I started a thread a little while ago for conservatives to tell me (someone who identifies as liberal) about themselves and their perspectives.
I did this because I’ve often had a hard time identifying with conservatives. I think this is partially due to second-hand skewed portrayal of conservatives by “leftist” stuff I tend to like to read. But I’m learning that if you want the truth, you have to go to the source. The thread was intended to be a “safe” place for conservatives to talk about themselves without being hit over the head for it by people from the distant end of my half of the political spectrum. So far, there have some great posts by right-wingers who are undoing the negative impression I’ve had thanks to people like the Rush Limbaughs and Ann Coulters of the world.
Natuarally, the thread attracted more than just conservatives and though the OP was for “Conservatives only” some non-conservatives wanted to chime in.
So in the spirit of equality, I thought I would start a sister thread for liberals to share their thoughts on…
What does it mean to be liberal?
Is there anything you don’t like about other liberals?
What is your perception of conservatives?
Is there anything you like about conservatives?
I’m going to post my own 2 cents shortly, but I wanted to get this thread going a.s.a.p.
Okay I’m back. My turn to answer the questions I’ve been asking:
What does it mean to be liberal?
To acknowledge and extend equal, basic human rights to all people on this planet. To overcome the natural fear of the unknown in people who are differnent than myself. To acknowledge that our turf needs to be sustained for livability and health of future generations. Ironically, though there is a strong tie between Christianity and Conservatism, I hold Jesus (the individual) as a role model as the ultimate liberal. One of the things I like best about America is that it stripped power from the monarchy and theocracy and gave it to the people to elect a representative and public servant.
Is there anything you don’t like about other liberals?
Sometimes, liberals (myself included) can slip into losing sight of a greater perspective. I know some who proclaim openmindedness and persecute politically incorrect right wingers but never extend the same empathy and understanding to conservatives that they offer the poor and disenfranshised. And I really got pissed off at the far-leftists that trashed downtown Seattle a few years ago in protest for the World Trade Organization talks. In general anybody (left or right or middle) who don’t bother to become educated about a topic before they start bitching about it.
What is your perception of conservatives?
My perception is that conservatives in general value the dollar over their fellow man. It seems that conservatives are more often prone to persecute people who aren’t the Christian white. They seem jingoist as a group; to shoot first and ask questions later.
Is there anything you like about conservatives?
I totally believe that free-ride welfare doesn’t do anything to help people get themselves out of poverty. I refuse to give change to panhandlers (though I give to shelters) because I feel that they aren’t doing anything to help themselves. Why should I help someone who won’t help themselves? So I guess I like the notion that hard-work and self-reliance should be rewarded.
Liberals want to tell you what to do with your money. Conservatives want to tell you what to do with your body (particularly if you are female).
Being liberal means working to ensure that society in general does not trample on its most vulnerable members or its more unpopular viewpoints.
What I don’t like about (many) other liberals: The willingness to let conservatives dictate public discourse about values.
My perception of conservatives: A great many of them are liberal in their everyday actions, but have accepted the “liberal” label as being associated with everything morally and fiscally irresponsible.
What I like about conservatives: When they do decide to be charitable towards others, they tend to take a very sensible and practical approach to it.
In a nutshell: Liberals care more about people than money; conservatives care more about money than people.
However, to answer your question:
What does it mean to be liberal? A belief that the private sector can’t be trusted to do things for common good, and that charities don’t have the resources. Thus, it’s the role of government to step in for the common good, and not just to bend to special interests.
Is there anything you don’t like about other liberals? The tendency to take things too far. The inability to misrepresent the conservatives positions or to reduce them to a sound bite (tactics that has worked very well for the conservatives).
What is your perception of conservatives? People who are happy with the status quo as it was in 1956. They also believe in small government, but for some ungodly reason think the free market is God. They equate wealth with importance and are not particularly interested in freedom (except outside the U.S.), since it interferes with their neat little stereotypes.
Is there anything you like about conservatives? They do have a point that government has to be watched so it doesn’t waste money.
What does it mean to be liberal?
I’m a liberal, and my political views are based primarily on wanting to make the most of this democracy we’re lucky enough to live in. I think there’s a natural tendency for money to control politics and power, but I think it is the role of government to put the interests (both short and long term) of all its citizens ahead of just those with money and power. So I support environmental protection, campaign finance reform, and better public education. I think the upcoming war with Iraq is an enormous mistake, and that our country is earning itself a reputation for being an international thug and warmonger rather than a supporter of freedom.
Is there anything you don’t like about other liberals?
I dislike liberals who are more interested in basking in the superiority of their convictions rather than talking to and convincing other people who may disagree with them.
What is your perception of conservatives?
I think voting Americans who are conservatives are generally good-hearted. I think conservative politicians are mostly representatives for rich people and corporations, who are very good at spinning their position to appeal to voters’ fears or self interests, without actually representing them. I dislike conservatives who would try to use the government to support their religious views, including abortion, gay marriage or eroding the separation of church and state. I intensely dislike conservatives who equate conservatism with patriotism and liberalism with a lack thereof. This goes double for those who think that questioning the government or its leaders is somehow un-American.
Is there anything you like about conservatives?
I respect conservatives who prefer to not implement a social program at all, rather than implement a bad one, even when I disagree with them. I think this attitude tempers liberal idealism and results in better social programs overall.
What does it mean to be liberal?
To approach life with hope.
Is there anything you don’t like about other liberals?
A tendency shared by the extremes of both perspectives - fixating on a particular issue and not being able to see a bigger picture.
What is your perception of conservatives?
An approach to life based on fear.
Is there anything you like about conservatives?
In moderate conservatives - a strong commitment to personal responsibility. (In more extreme conservatives this translates into a total disregard for others.)
Liberals believe people will only do what’s best for solely themselves, conservatives inherently believe if we all do what’s best for us, everyone will be better off.
2.Liberals waste $$$ with inpunity.
3.Conservatives are mostly greedy, aloof, self-interested, xenophobes.
4.They will fight to the death for our nation, even if sacrificing their life was unnecessary.
Seems to me that conservatives would like to turn the clock back to some dimly-remembered point in the past, like 50s postwar America before the hippies came along and ruined everything. They forget that in 50s postwar America, the conservatives of the time wanted to turn the clock back to 1912 before the internationalists came along and ruined everything, and that conservatives in 1912 wanted to turn the clock back to 1830 before the abolitionists came along and ruined everything…
Conservatives are wistful for the era of Ward Cleaver and Donna Reed, an era that never actually happened in the real world. Liberals are wistful for the 23rd Century of Captain Kirk and those groovy green-skinned alien babes who practice free love, which never will happen in the real world.
Liberals want the government out of their bedrooms, MAN. Conservatives want the government out of their bank accounts. I’d kinda like both.
I vote Democrat, but I’d never want to hang with those people socially.
Liberals give great lip service to First Amendment rights, but are quickest to restrict speech codes at universities.
I contributed (inappropriately, apparently!) to the other thread, so I’ll contribute to this one, too.
What has been said already, on both threads, seems pretty good by way of distinguishing between liberalism and conservatism. But I would argue that this is, sadly, mostly an academic exercise and is essentially moot in U.S. politics today.
Athough there are significant differences between conservatives and liberals, there are no longer many viable distinctions between Democrats and Republicans, despite what their elected members may say to the contrary.
Rather, the two major parties now in control are Business and Big Business, and to the victor go the spoils.
To think that the political parties exist on their own, independently of their respective entrenched and strangulating lobbies, is meet the definition of an Idealist, another endangered species.
Authoritarians. But you could also say that we oppose liberals on fiscal issues and conservatives on social issues. We are, generally, socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
[sup]Can I still stick to the claim that I’m just an independent[/sup][sub]please[/sub][/ul]