Tell me about Liberalism

[hytem]

OK. Politics sucks, but I'll take the bait.
The labels, in my view, don't make much sense anymore.
First of all, very few people are liberal or conservative. Most are a composite. Liberal on some things. Conservative on others.
Right now, Bush is liberal on spending, the Democrats are conservative. The Democrats are also more isolationist than Bush. So are many traditional conservatives like Ron Paul and Chuck Hagel.
The Democrats are pro-feminist and minorities. The Republicans are basically white male--and their wives. Just look at the Presidential candidates.

This wasn't the picture 30 or 40 years ago--but that's another story. In my view,
liberals got off track with affirmative action. It's a quota system, and a lot of middle aged white males got "downsized" out of the job market because of it. Not to mention what's happened in some universities, where the majority of graduates are now women. That's how it played out. So much for liberals.
And the Republicans have just made things worse. Like I say, politics sucks.

Don't give 'em a dime when they call you--it just goes to the TV networks.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by Burnin' oil

Here's the world as I view it: Leave me the hell alone. I don't know if that's liberal or conservative.

1+

[speeder]

I want to see cultural revolution in this country, where we revert to the best of the hard-core european values that the U.S. was founded on, mixed with the social equality values that have been achieved over the last half-century.

I read Ben Franklin's autobiography recently, (OK, I listened to it on tape during a road trip), and amongst all of the other amazing things about him, one thing stuck with me:

They were Puritans, of course. If they judged someone to be of poor character, they would not associate or do business w/ him no matter how much capital the guy had to invest! Let that soak in a minute; starting up a brand new country and society, investment in every imaginable sector needed desperately, and they would not lower their standards. There was nothing to stop any scumbag from doing his own thing, but the establishment, (and BF was definitely part of it), the people who owned the printing presses would not touch you with a 10-foot pole.

Can you imagine if that was in play now? I can think of several major industries that would cease to exist immediately. I'm working with several craftsmen on a major renovation job in Minnesota right now, possibly some Masons and definitely salt-of-the-earth farm community guys. The earnestness, work-ethic and just character of them is a stark contrast to what I am used to in CA. with the "anything goes" attitude of the illegal work force there.

What does that make me, besides fed-up?

[BertBeagle]

My opinion, not much difference in liberal or conservative politics today. They all are mostly involved in positioning for votes and job security first - affective government last.

Like many, I am almost 62 and have worked all my life. I am a small business owner and have been for years. My company has paid every tax due and never missed a payroll. We provide 100% paid full health benefits, 100% matching 401K, 3 weeks paid vacation, and a host of other nice benefits to our employees. The owners take all the risk!

I too get tired of SS being referred to as an entitlement. I fully expect to collect mine when I choose to retire - whether I "need" it or not is for me to decide and not for any other person’s consideration on what to do with it.

The problem is that government is run by unqualified people. Wherever you live all you have to do is look around you to see federal, local and state government incompetence. New schools being built and before they open the mobile classrooms are rolled in (not to mention why not refurbish the old school). The politicians and noise makers scream that the kids are unfairly served. It is not where you sit in school but what you learn that counts. New roads being built that are obsolete before they are finished. The unqualified are involved in all this bad planning. Money wasted beyond comprehension.

To be an elected politician requires first that you have the skill to know how to get elected. That, unfortunately, is the number one goal and today is the full time job of the politician. Having the necessary skills to do the work that should be done once elected is not a consideration. Big government is a good place for the unskilled to hide in plain sight.

And now many want to see socialized medicine. Those that want more government in our lives are not very bright or have never had to actually work for a living (true of most politicians). Do you think that elected officials will have to deal with many of the regulations (ie socialized medicine) that are passed? They never have and the many lawyers in their midst will ensure that they never do.

Free enterprise, private business operating without the cost causing effect of the wrong type of government interference is what will get us out of this mess. Prosperity does not start with or come from the government. In spite of government and the politicians, unemployment is virtually 0 (pretty much all that can work are working). We can get back on the right track. But it will take some big personnel changes in Washington (and the state & local governments – at least around Charlotte) to stop wasting so much money and put it back to work in a positive way that helps everyone.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by robert_snyder

Shaun,

Buddy...I'm the lib...

Bob, are you saying your plan above isn't liberal and now you are claiming to be conservative?

That's what liberals do. kinda like "sexual relations"

[jcommin]

Right on Widebody911!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of these guys preaching family values:

Let's see.

The guy from Florida - taking a stand on child abuse - caught e-mailing underage male pages.

The guy from Idaho: staunch conservative: playing footsy in the men's room.

How about the the guy soliciting hookers. Wasn't he a Republican?

Then there's my favorites:

Newt: During the Clinton impeachment trails, he's having an affair.
How about Rush, bashin' John Kerry. At least he went to Viet Nam.

Last but not least there is the current George Bush and and a former vice president (can't remember his name but he couldn't spell potato) bragged about their National Guard experience during Viet Nam. I'm old enough to know that the only way to get in the Guard at that time was to "know" someone.

These guys make me sick. A bunch of rich old white guys. That's what the Republican party means to me. The world is changing, our country is changing; demographically, racially, ethnically. I'm no Mitt Romney fan but here is a guy that got elected in a very liberal state. The guy has changed positions on several issues to cow tow to the right. What a shame.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Jim, let's not nit-pick. They're just as crooked, unethical, and unqualified on the Democrat side of the fence. Both sides are full of people that not only have no qualifications to be president, but will say and do anything to get elected. Professional politicians, right up there with ambulance-chasing lawyers in my book (John Edwards is both, what does that say).

They are no longer "the people", nor do they represent "the people".