Rossi: Don't call me Right (wing)

Stargazer wrote:

Rossi might also be interested to know that the straight edgers (no meat, no sex, no drugs) are pretty hard core right. My guess is he tossed in the vegetarian thing to play to people like me, who don't eat meat. Word to Rossi - I could care less what you put in your mouth. It is what comes out of it that matters.

I think you might be confusing Hardline with Straightedge. Straight edge, (no drinking,smoking, drugs sex, Meat not so much) as originally manifested by groups like Minor Threat and Ian McKay were left (supported Planned Parenthood, anti-war, etc) While Hardline, following the sXe guideline and then some sythetisized with Deep Ecology and some Judeo-Christian Social Conservative sexual mores thrown in for good measure.

 I'm personally always try to separate Right wing economic positions and right wing social or moral posistions. I mean it said it right there in the article that he was fiscally conservative socially liberal. I'm happy that you brought up the political compass, which I'm a big fan of personally, as it is a great tool to break that inadequate and horrifically simplistic left and right posistions(The one used on the news in the states left and right Liberal conservative). Rossi mentions that too, He's on the RIght, Smitherman in the centre, Joey Pants on the left, it isn't as simple as that, there are nuances. But the fact of the matter remains he is Right of centre (not simply centre right) on economic issues, a fiscal classical liberal if you will in the vein of  Thatcher or to use American terminology a Liberatarian in the vein of a Ron Paul. In his mind the government has no business owning Toronto Hydro, ergo it must be sold. That fact that it produces revenue is pointless, it should be sold and the "invisible hand" will fill it void with competing companies, meaning we the consumer will pay more for Hydro (and essentially get shafted) Hes defiently more rightwing than Lastman, thats for sure.

As for your list Skinny Dipper re: Pragmatism

Mikey Harris. I disagree he was very ideological. He became Prem and implemented the classic conservative mantras. Slash and burn cut taxes and gov't spending and deregulate. Ontario Hydro would be an execption as he could have easily just privatized, instead it was still a crown corp just a whole bunch in lieu of one.

Little Stevie Harper. You'd be right, he's doing a lot of stuff he's not comfortable with, and getting flak for it (Like the Taxpayers Federation of whatever there called.)

Burt Day (yes that's his real name BTW) Classic right winger, he's both Socially and Fiscally conservate. In the nineties when he led CCRAP, it was a perfect example of  Right wing (Mainstream mind you, I'm aware of Social Credit and CHP and CoR) in a canadian context, albeit with a particular emphasis on the social conservative aspect.

Likud. I'd be inclined to say Kadima would be more so. Likud is pretty right in the Israeli context, Hawkish military policy and fiscal liberalism. Compared to other parties like Shas or the other religious party whose name escapes me and might not be so right wing. Due to the electoral system (the one that Proportial Electoral opponents hold up as their exhibit one) it has to pragmatic, because it doesn't have a majority and must rely on other parties support to govern. One could make the case that all mainstream Israeli parties are pragmatic.

The Decider: He just did what Cheney told him to do.

Caribou Barbie: I doubt she can spell pragmatic.