FRSFreeStatePlus: AEI: Political Report: Is America Still a Center-Right Country?: Barry Goldwater and Jack Kennedy's America

Is America still a center-right country? AEI Political Report, December 2012 - Politics and Public Opinion - AEI

Before I layout where I believe America is politically I just want to give a quote from Barry Goldwater, whose. Probably my favorite Conservative-Libertarian even though I'm more of a classical Liberal but Senator Goldwater. Once said I believe in the 1960s that he wanted Big Government out of his wallet and bedroom and it might of taken. The rest of the country forty years or so to get there themselves but thats basically where I believe America is. Bill Clinton to quote from the left once said that he believed in what's called an opportunity society where all Americans. Would have the opportunity to chart their own course in life and have the freedom to live their own lives, the second part. I'm paraphrasing but thats what an opportunity society is, Americans tend to believe in what's called the safety net. That should be there for people who can't take care of themselves but that all Americans who are physically and mentally. Capable should be expected to and should be working and taking care of themselves, that as then presidential. Candidate Bill Clinton said in 1992, that Welfare shouldn't be free that it should be an investment in people to. Empower them to be able to take care of themselves.

Whether America is center right or center left we are certainly a mainstream country politically, not Centrist exactly. But we don't go very far left or right and what may seem mainstream in other countries lets says Social Democracies. On the left or more Authoritarian States on the right, seems more like fringes to the majority of Americans in this country. And people who would like to see America move in those directions , tend to have a hard time winning statewide. Or nationally in America, Americans like their economic freedom, we don't like high taxes and regulations. We also like our social freedom and not be told by government or people further to us on the right or left. How we should live our own lives and what it means to be an American, Americans tend to not like to be told. How to live and told what to do by government and what it means to be an American, we like Big Government out. Of our wallets and bedrooms.

This is why I believe had President Kennedy not of been assassinated in 1963, 1964 might of had been the. Best Presidential election in American history because we would've had a real Liberal in Jack Kennedy. Versus a real Conservative in Barry Goldwater both people who believed that Big Government shouldn't be. In our bedrooms or wallets and that Americans should be free to live our own lives and would've represented. Where America has become and two people who also respected each other as well.

FRSFreeStatePlus: Commentary: Seth Mandel: "George McGovern’s Futile Warning on Labor Unions": George McGovern's Diverse Ideology

McGovern’s Futile Warning on Unions: pThe extent to which George McGovern, who died in late October, was identified with American liberalism itself can be seen in headlines of his various obituaries. CNN’s headline called him an “unabashed liberal voice”; PBS went with “Liberal Icon”; the New York Times chose “Prairie Liberal” (though the online edition dropped the word “prairie”); and [...]/p

FRSFreeStatePlus
George McGovern throughout his career and since has been identified with American Liberalism, as if he's the. Hero for Americans Liberals or champion of Liberal causes and Liberal philosophy but he's not my Liberal champion. I identify more with Jack Kennedy or Wendell Willkie and today with John Kerry and Dick Durbin, both Democratic Leaders. In the US Senate, then I do with Senator McGovern or more with Bill Clinton then I do with Senator McGovern. Its not as if George McGovern didn't have Liberal tendencies, because he clearly did especially on social issues. Where granted Senator McGovern was clearly a social Liberal and I'm proud he was as a Liberal myself and he even had. Some Liberal positions on some economic issues, like the right to organize and organize labor and so fourth. And Senator McGovern was a Liberal internationalist on foreign policy and did believe in things like a strong. National defense, he wasn't pacifist or an isolationist and perhaps not even a dove, he was World War II veteran. And served his country very well.

But to say that George McGovern was the champion or hero or God of American Liberalism, is a very big stretch. He would be described today as a Progressive or Social Democrat, if he was still in Congress today, a place. Where he served for twenty two years, both in the House and Senate all together, I bet you he would've been a member. Of the Congressional Progressive Caucus but he would've been one of their most responsible members. And also someone who would've been able to work with the Democratic leadership, including the President. And someone who would've been able to work with Republicans as well, like he was able to work so well. Bob Dole in the Senate but ideologically he was more of a Social then Liberal Democrat, someone who put. A lot of faith in government to solve the peoples problems, rather then people being able to solve their own problems.

So George McGoevrn was really diverse when it came to his politics, on social issues clearly a Liberal, Liberal-Libertarian. Even, a Liberal internationalist on foreign policy but more of a Progressive-Social Democrat on economic policy. As they are called in Europe, rather then the Barry Goldwater or Ron Reagan for American Liberals. Wendell Willkie, Jack Kennedy are the real Liberal heros in America, people who put their faith in the people. To be able to solve their own problems, if they are just empowered to do so, rather then a big central government doing it for them.