Sunday, August 19, 2007

Liberals and Conservatives: Are we that different?

The other day a Bettendorf truck driver came from the valley to bring a load of chips from Sierra Pacific. He had a Thomas Sowell article he wanted to share excitedly about comparisons of the way the US is treating Iran with how France ignored the Nazi’s. RealClearPolitics - Articles - Is America Today the France of Yesterday? After he came back to the control room after he dumped he wanted my opinion. I told him I disagree and that the article was paranoid. Out of the blue he says, “You must be for socialized medicine too!” I could not fathom the correlation with the article, but I told him that yes, I am for socialized medicine. He just had a fit! I was shocked that a Bettendorf driver that would have to co/pay nearly $500 a month to insure his spouse could argue this with a straight face.

It just shows you how impassioned and how split conservative and liberal ideals can be. I just thought it comon sense that we all would want proper health coverage for all. It seems to me that we all would want jobs that pay a living wage. That we all would like to protect our environment as best possible. That we all would like safe neighborhoods. That we all would like to help the homeless. That we all would like to solve the drug problems. That we all would like to lend a hand and not just a handout. And that we are all against war for just the sake of war. Am I just missing something bigger?

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, you may be missing something bigger Richard.....

Each person derives their common sense from their socialization in society.

Therefore, we are all influenced by ideas---beliefs, values, and symbols---more than one realizes.

Ideas provide us with rationalizations for ways of life, with guides for determining right from wrong, and with emotional impulses to action...

Beliefs are shared ideas about what is true...

Values are shared ideas about what is good and desirable and provide standards for judging what is right or wrong.

Values and beliefs are often related, for example---if we believe that human beings are endowed by God with rights of life, liberty, and property, then we will value the protection of those rights---thus beliefs can justify values…

Also, there are important variations of ideas----beliefs, values, and symbols--- that may exist within a society which are usually referred to as subcultures. These subcultures may arise from such diverse bases such as religion, racial or ethnic identity, or political group membership…

In the end, as you can see, common sense to one is not common sense to the other and common sense to the other is not common sense to another---and so on and so on……

Rose said...

Yes.

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of hooey. Either you have common sense or you don't. How is it "derived from socialization"? Beliefs may be shared or not, and they are ideas about what may or may not be true. Just because someone believes in something doesn't mean that it is real or true (i.e. God). Have you been drinking again, Mostranski?

Anonymous said...

He's going to hate the idea of socialized medicine until he is sick or injured. Then he'll find out how many exclusions there are in his overpriced policy.

Anonymous said...

This guy sounds like Fred. He's a trucker, so he listens to Michael Savage and Rush all day. He berates government programs then ties his toungue when he needs assistance.

These people obviously exist, and they will just never get it until things effect them on a personal level. Only then do they start showing signs of waking up from their coma.

Fortunately they are in the minority.

Anonymous said...

richard you f%#*#d this one up. your bias sticks out like a big old pimple on your nose. try again you can and must do better if you hope to win the hearts and minds needed for a future political life.

Anonymous said...

Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity; liberals in equality of results.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah? Well I know more than all of you put together and I say you are all completely wrong about everything.

Derchoadus said...

Ya see, when that truck driver makes his millions, he doesn't want to have to help fund medical for his workers (taxes).

I can see it coming from someone that has a Wad 'O Cash, and doesn't want to pay their fair share of taxes (Arkley comes to mind). But people that barely make a living buying into it, I just don't get.

Anonymous said...

We believe that the proper function of government is to do for the people those things that have to be done but cannot be done, or cannot be done as well, by individuals, and that the most effective government is government closest to the people.

We believe that good government is based on the individual and that each person's ability, dignity, freedom, and responsibility must be honored and recognized.

We believe that free enterprise and the encouragement of individual initiative and incentive have given this nation an economic system second to none.

We believe that sound money management should be a top priority for government.

We believe in equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity for all.

We believe that we must retain those principles of the past, yet always be receptive to new ideas with an outlook broad enough to accommodate thoughtful change and varying points of view.

We believe that Americans value and should preserve their feeling of national strength and pride, and at the same time share with people everywhere a desire for peace and freedom and the extension of human rights throughout the world.

Finally, we believe that the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.

--- The Republican Philosophy

Anonymous said...

I believe I'll go puke after that last comment!!!

Anonymous said...

It's on the Humboldt Republican website. They also call themselves the "premier" political party in Humboldt County.

Check it out, but remember to wash your hands.

http://www.humboldtgop.org.

mresquan said...

"We believe that sound money management should be a top priority for government."

Uh,could you please tell me what the deficit is as of today?Anon must have just woke up after 7 years of being in a coma.
But I guess that their version of money management has gotten some wealthy republicans wealthier,which seems to be the main function of the neoconservative philosophy,at local and federal levels.

Rose said...

Don't go there, mresquan. Take a look at the democratic presidential candidates - big, BIG money there, both this and the last election - Look at Soros, and many many many like him - there's no shortage of fat cats on the democratic side, yet only Republican wealth is sneered at. Why is that?

It's a good question, Richard - but it sure is a tough one to answer. We aren't all that different, but that partisan divide is impossible to traverse. On each and every topic.

Anonymous said...

Those that are rich and in power want to stay that way, and they do it at the expense of the masses. It doesn't matter if they are democrat or republican. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Anonymous said...

And the rich get richer.

Anonymous said...

You people are economically ignorant it makes me SICK!!

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:53 ... economically ignorant. Now that's one I haven't heard before. If you're not too busy puking, maybe you could explain that one to me.

mresquan said...

Trust me Rose,I see little moral in the Dem party either.I won't even get into Clinton/Gore.

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:28. You have no understanding of economics besides determining the cheapest place to shop and how to make it to the next paycheck.

Here's your first lesson. Money and Wealth are NOT the same thing.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:15, when you learn to tell time then perhaps I'll consider you worth listening to. As of now you have merely confirmed my belief that you regularly ride the short bus and wear a bib.

Rose said...

4:53 does have a point - you have to listen and you have to think about it. Most of the comments made regarding money and finance and the deficits are knee jerk statements with little or no understanding of what is really involved. But again, that's a HUGE topic in and of itself.

Anonymous said...

Comparing the Iranian regime to the Nazis is so incredibly stupid, where to begin? How about the fact that the Iranians haven't invaded anyone in 1000 years? The good ol' USA however invades a country for no justifiable reason at least once a decade. That makes us morally superior somehow? Please explain how an illegal and wholly counterproductive bombing campaign against Iranian "targets" (Pentagonspeak for HUMAN BEINGS, including babies) as advocated by the psychotic fascists who populate the Bush/Cheney dictatorship is going to improve American (or Israeli) national security? Republicans are not just crazy, they are genocidal. If you want to make an accurate comparison to the Nazis, start with the Republican Party.

Anonymous said...

Republicans have become the Patronymical Authoritarian Fascists of the New Age.

Anonymous said...

Republicans are the new Nazis. And Prescott Bush was Hitler's banker. Coincidence?

mresquan said...

Neocons are the new Nazi's,not republicans.The makeup of this current administration is not of republicans,they're neoncons.Please understand that there's a difference and that the republican party has been hijacked.

Anonymous said...

That's the equivalent of saying in the USSR's Stalinist era that the Soviet Communist Party should not of been judged by its leadership. Mresquan, that's a giant cop-out. Most neo-cons are Republicans. Sure, a few like Joe Lieberman and Mike Thompson pretend to be Democrats, but most Americans know better by now. The GOP must take responsibility for something someday.

Anonymous said...

I hope Rush Limbaugh comes to get you!

Anonymous said...

Tell me again. How do you spell tongue?

Rose said...

Sure, a few like Joe Lieberman and Mike Thompson pretend to be Democrats

There's your problem right there, Richard. In a nutshell. How did those two decent intelligent hard working guys suddenly get smeared - over what? Partisanship. Not star-bellied enough. Not "Democrat" enough. Not enough that they have been lifelong democrats. Not allowed to have their own opinions, and not bow to pressure.

To hear them go after Thompson - it really is incredulous. You guys eat your own.

samoasoftball said...

Rose: I wish I could argue your point. But what you said is true more than not.