This is a really important point. I'm surrounded by Liberals in MA and I know their positions just as well as they know their positions. Why is abortion OK? Why is religion a waste of time? Poverty? Racism? Defense? I know where Liberals are coming from on all these issues -- how could I not? The culture in which I live shoves these views down my throat constantly.
But it's just not true when you switch the roles. How many Liberals understand the Conservative position on Abortion? Guns? Women in the workforce? Racism? They have some cartoon version of "the Conservative solution" to these problems.
Just as an example:
I was at a party last summer, and this ultra Liberal woman was going on about how we need to force people to give up their guns, and force people to stop pushing Christianity on people, and force companies to hire blacks, and force rich people to pay more taxes.
I spoke up and said, "Sounds like you really want a 1984 type of society where everyone has to do what you say."
She was outaged: "You! You're a Republican! I know where you're coming from! You want to oppress everyone! You want control!! It's all about control with you Republicans!"
I said: "You're the one talking about forcing people to do this or that. I'm a Republican: I just want to be left alone. That's it."
"Huh!" she sniffed. "Not even honest about your views!" and she stalked off.
Liberals have no idea what we believe. And they are afraid to find out.