It's quite ironic really, Jack; if you look at pretty much any other country, the democrats would still be considered safely right-wing - and yet in the US people are scared because they perceive (perceive being the operative word there) them to be a "socialist threat". There's a huge amount of power in words, and the US - seeming to like having clear-cut enemies (such as Socialism! Or Communism! or Terror!) - it seems to be far more true. Granted, I'm going on discussions I've had and media, so I really couldn't say if it's reflective of a world view or just the people that I've spoken to.
I think the corker of the election comments was:
Originally Posted by John Boehner
I believe the healthcare bill will kill jobs, ruin the best healthcare system in the world and bankrupt our country
It just shows the complete blind ignorance to the problems that so many thousands of people in the US face, that anybody in politics, regardless of political alignment, could view the US healthcare system as the best in the world. You only need to look at the rates of bankruptcy as a result of the current system and the effect that that has on preventative care to see some of it's major failings. Plus the $ per head is significantly more than any other country. I'm not saying that this reform was necessarily the way to go forward, but some healthcare reform is most definitely needed there.
It's also scary the power that the
US (normally right-wing) media has on public opinion.
I have to say, you guys, it is pretty terrifying that the US is one of the most powerful countries in the world, when you look at the politics of it.