From: John Burgeson (burgythree@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Feb 23 2003 - 15:36:30 EST
>>Anyone have a corresponding liberal one? (Burgy?)>>
I'll take a crack at it.
>>Differences between liberals and conservatives, by Clifford D. May,
>>Scripps Howard News Service>>
(comments by Burgy, who generally thinks of himself as a liberal)
1. Conservatives value freedom. Liberals value equality.
While equality (of opportunity) IS a liberal view, freedom, particularly
related to the first amendment, is paramount as a liberal view. I would add
that it is also dear to the conservative side.
2. Liberals believe in aid. Conservatives believe in investment.
I'd observe that both sides value both of these. Perhaps, though, the order
given above is a fair assessment.
Conservatives believe government is the problem and people are the
solution. Liberals believe people are the problem and government is the
solution.
3. Liberals know conservatives are unfeeling. Conservatives know
liberals are unthinking.
"Know is too harsh a word for either side. We liberals sometimes THINK that
conservatives are unthinking. I don't believe for a moment (as a liberal)
that conservatives are unfeeling.
4. Conservatives want to save civilization. Liberals want to save
wilderness.
I think both wish to save the human race but sometimes differ about what is
important in doing this.
5. Liberals believe there are political solutions to economic and moral
problems. Conservatives believe there are economic and moral solutions to
political problems.
This one might be correct. We liberals are concerned more with systemic
justice issues, which are necessarily driven by politics.
6. Conservatives value individual responsibility. Liberals value social
responsibility.
Both value both. But liberals DO think about social policies as something to
focus upon. All the "nice Christian teaching" in the world did not bring
black people equal rights in the 60s -- it was social policies that did it.
At the time I was a "good" conservative Republican, and it distressed me how
few of my fellow Republicans and church members were involved in the Civil
Rights struggle and how, perforce, I became involved with Democrats.
7. Liberals think illegal immigrants are exploited in America.
Conservatives think illegal immigrants wouldn't keep coming here if the
liberals were correct about what happens to them.
I'm going to pass on this one -- it is too complex an issue.
8. Conservatives believe in capital punishment but not abortion.
Liberals believe in abortion but not capital punishment.
This liberal does not believe in abortion. The issue might be better joined
here by talking about what LAWS conservative and liberal people support.
9. Liberals believe war is best averted by disarming. Conservatives
believe war is best averted by preparing for war.
Untrue about liberals.
10. Conservatives think equal opportunity means best person wins.
Liberals think equal opportunity means equal results.
True about some liberals; not this one.
Burgy
www.burgy.50megs.com
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