Posted on 09/21/2006 7:05:23 AM PDT by NCSteve
In this era of a big-spending Republican administration, the differences between conservatives and liberals have shrunk so much, it's hard to tell who's who.
Take embryonic stem-cell research. President Bush has limited taxpayer funding of this research on right-to-life, not fiscal-conservative, grounds. He's not against all federal financing of the research, but he doesn't want to expand what's already being done. Conservatives generally support him.
Liberals oppose Bush's stance because they like funding what they favor, and they favor stem-cell research.
They often describe Bush's policy as a ban on research. That's not true. Researchers at Harvard, Vanderbilt, and other private institutions already spend millions on this work.
Clearly there's a difference between private and government financing, and someone can logically favor the first while opposing the second.
Many Americans think embryonic stem-cell research is immoral. Federal funding makes them pay for something they regard as murder.
Actor Mel Gibson was one of the few who stated it clearly: "Why do I, as a taxpayer, have to fund something I believe is unethical?"
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
He means the difference between Republicans and Democrats, that's a whole other kettle of fish.
You might find this interesting.
It is easy to tell a conservative from a liberal. However, it is getting more and more difficult to tell a Republican from a liberal. Unfortunately, there has become a widening difference between a conservative and a Republican.
I disagree. There are a number of flavors of conservative, and some of them are indistinguishable from what we think of here as "liberal."
Add this to the mix...
Adult stem cell research and medicine is currently treating/curing 80-something diseases/conditions. Embryonic stem cell research.....nada, zip, bupkis, swabo.
Why support embryonic stem cell research at all?
Check out this point and its references in GODLESS by Ann Coulter.
Stossel equates conservative with Republican. That's no longer true.
You all remember the Judiciary? 1/3 of the Government?
The term "liberal" stems from "liberty." The Communists have hijacked the term.
It used to be that liberalism meant the belief in "equality of opportunity." It has been twisted to now mean "equality of outcome."
Could have something to do with THERE IS ZERO RIGHT WING in the United States currently.. and NO CENTER..
Republicans and conservatives are two, very different things.
Not the best spokesmodel
As have some of the neos, with their attempts to run individuals' lives and set up a "my Nanny State is better than yours" argument. :-(
What's a mainstream conservative to do?!
Is that where Cindy Sheehan got the line?
On the other hand, there are various kinds of conservatives.
IMO Bush is not a true conservative when it comes to spending, growing goverment, or border security.
My three main complaints with this administration.
"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the support of opinions he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." -- Thomas Jefferson
Stossel is a libertarian. Most libertarians can't tell the difference between conservatives and liberals. To them, we're all "statists."
The GOP could certainly use some libertarianism
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