What Defines a Leftist?

We have a language barrier, an impasse to communication born from necessity of the left to continually deny their penchant for the utopian dream. Or, in some instances, if not deny the wish for utopia, to deny they are leftist at all. For them, the confusion of terms must ever remain a fog of understanding; for once the curtain is drawn back, once the light of reality shines upon the mind of an independent, the spell is broken. Because the truth is that socialism must, by design, segregate the individual into classes and factions in order to divide and conquer, must infuse distrust, dissent and hatred for our fellow men to subjugate a free and civil society to those who know better, to the elite, and once that realization dawns on a person, their argument for socialist solutions for an improving society breaks down. It is for the greater good, we are told. And it is the greatest lie ever propagated on a free people.
The free individual must, under leftist thought, subjugate himself unto such a regime for their plan to work. It is not compatible with America as founded and so America must be transformed.
I am ever reminded of this lie masquerading as language barrier when conversing with some who are offended to be labeled a leftist but ascribe to policies that are clearly socialist and it causes me to ponder – At what point on the line between left and right can one legitimately be labeled a leftist? Even if no such line exists, say their philosophy is so scattered across the spectrum as to defy category, what positions must they support to attain the Leftist label?
How many leftist policies would someone have to agree with in order to legitimately earn the “Leftist” label?
Do any carry more Leftist weight than others?
To help answer this question, please take this entirely scientific and utterly meaningless poll.
Consider the policies in the list below. Please choose only the ones that, when put in combination, would place the person who ascribes to them in the category of Leftist. But pick only as many as required to qualify. If only one will break the leftist barrier, then choose only that one.
The question also arises; can a leftist be absolved of the label by supporting some other libertarian or conservative principle? Can one cancel the other out?
What combination might that be?
Feel free to discuss in the comments.
Note: Image found at Flopping Aces – It’s Time for Leftists to Get Real About Taxes
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I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but for the life of me, I can’t find the poll and/or “policies in the list below.”
I can say this much though, any belief and/or faith in the abstract “greater good,” any type of support for corporatism, any support for socialist institutions like Medicare/caid/Social Security, any support for anything not clearly defined in the Constitution, any support for Keynesian economic policy and socialist (central) banking, and any desire to subordinate and/or reject individual rights puts one, in my book, on the left side of the political scale.
Obviously, I think both Romney and Obama are hardcore leftists. I mean, if Thomas Jefferson was a man of the right, then Romney and Obama clearly represent the polar opposite – the left. Heck, if Robert A. Taft, Russell Kirk, Robert Nisbet, and Barry Goldwater were men of the right … the “Paultards” are the only “right” in existence today.
I don’t know what it means to be “right” or “left” in America anymore. Conservatives oppose liberals/progressives. Libertarians oppose statists. I oppose statists. Period. I don’t care whether they call themselves left or right. Libertarian and statist are the only political labels that make sense. If “right” means Romney, count me out. Left? Don’t make me laugh.
😯
I had trouble seeing the darn thing once as well. Had to reboot my browser.
The inspiration for this post was a friend who likes to label their self libertarian but still supports Ocare’s mandate and a few other leftist policies so it got me wondering where the line is drawn.
I know you’re a Paul guy but what do you think of Johnson?
OK, got it with another browser. All of those are more or less on the “left,” I guess. As far as science goes, I’ve never found it in conflict with my Christian beliefs. But any who, the whole left/right thing gets messy.
I think your friend simply misunderstands libertarianism. Most people do. Why? I think most people confuse politics with political philosophy. Which explains why the movement that brought us Goldwater is now backing the son of Goldwater’s nemesis.
Libertarianism, put simply, applies the exact moral standards to the state and its agents as it does to anyone else. If it is immoral for Blue Cross to use force (or the threat thereof) to make people buy insurance, then it is also immoral for the state to do it. If it is immoral to rob your neighbor to fund a homeless shelter, then it is immoral for the state to do it. If it is immoral for you to kill, it is immoral for them to kill. Theft is theft and murder is murder. There are no exceptions. How could there be? Men are not angels … and power corrupts. No man is worthy to govern another.
Johnson? Meh. He’s not even on the ballot in MI anyway (thanks to corrupt Republicans), so it doesn’t even matter. I’m not voting. I can’t support these schmucks and live with myself. If conservatives truly want to send a message to Washington, they should stay home on election day. A 50-state shellacking with record low turnout (this is the key) would put the whole town on notice. It would make clear that America no longer consents.
Vote for Romney? Socialized healthcare, militarized police, gun control, indefinite detention, crony bailouts, Keynesian policy … sounds like a dictator to me … and the end of America and American conservatism. Romney and Obama are on the same team … against us.
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