Why do we need to understand the U.S. Political Right?Building an effective movement for democracy, equality, peace,
economic fairness, and social justice requires accurate information and
analysis
The U.S. Political Right has built a large and complicated network of
groups into a coalition that now dominates the political scene and shapes
government polices. All too often the result is an erosion of rights
and liberties for many of us, while a handful of people
garner an increase in wealth, power, and privliege.
The U.S. Political Right, however, is not a monolith. The Christian
Right agrees with right-wing libertarians about taxes, but argues with
them over government intrusion into social relationships and issues such
as abortion rights and gay rights.
The more we understand the many facets of the U.S. Political Right--the
ideologies, goals, histories, methodologies, coalitions, and wedge issues--the
more effectivly we will be in mobilizing campaigns that extend democracy.

Why is it Important to Understand the Political
Right?
Particularly since the early 1970s, the political
Right has successfully reframed a whole series of issues
in a way that has moved federal and state governments
toward an increasing level of repression; and society
toward accepting more social oppression. While successfully
establishing their framework the political Right has
managed to hide its own role in the process. What this
means is that even as the arguments of the political
Right have become widely accepted, the way it actually
created this situation has been overlooked. Many "average
Americans," mainly middle class Whites, now simply
accept arguments for repressive measures and oppressive
systems as "common sense."
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