Do Liberals Understand Conservatives ?

Question

This question was inspired by the countless posts from Liberals who presume that all Conservatives simply must get their beliefs from right-wing radio or FoxNews . The ideology that it must be impossible for anyone to even have Conservative beliefs without there being a culprit involved . A Limbaugh, a Drudge, an O'Reilly, a Hannity . . . .. UTTER NONSENSE .
Then, in an effort to further diminish the veracity of a Conservative view, some liberals will tread upon us personally by proclaiming that we're all NASCAR fans, or hillbillies, trailer-trash, and uneducated . BTW, on a really funny note, they also claim that Conservatives are all corporate people and have all the money, while at the same time claiming that they themselves are poor. . . . . . so how does that jive with who does and does not live in a trailer ? LOL . And how does living in a trailer translate into being either Conservative or Liberal ? LOL.

Do Liberals Understand Conservatives ?

UPDATE - Oh baby, I just know that some of you liberals will violate good manners and the TOS and not directly answer the question . It may be because you really want to ask the opposite...."Do conservatives Understand Liberals"?. . . . but do that with your own 5 points and try it without insulting .

Jupiter - No sooner had I typed the update that I find you doing exactly what I predicted you'd do . LOL Therefore you must agree that I DO understand Liberals . Thanks for playing .

Mallikarjun - (sp?) - Anyway, I want to thank you for helping me prove my point . Seems that everyone EXCEPT for you understood the question . But of course you didn't and therefore surmised that it must be because the question is stupid and not the answerer .

Answer 1

No. Most liberals I know don't understand themselves or other liberals.

Answer 2

Yes, I understand both liberal and conservative views, Democrat and Republican ideology, right wing and left wing thinking. I really think that the true differences come about when you start to consider who you support and the actions that they are taking, which shows what you truly believe! If the President runs as a conservative republican and says that he wants to bring all Americans together since the Country seems to be divided during his inaugural speech, then sets out to divide Americans on every issue that you can think of: Race, Economics, Sexuality, Education, Health Care, Medical Research, Morality, Politics, Diplomacy, Legal issues, Religion, Free Speech, and Patriotism, with no responsibility or accountability. Then you begin see the differences more clearly in an empirical sense, and start to see more bad than good in what He( The President) and his unyielding supporter's say is best for the Country and it's diverse people. You cannot just represent the interests of the Wealthy, White, Conservative, Pseudo- Christian, Male, and claim to represent what is best for all of America!

Answer 3

I understand you better than you think. I like many Americans fell for the rhetoric during the late seventies when right-wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation started looking for ways to brainwash middle Americans into believing that what is good for the wealthy is good for the middle class. You must give the Republican party credit for one thing, they have been very good at using wedge issues to separate Americans from what is best for them. Tops among these issues are abortion (which ruling republicans don't really want to go away it is too good politically) ,gun ownership (which the democratic party does not really want to take your guns away),socialized medicine (Republicans receive a great deal of contributions from lobbyist's so that they can keep you backwards on this one),and the big block of voters the religious right (so easily manipulated, vote Republican or spend eternity in Hell).I fell for all this crap for over twenty five years. Don,t think that because you are branded a liberal that you don't believe in paying your own way. Before Ronald Reagan sucked us all in so nicely most middle Americans believed in work and reward. It is true that some Americans took advantage of social programs, but look how far things have went the other way now. I highly doubt that there very many people in this forum who truly earn the kind of income to take advantage of the true conservative agenda. The true goal of the Republican leadership is for consolidation of wealth at the top. Middle and lower incomes can have what they, in their great wisdom feel that we deserve. Yes I understand you, I was one of you. What I don't understand is how so many of you still believe the lie.

Answer 4

I think so if your examples represent conservatives. Limbaugh, Coulter, Savage, and lots more including Fox news are commonly considered conservative. My brothers would all be considered liberals, yet all love Nascar. You are assuming my conception is a stereotype while you are much different, the trouble with that is there are consequences to a belief system and if I am gay or pregnant or in need of help I may not like your conservatism or maybe that is not your conservatism in which case you have moved to the center maybe? I have posted often on this topic. Here is one example.
http://www.usmessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=50779

Answer 5

I understand that a lot of people who claim to be conservative aren't really. Reagan was not really a conservative, nor is George Bush Jr. Otherwise there would have been some fiscal sanity during their presidencies.

It's not enough to claim to be a conservative: you have to live up to a) small non-intrusive government b) the right of the individual c) strict constitutionalism d) respect for the environment d) fiscal reality.

Where do you stand on these matters?

Are you really a conservative?

I don't live in a trailer and probably neither do you. I don't drive an SUV, and if you do, who cares? Can you measure conervatism by such class distinctions? Who says so?

I am bothered by the fact that the government is free to spy on me in the name of bogus national security. Are you? I don't like the fact that corporations and the wealthy can break laws private citizens are held strictly accountable to. Does it bother you?

Are you conservative, or do you pretend like the rest.

Answer 6

I attribute this to the whole "men are from mars, women are from venus" type of differences.

Its more than an opinion thats different, its a complete way of looking at and solving problems thats different.

That being said, I don't understand why many citizens in America are tearing each other apart and making our voices weaker by playing into these stupid partisan games. All we're really doing is hurting ourselves and our country.

I have friends who are liberal and I have friends who are conservatives. Politics is but one aspect of a persons personality.

Answer 7

Do conservatives really understand liberals? They think we all love abortion, are for Socialized medicine and are Socalists. They think we want to take away their guns which is absurd. They accuse us of wanting a nanny state, which we don't. They try to scare people saying all we do is raise taxes but seem to forget all the borrowning they do. Since we don't have the Hannity and Limbaugh types as liberal counterparts seem to fail we don't have talking heads to tell us how to think however when people make posts on here that are obviously nearly verbatum of what such people say on the conservative hate radio we point that out. No not all cons love NASCAR or live in a doublewide. We know that. Not all liberals are lazy and live in the projects either as many cons seem to say. We aren't looking for a handout as cons claim either. So when you criticize the other guy's back yard for being less than perfect you need to look first at your own back yard.

So, I wonder if conservatives really understand liberals.

Answer 8

Sure -- money. Christianity. O'Reilley. Poor people are greedy. Rich people are altruistic. Money is worth more than character. You can have sex with the same man twice in one night and not be gay. War in Iraq. Damn Katrina victims are trying to ruin things for everyone. Trickle down. China sucks. Russian sucks. Democracy except in America sucks and in America it's lip service to the poor who are too stupid to understand it so it's obsolete. Christ. Pat Robertson. I have $25 more than you so I'm more moral. First amendment really suck. The other amendments aren't too great either. Welfare is for weak rich people who feel guilty -- the rest of us can stand watching others suffer. Little black kids want too much health care so let them die. Richard Nixon did nothing wrong. Bill Clinton should have been impeached. Elected leaders else where can be assassinated. Democrats can be assassinated -- fair is fair. George W makes Albert Einstein look like a drooler. No child left behind. Except dark ones. Critical thinking is dangerous when done by anyone earning under $100,000 a year. It's easier to run America with just 2 classes. The constitution has come to impede the progress of the rich to own everything so let's get rid of it and blame terrorism. Poor people smell. Why does everyone hate Jesus for being a right wing republican? Come to think of it, let's out-source more jobs so we can get to that 2 class system. Health care is for the simple minded and the French. What's so unAmerican about separating blacks from whites anyway?
The trouble with universities is that all those professors are too smart so let's have a revolution and kill them and install a 2 class system, too. Hollywood is a great place to get presidents and too blame for liberalism. The two party system is antiquated when we've proven conservatism is far better without impediment. The sooner we get another republican into office the sooner we can rehire the Mexicans to clean the house. Rush Limbaugh can run interference for us anytime.

Answer 9

Gah...it's Friday morning...why are you making me think??

Conservatives and Liberals cannot exist on Y!A without name calling...we have been brought down to the levels of grade school!

I don't watch Fox Snooze...I don't listen to the radio, I hate commercial radio...I don't live in a trailer, I live on 25 acres in the woods...I'm not exceedingly rich, what I have I work damn hard for...and NASCAR is NOT a sport...If I can do it...it's not a sport! (j/k).

If we took away all the labels...people would realize that we are all just Americans. But Y!A enables those who do not want to understand to continue the name calling and bullying!

C'est la vie!

Happy New Year!

Answer 10

I have to agree with Chi Guy much i read about George W Bush and the " Neo Cons" is totally alien to my Conservative beliefs. I believe in small government and respect for private life and freedom to follow a faith or not. And not to go to war at a drop of a hat on suspect reasons.

Answer 11

I would have to ask you the question in a different light:

Do conservatives know what a conservative value is?

I answered you question last year:

One definition of conservative is that it means to favor traditional views and values. But it also means having a tendency to conserve; preservative.

Liberal tends to mean not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. It also means to be generous in amount; ample.

The democratic party is liberal in the sense that we are progressive and forward thinking. We think about the future and plan for tomorrow.

The Democratic party wants to reduce federal spending while the Republicans have continuously increased spending and raised the amount of debt the nation is allowed to have.

How is that “conservative?” Is this a “traditional value?”

The Republican party has grown federal government to a size larger and more expensive than it has ever been in American history.

How is that “conservative?” Is this a “traditional value?”

The Democratic party wants to reduce the amount of debt the Unites States has, particularly with China and India.

How is that “liberal?” Isn’t this a “traditional value?”

The Democratic party wants more CONSERVATIVE use of natural resources like timber, coal, oil & gas. We want more fuel efficient cars and less pollution in the air. We seek sustainability and independence.

How is that “liberal?” Isn’t this a “traditional value?”

The Democratic party seeks to reduce the amount of dirty money and the corruptible influence by lobbyist and corporations that contribute huge sums of money to campaigns in both parties for access and undue influence.

How is that “liberal?” Isn’t this a “traditional value?”

Democrats hold the traditions of our founding fathers and the constitution inviolate and seek to protect those rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those same rights that every American soldier has fought for and some even died for.

How is that “liberal? Isn’t this a “traditional value?”

The democratic party believes in a strong military that is properly trained, properly equipped and has the resources they need and deserve if they ever have to go to war to be able to fight without worry about the welfare of their spouses and children being properly taken care of, that they will have the best possible medical care in the world if needed, they will have the benefits to care for their needs if disabled in combat or service to their country and their families will be properly cared for if they are killed in the line of duty.

How is that “liberal? Isn’t this a “traditional value?”

We demand that our government officials not commit felonies in their day to day activities or use their political offices for personal gain. We ask that they do not lie to us nor steal from us.

How is that “Liberal?” Are lying and stealing considered to be “traditional values?”

The democratic party wants to improve the quality of education and healthcare for children.

How is this “liberal?” Is this some new non-traditional value?

On a personal note we subscribe to a 100% renewable green energy company to provide our electricity and drive a hybrid vehicle to reduce the amount of gasoline we consume.

How is that “liberal?” We are conserving resources and reducing pollution by reducing our Co2 footprint.

People use liberal like it is a dirty word. Maybe we should be using conservative like it is a dirty word. After all by definition a conservative is resistant to change. If what we see today in the Republican Party is what they demand we keep for “conservative values” then the only answer is change.

I am a democrat and considered a liberal.

Why?

Because I am progressive and not bound by traditional attitudes?

Guilty as charged, and proud of it.

It seems to me that Republicans are really the Neo-Bourgeois, while Democrats are really more Progressive Conservatives.

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