Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Do Conservatives And Liberals Have Enough in Common to Keep A Country Together Anymore?
Townhall.com ^ | Nov 18, 2017 | John Hawkins

Posted on 11/17/2017 11:36:10 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” – The Declaration of Independence

Remember the woman who was fired for flipping off Trump’s motorcade? Well, she has been deluged with job offers from liberals and a Gofundme set up in her name has raised 117k dollars and counting. This seems like a small thing, but it’s indicative of where we are as a society.

There was a time when doing something trashy like flipping off a presidential motorcade would be frowned upon -- not because everyone loves the President, but because no one with class would do anything like that. Those days are gone and they’ve been replaced by non-stop trolling, outright hatred of people with differing opinions and grotesque tribalism. Gridlock has become the rule of the day in Congress for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest is that the Right and Left simply don’t agree on much anymore.

Just as an example, ask yourself this question: how many of the fundamental questions about American life do you agree with Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi on? Think about the basic questions of American life.

The Constitution? Conservatives believe in it. Liberals believe in a “living Constitution” which is fundamentally no different than having no Constitution at all.

Religion? Conservatives tend to believe in Judeo-Christian values. Even atheists who are conservative tend to at least be friendly to those values. Liberals mock Judeo-Christian values.

What about patriotism? Conservatives tend to love their country. Liberals love this country like a wife-beater loves his spouse.

Conservatives tend to be capitalists. Liberals tend to be socialists. Conservatives believe people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Liberals believe your race defines you. Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity. Liberals believe in equality of results. Conservatives believe in freedom of speech. Liberals are fine with silencing people that disagree with them. Conservatives believe in small government. Liberals believe in a frighteningly powerful central government dictating your every move.

That last one is perhaps the most significant because if liberals could live the way they want in California, New York and Connecticut while conservatives could live as they please in Texas, South Carolina and Utah, we could shrug off our differences. As the government in Washington becomes ever more powerful, that is no longer allowed.

Getting back to that central question, what do you agree with Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama on? There are certainly some things. For example, Nancy Pelosi represents San Francisco and presumably likes the city. I’ve visited and certainly liked it as well. Barack Obama likes golf and basketball. Certainly there are plenty of conservatives who feel the same way. If we got right down to it, there are probably plenty of conservatives who like the same clothes, restaurants and TV shows that Obama and Pelosi do…but, is that enough to hold together a nation over the long haul?

America is going to be testing that proposition over the next few decades.

Recently, a Republican group in North Carolina asked me to come out and speak. After my speech, there was a Q&A session and someone there asked me, “Is it time for people who love their country to get their guns, head to D.C. and do something about what’s happening in our country?”

Just to be clear, he wasn’t advocating a terrorist attack or a random shooting; he was asking if it is time for patriots who love this country to attempt to overthrow the government to help bring our nation back to Constitutional governance.

What DIDN’T happen is worth noting. Nobody laughed. Nobody shouted, “Oh, come on!” Nobody said, “Oh, that’s just crazy, Dave. You’ll have to excuse him and his wild questions.” Instead, people sat quietly and listened for my response.

The short version of what I told him was “no.” It is not time to split the country apart and have a revolution. That’s a very extreme step and it should only be taken in the direst of circumstances

The longer version of what I told him is that he’s right to be concerned about the country and that, yes, it is entirely possible we won’t hold together long term. What happens when we – almost inevitably at this point – have a debt-driven economic crash which causes Social Security and Medicare to be gutted? Other than wanting to get those checks, what do we have holding us together anymore? Eating lunch at McDonald’s? Watching The Walking Dead? NFL games….oh wait, sorry. We don’t even have that anymore.

We have broken bonds as a nation before: first, with the British, then during the Civil War. Regrettably, we may be headed toward another break down the road. That’s not something anyone should welcome, but when large percentages of the population are forced to live under grating rules they disagree with in the strongest of terms, paid for with increasingly large amounts of tax money they didn’t want to give up and implemented by people they don’t like, respect or feel bound to as a people, no wise person should assume that will continue indefinitely.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: culturewar; leftism; liberalism; progressivism; twocountries
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last
To: Panhandle.deporable

They don’t want Guam. Democrats are afraid it will tip over.


21 posted on 11/18/2017 1:42:04 AM PST by Pollster1 ("Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

What any of us has in common is the flag. The National Football League has sought to destroy that and succeeded.


22 posted on 11/18/2017 1:48:47 AM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Panhandle.deporable

I am a fourth generation Californian, and if you want the honest truth.
RIGHT NOW I WOULD PREFER THE BLOODSHED.
It would settle the question ONCE AND FOR ALL.


23 posted on 11/18/2017 1:57:21 AM PST by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

No we don’t.


24 posted on 11/18/2017 2:03:49 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stars & stripes forever
Amen!! We have allowed God, and especially His Son, Jesus Christ to be kicked out of this country.....I think God has taken His Hand of Grace off this once fine country.

And 56 MILLION DEAD BABIES KILLED by their OWN MOTHERS....God does NOT like His PRESENTS to be returned UNOPENED! He will NOT be mocked.

25 posted on 11/18/2017 2:11:47 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
Liberalism is auto-immune disease.

In the past, ruling class viewed peons as tax base and cannon fodders. With liberal left, there is a new twist: peons are also lab rats. Endlessly experimented upon with the same flawed approach until they are all ruined.

26 posted on 11/18/2017 2:20:12 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster (dead parakeet + lost fishing gear = freep all day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pollster1

Thanks for the chuckle...


27 posted on 11/18/2017 2:23:56 AM PST by redinIllinois (Pro-life, accountant, gun-totin' grandma - multi issue voter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

We can probably somehow muck our way into the future together but why?

Liberals have destroyed much of what bound us together and made us a nation and they are determined to destroy what remains.

For the best part of 100 years they have attacked patriotism, respect for the Constitution, family values, marriage, Christian religious values, a free market and other common values and ideals that made America what it was and brought us together.

Liberals don’t want to live in the world our forefathers created and we don’t want to live in the world they are trying to create.


28 posted on 11/18/2017 2:46:52 AM PST by Vlad The Inhaler (United We Stand - Divided We Fall. Remember: Diversity is the opposite of unity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Panhandle.deporable

Good plan. And build a wall around those sanctuary states who break away from the United States.

In the tax reform, the removal of State tax deductions on IRS returns is going to put severe pressure on those true blue, high tax states.

Jeff Kuhner thinks a major tax revolt is coming in Mass.

Cleaning the swamp and restoring America will take a few decades. It doesn’t happen overnight. With strong leadership and a return to law and order, we can restore our Republic and give it back to We the People.


29 posted on 11/18/2017 3:03:23 AM PST by poconopundit (SHOE REPAIR SHOP: "We will heel you. We will save your sole. We will even dye for you")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

Here is one aspect of a break up to consider.

It would not be an end to the divisiveness.

Liberals just cannot live and let live.

It isn’t enough for them to have something they like - they are driven to deny others the things that they like or things that liberals don’t like.

If we somehow could divide into two functioning nations, either amicably or not, that attitude on the part of liberals will not change.

The fact that a free state existed on the same continent would be unacceptable to them.

It would stick in their craw in the way they cannot today abide a neighbor with a Trump sign or someone wearing a MAGA hat.

As soon as we split up liberals would resume their campaign against anything, anyone, not liberal and would never be at peace with a neighboring state holding values they disagree with.


30 posted on 11/18/2017 3:10:55 AM PST by Vlad The Inhaler (United We Stand - Divided We Fall. Remember: Diversity is the opposite of unity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

I have faith Good will prevail although the struggle will be difficult. Working with some of the great young people at the three parishes I volunteer with, I see them as crucial part of our hope for the future. At 64 years old, I do not intend to give up. “Never give up, never surrender!”.


31 posted on 11/18/2017 3:14:19 AM PST by Shark24
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
Do Conservatives And Liberals Have Enough in Common to Keep A Country Together Anymore?

Do political parties exist to enrich the country or does the country exist to enrich the political parties...........

32 posted on 11/18/2017 3:20:56 AM PST by varon (Let the games begin.............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
I do not need a Civil war or one that is not so civil. All I need is another 8% of Texans to wake up and read the information that is out there about Texas secession and how Texas can stand proudly as a Republic once again with the chains of the corruption and usurpation of Washington DC thrown aside.

Now with our own gold depository we have made yet another stride toward independence from the elitist and liberal ruling class before they drag us under.

Having to send $430 billion to the cesspool every year and only seeing about 50% of that come back into our coffers with the rest of that spread into the liberal shiite holes that the low lives have created should bring pause to all Texans.

I suggest to ALL Texans. Go to the Texas Nationalist Movement website and read the pdfs of info that are compiled. Then make a clear decision for #TEXIT. Talk to your Texas Representatives and let's get it voted on and get us the hell off. Our Forefathers of Texas did not imagine us signing onto this sinking ship.

33 posted on 11/18/2017 3:40:58 AM PST by eartick (Been to the line in the sand and liked it, but ready to go again)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ForYourChildren
The 62M anti-God perverts have made it very clear they are more than willing to pass laws to throw the 63M deplorable, bitter clingers in jail.

Then there looks like there is only one choice. But do we really have to wear a red arm band?

34 posted on 11/18/2017 3:43:14 AM PST by eartick (Been to the line in the sand and liked it, but ready to go again)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

No.


35 posted on 11/18/2017 3:45:05 AM PST by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: poconopundit
poconopundit: "Cleaning the swamp and restoring America will take a few decades.
It doesn’t happen overnight.
With strong leadership and a return to law and order, we can restore our Republic and give it back to We the People."

Love your optimism!
Keep it up.

Illegitimi non carborundum!

36 posted on 11/18/2017 3:46:44 AM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: VietVet
Since the 70’s, I have seen a fundamental change.

That fundamental change you have seen is the destruction of the family core unit brought on by the FERAL Government and then the move in by the government to fill that void in the duplication of the Communistic Statehood as planned out.

If We the People do not realize that this Communist take over by our FERAL Government has been going on for over 40 years then they have NOT been paying attention.

Now, with George Soros' help and well placed people in politics, they are on the short rows to completion. We are down to less than 50% of We the People that give a shiite anymore or even know who the VP is. Hell, if you ran a poll I would bet the margin between wanting to be a republic (most would not EVEN know what this is) or Communist would be close because of ignorance between the two

37 posted on 11/18/2017 3:53:52 AM PST by eartick (Been to the line in the sand and liked it, but ready to go again)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

It amazes me that it has taken this long for the truth to impress itself on so many minds. It’s like a huge ugly troll in plain sight that no one comments on or even seems to see. I’ve been seeing the troll since 1995.


38 posted on 11/18/2017 4:10:48 AM PST by TalBlack (It's hard to shoot people when they are shooting back at you...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Arlis

The pendulum never swings back to the previous point on the right. The center consistently moves to the left. My father told me that 40 years ago using this same analogy and I have seen how right he was.


39 posted on 11/18/2017 4:11:47 AM PST by suthener
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: edie1960
Hey edie, welcome aboard. What took you so long?

Nevermind that. Why don't you convert a few of your friends?

40 posted on 11/18/2017 4:19:06 AM PST by Former Proud Canadian (Islam delenda est.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson