@cloudtrapezer: It was more the tale of his peregrinations across Eurasia that intrigued me.

But since you ask, I did consider the passage you cite before posting. I would phrase it differently than he did, but I think the gist is basically correct.

There are no fewer "freedom-hating morons" on the right than on the left, but the current cultural ascendancy of the left has given its morons room to run, and they are running amok. As someone who has always voted almost entirely for Democrats (including Obama), it doesn't please me to say that -- I basically see it as "my people" who are acting badly.

P99 seems to have missed the rise of VOX in Spain. He could have found some friends there but he for financial reasons he stranded in Greece and is now crying his hard out in the dirndl skirts of the Golden Dawn maiden.

@Peter: I like your suggestion - the official off-topic thread - play on!
herenow: When Americans say 'the Left' and then talk about Democrats I cry.
By the way, if somebody sends a surveillance drone over your country and you shoot it down, does that mean the country that sent the drone has been attacked?
The problem with US politics is not Donald Trump, it's his audience on all sides and what has been done to their minds.

@herenow
With "freedom-hating morons" you probably mean the freedom to get rich on the expense of others, the freedom not to pay your due taxes, the freedom to pollute, the freedom to deny others to have access to affordable health insurance, the freedom to deny an abortion, the freedom to carry any fire arm, the freedom of Muslims to come into your country, the freedom to gerrymander according to racial and social lines, the freedom to ignore science and avoid Darwinism etc.
Indeed we should all stand up and defend these freedoms.

let's solve all the world's problems in the hijacking thread.

@Ishmael wrote "When Americans say 'the Left' and then talk about Democrats I cry."

So the currently-surging Elizabeth Warren (www.realclearpolitics.com/[...] ) doesn't qualify as left?

@lemonlover: I have to wonder if you are being deliberately obtuse. There has been plenty of criticism from the left of progressive authoritarianism, including by writers such as Frank Bruni, Jonathan Haidt, Andrew Sullivan and Mark Lilla. So you should be well aware that the various issues you cite are neither here nor there in that context.

@herenow
No I do not know any of these writers, I get all my knowledge, like P99, from Infowars and Breitbart.

@Geezer
I can read French poorly - but I have no clue what I'm reading.

@Peter
China may have "gone off the rails" for you - but during that time of "going off the rails", it sustainably eliminated poverty for over 800 million citizens, with roughly half the GDP of the entire USA - for which it was recognized and lauded by the UN.

That feat is worthy of being called the 8th wonder of the world - as it's never ever been done before in the recorded history of the world.

Most westerners and quite a few domestic Chinese gripe about the freedoms observed and enjoyed in more open societies - but they don't have that massive burden of responsibility for 1.4 billion people.

In fact - the world should be ecstatic that China controls it's population. Can you imagine 1 million Chinese uber/lfty drivers in any country in the world - that's true asphalt terrorism.

Or constantly, consistently, and persistently flooding markets with whatever's trendy today - fly-by-night Starbucks knockoffs - 10 per city block - saturating the market until everybody goes bankrupt?

The examples are plentiful.

The system isn't great - but it's not there for entertainment or to make people feel good.

If you're REALLY interested in China affairs and trying to understand this country and its development philosophy - try reading any of the national five year plans - they even publish them in English. ndrc.gov.cn

They are some of the finest and most professional project management documents I've ever seen, worthy of being called "world class".

The western media typically and traditionally ridicules these plans, but that merely shows their extreme ignorance of the scientific method of world-class project management processes and the intended purpose(s) of these specific documents.

Has ANY ambassador or consulate general EVER read China's Five Year Plan? That will show you the maturity and intent of that country's key in-country representatives.

progressive authoritarianism. ha ha.

“The surest way to become Tense, Awkward, and Confused is to develop a mind that tries too hard - one that thinks too much.”

-- The Tao of Pooh

@michael2015: Um, it's not 2007 anymore, or even 2012. It used to make at least some sense to talk that way, but there have been some changes... Maybe try reading a foreign newspaper?