INOBU - Good point. I'm a Canadian, and in Canada we actually have a socialist party...it's called the New Democratic Party, and it has traditionally gotten anywhere from 10 to 22% of the national vote. The NDP has formed provincial governments on several occasions, and nothing terribly drastic occurred. Communists did not descend from the skies on those provinces, and freedom did not cease to exist. In fact, sometimes things got better, specially for the poor and those in need of medical attention.

I lived in New York State for 10 years, and never did I see even a trace of anything that could be called "leftist" or "socialist" in the political arena there. All I saw was the eternal boondoggle and nonsense between the Democrats and the Republicans that passes for a political debate in the USA. The Democrats and Republicans are both fond of accusing the other of various heinous acts, sometimes with justice, but neither one of them could be accused of being "leftist" by general world standards. They are both right of center by those standards.

Many Americans, however, (if not most of them) don't seem to realize that...so the Republicans, who are usually a tad more reactionary than the Democrats, just blithely assume that the Democrats are leftists! Hah! They may be corrupt and power-hungry (the Democratic Party machine itself, I mean...not you individual Democrats out there!), but they are NOT leftists.

Finding a genuine leftist alternative in the USA is like looking for ice in the Sahara or fleas on a week-old dead camel...hopeless.

Of course, it's all a matter of what you're used to isn't it? When an eskimo thinks it's warm outside, you might still think it's cold...

MAV - I'm glad we agree on the definition of "fascist". As for the "right wing nut" quote...wasn't that somebody else? I don't think that one was my post.

Troll - I appreciate your humour! Maybe you're right...maybe we should get back to the fun of mud-slinging, name-calling, and bowdlerization! You sir, are a bootlicking scoundrel, a knave of the first order. I would not toss you a twinky if you were adrift without a life jacket in the North Sea. Rot and perish, you detestable swine!!! :-D

- LH

Now, do we really want to launch round 3 of this thread?