Are the British Tories more like the American Republicans or the Democrats?

The Conservative Party of the United Kingdom has hired an unexpected-but-certainly-qualified person to advise its general election team: Jim Messina, architect of the Barack Obama re-election and former Deputy White House Chief of Staff. What gives? How could a self-described lifelong Democrat go work for the Conservatives?

In short: Money. But also because the U.K. Conservatives are not like U.S. conservatives.

Let's be clear: This is not a Benedict Arnold-style move. The BBC reports on the hire, noting that Messina will remain in the U.S. (where Messina runs Organizing For Action) and will be used largely to advise on social media and campaign structure. The outlet also notes that it's not the first time the Conservatives and the Obama team have been linked.

>>>chart at link<<<

The final tally from the above? Two Conservative policies similar to the Republican party; six to the Democrats. And in two instances — the death penalty and nationalized healthcare — it runs further to the left.

eddie wrote:That blew my mind when you told me that. It’s really quite interesting...can’t wait to see what other’s think.

phildidge wrote:Now compare the polices of the Socialist Democrats, who are very much to the left of the majority of Democrats who are center right.

That is why the democrats are getting labelled further left, because they now have a number of leftist Democrats in office

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

phildidge wrote:Now compare the polices of the Socialist Democrats, who are very much to the left of the majority of Democrats who are center right.

That is why the democrats are getting labelled further left, because they now have a number of leftist Democrats in office

It's tough for me to compare the more socialist-leaning Democrats with the Tories since I don't know whether the Tories are in favor of the current British system of benefits or not.

Nonetheless, I know this much: 1) benefits are much more generous in the UK than in America, 2) Conservatives run the government and 3) they don't seem to be dismantling the benefits system. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats who want to expand our benefits in America are still pretty much in line with the Tories. Of course, I could be totally wrong.

nicko wrote:Let me know about that land Veya,   I'll have a word with Liz, see what we can do about it !

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

The Conservative Party of the United Kingdom has hired an unexpected-but-certainly-qualified person to advise its general election team: Jim Messina, architect of the Barack Obama re-election and former Deputy White House Chief of Staff. What gives? How could a self-described lifelong Democrat go work for the Conservatives?

In short: Money. But also because the U.K. Conservatives are not like U.S. conservatives.

Let's be clear: This is not a Benedict Arnold-style move. The BBC reports on the hire, noting that Messina will remain in the U.S. (where Messina runs Organizing For Action) and will be used largely to advise on social media and campaign structure. The outlet also notes that it's not the first time the Conservatives and the Obama team have been linked.

>>>chart at link<<<

The final tally from the above? Two Conservative policies similar to the Republican party; six to the Democrats. And in two instances — the death penalty and nationalized healthcare — it runs further to the left.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/08/how-conservative-would-uk-conservatives-be-us/312573/

It can be tempting to think that things in the U.S. and the UK are more or less the same, but this shows how right-wing America is -- the leaders of the Democratic Party, which is more or less as left as the Conservatives, are branded far-left socialists and communists by the Republican Party.