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Are You Left Or Right?

Guest Contribution by Matt Foster

Below is a rather extensive list of words and terminology related to the issue and meant to both amuse and inform. When an election comes around it might be an idea to simply review the list below to see whether your personality, your beliefs and ideologies favor the left or the right. You should then vote the political party that best matches you

• Peacekeeper / Crusader
• Negotiate first /Action first
• Socialism / Capitalism
• Generosity / Greed
• Share / Possess
• Separation of religion and state / Freedom to promote religion in policy
• Tolerate others / Demonize anything deeded to be leftish
• Freedom from religion / Freedom of religion
• Christ’s Cross / God’s Sword
• Flexible / Rigid 

There's more, so please read on...

• We / Them
• Trust your neighbor but carry a big stick / Distrust everyone and carry a big gun
• Public informative media / Private propagandized media
• Community / Individuals
• Give / Take
• Us / them
• US /Them
• Underprivileged / Privileged
• Struggle for equality / Struggle to be unequal
• World opinion / Self Interests

• Support International Institutions / Ignore International Institutions
• Honor responsibilities / Waffle
• Request help / Demand help and threaten reprisals
• Wage Earner / Privileged
• Realities of Life for the majority / American Dream for the few
• Regulated business / Laissez-faire business
• Information/ Misinformation
• Lobby /Bribe
• Support Interests / Buy Influence
• Tofu / Hotdog (Yuck to both)

• Tree Hugger / Clear Cutter
• Nature Lover / Nature Despoiler
• Photograph / Shoot
• Democracy / Hegemony
• Democracy / Plutocracy
• Democracy / Top down control
• By the people / Buy the people
• Multilateral Decisions / Unilateral Decisions
• Fair Trade / Free Trade
• Bicycle / Hummer
• Tolerance / Intolerance
• Labor / Entrepreneur
• Noam Chomsky / Rush Limbaugh

• And my favorite – People Interests / Business Interests

Conclusion:

If we see the left as simply “people” we see a strong desire and commitment to –

• Other people
• The environment
• The future
• Our legacy
• The rule of law
• Equality
• Fair trade
• The freedom to to do business in a regulated manner
• The responsibility to pay taxes in the country from which they received their charter to work or do business.
• Fair remuneration for effort and contribution.
• Compassion and aid for the underprivileged

If we look to the Right as being “business” we see a strong desire for unrestricted entrepreneurial innovation –

• Property
• Profit
• Low ages for employees
• Use of youth labor and foreign workers
• Freedom to outsource work
• Freedom from taxation
• Absolution for liability
• Free of encumbrances from pollution and environmental laws
• Privilege and favor

This is worth your time to read -http://civismundi.net/are-you-left-or-right/

Guest Contribution by Matt Foster. You can see more of his works here.

Originally posted at The Cambridge Advocate.