I just don't understand how people afford Canadian cities. Moving to Toronto or ...

klyrs · on Jan 19, 2022

Party membership is not defined by fealty to one man/woman in any of the major political parties, so there's that.

HWR_14 · on Jan 19, 2022

Until recently though the only fealty was a deceased former leader of the party (Reagan). The living fealty thing is new and disturbing.

But let's not pretend it's a US trait. I hear more criticism about democratic leaders from democrats than republicans. Less vitriol, but more criticism.

klyrs · on Jan 20, 2022

> I hear more criticism about democratic leaders from democrats than republicans. Less vitriol, but more criticism.

This is healthy, isn't it? Politics should be an environment where everybody can and does critique everybody, right?

And, yes, it's not just a US thing. But it's one of many bellwethers that differ between US and Canada. Despite the notional monarchy.

HWR_14 · on Jan 20, 2022

Oh, yes, it's healthy. I (I believe correctly) interpreted it as a criticism of US politics. It's not. It's a valid criticism of the Republican party. I was pushing back on a nebulously worded "both sides are bad" undertone.

sokoloff · on Jan 20, 2022

Criticizing political leaders who are (in your opinion) underperforming seems like a healthy state for a representative democracy/republic form of government.

If the leaders of your party are (or hold themselves to be) above criticism, that’s a sign that something is deeply unhealthy (as we’ve seen recently).

HWR_14 · on Jan 20, 2022

Heck, criticizing political leaders who aren't underperforming also seems important. There's always more that can be done.

I wasn't lamenting that there wasn't more politician worship, I was saying that it is confined to the Republican party.

solarkraft · on Jan 20, 2022

> I hear more criticism about democratic leaders from democrats than republicans

Arguably because the democratic establishment is closer to the republican establishment than the democratic base.