Liberal or Conservative?

1. 77

   phtechposted 11 years ago

   Liberal or Conservative?
   
   What's your political view and are the leaders you voted for meeting your expectations?

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2. 61

   Onesimusposted 11 years ago

   My political view is to respect my authorities, pray for them, and look for ways that I can contribute positively to and live peaceably with my community.  I tend to approve of fiscally responsible policies and am sympathetic to a lot of social issues (this tends to exclude me in some way or another from both the Liberal and Conservative camps because, while I think over-spending is irresponsible, I think conservative policies on the environment and immigration have been gross failures).
   
   I can't stand the vitriol and hatred that circulates politics right now; I don't think it helps anyone in any way, shape, or form (even those who win using these methods lose in the end and hurt a lot of people in the mean time). 
   
   I was an expat abroad during the last election and didn't vote, but wouldn't have voted either way because I'm decidedly pro-life and was soundly opposed to Romney's foreign policies (we would already be in another war by now if he were President). 
   
   So, I'm mostly disappointed in the political trends today, and I see things heading towards very undesirable, perhaps even violent, destinations if the country continues on its course of advancing ideologies and agendas while refusing to correct our self-destructive economic policies, all without safeguarding basic human liberties (think about how soon it will be that you will not be able to express your opinion if it contradicts a minority or socially accepted ideology and agenda without getting yourself into serious legal trouble).

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      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Awesome points. It's unfortunate that we can't voice our opinions anymore.

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3. 69

   dashingscorpioposted 11 years ago

   I highly doubt most people are locked into one view on (every) issue.
   In today's climate "party loyalty" seems to be more important than what is best for the nation as a whole. We're on our own!
   People complain about nothing getting done in Washington and yet whenever their elected offical makes compromises he or she runs the risk of losing their base vote and not getting re-elected. I suspect the whole point in having a multi party system is to have "opposition" towards whatever party is in power. Truth be told we (want) political gridlock! I wrote about this topic awhile back. http://dashingscorpio.hubpages.com/hub/ … whatwewant

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   1. 77

      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Awesome, I will read it.

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4. 73

   d.williamposted 11 years ago

   that depends on your definition of those words.  Conservative=living in the past? Liberals=living in the present with the future in mind for a better tomorrow, a healthy planet, a healthy food supply, clean water?
   Not much of a choice there. 
   I have been criticized highly for not being conservative enough to be a Republican - so i wrote a hub explaining why:  http://dwilliam.hubpages.com/hub/When-d … dirty-word
   I rest my case. The political leaders i voted for have not met my expectations, but their opposition is fierce, changes in Washington come slowly - sometimes it takes years for them to make up their minds on a simple question.
   But, with that being said - had the other party gotten in we would be far worse off than we are to day. 
   Our government can not run as a business - and that should not even be an option.  It also should be run "by the people" not by Corporate America, or any morality based, or biased, legislature.

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   1. 77

      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Great points. I'll read your hub for sure.

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      CalebSparksposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      So if our US legislature is not "morality based", then what is its basis? Immorality?

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   3. 73

      d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      CS:illogical& silly query. The law is based on logic, equality, justice- under the law, not under religious beliefs.Crimes against humanity,or against 1 another R matters of  law, not religious morality.know the difference

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   4. 0

      CalebSparksposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      A sense of justice in the human heart comes from our Creator God. Without His law written in our hearts and without the conscience He has given us, you will have no moral society. A crime against humanity is so because God shows you it is.

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   5. 73

      d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      cs: i understand ur faith & admire it. but knowing the difference between right & wrong is innate in humans. Intellect is a gift of evolution & prudence is logical deduction.  w/o religion we would still B in the same place we R today. Sa

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      CalebSparksposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      The trouble is, evolution hasn't a shred of evidence to support it's claims. It is an attempt to escape the innate knowledge that we have a Creator. The US was different from other countries because it was founded on Biblical principles.

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   7. 73

      d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      cs:the U.S. was founded on principles of freedom.Science proves evolution.God created that evolutionary process. UR views R 2 narrow as dictated by religion.God is wiser than man's version of him.

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   8. 81

      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      d.williams, If it is inherent, then why do we need to teach our children the difference between the two? And, yes, we Conservative want dirty air and water for us and our children...really?

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   9. 73

      d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      M.A.: only the blind insist on teaching their children the difference between the 2. If some insist on living in a fantasy world, its ok with me. & to UR last ?: yes. GOP resists ALL protections to planet,air,water&women & more.

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   10. 81

       Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       d.w., you don't teach your kids right from wrong? You allow then to decide themselves? What specific policy by a Conservative (GOP is not as a whole), is both detrimental to the air/water and not able to be addressed on the State and local level?

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   11. 73

       d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       MA: silly question- evolution vs creationism does not fit there. No policy should be limited to a state. You can't have clean air/water/etc in one state with all the rest polluted. space 2 limited to address other issues here.H.R. bills favor 1%.

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   12. 77

       phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I think conservatives need another chance. Just because there are some corrupt congressmen in Washington doesn't mean we believe in ruining the environment nor want it to happen.

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   13. 73

       d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       ph: i agree. there are bad apples on both sides of the isle, unfortunately the bad ones dominate the news. We should be looking for the good in people not the bad, but this is hard when it comes to politicians who sell out the people for profit

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5. 76

   AlexDrinkH2Oposted 11 years ago

   I am a conservative and have been since I was a teenager. I believe in smaller,  less intrusive, government, low taxes, maximum individual freedom, strong national defense, strict adherence to the U.S. Constitution, and traditional, Judeo-Christian values.  The leaders I voted for did not get elected this time around.  One of the individuals I voted for who won the presidency, Ronald Reagan, met most of my expectations.  President Bush (41) and Bush (43) were a bit disappointing but I'd take either of them to the absolutely awful president we have now.

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   1. 77

      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think I agree with you for the most part. I liked Bush (43)'s leadership and reaction to 9/11.

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   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   I would have to consider myself a conservative on most issues, Not all, but most.

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      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm a conservative also. I voted for Mitt Romney, but he was almost too liberal for me.

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree.

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7. 75

   Express10posted 11 years ago

   In many ways I am highly conservative and a bit liberal on certain issues. I highly value the need for less government involvement, handouts/pork projects, and red tape in many facets of American life. Yet, thanks to the Patriot Act and many other steps down a slippery slope, I believe we are going in a negative direction that does not value freedom as this country was supposedly founded upon. Quite predictably leaders are not meeting many people's expectations. In fact, I'd say it's probably 60/40 at best.

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      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that the Patriot Act are intrusive to our freedoms. One of my quotes from Ben Franklin covers this. The hub is: http://phtech.hubpages.com/hub/Top-25-F … h-Live-By. It's the first quote if you read it.

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8. 64

   maxoxam41posted 11 years ago

   Liberal and independent. The only person at the moment that seems to carry my colors is Elizabeth Warren. I want some cleaning to be done in our government, in both houses. I want to know where my tax money goes. I don't want to fatten the elite to the detriment of my way of life. I don't want my freedom to be infringed to the corporative interests. If governments seek wars, then they take their own responsibilities, with their own dimes. I am not the cow that will enrich Halliburton, Rothschild and Co.

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      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the input. You have some great views.

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9. 85

   Billie Kelpinposted 11 years ago

   If Bill Moyers, Bill Maher, Ian Masters (Pacifica Radio), Tom Hartmann (Progressive Radio). Randy Rhodes, Stephanie Miller, Comedian John Fugelsang,  Tom Hanks, John Denver, Tom Hayden, Margaret Prescod (Pacifica Radio),  Linguist Dr. George Lakoff, Historian Dr. Gerald Horne, and  Historian/Author Howard Zinn are (were) all liberals, then count me in!
   I would tend to call myself a Progressive Liberal and unfortunately Democratic leaders for whom I voted are all leaning far too right and are capitulating to conservative thinking.  And whose fault is that?  Our own!  We haven't pushed hard enough, not because we don't want to, but because we're exhausted and frankly, the younger generation isn't picking up the banner because they're just trying to get by. As the economy keeps growing and people can afford to be less selfish - we'll be on it !

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   1. 77

      phtechposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't see leaning right as a problem. I respect your views though and I'm glad no one on this post has picked a fight. Proof that liberals and conservatives can exist together and not kill each other?

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   2. 81

      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      What do you think the greatest strengths, from a specific policy point, are found in the progressive liberal movement to increase liberty and prosperity for the individual citizen?

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Mitch, I think the greatest strengths in the progressive liberal movement are policies of social justice and environmentalism which work toward curbing oligarchies in which money, thus power, is concentrated in the hands of a few

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      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Billie, the question was what Specific Policy? Not a platitude, but a specific policy that is promoted by the left...that is good for personal liberty and prosperity...cite the specific law or bill and how it directly affects we the people. And how t

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      M.Respectfully, I read your ques 3 times.The subject of your question is "the greatest strengths".  If you had asked "What specific policies enacted by the progressive liberals in Congress increase liberty and prosperity, I would have answered THAT.

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      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Billie, my exact posted question was "What do you think the greatest strengths, from a SPECIFIC POLICY POINT, are found in the progressive liberal movement to increase liberty and prosperity for the individual citizen?"

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      no room here, but I'll tell you 1 Federal Funded  prog. I worked for:TRIO Student Support Serv -serves 1st generation, low income, special needs students in getting degrees.Our students who were destined for welfare NOW r business admin. nurses,etc.

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   8. 81

      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That could be done in the private sector or on a local and State level. Also, where in the Constitution does the federal government get the power and authority to run such a program? Which enumerated power specifically and around the 10th Amendment?

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      Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      M-I see the world, govt in a whole different way than you. I'm 68. I always felt this way; my mother brought me up this way. My father served in WWII, my father-in-law on the beaches in Normandy,my husband in Vietnam.Proud of my view.We just disagree

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   10. 81

       Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       It is your right to disagree. But, not to your own "facts". The Constitution is specific on this, even though it's been ignored. There is no constitutional authority to take from one person and give to another. None.

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   11. 85

       Billie Kelpinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       M, I'll close with this: Respectfully.  When I left SSS, I started my own educational software and tutoring company.  I create online learning games. I tutor ESL, deaf, and other students.  I make about $2000 a year. I'm private sector. Over and out!

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   12. 81

       Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I commend you on both your business endeavor and your willingness to give back, it's what makes America great. It has nothing to do with the point about Constitutionality, but I'll assume you don't want to discuss that.

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10. 81

    Mitch Alanposted 11 years ago

    I consider myself a Constitutional Conservative with Libertarian leanings. I believe in a small, limited but effective Constitutional federal government that is constrained by the enumerated powers  and the 10th Amendment. I believe in States rights as semi-sovereign enter within a Union of States. I believe in individual rights as protected by the Bill of Rights coupled with personal responsibility. I believe in a free-market approach to most issues with a strong emphasis on capitalism and a equally strong define to end corporatism. Mental planning, especially on a federal level, is a dangerous thing for both liberty and prosperity. Very few on the national stage are truly Conservative in my opinion and the gradual (over the past 60  plus years) move towards a socialist: mindset has been a major cause to many of our current problem.

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       Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Central Planning, not Mental planning*

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11. 0

    Larry Wallposted 11 years ago

    I belong to no political party, so co-workers in the past have tried to figure out my political leanings.
    
    I reply that I can be viewed as a moderately liberal conservative or an moderately conservative liberal.
    
    The bottom line I make decisions on issues on their own merits and do not follow any party lines or political labels.
    
    I found that position helped me to maintain my objectivity when I was a news reporter and later in my PR roll, it was useful in keeping those around me somewhat confused about what my position on a given subject would be.
    
    I remember I once wrote a liberal vs. conservative test--I will have to do a Hub about it. You may find your own results surprising.

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12. 66

    Lady Guinevereposted 11 years ago

    Neither.  I am a person.  I voted Independant so that I could vote for more than one party.  I think the Parties is a stupid idea.  Yes it worked way back when there were not as many people but come on.....

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13. 82

    bethperryposted 11 years ago

    Social libertarian, fiscal conservative here. And since so very few of those I voted for made it to office, I am neither surprised nor feel "let down" by those who did get voted in. All the same I worry about the future of our nation and the people. I doubt many cheer when any leader forgets their campaign promises once they are in office.

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