Do liberals and conservatives have more in common than we would like to admit?

Question

People generally think of it as "opposite ends of the scale" but what if it is more like "going full circle"?

For instance, both liberals and conservatives agree in buying products made in America... and food grown in their own farms.

Both liberals and conservatives feel like "big government" should stay out of our bedrooms...

Why do we let the pundits try to separate us on these issues?

clair - i took the political compass test you linked to...
I am a far left liberal... my little dot is on the exact opposite of Bush's... I am right between Nelson Mandela and Ghandi...

Answer 1

I'll bet you a hundred bucks that if we all took the political spectrum test,
most of us would be right around the same area of the chart, staying away from any extremes.
Some lean just a tad to the left, some lean just a tad to the right and that's it.

Our leaders are WAY more extreme than the general populous they rule over.

We are all separated by a duopoly government and pitted against each other with divisive issues,
it's sort of a scam.

Answer 2

Things that we agree on are not worth arguing about. That's why their seems to be so much disagreement. Almost all of the time spent on political discussion deals with the few things we don't agree on. Even though we might agree on 90% of the issues, it's the 10% that we don't, that gets 100% of the air time.

Answer 3

All information channels have a conservative or liberal bias that's the rationalization I watch the two Fox and MSNBC (even although I sometimes opt to throw my distant on the television as quickly as I watch MSNBC.... jk). Fox information is merely as much as a information source as MSNBC is (They the two fail at independent reporting) Fox information does lie on an identical time as MSNBC spits out loopy left wing theories approximately how republicans opt to smash the U. S. or the tea social gathering is packed with hate crammed racists.

Answer 4

Those ten men I saw standing in front of America all declaring that one of the greatest days in American history will be the day Roe v Wade is overturned were all republicans, not a single pundit among them. Many Americans do agree on many things as you mention, the pundits keep the hotbotton issues in the headlines every time one of the the party faithful starts making noises about one of those issues. Abortion, gays, guns, religion and taxes. Out of those issues, we the people and our government need to keep our noses out of four of them, taxes are the concern of all Americans. My problem is that republicans insist on sticking their noses into all of those subjects, no choice is their choice. I don't subscribe to that way of thinking.

Answer 5

We probably DO have more in common than that which separates us...but most of the participants in this forum just get their jollies out of accentuating the differences; pissing people off.

I'm sure that most of us support "buying locally" within our communities.

I'm certain that there are sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts that commonly support environmental responsibility.

This forum - however - is neither a university nor a church, and too many of the participants are just trying to piss others off instead of discussing real issues and suggesting real possibilities for consensus.

Answer 6

It is big business causing the separation:

Because the campaign funds would be small, as opposed to being in the millions.

Because many polarized periodicals would have little or no circulation, and have to file Chapter 7.

Because CNN, Fox, and the other news networks would all be the same.

Because who would buy "Libs Suck" or "Cons Suck" t-shirts

Answer 7

I like your question. I'm so sick of those nasty ones that I see.
I agree with you. We are close together on alot of things. The differences are not that great. But both parties persist in perpetuating extreme positions for both.

How else do you distinguish yourself?. And really today, the parties are more defined by their constituency than their politics. That's what happens when money dominates who is in power.

Answer 8

The difference begins with although liberals want the government out of the bedroom, they are determined to place it just outside the bedroom door. Where as the Republicans want it down on the next block.

Answer 9

I think there is quite a bit in common, since most people tend to be more middle of the road.

Answer 10

You're kidding right

As long as the left wants to shove socialism down my throat don't bother asking cause I ain't talking.