ADN

The following is a list of the major political parties in North America:

United States of America

Republican Party
Democratic Party

Canada

Liberal Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP)
Blow Quebecois (French separatist party)


The following is a glossary of commonly used terms:

Bureaucracy - officials using fixed rules and a hierarchy of authority characterized by red tape, delay or inaction (Basically, too many people and too many steps).

Conservatism - an ideology that advocates balance and order, tradition, individualism, and natural law.

Constitutional Convention †™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢¬…¡‚¬¢‚¬¦¢¢¬…œ this applies in Canada. It†™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¾¢‚¬Å¡‚¢s a not a rule or law in the Constitution, but rather an understanding.

Democrat - One who advocates social and economic equality and government efforts, through tax-supported programs, at achieving this equality (Spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax).

Disinformation - false information deliberately and often covertly spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.

Doublespeak - language deliberately constructed to disguise its actual meaning (Basically, anytime a politician opens his mouth, it†™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¾¢‚¬Å¡‚¢s doublespeak spewing out).

Electioneering - active campaigning for a candidate.

Fascism - a totalitarian governmental system that emphasizes nationalism and racism and is led by a dictator.

Impeachment - a formal accusation in Congress or state legislature against a public official and the resulting trial (Old Bill knows this well).

Incumbent - current office holder.

Interest Group (Or Pressure Group) - a group of individuals or organizations with a viewpoint or agenda that expects to influence public policy in its favour.

Isolationism - a policy of national isolation by abstention from alliances and other international political and economic relations (Before WWII, America was an isolationist country).

Left/Left Wing - those on the left side of the political spectrum; those associated with Socialism, Social Democracy, or Liberalism.

Lobbyist - a person who discusses issues with representatives of a governmental body for the purpose of influencing a decision to be made.

MSM - Mainstream media (FOX, CNN, CBC, BBC).

Nation Building - undertaken after war to help rebuild the political and economic infrastructure of a country (What the U.S. is doing in Afghanistan and Iraq).

Nationalism - devotion to the interests of one's own country.

Neo-conservative (Neocon) - the original neocons were Jewish-Americans, formerly socialist or communist, who moved over to the political right. Perceiving a split in the GOP, some came to use the term to vilify the "religious right" (Republicans that support Israel and Jews for biblical reasons). More recently, the term "neocon" is being broadened to include anyone who judges others using a "values" based morality, which includes the concepts of accountability and personal responsibility.

Parliament - the legislature of Great Britain made up of the House of Lords and the House of Commons (Canada also has a Parliament, but no House of Lords; instead we have a senate).

Polarity - the possession or manifestation of two opposing attributes, tendencies, or principles (America is a polarized country: you†™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¾¢‚¬Å¡‚¢re either a Republican or a Democrat).

Privatize - to convert businesses from government ownership to private ownership (This is a problem in Canada: private health clinics are springing up, and they†™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¾¢‚¬Å¡‚¢re threatening Canada†™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¾¢‚¬Å¡‚¢s public Health Care system).

Progressive Liberal - an emphasis on equity to the extent that a dependent class must be supported and provided for by society. Disparage capitalism and increase socialist concepts such as government control and ownership, to include tax increases for new and larger social programs. A belief that our domestic and foreign policy should conform to international directive.

Propaganda - The common use of propaganda is to use false or misleading information to promote a partisan and unbalanced picture. It is a deliberate attempt to change people's views on a given topic through the use of deception and confusion, rather than persuasion and understanding (i.e. Fahrenheit 9/11).

Republican - an advocate of conservatism.

Right/Right Wing - those on the right side of the political spectrum; those associated with Conservatism.

Social Democrat - one who advocates, through a democratic process, a slow transition to socialism.

Socialism - a system of economic organization in which state owns and controls the basic means of production and where centralized planning, rather than market forces, determines the allocation of resources.

Spin - a political agenda, twisting truths or facts into something that "proves" your point of view.

Think Tank - a research institute or other organization of scholars, social or physical scientists, etc.

Tory - a member of the conservative party in Great Britain or Canada.

Tyranny - arbitrary and unrestrained abuse of power.

Unilateralism - a government acting on it's own, in it's own best interests. This would be opposed to going to the United Nations, to act jointly with other nations, on international principles designed to benefit "the many".

Right wing..? Left wing..? I've seen those tossed about as well...and I'm not lazy at all, but I just want to learn to talk these things in the form of conversational context, and not just book definitions...This is very helpful, thank you M8...

They've been added to the list. Hopefully they help.

Thanx man. I know quite a lot of these terms but a few I had no idea on. It kinda helps when you do things like economics and stuff.

I find it very interesting how words we toss about have become changed. The word "liberal" now has become derogatory and conservative is something to be proud of. My dictionary defines them as:

lib‚·er‚·al adj.
1.
a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
d. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
2.
a. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
b. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
4. Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
5.
a. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
b. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.
n.
1. A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
2. Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.

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[Middle English, generous, from Old French, from Latin lberlis, from lber, free; see leudh- in Indo-European roots.]


con‚·ser‚·va‚·tive adj.

1. Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
2. Traditional or restrained in style: a conservative dark suit.
3. Moderate; cautious: a conservative estimate.
4.
a. Of or relating to the political philosophy of conservatism.
b. Belonging to a conservative party, group, or movement.
5. Conservative Of or belonging to the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada.
6. Conservative Of or adhering to Conservative Judaism.
7. Tending to conserve; preservative: the conservative use of natural resources.
n.
1. One favoring traditional views and values.
2. A supporter of political conservatism.
3. Conservative A member or supporter of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada.
4. Archaic A preservative agent or principle.

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Thanks guys...Pinned, until it reaches archive status...

I love studying the government so this was a great post. Thanks Kramer!

I'll go with the dictionary definitions...you know, being old-school and all, call me conservative, I guess. :roll: Good thing there are entries for "Interest Group" and "propaganda".

the Federalist use of the term "conservative" is my political stance, adopted for ethnic and gender considerations.

1. A conservative use or ability of government to preserve and allow the constitutional rights of all Men and Women.

2. A duty of every citizen to maintain a sense of self government and to preserve the integrity of Federal Govt., noting that he can only appreciate his constitutional rights if he respects those of his fellow American. The ultimatum is governmental policing, not the rule. It is for this reason all shall be presumed innocent before their guilt is proven by evidence and solemn testimony before a jury of peers and a judge who maintains the preceedings are in accordance with law. The trial shall be fair and timely. The punishment shall necessarily fit the crime. The executor of the just punishment shall absolved of liability.

3. The role of religion in government is NIL. The role of religion can only be a factor in government in as much as it provides morals or ethics that inform popular opinion. Religion has no right to be distinguished from any other secular assembly.

4. ONLY Native Citizens are eligible for governmental positions, which are numbered as few as possible.

5. A tax should be applied to all transactions which occur with Legal Tender, to finance the govt. This should be paid to the state at time of transaction, which pays the Federal Govt. The total in taxes paid reflects the governmental influence of a state to affect Federal govt. (This was the basis of the electoral college.)

6. All Patriots who are veterans have the right to just compensation for their service, which is the foundation of our sense of duty.

Ahhh, if only it were so.