I am a liberal

[look.a.liberal]

I came here to understand the conservative point of view. I've lurked for a while now. I decided it'd be appropriate for me to say a few words.

I think that you are patriotic Americans. I am a patriotic American too. It is our right and duty as Americans to vehemently disagree with eachother about how this nation should be governed. It is also our right to call into question the patriotism of those with whom we disagree, but it is our duty not to. It was patriotic to protest the government four years ago, and it is patriotic now. I thank you for this patriotism.

Here are some of the things that I believe:

I support the constitution. I support second amendment rights as well as first amendment rights. I think that it is necessary and good that a court interpret these amendments, but I am as appalled by the notion of a free speech zone as I was by DC's handgun ban. I'm angry about the recent encroachment against the fourth amendment, and the steady erosion of the tenth. It affects blue states as much as red ones. I don't care for drugs, but you tell me how the interstate commerce clause empowers the federal government to keep my neighbor from growing and then smoking a plant without leaving his back yard.

There is little doubt that the federal government exercises more power than it is allowed by the constitution. On the other hand, I think that the infrastructure of a modern country demands more federal powers than are described in the constitution. Instead of amending the constitution, we allowed more and more powers to be read into it. Now it's a status quo that we can't easily abandon.

I support abortion rights, but I think that the opposite position is also very reasonable. If abortion is murder, then there is no question that it should be banned at the federal level. If abortion is simply a medical procedure, then it is tyranny for the government to forbid it. Either way, it would seem that the question should be decided on the federal level. Yet, if we can't reach a consensus about something as basic as whether abortion is murder or an operation, how can we choose to forbid or protect it? I think abortion is a federal-level question that for the moment must unfortunately be decided at the state level.

I am a liberal. I don't think Obama is more tyrannical or arrogant than past presidents. I think a government health-care option would be good for Americans. I don't care that Bush wasn't eloquent, and I also don't think that intellect in the narrow sense is the most important quality for a president. On the other hand I think that the Iraq war was a catastrophic mistake that America won't live down in my lifetime. It weakened America financially, diplomatically and militarily. So, I am very much a liberal. Still, I think we have some common ground.

I'd like to say something a bit more personal. I'm an academic. We spend a lot of our lives thinking about very abstract, technical things. This makes academics prone to elaboration and understatement in our area of expertise, and simultaneously to oversimplification and overconfidence outside of it. We can be short on common sense, but we can have counterinuitive insight in technical matters. It takes academics, entrepreneurs, and factory workers to make a plane fly, and it takes all of us to make the right decisions for America. I think that anti-intellectualism marginalizes an important part of American society, and I think it's destructive. To those who say that small businessmen have nothing of value to say about the US economy, I say you're wrong, and to those who say that academic economists have nothing to say about the US economy, I also say you're wrong.

Please leave comments if you'd like. I'll try to respond tomorrow.

We, Americans, conservative and liberal, need to figure out our own compromises, because our media and our politicians sure as taxes won't do it for us. Like it or not, we're in it together.

[papasmurf]

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES

If a conservative doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t buy one.
If a liberal doesn’t like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn’t eat meat.
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat his enemy.
If a liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a person of color is conservative, they see themselves as independently successful.
Their liberal counterparts see themselves as victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. (Unless it’s a foreign religion, of course!)

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and is embarrassed.
If a liberal slips and falls, he grabs his neck, moans like he’s in labor and then sues.

If a conservative reads this, he’ll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
A liberal will delete it because he’s “offended”.

---

You’re not 100% Liberal, you’re a hybrid. That means you’re growing, intellectually, and that’s a good thing. ;)

[Ratman83]

I do not believe it will be a slow motion debate. It looks like a drive by to me. If he is an academic like he claims, he should find the time to engage or not waste our time.

[central_va]

I came here to understand the conservative point of view

You don't need to come here to understand conservatism, just read the Constitution, and take it literally. Do not try to read any socialist nuances into it. Then read the Bible. After that you will "understand" all.

[paulycy]

You may be right. I can’t read anybody’s mind.

[laotzu]

I see that already you have received many responses. I will add nothing else other than to welcome, and applaud your efforts here.

Remember, we are a large group....from dazzeling intellects to insulting nimrods.

[Rockingham]

Lack of understanding.

[red tie]

“Lack of understanding.”

Can’t make any sense out of this that’s for sure!

[Osage Orange]

I don't think Obama is more tyrannical or arrogant than past presidents

Then you have not been paying attention....to his actions, and his words,

[LibLieSlayer]

You certainly have a deficit in comprehension.

LLS

[Servant of the Cross]

says you.

Hmmm. Very aggressive of you ... for such a newbie. Perhaps you should lurk and learn more before you write. FReeper Paulycy has credibility that you don't.

I'm just saying ....

[Darksheare]

Hmmm.

[Servant of the Cross]

Look at me. Look at me. Look at me ...... Meghan, is that you?????

[KC_Conspirator]

You don’t see the damage that is occurring. That is your problem. The fact that you are an academician and are incapable of objectively researching the data and coming to a detached interpretation of that data speaks volumes about both the liberal mindset and academe in general.

Thats pretty much right.

[william clark]

It is our right and duty as Americans to vehemently disagree with eachother about how this nation should be governed. It is also our right to call into question the patriotism of those with whom we disagree, but it is our duty not to.

Two profound flaws in logic right off the bat here. There is no duty to disagree. That's complete nonsense. If I say, "I think you should have the right to voice your opinion," how sensible is it to have a "duty" to reply "No, I should not have the right to voice my opinion"?

Similarly, if one advocates the complete overthrow and destruction of one's country, free speech may allow that, but in what Bizarro world would that be considered patriotic? And where is the duty to not point that out?

[scan59]

Thank you for expressing your thoughts. Although you will be jumped by many here, I believe it is important to remember the things that both “sides” have in common.

[Freddd]

HAWGWASH!!

[justsaynomore]

I have my MA in a humanities field ics and was a college professor for several years. I am a conservative (square peg, round hole).

It isn’t easy to go against the “group think” in academia and think for yourself. At one point, I got sucked in a bit with the whole bleeding heart liberal - thinking, if I’m compassionate, I must be a democrat. But, I learned how uncompassionate socialism really is. It doesn’t boost the poor, it makes everyone poor except the government.

Socialism isn’t Robin Hood, it’s the statehood that Robin Hood fought against.

[TankerKC]

A very thoughtful post. Thank you for sharing your views.

I thought so, but it appears he has been banished...

[rintense]

Another retread? Seems to be a lot as of late.

[Ratman83]

Unfortunately, we will never know now.