And yet... his stances on free speech, sexism & racism would be seen as too liberal for him to be elected.

Not to mention personal freedom issues.

US... not so hot on things like government cameras monitering everything that goes on outside.

Or Immigration?  Oooh boy.

http://knowthecauses.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/the-fallacy-of-a-more-liberal-or-progressive-or-left-wing-europe/

Actually explains it pretty ok, not great but it's easier then me typing in depth.

It's even worse in UK, simply speaking, Conservatives are the owners, and Liberals are their personal Lap dogs, the only opposition worth mentioning is Labour, which is a different party.

Sexism/racism - about the same here. Actually I would say having lived in Texas that racism is systemic there and not here.

Free speech - Patriot Act is far worse than anything in Europe. Obama can claim to be against it but he allows it and similar to continue

Personal freedom - DMCA is again worse than anything here. TSA checks. Online gambling being banned. I'd say it's about the same to worse

Immigration - The UK admits many more types of people than the US and it's MUCH easier to get a Visa for any reason.

Other reasons in article don't hold up, please give specifics.

Meanwhile on Education, Health, Policing, Defence and Welfare we are to the left. Economic policy is similar. Social/moral policy our moderate right wing is to the left of nost Democrats and our status quo is CERTAINLY in the liberal direction on issues like abortion, religiousity, and gun control.

Sexism/Racism - Totally not true.  We don't have people burning things down because their race can't get jobs, like say.. france.  Aside from which their is a systematic problem in sexism and racism education and just in general awareness that is prevelent right up to the faculty who studies such things.  They still see sexism and racism as a pure economic matter.  IE: Nothing is sexist unless you ask for favors for it.  Nothing is racist unless you lose out on a promotion or job because of it.

As for racism... has any europeon country elected a minority as the leader of their country?  Actual question here.  I mean, the closest I could figure was Benjamin Disraeli.  Though... not really.

Since we're talking Texas a more rightwing state... wanna compare texas to say... Romania?  Or Sweeden?  Or Italty? Or Spain?

Free Speech - The patriot act in no way restircts free speech.  So... I don't get what your talking about here.

Personal Freedoms - Such a large list it would be hard to get into.

Immigration - Yes, the UK lets in a lot of varied people... from europe... and some other people and HATE doing it.  You ask most europeons i've met on these boards, even the i

As for the other reasons in the article not holding up... uh, yes they do?

Europe is more foward on abortion?  Are you sure about that?

Abortion is legal everywhere in the US, not everywhere in europe.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/files/blogger2wp/Sexuality-AbortionLawsAroundtheWorld.png

The US's abortion laws are more liberal then the UK's abortion laws.  US is abortion on demand.  UK is abortion with proof (though the burden of proof is low to the point of almost non existense it's still worse then the Us.) well... unless you live in northern Ireland I think?

My goodness another strike against free will haha.  Makes me wonder.  Actually taking my current political theory class  reading the great Social Contractors, it just amazed me about their opinions on free will.  Especially Hobbes who simply disregarded it as nonsense.  Locke and Rousseau weren't as clear though haha.  Weird for me as it is just a concept I really take to be something that exists being a human that feels I will my actions, yet so many things suggest against it.

Some of those points in tha article are not exactly true. Europe isn't a country, it's a continent.

Same-sex marriage is legal in only 8 countries worldwide, 6 of which are European. There are also countries who offer civil unions for gays, who give them teh same rights as heterosexual couples. By comparison, only a few US states do that. And gay couples in the US get no federal rights. And there are only 19 states in the US if I'm not mistaking that ban gay discrimination completely. I live in a bakcwards conservative country from Eastern Europe, and even here all discrimination against gays is illegal.

Plus, if you look at attitudes towards gaus in general, studies find that Americans are much more homophobic then the rest of the Western world.

And what's "liberal" or "progressive" about invading other countries and forcing political beleifs on them?

Everything actually.  If you know what liberalism actually is.

Aside from that... that was a pretty weak defense.  Europe not being a country is a weak arguement when you consider the statement is always "He would be too conservative to be elected in europe".

Would Barak Obama not get elected in your country because he was too conservative?  Or because he was too liberal?

Even in countries like France... would he not be elected becase of his "conservative" attitudes, or would he not be elected because of his stance on minorities?  He would abhor the new law that prevents people from wearing religious headgear into school, because we respect things like Freedom of religion here.

People are more anti-gay in the US then they are in Europe.  Really?  Your willing to say that, even from the country your in?

Isn't it true that the Europeon Union's pressure is basically the only reason your gay rights law stayed in effect?

http://www.personal-injury-attorney-los-angeles-now.com/personalinjurylosangeles/the-society-wont-accept-all-gay-rights-in-romania/

You won't see things like accepted police violence and attacking of parades anywhere in the US.

As for stuff like opinions on abortion, i'd look at the various abortion laws, and also note the timelines needed to get an abortion.  The US actually is more forgiving in that regard.

What's funny is the evolutionary biologists opinion on free will.

We have free will... because we have to make choices, but thank's to our biology, we'd never make the other choice.

So... yeah.

And lets not forget the sudden wave of austerity sweeping europe.

It's a LOT bigger then the US sentiment... which is basically just a few new tea party people who believe it along with a bunch of neocons who see it as a good excuse to cut shit they don't like.

@Kasz216:

Everything actually.  If you know what liberalism actually is.

Are you reffering to classical liberalism? Who wants that?

Aside from that... that was a pretty weak defense.  Europe not being a country is a weak arguement when you consider the statement is always "He would be too conservative to be elected in europe".

Why is that a weak defense? Europe is not a country, it is a continent. If the EU will one day become a federal state, then you'll have an argument. I don't care what statement is. How exactly could he be elected "in Europe"? Europe doesn't have a leader that is elected by all the people living in Europe, so I don't see your point. It depends which country in Europe you're talking about.

Would Barak Obama not get elected in your country because he was too conservative?  Or because he was too liberal?

He would not get elected in my country because he's black, and because he's not Eastern Orthodox. Based on his political views, I think many here would like him.

Even in countries like France... would he not be elected becase of his "conservative" attitudes, or would he not be elected because of his stance on minorities?  He would abhor the new law that prevents people from wearing religious headgear into school, because we respect things like Freedom of religion here.

That has more to do with France's secular tradition then with their conservatism.

People are more anti-gay in the US then they are in Europe.  Really?  Your willing to say that, even from the country your in?

Isn't it true that the Europeon Union's pressure is basically the only reason your gay rights law stayed in effect?

It's very true and very sad that if it weren't for the EU homosexuals would have a significantly terrible life here in Romania. They still do, and the homophobes over here disgust me. It's really no different that the attitudes in your country a couple of decades ago, and probably not very different then the attitudes of some of your Southern states.

But Eastern Europe is backwards because of half a century of Communism. However you'd have to be dellusional to claim that your country is more tollerant toaward gays than Western Europe. Even the more conservative countries in that region are more tolerant of your country as a whole.

http://pewglobal.org/files/pdf/258.pdf

I've yet to see a study that shows Europe's attitude as a whole towards homosexuals, but overall it's at worst the same as in your country (due to the Eastern states).

As for stuff like opinions on abortion, i'd look at the various abortion laws, and also note the timelines needed to get an abortion.  The US actually is more forgiving in that regard.

Again, since Europe is not a country, a comparison is improper. I'd say the attitudes aren't negative as a whole. In my country most people agree with it, especially women.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6235557.stm