Your Conservative Side (or vice versa)

[Irvine511]

That's interesting in that I hadn't really thought of it in this context until you brought it up.

And interestingly enough while we'd be on the same side of the political spectrum on probably an overwhelming number of issues, my "lifestyle" is probably the antithesis of yours. Maybe even more interesting is the fact that while I was brought up in a traditional nuclear family, my parents really never promoted "conservative lifestyle" ideals I suppose. I'm not saying they let us run wild, but they didn't really make religion part of our daily life at all, I don't think they thought for one minute that we'd be virgins at marriage (having my mother take me to the Dr and put me on birth control might be a good indication, heh), and alcohol et al. was just seen as something that we should probably partake in and learn to use responsibly.

Thanks for bringing up this point, made me think.

it's interesting what different things we mean by when we talk about how our lifestyles are liberal and/or. i took it to mean financially and interpersonally.

i suppose in other ways, my lifestyle is liberal. i adore food and wine, and i would say that we go through at least 3 bottles of wine in a week. there was a time in my life when i was every bit the college athlete binge drinker. never did any real drugs, though, and cigarettes were always gross to me. and we cook rich, gourmet foods and Memphis can bake the hell out of a cake. the downside to this is that i must exercise consistently. when i was single, though i was an absolute fascist about safe sex, i was at times casual with the thing itself, and found that to be rather liberating when you were with someone who had the exact same set of expectations as well.

religion was once a part of my life, and then it wasn't, and then a loose spirituality became important, and for a while i had settled into agnosticism, though certain aspects of spirituality have started to re-emerge in recent weeks and are connected to my small but consistent forays into buddhism.

i suppose my lifestyle is liberal in that i see many different ways of being an adult. i believe i could choose a fairly traditional lifestyle, with 2 kids in a suburb, though there are some obvious differences where having others accept that could be difficult. but i think it could be an option, and i think it does hold some appeal to me. i could also happily go through life living a totally urban, childless life with a partner of my choosing. or perhaps there's some hybrid of the two. but the point is that the traditional "nuclear" family unit seems to be very much an option and very much a matter of choice at this point in my life. so i suppose that means it's liberal?

 

[maycocksean]

I suppose there are different kinds of liberal and conservative:

Liberal/conservative lifestyle (I tend to have very a very conservative lifestyle, but I don’t want any of it legislated which tends to make me more politically liberal?)

Liberal/conservative political views

Liberal/conservative financial views.

One might add liberal/conservative religion but it’s probably more accurate to talk about liberal/fundamentalist.

I think I started the thread with a kind of stereotypical understanding of all the kinds of liberal/conservative.

 

[Pearl]

I guess I also lead a conservative life. I've never done any drugs or smoked (tried it, didn't like it). I drink socially, but even then I don't drink just to black out. I don't believe in casual hookups because I get too attached and I can't imagine waking up in some stranger's place. But I have been swearing a lot lately and I'm not crazy about it because I see a foul mouth as a sign of low intelligence. As for living the liberal life, I tend to spend money too liberally, which isn't smart thing, I know. But that is about it.

When it comes to politics, I label myself moderate, but I have been developing conservative viewpoints lately. That goes for the fields of foreign policy (no, that doesn't mean I support the Iraq war), military, and federalism, which I am big supporter of, and also good old fashioned patriotism, not the "America sucks!" attitude I witnessed in college.

As for being liberal, I am socially liberal. That means I do support abortion (like others, though, I am not too crazy about the procedure) legalizing marijuana for medical reasons, gay marriage. The one way I am socially conservative is that I support the death penalty for child molesters. They rarely are rehabilitated and are a danger to society.

The areas where I am sitting on the fence is healthcare and economics. I do like the idea of healthcare for all, but I am not too crazy about the government being in control of it. As for capitalism and socialism, I don't think the latter works because if it does, why is Europe giving it up? Why is China slowly turning capitalist? But at the same time capitalism has its faults, too. I guess this just proves no system is perfect.

When it comes to faith, it is hard to describe myself. I am a cultural Catholic who is a freethinker and believes in evolution - if that makes since, LOL.

 

[diamond]

. I don’t drink or smoke, and don’t believe in sex before marriage.

..?

 

[beau99]

My liberal side:

Tighter gun control
Universal health care
The decriminalization of weed. Don't use it, hate the smell... but really, it doesn't have any long-term effects.

My conservative side:

I don't do drugs or drink. Have experimented, but nothing illegal, and I didn't like it in the end.
Still a virgin at 23 and don't plan on losing it anytime soon.
Pro-life (though also pro-choice. Though I don't support abortion, it's not my right to tell a woman what they can or can't do.)

Some other things, but those are the main ones.

 

[BVS]

What a great thread, not sure how we got on the "I don't do drugs" spin off, but great thread.

I think it really shows that if we ever got to a point where we would do what we say, "get rid of partisan politics" and really ignore the extreme voices that we could get a lot more done in this country.

 

[cydewaze]

Let's see, do I have any "conservative" values? This is a tough question for me, because I find a huge discrepancy between claimed conservative values and those that are actually practiced. For argument's sake, let's assume we're talking about the claimed values.

While I have no problems with paying taxes, I'm annoyed whenever I think my tax dollars are being spent frivolously. I think we could probably make government run more efficiently without "drowning it in a bathtub".

I also believe in states rights. I think states should be able to set their own rules concerning gun laws and things like that. But I still think that federal laws should take over when it comes to things like consumer protection. I don't think states should be able to harbor inherently corrupt corporations like they do with credit card companies.

Other than states rights and more efficient government, I can't think of anything I'm all that conservative on.

I guess to me the main thing that the republican party offers is a level of checks and balances. I've seen first-hand what a one-party system can do in our county, and it's not pretty. When one party thinks they'll never get voted out, all sorts of crap can get passed, whether the people want it or not. So like BVS said, I would consider voting republican on a local level just to provide some sort of balance.

 

[maycocksean]

..?

Ahh, Postum. So you know that Adventists traditionally don't drink coffee or tea either? A tradition we have in common, no?

Actually, I think in much of North America that particular abstinence is rapidly disappearing among Seventh-day Adventists. I myself don't drink caffeinated coffee very often (mainly because I don't like how caffeine affects me) but I do drink tea semi-regularly (seems like the caffeine content is lower and I generally don't notice an effect).

 

[diamond]

<>

 

[cydewaze]

I myself don't drink caffeinated coffee very often (mainly because I don't like how caffeine affects me) but I do drink tea semi-regularly (seems like the caffeine content is lower and I generally don't notice an effect).

Maybe it's because tea is palatable, but coffee tastes like something that was scraped off a telephone pole.

 

[Irvine511]

<>

i knew there was a bit of San Francisco in you after all.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I have a general disdain for laws that are passed for my "own good." Helmet laws for adults and minors come to mind immediately. It's not that out of character if you think about it; I'm always blathering on about making my own decisions. The old conservatives used to be for personal responsibility, and I really like and respect that notion.

Not attempting to start a discussion here, but this reminded me of when some state legislator from Montana visited one of the classes I took. He said he got a ton of letters where people threatened they would never set foot into Montana again should they introduce a law mandating to wear helmets. His simple reply was that better have them not visit the state than having local hospitals with uncovered bills 100,000s of dollars worth for brain surgery and other treatment of bikers who could afford to drive helmetless, but couldn't afford to pay the hospital
Guess that goes hand in hand with the health insurance debate, also.

I sure have some "conservative" sides. But as usual, trying to think of them I don't really come up with any. At least nothing that I deem entirely liberal.

Maybe things some would rather label conservative than liberal:
1. I don't fundamentally oppose military action or sending troops to places that are unstable and about to explode.
2. When there is immigrants, second or third generation especially, who live here and say "Germans are idiots" etc., hate everything German, don't allow any of their family to "mix with" Germans or with the "western life-style" and worst, kill their sisters because they have a German boyfriend, then I really don't have any patience with them and don't object to someone saying, "Well, then leave the country." That'd be my position either. You live here? Fine, deal with it.
3. I'm not debating in favour of legalising all kinds of drugs.
4. Like some other's, I am in favour of strict gun control, but not going as far as saying that no one should be allowed to possess weapons. I think my view there could easily fill a page.
5. I support the ban of cigarettes indoors.

As for capitalism and socialism, I don't think the latter works because if it does, why is Europe giving it up?

You mean why has East Europe given up Socialism 20 years ago, right?

 

[Pearl]

You mean why has East Europe given up Socialism 20 years ago, right?

Not only that. Correct me if I am wrong (which I might be), but aren't France and Sweden slowly giving it up?

 

[Vincent Vega]

American conservative view tends to define some European countries as Socialistic, especially the Swedish model. Sweden in particular once was almost pushing for a fundamentally socialistic model of worker's participation.
But other than that, both countries haven't been Socialist regimes at all and hence aren't giving it up. Both have gone through reforms of their respective welfare systems (which again are entirely different, Sweden is probably the best example of the Scandinavian, tax based model whereas France belongs to those countries that follows a corporatist model), but over here we would never ever think of calling these Socialistic. They both are capitalistic societies just as the rest of Europe is.

 

[BoMac]

Not only that. Correct me if I am wrong (which I might be), but aren't France and Sweden slowly giving it up?

Just because people may be voting in right-leaning governments doesn't mean they're giving up "socialism". Canada has a conservative minority government, and universal health care, a "socialist" concept according to American conservatives, is not going away any time soon.

As Vincent said, they are capitalistic societies, but I would go farther and say that they're considered "socialist" because of the safety nets that exist in those countries, i.e. welfare, universal health care.

 

[cydewaze]

socialism
-noun
1. A term used by Republicans to refer to anyone who is politically to the left of themselves.

 

[BVS]

socialism
-noun
1. A term used by Republicans to refer to anyone who is politically to the left of themselves.

I wouldn't say all Republicans but the tea party crowd has no sense of history, or true definition whatsoever, it would be humerous if it weren't so sad. Especially now with the upward movement of homeschooling. Can you imagine what they are getting taught?

 

[cydewaze]

I wouldn't say all Republicans...

Yeah, that was probably unfair. I apologize to our conservative members for that one, but it just seems like that word is used as a weapon with no real context behind it. I mean there is honestly nothing about our current administration that's Socialist. I think any of our liberal politicians would barely qualify as centrists anywhere else in the world.

 

[the iron horse]

I am a libertarian (concerning government)

And I am a Christian (I love that rebel from Nazareth)

 

[martha]

Guess that goes hand in hand with the health insurance debate, also.

Yep. The use of spurious facts for sure.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Just because people may be voting in right-leaning governments doesn't mean they're giving up "socialism". Canada has a conservative minority government, and universal health care, a "socialist" concept according to American conservatives, is not going away any time soon.

As Vincent said, they are capitalistic societies, but I would go farther and say that they're considered "socialist" because of the safety nets that exist in those countries, i.e. welfare, universal health care.

Then all of Europe would be Socialist, which we are simply not. The concept of Socialism isn't defined of having a welfare system. We could experience Socialism here for quite some decades. Welfare systems are part of the Mixed Economy concept which in itself is perfectly capitalistic in its orientation. In fact, it was the first neo-liberals who originally sketched out that concept. But then again, those guys are so far from today's neo-liberalism they wouldn't be considered such anymore.

Yep. The use of spurious facts for sure.

He didn't seem like a guy who would just make some figures up for the kick of it. Wasn't any of those high-yielding career politicians. My extraction from it would be, if you are going to go helmetless, make sure you would be able to pay your medical bills.

 

[martha]

He didn't seem like a guy who would just make some figures up for the kick of it. Wasn't any of those high-yielding career politicians. My extraction from it would be, if you are going to go helmetless, make sure you would be able to pay your medical bills.

They never do appear that way, do they? They always seem like they're just looking out for others.

And, again, it's my business, isn't it.

 

[Liesje]

I'm a hypocrite. Despite being vehemently pro-choice as far as my political platforms and voting goes, I'm actually pro-life.

 

[2861U2]

I mean there is honestly nothing about our current administration that's Socialist.

You don't believe there are Marxist revolutionaries in the White House who admire people like Castro and Mao?

 

[Irvine511]

You don't believe there are Marxist revolutionaries in the White House who admire people like Castro and Mao?

 

[BVS]

 

[cydewaze]

You don't believe there are Marxist revolutionaries in the White House who admire people like Castro and Mao?

You don't believe there were people in the Bush Whitehouse who admired people like AH and Benito Mussolini?

Either statement is just as absurd.

 

[Diemen]

You don't believe there are Marxist revolutionaries in the White House who admire people like Castro and Mao?

You cannot possibly be serious.


Good Lord.

 

[BVS]

Just look at the tea partiers, this thinking is not that uncommon.

This is what we get when we have those that think Glenn Beck is a great American, take Rush seriously, and believe Hannity to be news.

 

[Pearl]

*steps in timidly*

Uhm, sorry to tell you some of you, but there is some truth to what 2861U2 is saying.

My family are big fans of Glenn Beck. They e-mail everyone, including me, videos of his show. Today, he had a video of Anita Dunn, who is part of the WH press office, saying her two heroes are Mao Tse-Tung and Mother Teresa.

I am not one of those who think Beck is a great guy. I usually ignore those videos my family sends me. But this time, I decided to take a look and see what the big deal was.

Here's the video:

YouTube - Glenn Beck : Anita Dunn Favorite philosopher Mao Tse-Tung 10.15.09

I don't know if some of you would watch this video, but I am curious about what people may think about this.