Is it OK to criticize left-wing policies?

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Do you think with the current politico-social tone in the world right now, is it even acceptable to critically discuss left-wing policies anymore? Even the Catholic church I was raised in adopted a more leftist tone lately. And consider how the rest of the world views America as extreme-right fascists. I am American, therefore, yes, I'm talking mostly about in America.



If you would like a prominent example, go back to those who say you were racist because you didn't vote for Barack Obama.

Even lefties criticize left-wing policies.

I wouldn't say that not voting for obama is proof of racism. I would say that much of the right-wing reaction to his presidency smacks of racism.

Particularly because he is categorically unlike the black people we in the united states usually think about when we think about negative black stereotypes.

His parents were clearly hippies. His mother was named Stanley for crying out loud. And she was white.

Having been raised mostly by his white hippie grandmother who named his mother Stanley, in Hawaii, he was never part of the post-slavery or urban experience that most black americans relate to.

And still 29% of republicans think he is a muslim and was not born in the USA. Even though 40% of republicans think Ted Cruz was born in the USA when we know for a fact that Cruz was born in Canada and only recently renounced his dual Canadian citizenship. And by the way, if Obama had been born in Kenya, he would qualify to run for president the exact same way that Ted Cruz does.

What I'm saying is when you look at obama as a person, and look at his background, thinking in terms of cultures and origins and even nationalities, he doesn't fit the "black american" stereotype by any measure.

But most of the people who hate him aren't able to see him as more than someone who is the wrong color.

^^^
Extremely well said.

Do you mean that people don't think it's ok to criticize, or that it actually isn't ok? You should criticize problems in any political party, no matter how much they are right about. As far as people being against criticism of liberal political ideas, it really depends on where in the world you're looking at. It sounds like the kind of thing that comes from many parts of Europe, but even if you're talking just about Europe, there are a lot of different opinions there, and there are many generally liberal ideas that are controversial even to people who are usually in favor of related ideas. There are a lot of other reasons many countries are sometimes opposed to the United States, and it's often as much about one country vs another as it is about the real morality of policies.

Nothing should be immune to criticism. If a policy of any kind is a good one it will be able to withstand such criticism on its own merits.

Without criticism, bad policies will get through as they won't meet any challenge. Just as they will in a company filled with yes-men.

OK, I understand that, but what is it that makes conservative ideas more "bad" than liberal ideas?

Liberal ideas are about scheming of ways to take money from people.

Conservatives are considered "bad", because they want to keep their money.

I don't think it's possible to answer a question like this.

I think the World has gotten better for everyone with a lot of the "left" kind of policies that have been instituted over the years, but now certain people are trying to push too far to the left.

Equal pay for equal work for instance, that is a good thing. That is a great thing. Equal average pay for men and women however is a bad thing. There is an average pay gap between men and women because of the jobs and hours men and women work on average and the choices they make for what they want in life, not because women are being paid less than men for performing the same job. Some want this pay gap eliminated. But a man and a woman now still take home the same wage for doing an hour of work on the same job. Artificially equalling this pay gap would result in women being paid more for doing the job just because they're women. Because men occupy a large percentage of the very top jobs and work longer hours on average, not because people are paying women any less money for performing the same job as a man. Eliminating the pay gap would result in women earning more for doing less.

Same reasoning applies for equal opportunity being a great thing vs. equal types of people being a bad thing. As long as there is no discrimination and anyone regardless of sex or gender has the same opportunity, then there is no discrimination. But if this is so, and then you decide there is not enough of a certain gender or race in a certain position, and you take steps to change that, that is discrimination. That means for every person you artificially insert into that position who otherwise wouldn't have made the grade, someone else who deserved it more got screwed based on their gender or race rather than their ability.

That so called liberal scheming to take away money involves taxation necessary for running the government, and keeping the poor and disabled fed, clothed, and housed. In that case, the conservative intent of keeping their money is basically just selfishness and greed, with no regard to the well being of fellow human beings.

Pretty short sighted, too. We all benefit indirectly.

Exactly.

It really depends on what you mean by "liberal" and "conservative" here. I'm guessing, from the content of your post, you are talking about social politics - things like homosexuality, the subjugation of women, drug use.

The basic tenet of social conservatism is usually a variation upon "we've always done it this way, so we should keep doing it this way" (perhaps "the law says this, so we should do this", or "the book says this, so we should do this").
The basic tenet of social liberalism is usually a variation upon "if it doesn't hurt anyone else, we should allow it".

I think most people - even, in all probability, many social conservatives - would intellectually prefer the second statement, but I might be overestimating the degree to which people are like me.

So, social conservatism says homosexuality is abhorrent because of tradition/the (old) law/religious teachings, whilst social liberalism teaches that punishing homosexuality is equally abhorrent because it restrict liberty and provides no benefit. Increasingly, people are being won around by the socially liberal point of view. That means that people who support homosexuality - now a majority in most of the West, certainly amongst young people - are more confident sharing their views and condemning those who don't hold them. A hundred years ago, calls for homosexuals to be given the right to marry would probably have got you in as much trouble as calling for homosexuals to face the death penalty would today.

lol I couldn't agree more. Nothing cracks me up more than my friends who are liberal, feel we should all pay more to help others, yet they make 3-4 times what my husband makes, don't have a special needs child whom they pay all therapies for, live in gated communities, their kids go to private schools and fly all over the world first class...but somehow, I am mean for not wanting to give up more than the 33% income tax we already pay on a 70K salary, with electricity being 28 cents per KWH and a sales tax of 11.5%...and that's just the beginning lol

Of course its ok to criticize left wing policies....doesn't mean you are entitled to people agreeing with you.

Also I did not vote for Barack Obama last two elections don't see how that alone makes someone racist....not voting for him simply because hes black would be racist however. Anyways people who say that are wrong, and obviously easy to jump to conclusions.

Way to over simplify.

When it comes to liberal vs conservative, I'm an equal opportunity offender. Unfortunately, the fine art of compromise no longer exists.