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Right on! America was built of the principles of rugged individualism and self determination. What good would result in socializing our country after many successful centuries of individualism and capitalism?
Reply
Dr. Bob Brescia
1/9/2012 09:19:41
Karla - I applaud your positions on these issues and I agree with them. I especially enjoyed how you went through the pledge of allegiance - very powerful! Thank you for writing on these topics and please continue.
C- Families know best how to raise their children. They need to be strengthened and have the right to raise their children the way they want.
L- It takes a “village” not a family to raise a child. Families need government help and oversight. Cradle to grave involvement is optimal.
(Not quite. The "village" includes qualified educators and other leaders, such as coaches and tutors. Public schools exist for a reason- and that is that private schools, parochial schools, and "home schooling" doesn't work for everyone- in fact, aren't affordable to most.)
C-Society is composed of individuals to be judged on their individual merit. Values individualism, self-reliance, and independence.
L-Sees society as composed of groups: black vs. white, old vs. young, rich vs. poor, male vs. female. These groups are pitted against each other. Stirs up racial and class envy and division.
(This is simply a bald-faced LIE. It is the biggest of the conservative lies. In fact, racism, by its very nature, is a "conservative" attribute. Liberalism embraces diversity; not all liberals are free of racism, but how many liberals will you find at a KKK rally? And how many of those attending a KKK or neo-Nazi or white supremacist rally would identify themselves as "conservative and Christian?")
C-Individuals are responsible for themselves and their actions. Crime should be punished. Evil exists and good should fight against it. Man is capable of good and evil.
L-Society is responsible for individuals. Man is inherently good and something causes him to do wrong.
They talk about how we need to change society when someone does wrong. Even terrorists need to be understood.
(Certainly there are societal pressures that can influence a person's values, sense of worth, and influence a person to choose an antisocial path. This does not forgive individuals from responsibility for their actions. And some people are just "broken," having no moral compass at all, despite coming from "good homes." We call them "psychopaths" or "sociopaths," and they exist in all walks of life, even the clergy.)
C-Opportunity for all to succeed or fail. Government is responsible to maintain an environment that fosters the greatest opportunity. (That would be public schools, and fair hiring and employment laws.) (Government has proven itself quite lax in regulating banks, Wall Street, and various industries including the oil industry.) Limit to how much can be taken from people to give to others. (That should apply equally for all, no special favors or "tax cuts for the rich.") Welfare should help people to become independent and given to those truly incapable of taking care of themselves. (The bulk of the "welfare" budgets, at the state and federal level, is in administrative costs.)
L-Seeks to equalize by redistribution. (Not completely true. Most would settle for equal tax rates.) Supports welfare state. (Depends how you define "welfare state." Giving tax breaks to large corporations and the wealthiest individuals can be, often is, construed as "welfare for the rich." Conservatives simply prefer a "welfare state for the rich.") Government has a responsibility to provide all basic needs to all who need them, and it is morally justified taking from those that have and giving it to others, because people are entitled to basic needs including housing, food, healthcare, and education.
(Public education has long been a tradition in the US, even before the Revolution. Everyone benefits from public education, not just the poor, but the vast majority of the middle class, who can't afford private schools or home schooling.)
C- Promotes equal justice.
("Equal?" Sure they do... Convicted felons get more time for robbing hundreds of dallors than for embezzling tens of millions. That's the current setup that punishes "lower class crime" more than "white collar crime.")
L- Promotes social justice.
(Trying to understand why conservatives have a problem with "social justice." Do they honestly prefer "social injustice?")
C-Competition is good.
L- Competition is unfair.
(Competition is good when it's fair. Unfair competition is sometimes called "price fixing," sometimes called a "monopoly," and government historically has had to intervene to make sure this doesn't happen and to ensure an even playing field. Without regulation, business has no conscience. This is not speculation, it's history.)
C-Supports lower taxes.
L-Supports progressive taxation with high taxes for the rich.
(Most Liberals would settle for equal taxation for the rich, comparable to what a middle-class family pays as percentage of gross total income.)
C-Less government is better. Wants only necessary regulation of business, economy, and individual lives, resulting in more freedom. (Also wants to fund the largest military machine in human history, outspending the entire rest of the world combined.)
L-More government is better. Many regulations are necessary to achieve a more fair & just society w
C-Less government is better. Wants only necessary regulation of business, economy, and individual lives, resulting in more freedom. (Also wants to fund the largest military machine in human history, outspending the entire rest of the world combined.)
L-More government is better. Many regulations are necessary to achieve a more fair & just society which is government’s primary role, resulting in less freedom.
(This is, of course, nonsense. People on "welfare" have to abide by a very complex set of regulations imposed primarily by conservatives; most of the "welfare" budgets are, therefore, devoted to administration, not benefits.)
C-Limited federal government with more power given to state and local governments.
L-Powerful centralized federal government with limited state and local control.
(This was far more relevant before people became more mobile, having the ability to travel through several states in a day's time, or even coast-to-coast when flying. Do we really want or need 50 different sets of traffic laws? Is it a bad thing that "green" means "go" in all 50 states?)
C-People and property rights are more important than environment. (This contradicts the next statement) Supports conservation and development and use of our natural resources along with the development of green technology by private enterprise and when it is economically feasible and self-sustaining. Opposes cap and trade due to its high cost and negative impact on our businesses and way of life. (Let's just say that if "conservatives" have their way, there will be no natural resources for future generations, and air and water will become toxic by uncontrolled pollution)
L-Environment more important than people and property rights. Supports rationing and limiting access to natural resources. Focuses on green technology subsidized by the government. Supports cap and trade. (And let's not forget, as, apparently, conservatives have, that the EPA was signed into existence by one of their own- Richard Nixon.)(BTW that's the same Richard Nixon that opened the door to China, and all those cheap Chinese goods conservatives love to buy at WalMart.)
C-Wealth is good. All have an opportunity to be wealthy. Creates a better life for all through entrepreneurship.
(Great, when it works. Obviously, wealth is better than poverty. Of course, under conservative Republican leadership and due to conservative Republican policies that favor the rich, it's a bit harder now for the poor, or the middle class, to become wealthy.)
L-Wealth is bad and unfair. Promotes class warfare.
("Class warfare" only exists when the 99% fight back; otherwise it's slavery as usual.)
C-Equal opportunity without discrimination. Same access for all. Recognizes people make different choices with what they have. Doesn’t seek equal outcomes.
(This is blatantly false, proven throughout history. Conservatism, then as now, favors the wealthy, and promotes inequality and racism. "Equal opportunity" as practiced by conservatives still favors the white, the male, the Christian.)
L-Equal results through such things as quotas and equal pay for unequal work. Have to level the playing field in order to have equal opportunity. Seeks equal outcomes. (Racism showing through again. "Affirmative action" was supposed to redress the results of blatant inequality in hiring and pay and promotions. It has had some success. We still don't have truly equal opportunities for people of equal ability, but it is better than it was 40 years ago. Is there a better way to promote equal opportunities for people of equal ability?)
C-Judicial restraint with strict interpretation of laws according to the Constitution and original intent. (Right, this is how we got "Money is Speech" and "Corporations are people.")
L-Judicial activism: enacting social policy changes via court rulings. Constitution is seen as outdated and in need of change. (And it has been changed- "amended"- numerous times, beginning with the "Bill of Rights," which includes the one dearest to the little conservative heart, the Second Amendment. That's right, the US Constitution, as originally written, needed to be "fixed" or "changed," and it was, in 1791. The "original intent" meant only white males who owned property had any rights.)
C-Free market economy. Free market creates jobs. (A free market might. Tax cuts for small business probably would, tax cuts for the wealthy haven't.)
L-Government regulation of economy. Government creates jobs.
(Another lie. The author confuses "liberalism" with "fascism," which is a RIGHT-WING philosphy: a collusion of corporations and government. File this lie with the other one, "tax cuts for the wealthy creates jobs.")
C-Business is good: creates jobs & improves lives. Give freedom for them to do what they do best. Let free market supply and demand adjust practices. Let employers and employees negotiate benefits.
(Unrestrained business has a very long history of exploiting employees, the envi
C-Less government is better. Wants only necessary regulation of business, economy, and individual lives, resulting in more freedom. (Also wants to fund the largest military machine in human history, outspending the entire rest of the world combined.)
L-More government is better. Many regulations are necessary to achieve a more fair & just society which is government’s primary role, resulting in less freedom.
(This is, of course, nonsense. People on "welfare" have to abide by a very complex set of regulations imposed primarily by conservatives; most of the "welfare" budgets are, therefore, devoted to administration, not benefits.)
C-Limited federal government with more power given to state and local governments.
L-Powerful centralized federal government with limited state and local control.
(This was far more relevant before people became more mobile, having the ability to travel through several states in a day's time, or even coast-to-coast when flying. Do we really want or need 50 different sets of traffic laws? Is it a bad thing that "green" means "go" in all 50 states?)
C-People and property rights are more important than environment. (This contradicts the next statement) Supports conservation and development and use of our natural resources along with the development of green technology by private enterprise and when it is economically feasible and self-sustaining. Opposes cap and trade due to its high cost and negative impact on our businesses and way of life. (Let's just say that if "conservatives" have their way, there will be no natural resources for future generations, and air and water will become toxic by uncontrolled pollution)
L-Environment more important than people and property rights. Supports rationing and limiting access to natural resources. Focuses on green technology subsidized by the government. Supports cap and trade. (And let's not forget, as, apparently, conservatives have, that the EPA was signed into existence by one of their own- Richard Nixon.)(BTW that's the same Richard Nixon that opened the door to China, and all those cheap Chinese goods conservatives love to buy at WalMart.)
C-Wealth is good. All have an opportunity to be wealthy. Creates a better life for all through entrepreneurship.
(Great, when it works. Obviously, wealth is better than poverty. Of course, under conservative Republican leadership and due to conservative Republican policies that favor the rich, it's a bit harder now for the poor, or the middle class, to become wealthy.)
L-Wealth is bad and unfair. Promotes class warfare.
("Class warfare" only exists when the 99% fight back; otherwise it's slavery as usual.)
C-Equal opportunity without discrimination. Same access for all. Recognizes people make different choices with what they have. Doesn’t seek equal outcomes.
(This is blatantly false, proven throughout history. Conservatism, then as now, favors the wealthy, and promotes inequality and racism. "Equal opportunity" as practiced by conservatives still favors the white, the male, the Christian.)
L-Equal results through such things as quotas and equal pay for unequal work. Have to level the playing field in order to have equal opportunity. Seeks equal outcomes. (Racism showing through again. "Affirmative action" was supposed to redress the results of blatant inequality in hiring and pay and promotions. It has had some success. We still don't have truly equal opportunities for people of equal ability, but it is better than it was 40 years ago. Is there a better way to promote equal opportunities for people of equal ability?)
C-Judicial restraint with strict interpretation of laws according to the Constitution and original intent. (Right, this is how we got "Money is Speech" and "Corporations are people.")
L-Judicial activism: enacting social policy changes via court rulings. Constitution is seen as outdated and in need of change. (And it has been changed- "amended"- numerous times, beginning with the "Bill of Rights," which includes the one dearest to the little conservative heart, the Second Amendment. That's right, the US Constitution, as originally written, needed to be "fixed" or "changed," and it was, in 1791. The "original intent" meant only white males who owned property had any rights.)
C-Free market economy. Free market creates jobs. (A free market might. Tax cuts for small business probably would, tax cuts for the wealthy haven't.)
L-Government regulation of economy. Government creates jobs.
(Another lie. The author confuses "liberalism" with "fascism," which is a RIGHT-WING philosphy: a collusion of corporations and government. File this lie with the other one, "tax cuts for the wealthy creates jobs.")
C-Business is good: creates jobs & improves lives. Give freedom for them to do what they do best. Let free market supply and demand adjust practices. Let employers and employees negotiate benefits.
(Unrestrained business has a very long history of exploiting employees, the envi
C-Business is good: creates jobs & improves lives. Give freedom for them to do what they do best. Let free market supply and demand adjust practices. Let employers and employees negotiate benefits.
(Unrestrained business has a very long history of exploiting employees, the environment, and consumers. There should be a balance between profit and exploitation, moderated by fair labor practices, enforced by rule of law.)
L-Business is evil: out to exploit employees, environment, and consumers. Needs to be regulated to protect consumers, employees, and the environment. Government regulates employee benefits.
(Government oversight of pension funds has historically proven to be necessary.)
C-Traditional morality, including traditional family and values. Absolute standards of right and wrong. Absolute truth. Sees standing against wrong as a moral duty.
L-Tolerance of all lifestyles & beliefs except those that are state they have truth. No absolute standards of right and wrong. Moral relativism.
(Live and let live. Tolerance for other beliefs and values, so long as they do no harm to others, and prohibitions against forcing religious beliefs on others.)
C-Right to free speech must be supported even if it offends.
(Unless it offends conservatives, apparently.)
L-Right to free speech is limited to speech that does not offend. (Political correctness)
(Of course, "political in-correctness" - speech that is deliberately offensive- is encouraged, nay, demanded, by conservatives.)
C-Peace through strength via a strong military.
L-Peace through appeasement, cooperation, and understanding others' views. Dislikes showing and exercising military strength.
(It's called "Speak softly and carry a big stick." It was a conservative philosophy popularized by Theodore Roosevelt- yes, Teddy was a hawkish conservative.)
C-Supports a missile defense system.
L-Opposes a missile defense system.
(Let us define first who we are defending against...?)
C-American sovereignty comes before globalism.
("Globalism," in the form of global outsourcing of manufactured goods, was chanpioned by the Reagan Administration and the business/conservative rush to "convert to a service economy." This was furthered by GHW Bush when he negotiated NAFTA with Canada and Mexico; today's Teabaggers like to blame Clinton for the bipartisan legislation that Ronnie and Co loved so much. Clinton signed a done deal. Only Ross perot and a few union leaders opposed it.)
L-Globalism comes before American sovereignty.
(The Global Economy is here, now. There is no debate about if we should or if we shouldn't- it is upon us, and it is part of the new reality that conservatives want so much to deny. Along with the global economy comes the new global political realities; among them that we can't dictate policy to the rest of the world any more. If we don't address the areas where we are deficient- in education, in health care, in technology, in manufacturing, in doing more with less, in repairing our failing infrastructure- we will fall farther and farther behind the rest of the world.)
C-Sees America as good: the best hope for the world. Believes in American exceptionalism.
L-Sees America as flawed: racist, homophobic, imperialistic, sexist, ageist and no better than other countries.
(America IS flawed: racist, homophobic, imperialistic, sexist, ageist and no better than other countries- and in some respects, like education, and health care, and technology, and now manufacturing, falling short. Still, the best hope for the world. If conservatives don't continue to screw it up.)
C-Western cultures are superior to others without rights, freedom, and respect for life.
(Right, "White Man's Burden," and all that. "Manifest Destiny." Let's forget that the Chinese had indoor plumbing at a time when our ancestors in Europe were living in mud huts burning antelope dung to keep warm, and that at the same time the Hindu culture was already thousands of years old.)
L-All cultures are equal. Can’t pass judgment on any even if they don’t value freedom, rights, and life.
(No argument here)
C-God is a necessary part of a good society. Religion makes people good.
(Like the Inquisition, or the Crusades? Of note is that the very first casualties of the First Crusade were Christian settlements that had the misfortune of being in the Crusaders' path, and had the supplies the Crusaders wanted. Note also that, because the First Crusade was poorly planned and had no supply line, Crusaders turned to cannibalism, eating the flesh of dead Muslims. Try reading some of your religion's history, much of it isn't pretty.)
L-State is secular (without God). Seeks to eliminate all references of God.
(False. The state should be secular, favoring no religion over any other, but people should believe as they wish, unless- or until- it infringes on the rights of others. Separation of church and state PROTECTS Christianity and Christian belief. It seems only Christians are too dense to
C-God is a necessary part of a good society. Religion makes people good.
(Like the Inquisition, or the Crusades? Of note is that the very first casualties of the First Crusade were Christian settlements that had the misfortune of being in the Crusaders' path, and had the supplies the Crusaders wanted. Note also that, because the First Crusade was poorly planned and had no supply line, Crusaders turned to cannibalism, eating the flesh of dead Muslims. Try reading some of your religion's history, much of it isn't pretty.)
L-State is secular (without God). Seeks to eliminate all references of God.
(False. The state should be secular, favoring no religion over any other, but people should believe as they wish, unless- or until- it infringes on the rights of others. Separation of church and state PROTECTS Christianity and Christian belief. It seems only Christians are too dense to comprehend that.)
C-Rights emphasized: Freedom, Parental, Property, Religious, Guns, Life.
(Freedom as long as you're white and Christian.)
L-Rights emphasized: Civil, Privacy, Secularism, Reproductive.
Reply
Grant
5/20/2013 01:54:46
Beaugrand, I enjoyed all of what you wrote, however your summary of Religion in American society was 'right on the mark'. Keep taking on the moronic, gun-carrying, red-neck, God-loving freaks.
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Richard
8/1/2013 04:24:23
Beaugrand If you don't feel the same way as the people that started this blog why don't you start your own rather than TRYING to discredit them.
Just a thought.
The views of the author and of Beaugrand are both HIGHLY biased. This can be easily seen in both of their writings. Everyone has the right to their own opinions, but I personally believe that they The conservative party does not state that it favors Christianity over any other religion; even though the author writes quite a bit on the subject, and Beaugrand obviously focuses some of his comment on it. Even with slight acceptance of Bias in the writing, Beaugrand outright attacks Christianity in his comment by calling Christians "dense" and insulting the history of Christianity. This is highly unethical and contradicts his comments about the constancy of religions. I agree with you on the separation of church and state, but I am completely against the way in which you stated it and the insults you used. What I disagree with most though is one of the last things that you stated:
C-Rights emphasized: Freedom, Parental, Property, Religious, Guns, Life.
(Freedom as long as you're white and Christian.)
This is about as incorrect as you can be. The percent of white Christians, when compared to the rest of the country, is dropping; yet the conservative party is still growing. Why is this? Are these people brainwashed or blackmailed? No. They truly agree with the views of the conservative party. Many of the things that you stated are blatantly incorrect and only aim to ruin the view of the opposite philosophy instead of supporting your own. Your comment truly shows what is wrong with modern America; instead of trying to show how the philosophies of liberalism are superior you are trying to make the philosophies of conservatism inferior.
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J. Dominguez
9/29/2015 15:52:22
Beugrand, my parents fled Cuba January1960 after Castro overthrew the existing government (Tank God they did). Castro's platform was that he was for the little people, the poor and hated rich people. Now my parents were not rich, far from it. My dad was and electrical engineer in the Cuban Navy and my mom worked in retail. But my dad had the sense to see the lies Castro was promising. What happened next? A country and its people that was thriving and had personal freedom became a country with a dictator and its people with no rights, freedom or voice. Since the 56 years rule of communism in Cuba he has created a nation of people completely dependent on the government. A nation where once you turn 3 years old you no longer get to drink milk; a nation where its food is rationed by a family size system; a nation where no on individual person owns property but are expected to work the land and turn over all produce to the government; a nation where when your child reaches a certain age they are taken away from their parents and expected to work the fields in the country, where girls and boys are raped; a nation where you can not choose what you want to study but are told if you qualify and what you will be educated in;a nation where military service is MANDATORY. My mother always said that being Liberal/Democrat was just one step away from communism. A country who's citizen are dependent on the government is a country who will fail. I believe in equal opportunity and I believe in hard work.
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Nate
6/3/2013 09:42:04
You are right on! America is free and the people have the right to override the government if they start taking away your liberties.
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Tim
9/17/2013 10:42:23
Both the Author and Beaugrand present their 'colored' views of right and left and underscore the REAL reality that both sides... both parties are broken beyond repair. The current population is now so fragmented and confused that they simply take the side that supports their view in the moment. Even the President flips sides at will to justify indecision as to what he REALLY believes in (if anything)! This is all a precursor to a real civil revolution where states will become countries...
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Bob
8/2/2014 00:59:54
Beaugrand and Grant are both highly biased.
They are also blind in that they see a world without God.
Seriously, do you think Christians now are like Crusaders?
Actually, the secular government is taking away some of Christian's rights and replacing them with atheism. It seems to think that atheism is not a religion itself, only a "fair ground between other religions".
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Robert Fox
5/28/2016 22:07:07
Both of our two "isms" are heavily flawed. Conservatism long ago was devoted to the protection of slavery. After that system was abolished in the US, they turned to the racist, feudal social system of the late nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth as the thing they wanted to protect and maintain. When senator Hubert Humphrey pushed for civil rights, conservatives were outraged. Not that liberalism is perfect either. Lately they have turned, maybe temporarily, into unreasoning idiots. They have championed transgenderism as something wonderful and something to be given the highest praise and most careful protection. But that last "ism" is nothing but massive fraud. Let me know when liberalism has returned to good thinking. I can hardly wait.
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I have been interested in political philosophies for many years and able to see how Conservatism and Liberalism are diametrically opposed. I am surprised at how many people are confused or fail to see that the philosophies are different. The Obama administration is accelerating our path to becoming a liberal nation. What do you think about the philosophies and the future or our country? I believe our hope lies in restoring Conservative Constitutional principles.
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