Willing to Learn

[Komrad]

Hello and Happy New Year!
I am definitely not a leftist. I'm hear to learn about my enemies. I will be respectful to all of you reds, and I won't complain if you treat me like dogshit. My world was turned upside down when 51% of my fellow Americans went to the polls and voted for socialism last November. I would like to learn about your ideology and see if I am the one who is wrong.

What is my ideology? I'm an Anarcho-Capitalist, more or less. I want almost zero government. I don't mind a little government here and there, (roads, a very small military, one or two policemen) but I want an end to all forms of transfer payments, Social Security, end minimum wage, end public education, end pretty much all taxes, no more jails, I think it would be great! But as I said above, I am here to learn, not to proselytize. Please teach my why Leftism is winning all over the world.

[LeonJWilliams]

Obama socialist? Leftism wining all over the world?

Where exactly do you think the political centre is?

Maybe before learning about leftist politics or right politics maybe you should start with an excellent book by Stephen D Tansey called 'Politics' it's part of a range of books called 'The Basics'.
The writing style is excellent (especially for beginners into the field of politics) it's clear and concise.

[Philosophos]

Leftism winning? Obama is a socialist? I agree with Leon. Either you have a different use of political vocabulary or you don't know as much as you think about politics.

Anyway for whatever you want to know just ask people are willing to help.

[Blake's Baby]

As Leon says, if by 'leftism' you mean socialism, then it isn't winning all over the world, it's nearly dead as a political ideology. All you 'AnCaps' (oxymoron of course, you cannot be both opposed to hierarchy and pro-capitalist hierarchy) have to do is continue lying about what socialism means, and before too long you and the Stalinists will have convinced the whole planet that 'socialism' means state control, instead of a classless communal society with no states at all.

[The Jay]

Hello and Happy New Year!
I am definitely not a leftist. I'm hear to learn about my enemies. I will be respectful to all of you reds, and I won't complain if you treat me like dogshit.

I won't treat you like that unless you say something really messed up, but others certainly will immediately flame you, expect it.


My world was turned upside down when 51% of my fellow Americans went to the polls and voted for socialism last November. I would like to learn about your ideology and see if I am the one who is wrong.

I see how that could be viewed as stressful but relax, Obama is no socialist. Obama's policies are actually neoliberal with a sprinkle of keynesianism. He is fully supportive of private property in the sense of John Locke and draws many of his policies from conservative origins.

He is actually trying to push the biggest expansion of tarriff-free trade that has ever been attempted, bigger than NAFTA. It is called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (http://www.ustr.gov/tpp) (another source (http://truth-out.org/news/item/13082-the-trans-pacific-partnership-what-free-trade-actually-means), wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Strategic_Economic_Partnership)). This agreement has been called 'NAFTA on steroids'. If you think that any socialist would even consider such a thing then you are mistaken.

All of Obama's policies are those of a capitalist, policies that will keep the power of the bourgeoisie from waning. The rich have not been this rich compared to the poor since the beginning of the Great Depression (http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/25/n_davos_roubini.cnnmoney/).

Obama's policies have greatly benefited the capitalists. There is no doubt of that.


What is my ideology? I'm an Anarcho-Capitalist, more or less. I want almost zero government. I don't mind a little government here and there, (roads, a very small military, one or two policemen) but I want an end to all forms of transfer payments, Social Security, end minimum wage, end public education, end pretty much all taxes, no more jails, I think it would be great!

Could you go into more specifics? Do you subscribe to the NAP? I can't really respond to these statements as they are since it would take a very long post to cover it.


But as I said above, I am here to learn, not to proselytize. Please teach my why Leftism is winning all over the world.

It isn't really. People are getting mad though.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

The left is winning all over the world?
Those sneaky reds! Here I was talking about a revolution being needed, I look away for one second and suddenly those commie bastards rule the world.
Damn...

[Philosophos]

The left is winning all over the world?
Those sneaky reds! Here I was talking about a revolution being needed, I look away for one second and suddenly those commie bastards rule the world.
Damn...

I feel the same way... So betrayed....

[Rugged Collectivist]

My world was turned upside down when 51% of my fellow Americans went to the polls and voted for socialism last November.

:laugh:


What is my ideology? I'm an Anarcho-Capitalist, more or less.


That explains a lot.


Please teach my why Leftism is winning all over the world.If only!

Welcome to the forum.

[Comrade #138672]

Go here and read the article posted by Brosa Luxemburg: http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2556903&postcount=9 It is pretty good and explains very well why Anarcho-Capitalism is impossible. This may teach you why your current ideology is wrong, which would be a very good start.

[Mass Grave Aesthetics]

Hello and Happy New Year!
right back at you.


I want an end to all forms of transfer payments, Social Security, end minimum wage, end public education, end pretty much all taxes, no more jails, I think it would be great!

Why? I´m genuinely curious why you assume this.

[#FF0000]

I wish I lived in the same world as you. Oh man.

Welcome, though.

[Blake's Baby]

Does anyone think 'Komrad' will be back?

[#FF0000]

hope so

OI is hella bare

[l'Enfermé]

Location: Aurora, CO

That's the Batman shooting city isn't it?

[DDR]

My world was turned upside down when 51% of my fellow Americans went to the polls and voted for socialism last November.

Obama is no socialist, I don't see the socialization of the means of production in the USA, nor I think I would see it. Obama is a capitalist, he may have used some shot keynesian stimulus to tweak the economy, but that doesn't make his socialist. Also medicare doesn't make him a socialist, because that would mean that Western Europe is also socialist, which is not.


I'm an Anarcho-Capitalist, more or less. I want almost zero government. I don't mind a little government here and there, (roads, a very small military, one or two policemen) but I want an end to all forms of transfer payments, Social Security, end minimum wage, end public education, end pretty much all taxes, no more jails, I think it would be great!

So your paradise on Earth would be something like Somalia or almost any other country in Subsaharian Africa, cool...


Please teach my why Leftism is winning all over the world.

Where? Whos idea was to organice a revolution in the middle of holidays? :laugh:

Sir, you gotta learn politics before speaking about them. I recomend you to first develop your political culture, because you don't even have the basic foundations. Also, if you dont mind, how old are you? Because that can explain a lot.

[Red Commissar]

I think this is appropriate.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I1BBN4GjKb4/SQnf_NWebPI/AAAAAAAACgg/TTpaaT4190I/s1600/Don%27t%2Btread%2Bon%2Bme%2Bflag%2Blibertarianism% 2Banarcho-capitalism%2Blibertarian.be

I hope that you'll be able to see your conception of politics is oversimplified if not inaccurate.

[Red Enemy]

I'm not sure if this is a troll, or if it's a serious, if there is such a thing, an-cap...

Could you define what socialism is in your own words, and tell us why and how Obama is a socialist and what "socialist" things he has done?

Feeding the troll, most likely. :/

[Sea]

OP, I think you'll find that most here don't think very highly of liberalism or the Democratic party, and we tend to see welfare capitalism as nothing more than a silly ruse. We might have somewhat similar views as liberals on for instance social issues, but how these conclusions are reached as well as how we think our goals should be achieved are very different. In fact, the entire framework from which we approach politics is completely different.
Obama socialist? Leftism wining all over the world?

Where exactly do you think the political centre is?To be fair I remember reading a Rasmussen report that something like 30% of Americans thing positively of socialism, and like 11% of communism. But of course that's not what he meant and what the respondents meant by socialism and communism is up for debate.

[#FF0000]

I'm not sure if this is a troll, or if it's a serious, if there is such a thing, an-cap...

Could you define what socialism is in your own words, and tell us why and how Obama is a socialist and what "socialist" things he has done?

Feeding the troll, most likely. :/

Oh, man. You don't have anarcho-capitalists in Canada?

Lucky, dude.

[Ostrinski]

If you're looking for people who voted for Obama this last November then you've come to the wrong place, I'm afraid.

[Komrad]

I am certainly glad I joined this forum! Who thought I wouldn’t be back? Do you get a lot of folks who drop in, spout off, and then disappear? I didn’t expect this kind of a welcome. I’m already learning a lot! I don’t think I’m a troll, but I’m not sure what that term means. I think this will be a slow process because it appears I don’t even speak the same language you guys do. Let me try to reply.

LeonJWilliams,
This may make you laugh, but I am at least half serious, I see someone like Rush Limbaugh as a moderate. Anyone to the left of Limbaugh is a flaming leftist. I’ve put your book recommendation on my “Books to read” list. Thank you, I like to read. It might take me 6 mos, but I’ll get to it. I have a few books ahead of it on list, including Atlas Shrugged. Just kidding, I’ve already read that one.

Philosophos,
Thank you for the kind reply. There’s no way anyone could know as much as I think I do about politics.

Blake’s Baby,
I do think that Socialism means state control, but I admit I could be wrong. That is why I’m here.

Emmanuel Goldstein,
I love your avatar! I disagree with you about Obama, but you got me pretty excited about a big NAFTA with Asia. Free trade is one of the many things I love. Free trade, Latin women, and turtles, all great! I would like to answer your question asking me to elaborate on my beliefs, but I feel we should do that in the Opposing Ideologies section. I don’t want to get kicked out of this forum.

Negative Creep, Philosophos, Rugged Collectivist,
Thanks for the welcome!

Wecandobetter,
I tried to read the article, but the link sent me to a blank page. Could you please tell me where to find it? I tried a Google search, but no luck there.

Beninist,
I would love to explain, but I think we should do it in the Opposing Ideologies section. I like it here and I don’t want to get booted for my ideology.

#FF0000,
Thanks! I like my world. In my world I’m good looking, smart, and everyone loves me.

l’Enferme,
Aurora is the Batman shooting city. I’ve got lots of conspiracy theories on that incident.

DDR,
I just listened to a podcast a few weeks ago that described how awesome Somalia is without a state, at least compared to other neighboring countries with their oppressive states. I don’t think I would move there, not being Somalian or Muslim I might not be welcome.

Red Commissar,
You hit the nail on the head! I am not an official Tea Party member, but I sympathize strongly with their beliefs. I’m sure my conception of politics is oversimplified, but I’m a simple man and I’m comfortable that way.

L’ouvrier Communiste,
I would love to tell you what I think of Obama, but again, something we should probably take to the OI section of the forum.

Sea,
Cool, I like your style.

[Green Girl]

Hello and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you as well, hope you have a nice 2013. :) and welcome to RevLeft.


I am definitely not a leftist. I'm hear to learn about my enemies.

I'm here to learn as well, learning is a life long process, well at least until we get Alzheimer's disease.


I will be respectful to all of you reds, and I won't complain if you treat me like dogshit.

I always treat people civilly, none of us was born knowing everything.


My world was turned upside down when 51% of my fellow Americans went to the polls and voted for socialism last November.

As everyone else has mentioned Obama is not socialist, that was Republican propaganda. Both Obama and Romney are Authoritarian Right, see chart below.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dS_DJQvEDTk/UJOg9Cc8IgI/AAAAAAAAAf8/A3I8VCpFvvo/s320/us2012.png

Take the Political Compass Test (http://www.politicalcompass.org/index) to see where you lie on the political spectrum.

In the chart below you can see I am Libertarian-Left. My score was
 Economic Left/Right: -8.25
 and Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.92.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqeGSb7WENw/UJOhTDcLFrI/AAAAAAAAAgE/w0ojk0Ju1kY/s320/pcgraph.png


I would like to learn about your ideology and see if I am the one who is wrong.

There are a lot of study materials here.


What is my ideology? I'm an Anarcho-Capitalist, more or less. I want almost zero government. I don't mind a little government here and there, (roads, a very small military, one or two policemen) but I want an end to all forms of transfer payments, Social Security, end minimum wage, end public education, end pretty much all taxes, no more jails, I think it would be great! But as I said above, I am here to learn, not to proselytize. Please teach my why Leftism is winning all over the world.

Many communists want zero government as well, but with the elimination of money. From each according to their abilities to each according to their needs and desires. This would eliminate crimes of property as anyone can have or use anything they want, eat anything they want, etc. But there would still be crimes of passion, so I think we may need a small government to deal with those.

However as long as money exists we need Social Security, the minimum wage, etc. Once money is eliminated there would be no more suffering, no more homelessness, no more starving.

Workers create all wealth as they make the products and deliver the services we all enjoy.

The lazy "fat cat" capitalists perform little or no work. In most cases they let money work for them (investments, interest, etc.) and the most work they do is reading the financial pages with their morning coffee. This ill gotten gain was either appropriated from the workers or inherited from a dead relative's appropriation from the worker class. The justification for this exploitation is the capitalist is risking their money in the venture, there is another way to build workplaces without the need for investment: eliminate money. Workers will work for the benefit of themselves and their fellow citizens.

[Red Enemy]

Oh, man. You don't have anarcho-capitalists in Canada?

Lucky, dude.
Oh, we do. I just can't bring myself to accept that any of them are serious....and I never will.

[DDR]

DDR,
I just listened to a podcast a few weeks ago that described how awesome Somalia is without a state, at least compared to other neighboring countries with their oppressive states. I don’t think I would move there, not being Somalian or Muslim I might not be welcome.

That's why it has been considered for three years in a row one of the top failed states, is one of the most corrupt countries, is in a statte of civil war and, best of all, the only way to survive for local fishermen is to raid foreing fishing ships.

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

*heavy sigh*
So depressing that there are some that still think that anything remotely left of Reagan / Thatcher is somehow 'socialism'.
The very existence of any kind welfare state at all seems to equal socialism in their eyes, so that's probably why they are mis-guided enough to think it's 'winning' everywhere because every now and then a small number of the electorate of capitalist countries vote in a party that might pay a lil more in welfare, might relax trade union laws a tad, might expect the rich to pay slightly more tax...that is not socialism, it is a liberal bourgeois compromise that offers little or no challenge to the status quo and the capitalists' dominance.

[The Jay]

I am certainly glad I joined this forum! Who thought I wouldn’t be back? Do you get a lot of folks who drop in, spout off, and then disappear? I didn’t expect this kind of a welcome. I’m already learning a lot! I don’t think I’m a troll, but I’m not sure what that term means. I think this will be a slow process because it appears I don’t even speak the same language you guys do. Let me try to reply.

Emmanuel Goldstein,
I love your avatar! I disagree with you about Obama, but you got me pretty excited about a big NAFTA with Asia. Free trade is one of the many things I love. Free trade, Latin women, and turtles, all great! I would like to answer your question asking me to elaborate on my beliefs, but I feel we should do that in the Opposing Ideologies section. I don’t want to get kicked out of this forum.

Please do. I would reply if you did.


L’ouvrier Communiste,
I would love to tell you what I think of Obama, but again, something we should probably take to the OI section of the forum.

I think that it is safe to say that none of us like Obama.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

In all fairness to teh OP (probably a troll but still), i'm a communist and I want zero government, save a militia or an elected delegate here and there, no transfer payments, no money etc.

[Blake's Baby]

I am certainly glad I joined this forum! Who thought I wouldn’t be back?...

I raised it as a possibility, good to se that you have come back, now let's take the discussion forward


... Do you get a lot of folks who drop in, spout off, and then disappear?...

Yes. Usually they say 'urrgh you retards, don't you know communism and fascism are the same thing, and Obama is a socialist?' and then leave.


... I didn’t expect this kind of a welcome. I’m already learning a lot! I don’t think I’m a troll, but I’m not sure what that term means...

A troll is someone who comes along and says something insulting and/or provocative not for the purposes of furthering a debate but just to annoy other people.

We are perhaps sometimes dismissive of genuine people who really just don't know much but are willing to debate, but that's because 90% or more of people with political views close to yours don't come here to learn but to cause trouble. Maybe you're not such a person; but we can only judge on the info we have, if the vast majority of 'An-Caps' we meet are anti-social assholes, then we're likely gonna assume that the next 'An-Cap' is an anti-social asshole too.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

If you are here to learn than consider checking out the study guide project. There you will find study guides to various leftist texts (should you decide to read them)...

http://www.revleft.com/vb/rev-left-study-t172829/index.html

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

Howdy.

[Komrad]

I loved that test! Here is where I came out.

Economic Left/Right: 9.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.05



I wasn't a bit surprised about the right/left spot, but I thought I would be a lot deeper in the Libertarian wing. I can't post the image yet, not enough posts in the forum.

[Yazman]

Welcome to Revleft, Komrad! Please send me a private message if you have any issues, problems or concerns.

Also, feel free to ask questions in this thread. I hope you enjoy your time here!

NOW, as far as everybody else is concerned:

MODERATOR ACTION:

While I'm glad to see everybody seems to understand keeping the Intro forum a nice, friendly, welcoming place regardless of ideology or politics, I've seen one or two posts in here that are pretty borderline. The next person who calls somebody a troll, I'm infracting. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Be friendly or don't be in Introductions.

This constitutes a general warning.

[Sasha]

OP restricted, thread moved to OI

[TalalNayer]

Welcome! :)