rodaz

I'm curious, what are the main important principles that make you call yourself one or the other? Why do you think these two points of view are so incompatible?

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Big government=liberal Small government=conservative
High taxes=liberal Low taxes=conservative Thats about as simple as I can make it

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Unless you intended to start a really contentious thread, you may regret having asked that question.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Good question, rodaz! I consider myself a conservative. As such, I believe I'm responding to the circumstance I perceive myself to be in. I view my country as being in extreme debt, and needing to reduce our spending, and spending habits. We seem to be spending money like there's no tomorrow, and, indeed, that may soon be the case.

As far as incompatible: when I see liberal people spending money excessively (IMO) I cannot bring myself to agree.

clanmack Loc: Asheville, NC

economic conservative-no Fed bank, no stimulus. little to no financial regulation, loopholes for the powerful, well connected and wealthy, trickle down theory
social conservative- little to no social safety nets, non- profits provide social safety with donations and little government financial support (except for tax loopholes), little to no consumer protection, no federal involvement in environment, education (except to allow private for profit companies to educate).
Liberal -anything else

raferrelljr Loc: CHARLOTTE, NC

You can add to that debate: gun control and abortion. Liberals hate guns and the unborn. Conservatives understand that the 2nd Amendment is prominent in the Bill of Rights for the people to protect themselves from an out of control government and that every life is important and that having your brain sucked out through a vacuum hose hurts no matter how small you are.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

Actually they aresn't so incompatible.

I believe we all fundamentally want the same things.

We differ on how to accomplish this.

The devil is always in the details.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

In some ways yes and in some ways no. There are crazies on both ends so lets dismiss them as as exactly that. It it's most basic the 2 viewpoints are not compatable. Liberals view the Constitution as a flexable document Conservatives do not. Liberals want single payer ( gov run)health care conserves want freemarket. As I said before Big Government or Small are not compatible. there is no Goldielocks gov. High taxes vs low taxes. Medium taxes are not conservative. There is no compromixe on gun control. Although there are areas where there is agreement as it's most basic the 2 systems are at odds.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

To paraphrase from "That Used To Be Us...."
The liberals believe that the government is the solution to all the countrys problems.

The conservatives believe that the government is the cause of all the countrys problems.

The "problem" is, neither is 100% correct.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I'm a conservative so I understand what you are trying to express. One has to also differentiate between economic conservatism and social conservatism. You are bringing up social issues, and unfortunately, short quick answers like yours on a subject as complicated as this actually gives fuel to the opposition. Liberals would argue that conservatives in favor of unbridled gun ownership and support of the death penalty are also anti life. They would also argue that restrictions on access to abortions can lead to poverty, child abandonment, forcing rape victims to bear the children of their rapists, and of course they also bring up their old standby, a woman's right to choose, suggesting that women have as much right to control their reproduction as conservatives have to own guns. They also argue that conservatives with money are sometimes hypocrites, allowing secret abortions for their daughters while wanting to deny it to others. It's easy to put a spin on facts to make them support ones point of view, regardless of the side of the political spectrum you are on. It leads to the most contentious arguments between liberals and conservatives. Most liberals I know have goals that are not that different than mine. It's a question of how you get there.

raferrelljr Loc: CHARLOTTE, NC

Look at the problems we are facing with this government today, all the scandles, the coruption, etc. Liberalism in government proves that it is a detrament to the working class. Bad for the economy, will kill the dollar which is our economy. Then what do we do?

rodaz

I don't understand why healthcare,a problem that has been pretty much solved in the rest of the civilized world, is such a point of contention here. They pay less and get better care. The constitution was originally intended to deal with the problems society and ideas of democracy of the 18th century. Surely changing times require new interpretations and modifications. We would not have amendments to the constitution if this were not true. It seems to me that these non negotiable "principles" on both sides do nothing but perpetuate the status quo, which tends to benefit whom?

raferrelljr Loc: CHARLOTTE, NC

Because all the other countries don't have 330,000,000 people . No country could handle that financial burden.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Maybe so but the question still remains which one is best for the greatest number of Americans. Inmy opinion it is conservatism. I grew up in the 60's. the 60's 70's and 80's in the US saw the gteatest growth in the US in all of history. Were there problems then ? Of course. But there was FAR less Gov intervention in business and into personal life. I know that I am an old fart but I still think that life was a lot free-er and a lot better then. My kids could even have a lemonade stand and sell lemenade. In the City of NY they could not sell lemonade without thousands of dollars in reglations now. Do you think that big government is a good thing? NOT ME

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

Actually, it's NOT a question of which is best.

IF they could work together, they just might come up with pretty good solutions.

My memory may not be so good, but as I recall, there was a lot more working together back then.

Could that be why things were "better"?