Middle east outcome

[SuperChuck]

I'm also curious why more liberals seem to post during the day and more conservatives tend to post in the evening...

Or is it that there are more moderates during the day?

[WhiteWidow]

I think liberalism tends to be more socialist. They would like to see the govt. support the population. It also appears to me that no one is apparently responsible for anything they do. If you do something wrong, or don't succeed, or something is hard, then it must be because of some external force as opposed to your own actions.

Conservatism appears to me to be about going out in life and making bucks for yourself, and maybe stepping on a few pee-ons in the process. I don't think conservatism in itself has anything to do with religion, but it makes sense that a religious person may tend to be more conservative.

As far as politics goes, that is just a matter of saying the right things to the people above you in order to advance yourself.

Most importantly, who gives a shit? I mean, you think what you think. I doubt anyone is entirely on one side or the other on every issue. In this thread, I am probably labeled as a conservative, because my views on terrorism and criminals tend to align on that side. But if we are talking about science, drugs, or abortion I would probably seem liberal to a lot.

[SuperChuck]

Most importantly, who gives a shit? I mean, you think what you think. I doubt anyone is entirely on one side or the other on every issue. In this thread, I am probably labeled as a conservative, because my views on terrorism and criminals tend to align on that side. But if we are talking about science, drugs, or abortion I would probably seem liberal to a lot.

Yeah, that's what I think is kind of funny about the whole issue...

You mentioned liberals as being more "government as mommy". While I consider myself pretty liberal, I'm also pretty capitalist. I'm opposed to things like a welfare state and social security (I fall in the middle on healthcare).

It seems like there are several viewpoints glommed into these two categories. If I were a hardliner on drugs, but a capitalist, would I have to flip a coin?

[ggiese]

[ggiese]

From Wikipedia...

Multiplicity of interpretation of the left-right axis

There are various different opinions about what is actually being measured along this axis, and lines often blur among parties. For more detail see the main article Left-Right politics:

* Equality of outcome (left) versus equality of right (right).
* Redistribution of wealth and income (left), or acceptance of inequalities as a result of the free market (right).
* Whether the government's policy on the economy should be interventionist (left) or laissez-faire (right).
* Support for widened lifestyle choices (left), or support for traditional values (right).
* Whether the state should prioritise equality (left) or liberty (right). Both the left and the right tend to speak in favor of both equality and liberty - but they have different interpretations.
* Whether human nature is more malleable (left) or intrinsic (right).
* Whether the government should promote secularism (left) or religious morality (right).
* Collectivism (left) versus individualism (right).
* Support for internationalism (left), or national interest (right).

These definitions are further blurred by the difference in practice of left and right policies, for example the "leftist" nationalism of Latin America, the "rightist" corporate protectionist policies of the United States, and the individualist philosophy of ideologies like anarcho-capitalism.

[ggiese]

This really is a fascinating study - politics. I recently had to take a course, to complete my degree, in US Politics. We studied all of the various areas of the political spectrum in the US Democratic system... And while it may seem to be a pretty wide range of views between the Democrats and Republicans, Liberals vs. Conservatives, "Righties" vs. "Lefties", the truth of the matter is - we are actually much closer in overall philosophy between the two sides than some of the other political systems in the world out there ...

I believe that's why our political system is so successful. We really aren't that far apart, but it does keep a good balance on the overall democratic system by having disagreement - a way or process to address our grievances openly, disagree on the issues, and in the end really not be that far apart (compromise is always fairly close at hand)...

I wouldn't cease to function if another Democratic president were in office - anymore than the Democrats are washed up with Bush in office. He's only got a coupla more years and it's time for him to move on. Just like the span Clinton was in office...

[SuperChuck]

This really is a fascinating study - politics. I recently had to take a course, to complete my degree, in US Politics. We studied all of the various areas of the political spectrum in the US Democratic system... And while it may seem to be a pretty wide range of views between the Democrats and Republicans, Liberals vs. Conservatives, "Righties" vs. "Lefties", the truth of the matter is - we are actually much closer in overall philosophy between the two sides than some of the other political systems in the world out there ...

The Sunnis and Shi'ites come to mind... You don't see Democrats suicide bombing the White House. :)

I'm actually finding more and more that, on the Federal at least, party lines aren't all they're made out to be. Most prominent politicians understand that they are elected to make the right decisions, not to cast a party vote or even to vote as their constituents might want them to. There has been a LOT of opposition to the Bush administration from prominent republicans in congress, for example.

There's also a lot of moderation at high levels in government. Even GWB has promoted things like the Guest Worker Program, which I consider pretty liberal.

I have an academic question, though... At one point in US History, the Republicans were liberal and the Democrats were conservative. You didn't happen to cover when this flip-flop occurred, did you? (this is what you get for letting us know you took a class )