On what issues are you the most conservative and liberal (as would generally be considered by people) on?
I consider myself a conservative liberal or a moderate conservative in the tradition of Wendell Willkie, Dwight Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon although by American standards I’m a centrist if not outright centre-left. Anyways I’m the most liberal on the Drug Wars, advocating full legalization for marijuana and other soft drugs and decriminalization for all other drugs (perhaps with exceptions for stuff like bath salts). And I’m most conservative on abortion and support its by federal law on all cases except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger or in cases of rape or incest.
Good idea, drugs should be legalized. Also, we need Universal Health Care NOW.
Also, the 2nd Amendment says, “… shall not be infringed.” We get to have all the guns we want whenever we want, assault rifles, Saturday Night Specials, armor piercing bullets, the whole enchilada. Woo-hoo, drugs and guns.
I’m very liberal on abortion, gay marriage, health care, the regulation fo those things that are “too big to fail”, and gun control. The second amendment says, "A well-regulated militia… so clearly it authorizes the regulation of such militia and guns. If you’re not part of a militia that’s well-regulated, your “right” to guns can be infringed in any way. (Do I literally believe that, no, but I think it’s a more valid an interpretation than arguing Congress and the states can’t pass any law whatsoever.
I’m conservative on a balance budget - particularly on removing pork from the budget. And yes I realize taxes must go up under this set of beliefs.
I’m conservative on fiscal issues and liberal on social ones.
I’m a big fan of fiscal responsibility, but I also believe in strong regulation of our financial institutions. In my opinion, we’ve been careening down the path of financial idiocy ever since regulators began mucking around with Glass-Steagall.
On social issues…
I believe a woman should have the right to abort a fetus at any time during gestation for no greater reason than she desires it. The thought of abortion disgusts me, but the thought of a woman being forced to bear a child against her will disgusts me infinitely more.
Gays should have the same rights and privileges, including marriage, that any straight person has, and not under any ridiculous separate but (ostensibly, but not really) equal status of civil union, which simply codifies discrimination.
Immigrants, even brown ones with Spanish surnames, should be able to live and work in any country they desire, with no consequence or threat of one.
I’m generally an old-fashioned Hubert Humphrey liberal.
These days, support for Israel seems to be largely a conservative (U.S.) viewpoint; I’m not quite sure how that happened, but I still support Israel, from what I think to be a liberal viewpoint.
I confess to hypocrisy in being a First Amendment absolutist…and a Second Amendment disregarder.
I also have weird views about privacy and copyright: I favor strong protection for intellectual property rights…but I don’t really care about there being cameras in all public places. Security cameras overlooking all major streets (and even minor ones) can only benefit me, and not harm me.
I espouse free-market solutions (e.g. pollution credits) to many economic issues. This allies me with “libertarians” rather than “conservatives” since mainstream right-wingers often just pretend to be pro-market but are actually in the pockets of vested business interests.
On most social issues I’m pro-freedom which, despite right-wing rhetoric, allies me with liberals (and again libertarians).
On foreign policy, I’ve generally been supportive of Israel, the concept of American exceptionalism, and even the validity of “preemptive war.” However, as I read more in retirement (e.g. books by Noam Chomsky and Naomi Klein) I’ve become more “leftish” on these issues and am especially disappointed that Obama didn’t put more pressure on Israel to make concessions. (Searching SDMB, I’m very disappointed by reactions here to Chomsky and Klein.)
My identification with “libertarianism” may surprise some who recall my reactions in other threads. But
intelligent libertarians : some Doper libertarians :: construction engineers : 5-year olds with hammers*
On the liberal end, I’m strongly supportive of gay rights for marriage, adoption, etc. I’m also generally supportive of abortion rights and at least some gun restrictions, particularly assault weapons.
On the conservative end, I’m very pro-capitalist and pro-free market, in favor of a balanced budget, and generally supportive of Israel.
It’s no secret I’m and FDR style of liberal. Big government must act as a check and balance on big capitalism or it will turn into big fascism. I am far to the left of Obama or Bill Clinton. I’m for single payer health care, except for the rich who want to opt out. I’m for taxing corporations at the same percentages as real live human beings. I’m for free speech. I’m against undeclared wars and excessive military spending.
In my personal life, I’m boringly conservative. I don’t drink or smoke or do reckless things.
Conservative political positions? A balanced budget in good times.
It didn’t used to be a left/right issue. At one time (I was there), liberals ran around with guns … military guns, all over the place. They burned draft cards and set off bombs, too. Somewhere along the way, “political correctness” and some sort of “won’t someone think of the children” passiveness infiltrated the Left. Kind of sucks to go from Communist Party meetings in green fatigues to being the 90 lb weakling of political persuasions.
Incidentally, I don’t bear arms, I just hate hypocrisy.
2nd amendment also sez “well regulated”. What’s so well-regulated about a school full of dead children?
Seriously, though…
Conservative: I don’t have a problem with community based “blue laws”. Nationally based, yes, but if a town or county wants to outlaw porn shops, liquor stores, etc… have at it. I also don’t have a problem with intellectual copyrights, though there’s a large contingent out there who believe their right to steal a TV show is more important than your right not to sell it.
Liberal: UHC, pro-choice. I’m also more of a Keynesian than I was in my Ayn Rand reading days…
Most of the replies I’ve read seem more political party related than “liberal” vs “conservative”
I’d also come down on the libertarian side of things, rather than straight out liberal/ conservative.
However, to be more specific, I believe that a person SHOULD be able to do whatever they wish with their own body, provided it doesn’t affect another.
ie, take whatever drugs they like, provided that if they injure/ kill another under the influence ( including alcohol ) face the stiffest penalties possible,
have abortion on demand, without having to justify it,
ride m’bikes without a helmet, but pay their own hospital bill if not insured, or be evicted to die.
work if able, or starve,
I don’t believe other people should have to support bludgers, though there should be a safety net for the sick and lame. Old people should be given a pension and medical support sufficient for a decent life provided they paid tax during their working life ( or were a non working spouse home maker ). However, I don’t support extraordinary measures to keep people alive, including transplants, on the taxpayer- ok if you pay for it.
I don’t support paying solo parents any money at all to keep their children. People should only have children if they can afford it, which also excludes giving parents any sort of tax break for children. Too many people in the world already.
Re homosexual marriage- marriage seems to be just an excuse for a big wedding and legally taking the other’s money when it fails, so I don’t support marriage anyway, though it would be nice if children had 2 parents in the same house.
I fail to understand why homosexuals should want to get married, when heteros are getting divorced in ever increasing numbers.
Economically, I loathe unregulated free market philosophy, which allows rich people to exploit the workers. Regulate them till they squeak, I say, and tax any personal income over a million $ at 97%.
Prohibit any bonuses for businessmen, unless the workers also get comensurate compensation.
The pay differential between workers and management should not exceed 20% from highest salaried to lowest paid.
Any government employee should be paid no more than an equivalent private sector worker.
Golden handshakes and goodbyes for management should be banned.
Any government official that uses the term “too big to fail” should be put in stocks and small children should be allowed to poke them with sharp sticks.
For goodness sake, stop printing money to pay off the debt. It’s going to end in tears for all of us, and the government should stop picking businesses to support.
Educationally, sack all the bad teachers now, and bring back discipline in schools.
Healthwise, if you are going to smoke, engage in risky activities or eat so much that you become a bloatbag with diabetes and cardiac problems, pay increased insurance to cover it, or be evicted from hospital to die.
Socially, the greatest crime should be making other people miserable. eg bullies should get 10 years incarceration. Severe yes, but the rate of bullying would soon become negligible. I had some managers that I would have liked to see in jail for a very long time.
The celebrity culture should be stigmatised- eg ads should be taken out that mock a lot of celebs ( that I can think of ). That would be an excellent use of taxpayer money.
Governmentally, legally ban consultants and business touts from influencing politicians, government employees working for related companies after they retire.
Ban all pork or add ons to legislation ( didn’t Obama say he was going to do that his first election? ).
Legally, I think the death penalty should be abolished, but a life sentence should mean that the criminal dies in jail. Abolish probation too, and lock up as many criminals as possible for as long as possible. I don’t care about rehabilitation- just keep them off the streets.
3 strikes and you’re out is a good law.
Allow any responsible person to carry a gun, but have proper mandatory checks before buying one.
Use a New Zealand type ACC system to prevent malicious legal claims.
I support realistic environmental regulations, though many present regulations are pointless and should be abolished.
I don’t support any military adventures that are justified for social reasons ie staying in Afghanistan is not justified to protect women’s rights. In fact, the military should only be used for defense of the homeland. Who made the US the world’s “policeman”?
As for Israel, I just don’t understand why the US supports Israel at all. It costs a fortune in treasure to support, makes other people’s despise the US, and I can’t see any benefit that the US gets in return.
Lastly, I despise PC and think that people should understand that there are winners and losers in life. In real life, not everyone will make it and you can’t legislate success.
Liberal - OK with gay people marrying, adopting children, and serving in the military.
Conservative - Pro life.
Liberal - Not a big fan of giant corporations.
Conservative - Not a big fan of powerful unions.
Liberal - Pro legalizing or decriminalizing pot.
Conservative - Anti legalizing or decriminalizing stronger drugs.
Liberal (I think) - Improve and streamline the immigration process to reduce waiting time and costs. Also ease restrictions on who we will let in.
Conservative (mostly) - We have a right to decide who comes in, and anybody here illegally should be forced out of this country and to the back of the line, preferably by going after people, farms, and companies who hire illegals. But we should be lenient when children who were born in America are involved.
I’m the opposite on immigration. IMO only people that want to assimilate and have a compatible culture to the majority should be allowed in, not allowed to live in ghettos of their countrymen, have to learn English and children should have to go to schools with a majority of local children.
When a woman has a baby, if she is discovered to be an illegal immigrant, she and her child ( plus husband if present ) should be immediately deported- problem solved. Would be better if found out at antenatal checkups, but the “liberals” probably don’t allow that.
But doesn’t the US have that insane “anchor baby” policy? You must be barking over there.
In the lingo of the 18th century, well regulated (it applies to the militia) means “well equipped and prepared”. Incidentally, the militia is composed of citizens who could be called up for service in a time of need.
I don’t see how a maniac committing a spree killing has anything to do with the phrase “well regulated” in any context.
