Left vs. Right: Quick Explanation of the Political Divide

The Perception.

Most voters see “The Left” as predominantly interested in our personal wellbeing. They are concerned with how we are cared for, treated by others, and our social equality. They view “The Right” as predominantly concerned with the economy. These voters think of production, how little we depend on other nations, and how safe we are from attack. The Mainstream Media has utilized this political perception to divide our nation along the seeming dichotomy of social justice and equality versus economic stability and safety. “The Left is for you and me, the Right is for the elite.”

But when you look at the political spectrum, you’ll find that “Far Left” is not about social equality. You’ll also discover that “Far Right” is not about economic elitism.

The Reality.

The real political spectrum looks a lot more like a ramp. “Far Left” is total government – think Nazi Germany or North Korea. “Far Right” is the complete absence of government – think Anarchy, every man for himself. The latter is not unlike what many major US cities are experiencing now with looting and riots.

Even if you started off the ramp, to the right, the momentum of human nature and time move you left. Over time, the amount of governance grows, carrying a community/nation up the ramp. Eventually nations are either launched left, off the ramp into utter destruction – brought about by revolution or implosion, or the government teeters on the left edge, encounters a well-orchestrated revolution, and falls into a new system of government.

The latter scenario is much less likely – which is what happened with the United States of America. Our forefathers knew the collapse of the British Empire was imminent, and the American Revolution was the result.

The framers of our constitution were intense students of history. When they set up the Great Experiment of The United States of America, they knew that all governments throughout all of time drift towards Total Government. Without exception.

This led them to divide powers, set up checks and balances, and make voting for branches staggered to reduce cronyism. They did everything they could to ensure a long, slow, and difficult uphill climb towards Socialism, Oligarchy, or even Monarchical rule.

The Solution.

Today, we vote party lines because we think one party has all our interests at heart. We vote for Presidents based on their “corruption”, charisma, and even how we feel about their twitter feed. We vote for our local officials based on who promises us the most social reforms, sounds the most considerate, and appears to stand up to the Establishment.

Truthfully, the only thing we should consider is how the policies of those we are electing either speed up the trend towards Total Government, or slow it down.

We all want more freedoms, more rights, and more justice. One thing history has proven over and over – and the framers of our constitution knew first hand – is that as government increases, freedoms, rights, and justice decrease.

So when you pull up to vote this November, I hope you come informed on policies not politics. Know what those you elect plan to do with their positions of influence–increase government control, implement socialist policies that lead to decreased rights, or increase freedoms through deregulation, improving opportunities for individuals to thrive, and adhering to a model of liberty and justice for all.