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People like to say “moderate Dems would be center-right in Europe” as if that doesn’t mean America is more conservative than most of Europe. We have a different political/media/cultural ecosystem than Europe does. That’s not meant as an excuse or criticism. It’s just a fact.
Why is (western) Europe the yardstick anyway? Why not place moderate Dems on China’s or Kenya’s political spectrum, or America’s circa 1900?
I think the answer is a mix of eurocentrism and wishful thinking.
I think the answer is a mix of eurocentrism and wishful thinking.
I wish we had a more European attitude about the safety net and quality of life. But that’s another way of saying I wish America was less conservative. Dems don’t operate in a vacuum. A lot of this country is really conservative. And so is our media.
I’m also not going to pretend Europe is some big political monolith. Or that it isn’t racist af too. There are a lot of civil rights issues where the spectrum is pretty much the same here and there. Let’s not sweep that under the rug.
