American Politics the 2016 edition

I don't get your fixation on me being a new member. So what? Aren't new people allowed to participate in discussions? That was like your third post ever so you ARE a new member. No other implications from that. You can of course participate in anything you want. 

Trump is left wing, he has traditionally supported abortion, socialized medicine, big government, and is anti-free trade. Yes, he talks like a conservative when it comes to immigration, but that's about it. I'm rolling my eyes at the idea of Trump, business tycoon, capitalist par excellence, as "left wing". Also, abortion is NOT a left wing issue (though in the US freedom of Choice is). Also, on the other hand, conservatives of the old school would not agree with your idea about immigration and conservatism. 

Also, machismo is a very phony and self-conscious behaviour. I believe it's only used by people with low self-esteem. Here we can agree. 

This isn't difficult to understand - proponents of identity politics use the concepts of class warfare and apply them to race, gender, and sexuality. Same ideas, different context.

Definitely, but the expression of webs of oppression, coupled with revolutionary language about the dictatorship of the proletariat is, if not distinctly marx-ian, then at least highly popularized by it.

To say that welfare, social security, etc., are hallmarks of modern society instead of hallmarks of socialism ignores cause in favour of effect. These things didn't come about as a result of capitalism, but as a result of socialist ideology. You can only call them centrist if you're not aware of the overall standard of comparison. In other words, the democrats are only centrist if you compare them with other shades of left, such as communism. But if viewed through the full spectrum of left to right, then they're very much on the left side of the fence.

 

On the contrary, a number of states have adopted forms of social welfare without ever having been socialist entities. In fact, a Marxist would argue that capitalist societies utilize social welfare programs as a way of buying off the underclass so that they never revolt.

 

BTW, I am 57 years old and a historian. So please don't jump to the conclusion that I am not aware of the overall standard of comparison. American democrats are centrist compared not only to communists, but also to the left-wing/labor/socialist etc. parties in much of the rest of the world.  They may be on the "left side of the fence" but not by much, which makes them more centrist than left.