Am I a Liberal or a Conservative?
65
Last year during Thanksgiving one of my office colleague invited me to there house. I was the lone girl who avoided alcohol and meat in that group. And the lady next to me said "you are a nice conservative girl". Now I didn't ask for the clarification from that lady by what she meant. And all the media talk about Democrats being liberals and Republicans being conservative was a little confusing for me. Since personally I do have certain beliefs and opinions which may seem conservative to some but at the same time I do have certain opinions which maybe considered as liberal. And for some of these issues I am neutral.
So here are a few things which I believe in and would seek the help of fellow Huber's to figure out my moral compass.
1) Should US have gone to Iraq: My opinion NO (of course some people say that saying NO is similar to not being patriotic(to US) which maybe true since I am an Indian)
2) Should Gays be allowed to Marry: YES they should be allowed to marry but it is up to the particular religious authority whether to solemnize this in a Church/Temple/Synagogue or any other place.
3) Should the rich(more than 250k salary) be taxed more: YES they should be taxed more to take care of the large majority since in every society certain basic social obligations like education, health and others benefits should be provided to all of its residents.
4) Should the Gun ownership be allowed: YES/NO here it is a little ambiguous since in all places the police may not be able to protect all its residents and some times it may be too late by the time police arrives. But at the same time thorough adequate checks including psychological assessments should be done before giving some body a weapon to use.
5) Should abortion be allowed: YES/NO here again it depends on the circumstances where the mother's life is at a great danger or for rape victims who were not meant to suffer this trauma it should be allowed. But where a irresponsible girl becomes pregnant then she(and also the guy) should own up to their responsibility.
6) Should environmental issues get priority: A big YES. We are already seeing so many climatic changes and it would be naive to imagine that we are not responsible for this damage.
7) Should universal health care be the solution: YES/NO. Here again I am in a dilemma because to a certain extent it works to have a basic treatment being provided for all but when it comes to costly procedures then it should be up to the individual to plan for that accordingly.
8) Should illegal immigrants be dealt with severely: YES/NO. Here again it depends as everyone has a right to better quality of life but at the same time an unrestricted access does affect the quality of the life of existing residents too.
9) Should US outsource certain jobs overseas: YES/NO. Here again it depends on the businesses as they may want to be competitive(by cutting down on costs) but if it affects the local jobs in a big way then the cost is too big to justify the returns.
10) Should the government be involved in financial bail outs : YES/NO. Here again the companies/businesses have to own up to there mistakes and not be allowed to get away with practices which led to this situation. But when millions are going to be affected then the government has to get its hands dirty and put it in the gutter to clean this mess.
11) Should government allow alternatives to public schools: YES/NO. Well again it depends on the school district (since here in our county it is ranked very high I prefer public schools). But when a parent(who is not happy with what is on offer) has chosen not to pursue with their child's education in the public school in that district (alternatively may be private/home school) then they shouldn't be forced to pay for the taxes in that school district.
12) Should government provide better educational loans: YES. As education is the only investment that pays over a period of a life time. But still many times people tend to choose a different path which may not be lucrative (in terms of job opportunity & money) and end up paying huge student loans for those courses. There should be more psychological counselling for young adults to choose an appropriate career based on there aptitude and attitude.
So that summarizes my beliefs/opinions and I would request all of you to take the poll to let me know where I stand.
This is a long impartial video debate about Media Bias Liberal Vs Conservative
What Am I?
See results without votingPrintShare it! — Rate it: up down [flag this hub]
Comments
Hi CW-girl,
You are neither liberal nor conservative, nor you are central :)
You are you, one of the nicest and most enjoyable people around :)
And you don't have to have an opinion on the things you don't have one - being way older than you, I still don't have an opinion on many things, and I think it is perfectly OK :)
If I was to gauge you, I'd say you are a realist and those are in extremely short supply. We need more of those than the stereotypical conservatives and liberals.
Can I say that you are Practical and Realistic?:)
Well I agree with Misha to a point...It is difficult the way things have been done to know which way to turn on some of the items..Our forefather's definatly knew right from wrong and tried very hard to protect us from all the things that have gone array...but we are here and this is now and God only knows what will become of us...
As long as one does the right thing...and I mean right to their heart...their beliefs and their country (which some choose to change)their environment...and their faith...and here again ? Maybe just maybe one day we will all live in PEACE...nice hub Countrywomen...G-Ma :o) Hugs & Peace
I think you're pretty normal. That's a good thing. Nice hub.
Laila&Penmanzee- Thanks for considering me realistic. Well as good as it feels I still will have to eventually figure out which group I fall in. I may be staying in the US for a long time and one day may have to take that call of voting for either one of them. I don't want my vote to go waste for not voting for either of them.
Misha- WOW!! I guess it comes with maturity to think that one doesn't have to have a opinion on everything. I was just curious of where I fit in. So I take it that you don't vote for either candidate (of course you can refuse to answer this question).
Thanks Laila/Penmanzee/Misha for those kind words. It feels so good to receive such compliments early in the day. I hope you all too have a great day.
G-Ma, Thanks for showering me with your comment love these days. I do agree that the founding fathers had great vision and not bound to certain fixed stands on many issues. But in today's reality we are forced many times to decide on so many things which matter to us. I agree we need PEACE more than ever (I hope there is a cease fire in Gaza soon). Glad you could stop by and bless me.
Joe- Thanks for those nice words. Yes I may be considered "normal" by some and "abnormal" by others (based on my personal beliefs/opinions). It finally comes down to being a matter of perspective. Glad you liked this hub and could stop by.
Interesting hub, countrywomen! I think the woman who called you conservative meant the non-political definition of someone who practices moderation (since you weren't partaking in alcohol). Politically, I've read that conservatists are those who support small governments and want to maintain the status quo. However, many people who call themselves "conservatists" or "liberals" don't seem to understand the meaning of the terms, so, as many others have pointed out here, I think you're better off just being YOU: a kind and open-minded individual. These fabricated labels just seem to divide us.
I think you're an open minded, pragmatic realist, CW. In my opinion, the fact that you are willing to consider the two sides of one coin makes you also an intelligent woman, one that is not biased nor easily influenced but who can apply her own criteria to any given issue. And, thanks for sharing your personal stance on so many "hot" topics –that's also brave!
Melissa- I also suspect that could be what she meant hence mentioned those details. But I also felt may be I am partaking in a religious festival (and she thought I am may be nice "christian" girl). As usually conservative are considered more religious than liberals (at least here on hub pages I have found so). Thanks for letting me be what I am. And you are right the last thing we need is something to divide us rather than unite us. May we all unite for Peace and Harmony in the world. Personally do you think Ms.Hillary Clinton (being a woman) would promote more peace in world affairs?
Elena- I guess so far everyone thinks I am realistic. That's good to hear (I wish my boss was reading these comments about me)..hehe. Well I was watching a video about a debate on media bias which left me wondering about so many issues where do I stand. I hope you do watch it and it is a good impartial debate in a University setting. And thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I understand your comment about the Iraq War. Please visit my site if you get a chance and read my article on Iraq War and Patriotism.
Regards
James Scott Murphy
LOL CW-girl, not sure about maturity, but it definitely comes with life experience. I do remember times when I just had to have an opinion on everything, and then to fiercly defend it. After a few thousand repeptitions it finally occurs to even the dumbest and stubbornest person as I am that it does not really benefit anybody.
What is even more interesting, one has to defend only those opinions one just has to have. Opinions that he/she has naturally don't need any defense usually ;)
As for voting - I don't do this since mid 90s. Choosing between bad and worse never looked like a winning proposition to me, and fairy tales about "your voice counts" lost all the appeal after watching for some time how nobody really gives a shit about it, be it in Soviet Russia or "free" America :)
Jsmlive- I left a detailed comment in that hub of yours(http://hubpages.com/hub/Iraq-War-Support-and-Patri I hope more people see a soldier's point of view about Iraq war. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Misha- WOW!! That's quite a lot of philosophy in their. I guess we are entitled to have an opinion and at the same being open to get that opinion evaluated constantly based on new circumstances/evidence. It would be kind of boring if we never evaluated/corrected our opinions or were right the first time itself. I certainly don't have all the answers but that doesn't stop me from questioning my beliefs/opinions all the time. I may not be right the first time but eventually just like you may get to the stage where I may be more accurate most of the times. So I take it you are not for "By the people, for the people...." . I agree with you on a certain front that America isn't free to choose a third alternative like so many other democratic countries besides Democrats/Republicans. So now I am just curious what form of government do you think is most ideal for governing the people in a society like present day America?
The important thing that I think you show here, is that you know your own beliefs -- and choose to follow them. You do not slot yourself into either the "liberal" category, or the "conservative" category. Thus you avoid the dreaded "hardening of the categories" that leads to so much conflict between people(s) who think there is only one right way. Great hub!
Bruce- I know for now what my beliefs are but they are subject to change based on evolving circumstances. Well actually that seems to be an issue sometimes as people aren't sure which group I belong to...hehe
Well in these elections many republicans and independents voted for Obama hence I do think that some people at least rethink their beliefs/opinions all the time. That is true their is no right way or wrong way both are after all a matter of perspective which differs from individual to individual. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Btw just to let you know that in the hub 10 ways to be popular I included your hub too (and hope you like it).
Saints could be philosophers, couldn't they? ;)
Frankly I don't think we are "entitled" to anything by default - it is all a product of a mutual agreement. :)
I wholeheartedly agree to constant re-evaluation of ones opinions/beliefs, this is the only way to develop, those who don't do this just stagnate.
One person's right is another person's wrong, so be careful with that - but I know you are :)
As for other "democratic" countries - it is the same as smart ass parents. When it is time to go to bed, and kid does not want to, dumb parents like communists just knock the kid down, smarter ones like Americans give him a choice of pajama he can wear, and real smart ass parents like Europeans ask him if he wants to go to bed in 5 minutes or in 10 minutes, in addition to pajama choice.
You still have to go to bed, regardless, you don't have a voice on the real issue :D
Now, coming to the best government form. Believe it or not, I don't have a firm opinion on that. However, lately I am leaning towards not having any government at all :)
Misha- Yes Saints could be angels as well as philosophers:-) I liked your analogy about kids going to bed. Now that makes me wish to relocate to Europe..hehe. No government now you are joking right!!! Or you envision an ideal place like Gilligan's Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island)
I guess I am with you then. You could be the official jester on the boat or may be golden toad may try giving you a competition for that post. Now I am thinking in tangents I better stop.....LOL
You are neither conservative nor liberal you are just country woman.
LOL No, I am not joking - albeit playing a jester does not frighten me a tiny bit :)
I am seriously leaning towards anarchy, its individualistic variety even. There are still a few issues with it I don't know how to re-concile with how I understand human nature, that's why I don't have a firm opinion yet :)
Prince Maak- Yes I know I am countrywoman who maybe neither or a bit of both. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Misha- I can see you as a jester who is deliberately throwing his views/opinions when there is too much peace around to create an entertainment for all of us. Btw half of the time I wonder why you said that thing in the forums and did you really mean that or you say it just to intensify the discussion.
Well as they say there is a method to the madness maybe it may work too.
P.S: I am trying to have an open opinion about anarchy now as per your earlier suggestion..hehe
I think more often than not my serious attempts to state my non-standard opinions are mistaken for stirring the pot. I don't mind, it still gives people a different perspective :)
You still are going back to that incident, poor thing :) Well, I was genuinely disappointed when I mistook your prank for an attempt to fool us. As much as I was absolutely honest when I told you it was not going to make me thinking bad of you :)
NO NO I wasn't going back to that prank at all. I was just stating in general which you have corrected me now as saying that it is a genuine response of yours to give a non-standard opinion instead of stirring the pot. Ok I will not say that again. I apologize for that misconception now.
I know you never think bad of anyone. You weren't made an angel or saint for nothing you know (I am sure their are lots of people who will agree with me on this). Oops I forgot now you are even a philosopher too. I some times find it difficult to comprehend you whether you include everybody in your world view or you don't have any world view at all. Some people it is easy to understand where they are coming from but you still seem like an enigma to me.
Politics bore me, but I am glad all of you people love it. Personally I would rather be trying on fun hoop skirts.
HoopSkirtMan- Oh don't get me wrong even I don't particularly relish it. But the last one year I guess I had a overdose of politics on TV. Hopefully now the media can focus on other things to report besides politics. Fun hoop skirts seems like a lot of fun. I would have to check out your hubs now. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
You are a very intelligent woman, I just find my mind is too clogged with fashion. I probably sound like ditsy valley guy.
In my experience people who are political conservatively may not necessarily be conservative people. We had a neighbor that was politically a Republican, but behind the scenes he was a swinger and a heavy drinker. Politics and lifestyle can be totally different when it comes down to it. My opinion tend to be more on the Democratic side of things, but my lifestyle is a combination of things that appeal to me. At the end of the day people are much more complicated and cannot be begged exactly into one category.
I would say u r a liberal. If you would have answered most questions with a definite no then I'd say you were conservation.
HoopSkirtMan- Come on don't think like that. Some of the best women's clothes fashion designers are men. Its ok for men to be keen on women's fashions. I guess it's society's perception since a girl being a tomboy isn't considered unusual but the other way round seems to be unusual for some. Thanks for those kind words and commenting again.
SweetiePie- Actually what you say could be very true. I might personally be conservative (non political) meaning as mentioned by Melissa and politically be a liberal. Once even Mark knowles pointed that out about Nickny as being Conservative and having a different take on certain things. I like your approach about the combination part which is similar to what appeals me too. That is true people can't be put into a category and may be I should also not think about considering myself one way or another.
You seem pretty centralist to me...just an observation, but perhaps where you're "conservative" is in your personal religion or daily living...? I think in that sense we all are rater conservative. Great hub and good work pointing out where you stand. It's frustrating not being looked at properly by others, something I experience a lot myself...
Alberto- I just checked the poll and the majority think I am Central (neither left or right wing) but the rest were evenly divided between Liberal/Conservative. I guess it is ok to be labeled central or what they call as Independents according to the polls so far.
LOL Now you mistook me for SweetiePie. You don't need to apologize for that, I am not that easily offended :) And you don't have to promise to not say it again - I don't really mind, and I do stir the pot sometimes, which makes it very difficult to tell when I am doing what :P
I do think bad of some people. I don't think people are "bad" by design, though, and I think I pretty much understand what makes them act "bad" - but I am still human, despite of my previous avatar, and I can't help but thinking bad of people whose behavior I don't like :)
As for my worldview - it's a work in progress more than you would expect from an average person of my age. Being raised under communist rule, at some point in my life I realized that the vast majority of beliefs I was taught to accept as THE TRUTH are outright lies. And my worldview as a whole is a heap of self-contradicting lies mixed with a few small truths. And there is no way to easily tell these lies from these truths :)
So, I started with demoting all of my firm beliefs into hypotheses and dismantling those of them that obviously were mutually contradictory. Than I began to test the rest of them, slowly building a body of beliefs that don't contradict what I see around - and one another. It took me more than 10 years, and only recently critical mass was reached and it began to click into one big picture that now allows me to draw some conclusions based on it :)
Nowadays I don't take anything for granted, I demand prove for things that other people take as axioms, and this tends to piss off some people immensely, and probably this is what got me a reputation of stirring the pot lover :)
On the other hand, I tend not to fight over my beliefs, as whatever beliefs I acquired are my own beliefs, which I worked hard on to be an integral part of my worldview, and I do allow for others to have their own ones, feeling absolutely secure about mine at the same time. And I like to make fun of those who are insecure about their beliefs - bad me :)
Well, it's a bit of idealized picture of me, cause time to time I too find myself getting angry over some things, and this is a reliable indicator that I have yet another legacy belief to work on :)
T.kelley- I don't know sometimes with certain people who want to figure me out I have tough time explaining what side I am on. We have an elderly lady from deep south and the rest primarily from west coast. During our informal lunch discussions on some issues I tend to take this side and other issues I take the other side. Which seems perplexing to some in the group. Yes to a certain extent you maybe right I am a centralist (which is what the poll is also suggesting so far).
Misha- You have taken quite a journey to arrive at this wise stage in your life. Btw I don't know what's going on between you and sweetiepie hence not sure why you had to bring her into this discussion. Ok now one thing I am certain about is that I can never be certain about you...LOL
You do self contradict yourself. I guess that is the best way to learn when one out thinks oneself from all angles. I believe the best chess masters do that to improve their game too. Well maybe you meant hate the "mischief" not the "mischeaf maker". That is a very objective way of looking at the world. I also try not to get too carried away if someone's opinion of me is not good then that shouldn't affect my opinion of them adversely.
Actually that process you mentioned is covered in meditation where we have to "unlearn" negative thoughts/emotions and then start "learning" positive thoughts. I guess this whole comments section what you have described can become a wonderful hub about evolution of your thought process. Even I feel there is very little achieved when we fight about certain things because no one is going to change their beliefs just by a few statements so neither of us is benefited. But sometimes an objective non biased evaluation does help to modify/correct certain beliefs/opinions which were till then not thought of. But again there has to be a certain rapport or comfort level before such a discussion can take place. And on web where people don't see each other then some tend not to be as respectful as they would if they were face to face. Don't worry we all get upset after all we all are humans and just hope the ramp up time is quick (that matters a lot)...hehe
Oh, SweetiePie is here because she gets easily offended over nothing. She is getting better though... hehe :P
Now I am sorta puzzled. I demand explanation, for those who don't have that good English as you do. What does it mean - "You do self contradict yourself". I am at a loss, really...
Yes, I think it's pretty close to what you normally do in meditation, and meditation ios definitely the only method to do this. The only difference is that beliefs are much harder to change than just thoughts :)
As for sharing on the Internet - I think it depends on the level of trust a person has towards the World. Most people would be uncomfortable sharing such personal things I share here. I was there, too, but now it is much easier for me, cause I am not afraid of the World as a whole and people in particular anymore :)
You're level headed on all issues, so I feel you're a moderate. That being said, being liberal or conservative are not sins, and in regard to religion, I prefer slightly more conservative angles on most issues. I think you seem to do so as well...
Misha, Anarchy? Yah Boo Sucks. I personally would far prefer a Benevolent Dictatorship, - as long as I was the Benevolent Dictator. You would enter an era of bliss and plenty, a beer in every chipped enamel mug, a jackalope in every pot!
CW, as you obviously haven't found anything compelling in either of the asinine elephants (which seriously is good, voting by the election on what's offered, not who's offering it is how I do it) how about joining my campaign team, Northern & Eastern division? This is a once only campaign which I'll win: I cheat, and still have 7,000,000 heavily armed elective eels, currently (pun) training on Pleiades 3; as immediately I gain power I'll abandon all future elections. You won't need them, I'll be such a nice Ruler, and anyone who disagrees too vocally will be as the CIA say - terminated!
Just a thought.
Cheers, TOF
Wow--so many comments in such a short amount of time! In answer to your question, although I generally think women have more peaceful natures, I don't know if Hillary would be a very effective peacekeeper, especially since she made statements about her willingness to "nuke Iran" if she was president. Hopefully she'll be a little more diplomatic as secretary of state.
I don't know if we can rely on our leaders for peace--there seems to be too much of a profit motive in war. I think peace is the responsibility of every one of us, as Gandhi demonstrated through his example. As we cultivate peace in our own lives, hopefully it will spread out into the world.
I'm a confused person living within a very confused nation. LOL And therefore rely upon the Word of God and prayer for strength and success like our forefathers! Great hub you wrote countrywomen, you can be proud for that. ;)
Misha- It is the birth right of women to get upset for some reason or sometimes no reason. I thought by now you must have realized that...LOL Well you said you don't indulge in "stirring the pot earlier" and others were misunderstanding you then subsequently you said you do stir the pot which is difficult to spot when it is actually done. Well thoughts are the first step and I agree it is a slow process not for those wanting quick results. Misha the rules of the game are different for different gender/cultures. For example in India some people may have repressed their desires which makes them enjoy vicarious pleasures like watching TV/Movies and Online photo sites more than others. So many things can happen and I am not saying they will happen but anyway you get the idea.
T.Kelley- Well since US has two party democracy generally here people are more open to the concept of being in either camps but not being in neither camps(this could be totally my personal opinion). I am with you totally on this I agree that neither is totally good or bad but depends on circumstances/point of view. And thank god that we live in a country where we can disagree but still coexist peacefully. Thanks for those nice words and glad you could stop by again.
TOF- A benevolent dictator seems not bad when the going is good. But I am yet to see a person who started as a "good" dictator who left a legacy that their people are proud off for generations. From Hitler, Stalin to present day Castro everyone has caused their people to suffer more than democracies but still I wouldn't argue that Democracy is the only solution. You do point out the ills of dictatorships in your cute funny way. I love the way you word those things. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Melissa- In general pre-election talk is usually meant to address those "males"/voters who may think that a woman isn't strong enough to take tough decisions. I wouldn't worry about that talk too much but now is the time to see her do the walk. I hope she does a good job and seriously she doesn't have any choice. If she wants the world to hear a different message than what the world has been hearing for the past 8 years then she better do a different walk(talk I leave it to the diplomatic circles to say whatever is appropriate in different circumstances). I am with you that we need to practice more than we preach and Gandhi is a great example but alas for the majority it is easier to talk then walk the talk. But I pray for Unity and Peace in the world (how I love the John Lennon Song Imagine).
Dottie- Whatever works for us to be more caring and loving to fellow human beings should be adopted. For some it could be a religious text and for others their personal moral codes. Thanks for those kind words and I will try to keep receiving an encore of such compliments by writing the best hubs that I can. I am just evolving a little every day and glad you all are encouraging me so much in my pursuit.
countrywomen,
I posted on your hub as I follow you closely (I like your hubs) and you follow my hubs closely (or so I have noticed). For instance, you commented on my hub this morning, so I came over to see if you had written a new one. Not sure why I had to explain myself lol. I never should have to.
Ok, before it got any further, this was a bad joke on my side, CW-girl has nothing to do with it.
I apologize to everybody and go hide under the table, cause women definitely have a birth right to get upset, but I am scared to be around upset woman :)
We Are Not To Label Misha a Conservative or Anything Else. LOL
Does this help, Misha? What did you do now??
CW- Guess I'm crashing your hub...
SweetiePie- I love all your hubs and glad that you like my hubs too. I guess you were explaining about Misha's earlier statement which he has explained now. Well some times I guess we have to explain ourselves so that others don't carry their opinion too far further down. Glad that you could stop by again.
Misha- I am not sure why you had to even say that since nobody has explicitly pointed anything out to me. But yes you are right stay out of the radar of upset women as they say "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"
Lita- You are right he is beyond all this "wordly" views. Truly a man of all times and I guess he doesn't want to rake up that anymore or maybe I suspect his assertion that some women get upset easily has anything to do with his defensive statement...LOL
You are welcome anytime to gate crash this party and btw even I am considering gate crashing that Ayn Rand forum. I haven't seen Aya yet with her views other than that not much support for my views I guess...hehe
Honestly CW any one's opinion of me, whether it be bad or good is out of my control. It was so weird to see so much written about myself when I had just stopped by to make a short statement about how my neighbor was Republican but in his lifestyle pretty much a party goer. I had just thought about that when you mentioned the scenario about yourself at the party not drinking, and you reiterated that in your comment.
SweetiePie- Yes we can't ever change the way others perceive us and sometimes we are not even sure of how others perceive us. I guess some people generally find it convenient to put others in straight jacket as soon as they can not that I don't do the same some times too. I guess we all need to rethink our positions all the time. I like Misha's earlier statement about how he deconstructs his opinions/views all the time to reconstruct new views/opinions which is not an easy task for everyone. I admire your holistic inclusive world view too.
I admire your worldviews also countrywomen. My political views are on the Democratic because I was a history major I have studied how the US tends to do better under US presidencies. It is funny how the obsession with history is genetic because my grandpa was also a history teacher. I taught history for awhile and whereas people were blown out of the waters with my knowledge about obscure events, I was just no good at getting kids to listen in the class room. Honestly I even feel sick when I think of the class room these days and even though I could make some extra money substitute teaching, I tend to stay away from it. I see looking at the bank account I might have to sub this month, but honestly I feel tense when I do so. I tend to be a very introverted person and soft spoken, so being a firm teacher is just not my forte. Should I get another master's degree in library science I ask myself? No, I just hope the economy gets better so I can get a better position than being a clerk at the moment :).
When it comes to lifestyle I am like you and do not drink, and I was raised almost primarily vegetarian. Being vegetarian was not a religious thing for me, it was a lifestyle choice my parents made after eating the heavy meat fare in the midwest. My mom grew up having to slaughter chickens as a kid for the family business, which is hard to imagine kids doing today. She was so sick of chicken and is now a complete vegetarian. I do eat chicken and fish, but I can go days without missing it. Right now I actually live in a Seventh Day Adventist community, which is something you probably would appreciate because there are many people from all groups that go shopping at the stores here because of the wide variety of veggie cuisine.
Sorry I meant Democratic presidencies.
1) Should US have gone to Iraq: My opinion NO (of course some people say that saying NO is similar to not being patriotic(to US) which maybe true since I am an Indian)
Patriotism has nothing to do with a war beyond the National Borders. Regardless of the Points for or against, anything outside the walls or the homeland has nothing to do with patriotism. Now if you want your country to be, the sole super power in the world, then maintaining a military presence in Eurasia is a must. If you think wasting production on useless consumption designed to keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor then No, we should stay way the hell away from Iraq. I think your views make you sane and rational and neither conservative or liberal as these are artificial labels created to keep the population divided in order to make conquest easier.
2) Should Gays be allowed to Marry: YES they should be allowed to marry but it is up to the particular religious authority whether to solemnize this in a Church/Temple/Synagogue or any other place.
I second that motion all in favor say AYE. The problem here is Marriage was a legal matter long before it was a religious matter, as it is a contract. That is why divorce is actually a lawsuit, same as would be if the guy who did your bathroom screwed it all up. So, that said yes the government has to be involved, however, if you cannot discriminate against who lays the tile in your toilet, how is it you can discriminate against gays.
3) Should the rich(more than 250k salary) be taxed more: YES they should be taxed more to take care of the large majority since in every society certain basic social obligations like education, health and others benefits should be provided to all of its residents.
First off salary is not what makes you rich, that is disinformation pure and simple. What you own makes you rich. Taxing a wage earner is taxing a wage earner. Taxing me is not taxing Warren Buffet. He only makes 100,000 a year Salary so that Jack ass pays less than me on Income taxes. He gave the rest to a foundation that pays a salary but still honors his control as he is on the board. No wage earner should pay a tax only those who own and control the wealth of the Nation should pay for the extras, as the benefit the most from their special access to government. So, I don't hold this against you as this propaganda has put the workers on the hook and let the real Rich folks get off without paying a dime, as most people think that a high Salary makes you rich. It does not; you can come to my house anytime and see that is not the case.
4) Should the Gun ownership be allowed: YES/NO here it is a little ambiguous since in all places the police may not be able to protect all its residents and some times it may be too late by the time police arrives. But at the same time thorough adequate checks including psychological assessments should be done before giving some body a weapon to use.
Unfortunately in a free society we are innocent and until proven guilty. That is the price of Freedom; someone may take your life. A real Patriot understands this and doesn't file a BS law suit when shit happens and doesn't cry on the news at the bequest of a special interest group. They seek Justice and go home and understand a right is a right and there are no guarantees. But, I do like that you have thought about it. Most do not they just grab a party line, so kudos!
5) Should abortion be allowed: YES/NO here again it depends on the circumstances where the mother's life is at a great danger or for rape victims who were not meant to suffer this trauma it should be allowed. But where a irresponsible girl becomes pregnant then she(and also the guy) should own up to their responsibility.
Here is a question? How is it right that a woman can get pregnant and have an abortion without the father knowing, or she can tell the father and he doesn't want responsibility, but she can force him to pay? This doesn't sound so equal to me.
How is it, a woman can abort the child at will and If I accidentally hit her with my car I am charged with Double Homicide? What is good for the Goose is good for the Gander!
6) Should environmental issues get priority: A big YES. We are already seeing so many climatic changes and it would be naive to imagine that we are not responsible for this damage.
True the Climate is changing, but I like George Carlin on this one. Mother Earth will shake us off like a bad case of the Fleas when the time comes. Evolution will happen. Only the egotist wishes to change the course of the Earth in order to keep our species from changing. We will adept or we will be overcome.
7) Should universal health care be the solution: YES/NO. Here again I am in a dilemma because to a certain extent it works to have a basic treatment being provided for all but when it comes to costly procedures then it should be up to the individual to plan for that accordingly.
I am going to write a hub on this one to much for this!!
8) Should illegal immigrants be dealt with severely: YES/NO. Here again it depends as everyone has a right to better quality of life but at the same time an unrestricted access does affect the quality of the life of existing residents too.
If markets were free and not influenced by government then flow of people would not matter. But since everyone wants to meddle with everything else in order to maintain a Hierarchical society people’s movement must be restricted. I prefer freedom, but know that it is an illusion of the collective we call reality.
You’re for freedom or not. The beauty of the US is our Cake and Eat syndrome.
9) Should US outsource certain jobs overseas: YES/NO. Here again it depends on the businesses as they may want to be competitive(by cutting down on costs) but if it affects the local jobs in a big way then the cost is too big to justify the returns.
Free Markets and Freedom of Movement would make the concept irrelevant.
10) Should the government be involved in financial bail outs : YES/NO. Here again the companies/businesses have to own up to there mistakes and not be allowed to get away with practices which led to this situation. But when millions are going to be affected then the government has to get its hands dirty and put it in the gutter to clean this mess.
Why not they are going to steal the money and give it to the Bankers one way or the other. What difference does it make on the manner in which they take from the poor and give to the rich? Pay directly or pay it indirectly it all still flows up.
11) Should government allow alternatives to public schools: YES/NO. Well again it depends on the school district (since here in our county it is ranked very high I prefer public schools). But when a parent(who is not happy with what is on offer) has chosen not to pursue with their child's education in the public school in that district (alternatively may be private/home school) then they shouldn't be forced to pay for the taxes in that school district.
No they shouldn't offer public schools, as they are what fuel the industrial machine that alters the environment. Without schools the machines wouldn't run and life would return to the agrarian lifestyle and the balance all the greenies are rambling for. I like how in the same breath we say go green, and give more money for schools.
12) Should government provide better educational loans: YES. As education is the only investment that pays over a period of a life time. But still many times people tend to choose a different path which may not be lucrative (in terms of job opportunity & money) and end up paying huge student loans for those courses. There should be more psychological counselling for young adults to choose an appropriate career b
CW: My goodness, you received a lot of responses by the time I was able to access a computer (had sort of a computer crash)... I am with Misha; my entire concept of life has changed as I have matured and grown in wisdom (I hope). What I believe today, may change tomorrow; one thing that is a constant for me are my values, but ideas have changed. So, I am neither liberal or conservative, just a human being responding the best to whatever is in my awareness.
SweetiePie- Many over here benefit a lot from your historical inputs especially about middle east politics (where history/religion keeps getting discussed a lot). I did like History in school but later took to sciences. I feel History does teach us to learn from past mistakes so that we don't keep repeating them. Well coming to Democrat Presidents being better than Republican Presidents I have heard both for and against these lines. For example that Reagan was stated by some as a great Republican President especially with his economics policies which were later termed as Reaganomics.
I hope you do choose something you like at the same time also being practical about the realistic job opportunities in that field. You are a smart woman I am sure you will take a appropriate decision that works for you. And also no job is big or small it is only our thinking that makes it so.
And also as you mentioned that it could be various reasons why somebody has made that life style choice like being a vegetarian. In my case just not used to since childhood just makes it all the more tougher to accept it for myself. But at the same time in places around us we may have fresh fruits/vegetables but what about Alaskan Arctic Climate or the Deserts in Middle east which are not blessed with nature's bounty then they have little choice but to take to meat. It is ultimately the question of individual adaptation to survive in these cases.Thanks for appreciating my world view and I guess we are now sounding like a mutual admiration group...LOL
TMG- WOW!! That comment has so much information which can almost make a hub by itself. Yes my views by no means are absolute and they may change based on new circumstances. Even you are entitled to have opinions/beliefs about all of these as they belong to you. Each of us has had different background, education and experiences in life which to a great extent moulds our beliefs. I respect your views and reasoning. Each one of your statements can be elaborated into a separate hub. I am looking forward to reading more of what you think on these issues. I am sorry if I have not replied with the same precision that you have addressed each one of the issues as I feel each one of us is justified to have a view which may or may not agree with ours. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Violet- How is your computer now? Please don't tell me it is due to a flaw in a MS product..hehe
Yes, Misha can be quite insightful when he chooses to be wise. I feel we can have opinions but not be opinionated...LOL
But I totally agree with you that life is far easier if we look at each other as human beings rather than whether he/she is in my group or the "other" groups. We all ultimately belong to one group called humanity. I guess the world needs spiritual wisdom from many more people like you who don't believe in creating division but insist on universal love. Namaste Violet:-)
You are very much your own person - so why slot yourself and limit it? Be the best of yourself
Everybody wants to label somebody else. People love labels. You've got socialists, ultra-liberals, liberals, centrist-liberals, anti-abortion liberals, moderates, undecideds, pro-choice conservatives, centrist-conservatives, religious conservatives, reactionaries, and fascists, and lots of room for gray areas between. Eventually we will evolve to the point when we realize that everyone is an individual. Thank you for another thought provoking hub!
Ritu- Thanks for that vote of support to be me. I hope being me I keep evolving all the time as they say to living is learning. I would surely try to be the best of myself although still a long way to go..hehe. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Tom- I never know so many labels existed in the first place. And here I was thinking not much choice..LOL. Anyway I do hope each one of us evolves to that stage where we respect others for what they are instead of what they should be. I am glad that you liked this hub and thanks for commenting.
CW,
Are you by chance a Libra? I am, and it seems we share a way of seeing both sides of an issue.
This statement is from the Libra horoscope--The greatest balancing act is between self and others, and it is here that many Libras focus their energy. Here, in the realm of interpersonal relationships, you are a champion.
Wonderful hub! Thumbs up :)
Trish- I am actually Aries but I do know Libran's who are like that. But the tough part is when they are forced to take a decision comes the indecision...hehe
Thanks for the thumbs up and glad you liked it so much. Hope you had a great new year so far and thank you so much for commenting.
CW,
I didn't look at my post but I guess it was too long as it got cut off here is the rest. As that is what I thought was most important. I guess you should alsways save the best for last.
12) Should government provide better educational loans: YES. As education is the only investment that pays over a period of a life time. But still many times people tend to choose a different path which may not be lucrative (in terms of job opportunity & money) and end up paying huge student loans for those courses. There should be more psychological counselling for young adults to choose an appropriate career based on there aptitude and attitude.
No absolutely not as the loans for houses and education are what creates the bubbles and inflates the prices. The only reason Tuition keeps going up is the market supports it, do to these damn easy to get loans. It screws the cash payers in order to turn us all into debtors. Worse than that you cannot even declare bankruptcy and get away from these loans. Plus this investment just pays in more productivity that ultimately eats more resources while supplying fewer jobs. Again hurting all the fundamental statements of going green and helping people keep jobs.
So that summarizes my beliefs/opinions and I would request all of you to take the poll to let me know where I stand.
I just wanted say all that crap in a huge comment. Blessings to you CW as you are truly a thinking person and those are so rare, it is a privilege to know you here on HP.
TMG
TMG- I did my Masters in a Public University in Midwest and during those two years it didn't go up. I am not sure why you are against student loans which can be made more affordable. Personally I have wonderful parents who have even given a part of their savings for my education and also it is part of our culture for parents to pay for their kids education but what about the millions of others who don't have a support like I have then don't they have a right to higher education to better their lives.
Equating Housing loans with educational loans isn't justified. I am not talking about Ivy league universities with their huge tuition fees but those other universities with not so expensive tuition with decent ranking. I agree jobs are difficult to come by and even I went through that phase but at least it gives an average person the opportunity(If you haven't checked out about me then you are welcome to check this out http://hubpages.com/hub/What-I-want-you-to-know-ab
I also strongly feel one has to have realistic expectations and if I pursue a course for which in the near future in the job market enough opportunities don't exist then I will have to accept the outcome too. Ultimately where there is a will there is a way. Thanks for stopping by again and it's also my privilege in discussing with you about issues which you feel so passionately about.
CW - It is hard to apply labels and, as pointed out above, political views have very little bearing on social and moral views. I know some conservatives who are kind and caring people and some socialists who are idiots. Knolyourself has an interesting take on this in one of his hubs.
Whatever your political views, you have a caring nature, refreshing in these troubled times. Whether people agree with your views or not, you have them because you are trying to the right thing. Lovely hub.
TMG - Certainly a lot that we agree on. There are some areas of difference, but that is normal. Rather than judge people by political or religious beliefs, I judge by whether I would enjoy sharing a couple of bottles of wine and talking long into the evening. If you ever fancy a visit to Greece, let us know!
Sufi- I will have to check out that hub from knolyourself. I agree a person's political views need not be equated with their personal nature. Thanks for those kind words and I don't know whether I am "right" but I do know I have these which again may change in due course of time depending on new circumstances. I am glad you like this hub. Although I don't drink wine but would sharing a cup of Indian Tea and biscuits with me interest you.
another good hub my nice fan. very nice questions?
Sounds fantastic, and would be entirely my pleasure, CW - I love Indian Tea and I will bring some Greek cakes!
Lgali- Thanks for the appreciation. I like that astrological analysis hub of yours. So do you have any strong opinions about any of these questions? I would love hear more from you.
Sufi- Then Indian Tea and Greek Cakes it is. Now I will have to go check out about these Greek Cakes. I am sure they must taste great. Btw I hope you like Cardamom flavor in Tea(that's why I said Indian tea we just can't avoid spices even in Tea)..LOL
CW, I am not Democrat or Repiublican. I have voted Democrat, Republican and Independent. I will answer those questions you gave us and let you decide which I am.
1. I don't agree with the war in Iraq, but I do support our troops 100%. I will never talk negative about them because they are putting their lives on the line for us and our freedoms and they only do what they are told to do. I do not agree with most people who are in office and make the decisions to put them in harms way for no reason. But I will always support our troops.
2. No.
3. No. I don't believe in the Robin Hood theory. To me it's like punishing people for making money. (Just so you know, we make less than $30 thousand a year, but I don't want the money someone else has earned.)
4. YES!!!! They can have my gun when they pry it from my cold dead hands. I will fight to the death in order to keep my guns. It's a matter principle with me. If the government takes my guns, that is just more control they have over me. And leaves me no way to defend myself or, most importantly, my family. If you haven't figured it out by now, I hate the government getting more and more involved in my life in areas where they have no business.
5. Abortion should not be legal for reasons of birth control. There are times that it is a thing that must be done. But it should not be because someone had sex and didn't like the outcome. Sex makes babies. If you don't want babies, don't have sex. Murder is not a justifiable means of birthcontrol.
6. I'm not a big believer in the global warming thing and all that stuff. So, I think there are many things more imporatant that should be looked into before this should. Like minging and drilling and becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on other countries for things we need. And stop fining coal miners for doing that!!
7. I have talked to too many people who live in countries where they are forced to use this kind of health care and they all hate it. I even know people who have come to the US to live because of our health care. I am against universal or global or any type of government health care system.
8. Send them home and put up the wall and hire more border patrol and let them do their jobs. Stop arresting them for doing what they should be doing. A huge huge amount of money goes toward illegals and are taken from those of us who are citizens and pay taxes, which they don't. Time for that to stop now!
9. No. We should be more self-reliant. That is only going to make us stronger. It will bring back many jobs they have sent out of our country and it will make safer products. Unlike the poison China sends to us. We are making China richer and ourselves poorer.
10. Unless they want to come bail out the American households that are in a financial crisis, then don't bail out the fat-cat Wall St millionaires.
11. Parents should be allowed to send their children to the schools they choose for them. They government should allow that. It's the parents responsiblity to make sure their children have the education they deserve and the government should not stand in their way.
12. If they would invest more in our children's education, what a better country we would have. They should invest more in the public school systems across this country. There are some in HORRIBLE shape and the dropout rates are outrageous. Children deserve to get a quality education.
Ok, there's my answers.
Economically speaking Democratic presidencies have helped the working people more, which is what I meant by how Americans fair under these administrations. Under Reagan many small business owners struggled because his policies tended to help the upper classes. Also, what people do not realize about Regan was already suffering from Alzheimer's disease and made incoherent calls to world leaders, such as the time he read a script and hung up on the King of Jordan. Basically people liked Regan because he was an actor, just like they like Arnold for the sane reason. Reagan had others making decisions for him towards the end of presidency because of his memory loss.
Reaganomics did not help the common people, it is more in favor of larger business owners. Under Democratic administrations the tends to be stronger and unemployment is lower. Also, I found it ironic how Regan was so big on dismantling military bases and putting people out of work, without coming up with other intiatives for the communites such as Adelanto and San Bernardino that have experienced further decay since these closures. He could have at least tried to create alternative employment, and the irony is continued with this Republican administration basically rebuilding many of the things Regan dismantled lol. He also was not a friend of the forest service and cut funding for the maintaining of public lands. People lost their jobs at the local camp ground that closed when funding was cut. I just saw too many people lose their small businesses under Reagan to have any confidence in Reagonomics.
http://tinyurl.com/6r35em
ASU- Without sounding like being Judgemental and only since you asked me I would say this that you are more closer to being a conservative based on your response.
I don't know why you feel that it is a "Robin Hood" theory when most of Western Europe has progressive taxation which is essential to take care of the many. When the poor can't pay, the middle class can't pay sufficiently then how else can the government fulfill its responsibilities. I agree too much interference isn't appropriate but too little is also not advisable. Isn't the government speaking for all when it sends too many innocent soldiers in harms way. Where will the government get money to pay for those huge expenses which are involved in maintaining the forces. Sales of defense products is hardly sufficient to maintain these expenses.
And also for the maintenance and upkeep of public schools in different parts of the country also we need sufficient funds. Once we have an alternative then we can consider not taxing those who can afford to pay but till then the government needs the money. Of course I am totally with you if you talk about cutting the cost of governance (like the congressman/senators passing bills to raise their own salaries/perks in a recession economy).
I think that their salaries should be cut and we should be the ones who decide what they make since they work for us. Most make a ton under the table. What we pay them is only a small part of their income. Which is wrong! They should be policing them more instead of us normal people.
Also quit funding illegals. That is millions and millions of dollars a year that could be used in a constructive way.
Countrywomen, I agree with AllShookup concerning both the redistribution of wealth isssue and the war in Iraq. I sincerely hope the war will end soon, and that the troops will be brought home safely. This was an ill-conceived war, and caused no end of harm. But of course that is no fault of the men and women who serve.
Concerning redistribution: it affects everyone, not just those at the top. Two people at the same income level earn the same amount, but one saves, while the other spends. Then when the savings accumulate, the thrifty citizen is taxed on the interest, so as to pay for social services that only the spendthrift uses. How is that fair? During most years, interest doesn't even begin to pay for the loss of the value of the dollar due to inflation. BTW, the government can always create inflation as another way to redistribute wealth.
SweetiePie- I have read a little about "Reaganomics" and also your comment. It does seem like the big businesses prefer them although it hurts the small businesses/ average joe much more adversely. And as for the majority of Democrat Presidents being better than Republican Presidents on this I would have to research further to arrive at the same conclusion that you have reached. I do hope the upcoming Democrats change the country for better.
ASU- What you speak of passionately maybe true but in reality you and I know it is not going to happen anytime soon. It is a universal phenomenon where the rich/mighty(individuals&businesses) have some "understanding" with the politicians. We can't do anything about it and hope an active press points us to their nefarious dealings more often. The Judicial activism also can sometimes be the watch dog. But I doubt institutions like CIA/FBI will ever go against the governments/politicians when their top bosses are appointed by the almighty in government.
It is all about party dynamics too. Depending on party affiliation and who people vote for. I tend to be a loyal Democratic because here in California, which has the sixth larger economy in the world, I have seen the impact Republican administration has. I tend to go with historical research and statistics to arrive at my conclusions, such as the study above, but I guess this makes me left of center in my political thinking.
CW - Look up Baklava recipes for Greek cakes. They are made with lots of honey and they are going to make me into a fat man!
Agree largely with SweetiePie - Thatcher was a fan of Reaganomics and ripped the heart and soul out of large parts of the UK. This included coal-miners in my area, so I understand ASU's concerns! One point of difference on the healthcare bit from ASU - The vast majority of Europeans are happy with the quality of healthcare service. I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but European hospitals are generally very good. That is why so many US health tourists come here.
You know Librans well then LOL. That is so true!
Aya- If we go into the personal saving habits and taxation of the interest on savings then there is no end to it. There are various ways a person's income can come down by various tax statutes and smart CPA's find those for their clients. I was just addressing the supply side of the argument who can afford to contribute. I am certainly not for punishing the efficient and rewarding the inefficient. Yes the government has a lot of control as far as macro economic policies are concerned and also what news to percolate to the public. I still don't know when the recession started which the government has only recently admitted. Btw how is your primate friend? Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
SweetiePie- When I will be as knowledgeable as you are? I still have so much to learn and miles to go before I can understand these things properly. I will greatly appreciate if you could send me more links to come to a reasonable understanding on this topic of Presidential Political affiliation and their effectiveness. Yes isn't that amazing to be the richest state in US and 6/7th richest in the world(if ever California is considered as a separate country). Viva California.
Sufi- I had a Bulgarian friend and she did treat me to baklava. I didn't know Greek cakes and baklava are the same but never the less I will research it. Don't worry about getting fat as the nice weather in Greece has enough sunshine to burn it away if you just spend more time outdoors.
I have a friend in Toronto(Canada) who is also happy with Canadian health care system. I just read yesterday about Pam's hub about the US health care system which is a little disturbing: http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-American-Health-Care-I
Trish- I had a very close friend(Libran) in college who would take forever to make up her mind about even routine things...hehe
Btw here is dumb joke for you: Why did the woman apply lipstick on her forehead?
Because she wanted to Make Up her mind...LOL
Countrywomen, Bow is doing well. Thanks for asking. I remember you asked to see some videos. I posted a new hub on the 2007 DVD with embedded videos. Stop by and take a look if you have time.
As for it being a recession, well, I have yet to see the dollar go up. Shouldn't that happen? There still seems to be plenty of money in circulation.
Aya- Nice to know that Bow is doing well. Yes I will check it out soon. I am not sure about other currencies but against the Indian Rupee it seems to be going up and down. I am not sure about the money circulation part though. I will have to read up more on these fronts. Thanks for stopping by again and commenting.
Here is the book the article study was based on. It is filled with lots of mind numbing satistics, but it is interesting to read a few pages here and there.
SweetiePie- Thanks for the link. It will take me couple of days to go through the 300 page book. I will read from page 1 to the end which gives a better complete picture. Thanks again for educating me. You really are a sweetiepie:-)
It took me like five minutes to scroll to the end of this hub there are so many comments! I would say you are a leaning liberal as you don't wish to oppose your own conservative values on others. You know that others deserve the rights even if those rights are opposite of the approach you would take. I tend to believe conservatives do not bend.
GoldenToad- Yes even I am surprised at the response. I guess the lunch hour discussions I have at office are after all of some use to develop some opinions/beliefs. As usual you have a unique take by this statement "conservatives do not bend". Now I will have to observe that personally to come to the same conclusion. Well Washington state is by and large liberal so I guess being around more liberals does influence my perceptions also to certain extent.
Country women,
George Bush is the best President this country has ever had.
What am I?
Conservative
Delusional
Liberal
Lying
Centrist
Correct
I'm sure your answer to this question will tell me a whole lot more about you than me.
sschilke
Delusional :-)
Sschilke- I am still waiting for you answer about what my response has told you about me..LOL
Thanks for stopping by and developing this witty questionnaire.
The only thing I can say for certain about your views is that I don't see you being a politician any time soon. Seven out of the twelve topics were yes/no, yet not undecided or sitting on the fence. You provided support for both sides of the topic. Perhaps some further research on your part to both sides of the issues would help you to support the issue as a solid yes or no. But unless you have a need or want to do that, why not spend your time doing fun things such as writing hubs or spending time with friends.
I agree with Melissa G's comment about the woman at the dinner calling you conservative. It most likely did not refer to anything political but rather to your behavior.
As the Talking Moose says: "Don't believe everything you believe."
Penelope- That is so true I can never be a politician. Well actually most of the times it depends on the circumstances from case to case and hence I just gave a few supporting arguments on both sides. Oh yes I would like to spend more time writing but as of now I do it as and when I do get time. Yes, I have made lots of friends including many here on Hub pages too (Btw will you be my hub friend too). Thanks for that parting advice. I believe you are a nice device to give wise advice (now I really believe this)...hehe. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
country women,
Sorry for the delay. What does your answer tell me about your political leanings? It tells me that you are fire breating liberal who votes Republican 50% of the time :)
sschilke
Sschilke- WOW!! You and your witty evaluation. Now I am both a liberal and a conservative (rather like a cat on the wall)...hehe. Did you think of this reply before my response or just based on my response I am curious (and it could be so true even though it is funny). You are way too intelligent and witty. Seriously you should try writing a book. I love witty writers and one of my favorites is P.G.Wodehouse. Thanks for stopping by and entertaining me.
I would say liberal. Only because my definition of liberal is to chose and be for whatever you want, not what they want. I mean, what you think is what you think. If you are talking about politics then I agree with Saint Misha, you neither.
Anyways, I guess it doesn't matter. I think the women who made that remark just said conservative as a way of saying, you like to watch what you do. I think it makes you unique and all the more liberal. :)
If you wanted a title to tell people I would suggest a "conserva-liberal-dema-commu-socialist. LOL. hahahahaha!
Sandra- WOW!! Your definition of liberal is similar to GoldenToad's earlier comment. I guess that is quite a compliment to be able to think how I want to think. St.Misha doesn't like labels and he makes no bones about it. I didn't get it exactly what you meant by "you like to watch what you do" ( was it meant whether I drink or not?). Thanks for showering me with so many compliments. In my office I am little serious kind of persona and nowadays I feel I have a different persona in hub pages..LOL
Now this label is something which even St.Misha shouldn't have an objection since it includes everything and one can pick&choose accordingly..hehe
You are neither liberal or conservation, you are just "YOU" :) be yourself. Cheers. There are thousands of topics, you can never find two persons agree on each of them. We should just do what we feel is right and fair to everyone.
Cgull8m- Thanks for making me feel good for being me. Yes I usually end up doing what is correct and rather than doing what is "right". But I am with you on the "fair" part as that is the most important consideration without which nothing else makes sense. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Well I don't know, but I think it is more like a person who respects her own authority. I call it it a compliment.
I think St. Misha would still have a problem with it because undoubtly I would have still left out the "non-lable, lable".
Sandra- Thanks for another compliment(I am really getting spoiled by so much praise). You really have a way with words "non-lable, lable". All I would like to add which I read somewhere mentioning this about those who don't follow any religion are also a religion which didn't make much sense until I thought about it. So finally would you like to have a label which says no label or know label(since you are so knowledgeable about labels)...LOL
LOL. Seriously you have me rolling eveytime but...I only read it like I see it. and since I cannot get those stupid hearts that Mr. Nice was trying to instruct me on how to do with the computer, if you see a 3, it is supposed to be a heart.
3
Sandra- I get it 3 upside down and joined at the ends represents hearts.
Sandra I get that symbol for three
which was the source under the tree
which made eve to commit that "sin"
when physical love still was not in
Till then love was only from heart
but since then was born a new "art"
P.S: The above is a small poem meant only for Sandra. If I have hurt anybody else with the religious mention then I apologize for the same.
what a lovely parallel. 3
Under the tree, she found a treasure
her heart was open and still no pleasure
For it was "He" missing from "art".
It was then that she knew how to put them together,
and together they became the heart.
Thanks Countrwomen. 3
Sandra- Thanks for that wonderful poem. I guess we both have our best wishes for each other. I guess you called it a day. Btw I was having my dinner and couldn't reply earlier. Ok then talk to you later. Have a great weekend.
Amazing Hub Countrywomen! It isn't as black and white as some believe. I agree with you on almost every issue you discussed here, and I applaud you for putting your feelings out there!
Marlene- Btw did you get a chance to vote in the poll? Yes I agree not all the issues can be seen in black & white. We have to deal with them on a case to case basis. That's why we even have Judicial systems to interpret for us the laws/rules and their applicability. Thanks for appreciating my feelings and glad you could stop by comment.
I just found your email. Sorry I did not see it before, but I get so many emails from the fan clubs from hubpages and several other sites that sometimes mails get mixed in. I will do a better time to check next time, but usually if you do not hear from me within a day just remind me because that means sometimes I missed a message. I wrote you back.
SweetiePie- I just checked the email. Thanks for those nice suggestions. Well I thought so too either you were busy or were not well because based on past experiences you have been pretty prompt in replying. I will keep you updated. I am off to bed since had a very tiring day and wanted to see if Sandra was around then chanced to see that hub where the mood is totally changed now. Amanda is around maybe I will hang out for a little while longer otherwise I will call it a day. Hope you too have a great day ahead. Btw have you checked out this thread that I started on Jan 1st: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/10345
Sorry about that, I just have not been checking the email closely. I like to get the emails from the fan club, but I swear the people I am in the fan clubs of are publishing more hubs lately. Next time I will just search my email for your name to see if you have sent anything :). I posted to that thread by the way.
CW, wow, you have got a lot of comments on here. I did not read all of them but I did read the important part which of course is your hub. I had no i dea that we have so much in common. I am also somewhere in the middle on most of these issues. I have at times considered my self liberal and at others conservative but I do think when I compare myself to my either liberal or conservative friends that I fall in the middle. My opinion of you is someone who is just a good human being who wants to be informed of the issues and not only thinks with her head but with her heart, and for me there is no better person than that.
SweetiePie- No worries. I just wanted your opinion too and hence followed up. Thanks for posting in that thread. Actually now I feel like writing a hub about some of my experiences here on hub pages.
Gwendy- WOW!! Nice to know that we both are almost on the same page(isn't it true that we can have many sides of the same issue). We all are good human beings(it actually depends on whom we ask). Btw if you ever ask my brother he would have a different story to tell (a elder sister who is bossy, moody, argumentative and so on) now I did leave some of my more unflattering characteristics because I don't want to change your perception about me completely...LOL
Wow thats a lot of comments......
I read the hub, going to start on the comments, but thnaks for a very itneresting read
J_Eds- Please do participate in the poll too if you haven't done so far. Thanks for going through this hub and also reading all these comments. Have a great day.
CW, when you state "since here in our county it is ranked very high I prefer public schools", which country are you referring to?
J- I am in King County and Bellevue/Redmond school districts are good (at least that's what I have heard so far) :-) Thanks for commenting.
These schools reside in the state of Washington, in the United States of America, correct? My reason for asking is that I found it peculiar that you would state "our county" in one portion of your hub, and then state "of course some people say that saying NO is similar to not being patriotic(to US) which maybe true since I am an Indian". It would stand to reason that if you wished to include yourself in claiming a county of the US, then you would also claim yourself as being an American. It does not matter if you are of Indian descent (a major portion of civilian workers, supporting military actions in Iraq are Indian citizens). Also, disagreeing with the government, does not make you unpatriotic. On the contrary, it makes you a force of change, which is what gave birth to the US. In the future, you could state "your counties", or "the county I live in", but, please, do not claim any portion of a country only when it is beneficial to the sake of an argument, unless you intend to be consistent. That brand of statement is characteristic of liberal and conservative politicians that erode a nation. Aside from that, I'd say your views are stated with good common sense. I think there are a lot of underlying issues to many of your subjects. Big government that controls every socio-economic aspect of a country is always a bad idea, for a sovereign nation. Your absolute best statement is that education is the best investment! That is a universal truth. Good insight... I like your objectivity, in spite of an overlooked contradiction. You are a middle-ground realist, and possibly more of a patriot than you realize.
J- I have noted your point. The only reason I mentioned about my nationality was due to a debate I had with a person who "said she supported the troops in Iraq no matter what since she is a patriot". I still feel that statement's echo when I was discussing this issue with her while writing this hub. But thanks anyway for all those kind words and also for the conclusion that I am a "realist" and a "patriot". Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a great day.
I believe you, like most Americans are more a "Centrist", practical on most points.
I would offer two other trains of thought on a couple of your points.
On Abortion, I would disagree that a couple of teens that wind up with a pregnancy should "step up to the plate" and have the baby, then we have to children trying to raise another child, untimately a bad situation all around. I think a better solution is to have abortion as an option for all women, but also provide early education to give kids tools and information to allow them to make better choices regarding their sexual relationships and in this way minimize the overall number of abortions performed, and isn't that ultimately the goal.
On universal health, I don't think that there are a lot of people that wouldn't prefer to "pay their own way" and plan for long term chronic diseases. The problem is that even with the best planning, there are many diseases (cancer, heart, kidney disease) whose costs would destroy the average family no matter how much pre-planning was done. I had to go on dialysis 5 years ago after working in corporate america for 30 years, up to that point I had insurance and was otherwise fairly healthy. Inside of just a few months I was on permanent disability,receiving daily dialysis treatments ($2500) a month, and taking a specific medication (Sensipar) which costs $1300 for a 30 day supply. I think if univiseral coverage lowers costs, improves efficiency, and then the system will be able to handle those of us with chronic diseases without bankrupting the country.
Other than those couple of comments I think you have a excellent outlook on the world. It's we "Centrists" that have to keep the other to sides (left and right) from really destroying the planet
Hang in there and enjoy your day......
I like Misha's first comment: you are who you are. It is free country. One may believe what ever please. But this country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, the Bible. We had beautiful and good country. Now America is only "beautiful" since communists from Soviets programmed our country for 85 years toward bad, by effective propganda. It is tendency to destroy: family, state, Christianity (rest religions will fallow), free enterprise and involve womens in the process and establish One Wordl Govenrment socialistic dream. I call this system socialistic capitalism. Bad, bad. It is worse system one can imagine.
If one believe homosexual marriage it is anti biblical and unnatural. If rich have to pay for poor by force it is stealing. Is someone believe or endorse abortion it is killing. It is not freedom, since it violates life and right of unborn.
Can I be your fan?
Laila Rajaratnam says:
6 months ago
CW,A really thought provoking Hub and as usual I second all your views,including the war on Iraq!:)