Oh for.@&$#%... sake, Zeke, you can't be serious. As is pointed out, the "horseshoe" is a paradigm/observation, not some ultra-specific scientific "theorem." It has long been pointed out in social science circles that the left-right continuum inadequately explains the variations in political thought. Various descriptions have been used, using graphs of various sorts, x-y, Venn, etc., to plot the various positions different groups occupy. As was noted earlier, the horseshoe was used as a descriptor because a circle implies connection, whereas the horseshoe describes similarities but not overlap. It is derived from observation that when placing viewpoints on an x-y array the dots tend to describe a horseshoe shape. Beyond that, this discussion does indeed resemble horseshyte intended to obfuscate not illuminate, and is very far from the subject of the thread.
Junk science is junk science. One can jump up and down and pout and scream, but it doesn't change the fact that this so-called "horseshoe" (horseshyte) theory explains nothing.
Its basis is flawed and there is ample proof of that. If anything, it "obfuscates" reality and builds a comfy little hiding place for its "believers".
Conflating diametrically opposed ideologies is pure and utter nonsense. It disregards logic and reason.
As for this discussion, I have tried to return to the topic but, as Michael Coreleone said, "Every time I try to leave they pull me back in"
