On Thu, 1 Mar 2001, Nathan Newman wrote:
> I've always argued that you have to disagregate the Dems into its multiple
> factions, just as you have to look at coalition governments in Europe to
> distinguish left parties from their more moderate coalition allies.
-Only problem is, even the Right-wing parties of Europe are, basically, -social democrats (Germany's CDU would be denounced as raving Commies here -in the US, for example). PR systems of representation and powerful unions -have kept them pretty honest; no Europol in their right (or wrong) mind -would dare to suggest junking universal health insurance, for example.
Yes, the difference in policy in the US is that the conservative parties are so much more rightwing than in Europe. On basic policy, the Progressive Caucus and the overall 100+ social democratic style Dems are probably more left than most of the governing social democratic parties of Europe. The problem is the conservative business oriented Dems and the threat of the rightwing GOP.
-- Nathan Newman