets too crowded, and my fellow alum wishes to winnow out the population, he could impose a "political literacy" test on members and potential members.....
