Conservative or Liberal?

[Christos Anesti]

I have trouble classifying myself as a conservative or liberal (or libertarian, or socialist...). I don't buy into the need to be doctranarie and base all my views on straight partisan lines. Common thinking is that if a person holds to a certain view on one issue** they therefore need to hold a specific set of views on completely unrelated issues because that is how a conservative (or liberal) is supposed to think. The fact that I don't seems to cause a lot of confusion and even get people angry for some reason. Anyone else have that problem?




** If I happen to be pro life I'm also "supposed" to oppose welfare for example. If I support unions and workers rights I'm also supposed to support homosexual behavior as something to be celebrated If I support protectionism and fair trade (rather then so called "free trade") then I'm also supposed to .. etc..

 

[keith99]

Nope. I figure when I've got the self identified conservatives and Liberals both equally mad at me that I must be doing something right.

 

[Christos Anesti]

Isn't it humorous though when in one discussion people attack you as a conservative and go into rants about them and then in the next discussion someone else is attacking you for being a liberal and they go into a big speal about how liberalism is destroying America. I really don't care about conservatism or liberalism. I really hate the card board cut out republican vs democrat circus too. The Egyptian issue brings that out a lot. People basing their opinion on the subject on the criteria of if they like or dislike Obama or if they are republican or democrat. Ok I'm done ranting now lol.

 

[tulc]

Isn't it humorous though when in one discussion people attack you as a conservative and go into rants about them and then in the next discussion someone else is attacking you for being a liberal and they go into a big speal about how liberalism is destroying America. I really don't care about conservatism or liberalism. I really hate the card board cut out republican vs democrat circus too. The Egyptian issue brings that out a lot. People basing their opinion on the subject on the criteria of if they like or dislike Obama or if they are republican or democrat. Ok I'm done ranting now lol.

Hey I didn't even know I WAS a liberal until I started posting on CF. Till then I thought I was just a Christian.
tulc(was honestly surprised find it out)

 

[sdmsanjose]

Conservative or Liberal?

Well let’s try a little test here.

I am for the government assisting with health care for the poor

I am for the death penalty in certain cases

I am for the right to bear arms but with strict controls, no violent felons allowed to buy guns, very strict and intensive background check before allowing purchase, etc.

I am for a national ID card and for allowing authorities to request proof of legal residency when committing any violation of law.

I am against outsourcing jobs overseas


How do you rate me? Am I Liberal or Conservative?

 

[Christos Anesti]

I am against outsourcing jobs overseas

Regarding the issue of trade policy I'm not sure what classifies as liberal or conservative to begin with. Clinton was relatively liberal and he was a big supporter of NAFTA. Reagen was a conservative and he did a lot to start the trend. Some of the more populist conservatives like Pat Buchanan speak out against it. Some of the people on liberal talk radio like Thom Hartmann speak out against it too. Who knows ?

 

[DaisyDay]

Nope. I figure when I've got the self identified conservatives and Liberals both equally mad at me that I must be doing something right.

You're doing something wrong, then, keith99. You usually have something worthwhile to say, often from a perspective I had not considered.

I'm a self-identified liberal on most issues; moderate on financial ones.

 

[badtim]

Nope. I figure when I've got the self identified conservatives and Liberals both equally mad at me that I must be doing something right.

hahahaha exactly. it never ceases to amaze me how humans get so wrapped up in labeling that they can decide they hate someone that they know nothing about.

*edit*

You want a good laugh, something in this vein, about me that drives people nuts? I am pro-choice; yet I don't believe abortion should be used for birth control (and yes, I have the one accidental child to prove it). Nobody understands that one. Then again I am in favor of mandatory universal birth control also (implants).

 

[brindisi]

I have trouble classifying myself as a conservative or liberal (or libertarian, or socialist...). I don't buy into the need to be doctranarie and base all my views on straight partisan lines. Common thinking is that if a person holds to a certain view on one issue** they therefore need to hold a specific set of views on completely unrelated issues because that is how a conservative (or liberal) is supposed to think. The fact that I don't seems to cause a lot of confusion and even get people angry for some reason. Anyone else have that problem?

** If I happen to be pro life I'm also "supposed" to oppose welfare for example. If I support unions and workers rights I'm also supposed to support homosexual behavior as something to be celebrated If I support protectionism and fair trade (rather then so called "free trade") then I'm also supposed to .. etc..

Conservative, very close to libertarian.

 

[Husky7]

I have trouble classifying myself as a conservative or liberal (or libertarian, or socialist...). I don't buy into the need to be doctranarie and base all my views on straight partisan lines. Common thinking is that if a person holds to a certain view on one issue** they therefore need to hold a specific set of views on completely unrelated issues because that is how a conservative (or liberal) is supposed to think. The fact that I don't seems to cause a lot of confusion and even get people angry for some reason. Anyone else have that problem?




** If I happen to be pro life I'm also "supposed" to oppose welfare for example. If I support unions and workers rights I'm also supposed to support homosexual behavior as something to be celebrated If I support protectionism and fair trade (rather then so called "free trade") then I'm also supposed to .. etc..

Your political beliefs don't have to align with any one political party. For example: if you support abortion, but condemn same sex marriage, that's fine. I would probably just consider yourself a moderate since you support stances on both sides. A majority of people around the world are usually moderate, because most people don't agree with every belief of a political party.

 

[Zongerfield]

I started out as a Lib, but over time wised-up and became a conservative. Since then, life has gotten a lot easier, I see things more clearly than I used to. Of course, since I became a Christian things have changed radically for the better as well.

 

[religious&reasonable]

I was an Independant. When I reaxmined my faith as a Christian I became a bit more left-leaning. I am still a Christian.

Ever since I started looking at things completeley objectively and clearly, I find that usually liberal ideology tends to be more reasonable in some situtations, but most of the time the best option is to mix certain conservative and Liberal ideals. But that's just my opinion.

But concerning political parties, I don't like either of them that much, but I'd rather have a Democrat controlled washington over a republican controlled one anyday.

 

[sdmsanjose]

Quote of sdmsanjose
I am against outsourcing jobs overseas

Quote of Christos
Regarding the issue of trade policy I'm not sure what classifies as liberal or conservative to begin with.

My general understanding is that those that are for outsourcing are conservative Republicans as they tend to favor free trade and big business. Am I correct?

 

[sdmsanjose]

Telling someone that you are conservqative or Liberal does not tell a whole lot unless you give some specifics.

What are the specifics that determine a conservative or liberal?

 

[badtim]

Telling someone that you are conservqative or Liberal does not tell a whole lot unless you give some specifics.

What are the specifics that determine a conservative or liberal?

well, historically, Conservative meant you wanted to conserve the powers and rights of the monarchy, while Liberal meant you were more concerned with individual rights.

 

[Gecko King]

What are the specifics that determine a conservative or liberal?

I would go more by ideological outlook than specifics.

For example, a member of faction X might say: "so you are against government waste and corruption? Us too, so you must be an 'X'". The problem is, all political factions claim to be opposed to those.

 

[sdmsanjose]

Gecko King

I would go more by ideological outlook than specifics.

For example, a member of faction X might say: "so you are against government waste and corruption? Us too, so you must be an 'X'". The problem is, all political factions claim to be opposed to those.



All political factions do not agree on the following:

I am for the government assisting with health care for the poor

I am for the death penalty in certain cases

I am for the right to bear arms but with strict controls, no violent felons allowed to buy guns, very strict and intensive background check before allowing purchase, etc.

I am for a national ID card and for allowing authorities to request proof of legal residency when committing any violation of law.

I am against outsourcing jobs overseas

Which ones do you agree with?
Which ones do you consider liberal or conservative?

 

[CryptoLutheran]

It never occurred to me that I was supposedly "liberal" until people started telling me I was. I just consider myself a Christian.

I used to be a self-identified conservative, then the Iraq War happened, Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter happened, and reading the Sermon on the Mount happened.

Between Jesus Christ and the Bush administration, somewhere along the line I lost faith in conservatism. Never self-identified as liberal, but apparently when you subscribe to non-violence and the plight of the poor, the hungry and the marginalized to be more important issues than dudes marrying dudes you're a comminaziliberalocrat.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[variant]

I have trouble classifying myself as a conservative or liberal (or libertarian, or socialist...). I don't buy into the need to be doctranarie and base all my views on straight partisan lines. Common thinking is that if a person holds to a certain view on one issue** they therefore need to hold a specific set of views on completely unrelated issues because that is how a conservative (or liberal) is supposed to think. The fact that I don't seems to cause a lot of confusion and even get people angry for some reason. Anyone else have that problem?

** If I happen to be pro life I'm also "supposed" to oppose welfare for example. If I support unions and workers rights I'm also supposed to support homosexual behavior as something to be celebrated If I support protectionism and fair trade (rather then so called "free trade") then I'm also supposed to .. etc..

Welcome to being a thinking person in an age of intellectually lazy sheep.

If you pay attention "conservative" and "liberal" don't mean much except whose side your on and have fluid definitions that are up to the people who are doing the defineing.

 

[Beniamino]

I have trouble classifying myself as a conservative or liberal (or libertarian, or socialist...). I don't buy into the need to be doctranarie and base all my views on straight partisan lines. Common thinking is that if a person holds to a certain view on one issue** they therefore need to hold a specific set of views on completely unrelated issues because that is how a conservative (or liberal) is supposed to think. The fact that I don't seems to cause a lot of confusion and even get people angry for some reason. Anyone else have that problem?




** If I happen to be pro life I'm also "supposed" to oppose welfare for example. If I support unions and workers rights I'm also supposed to support homosexual behavior as something to be celebrated If I support protectionism and fair trade (rather then so called "free trade") then I'm also supposed to .. etc..

There are many of us who don't fit squarely into either party. Keep fighting the good fight, brother! Babies and the poor both need to be cared for. Labor unions and marital unions both need protection.