Conservatives and Empathy

[chanel]

I think I should start a new thread "Liberals and Envy".

 

[chanel]

That's horse shit Oddy. Get bent.

Unfortunately it's true. Really who or what is stopping any of you from putting this empathy you preach so righteously to others into action? Who is preventing you from putting YOUR money where your mouth is and helping all these poor souls? If you want to help people so badly, GO FUCKING HELP THEM. Hell I'll even support a change to the tax code to help you out. If you really think government has to have more money, I will gladly support legislation that allows anyone to give as much money beyond what they owe in taxes as they want. Certainly enough people must feel as you do and would certainly open their wallets like I'm sure you would right? Of course you won't you fucking hypocrite.

No new legislation needed. There are already numerous cases on record where somebody got a twinge of conscience and sent a large check to the government to pay for taxes they owed and no doubt over looked somewhere down the line. Or some yokel doesn't have anybody to leave his estate to so leaves it to the United States of America. The government accepts all such windfalls, no questions asked.

So of course Uncle Sam would accept and be most grateful for any donations anybody wants to send in to help out.

As Oddball pointed out, all serious studies conducted have concluded that conservatives, more than liberals, are more likely to contribute to the less fortunate not only money and property but also they give more blood, donate more time to charitable causes, and poorer conservatives contrbute proportionately more than do the rich.

So who is more empathetic? Those who give of themselves and their resources? Or those who are more generous with other people's property/money than they are with their own?

I suggest that our more 'generous' friends who think the government should take more money from the people to provide to the less fortunate should put their compassion where their mouth is and provide that extra money. Those same studies say they make a bit more than conservatives do so they have the means to do so.

How about this foxfyre? Maybe we should start a survey.

 

[Foxfyre]

Unfortunately it's true. Really who or what is stopping any of you from putting this empathy you preach so righteously to others into action? Who is preventing you from putting YOUR money where your mouth is and helping all these poor souls? If you want to help people so badly, GO FUCKING HELP THEM. Hell I'll even support a change to the tax code to help you out. If you really think government has to have more money, I will gladly support legislation that allows anyone to give as much money beyond what they owe in taxes as they want. Certainly enough people must feel as you do and would certainly open their wallets like I'm sure you would right? Of course you won't you fucking hypocrite.

No new legislation needed. There are already numerous cases on record where somebody got a twinge of conscience and sent a large check to the government to pay for taxes they owed and no doubt over looked somewhere down the line. Or some yokel doesn't have anybody to leave his estate to so leaves it to the United States of America. The government accepts all such windfalls, no questions asked.

So of course Uncle Sam would accept and be most grateful for any donations anybody wants to send in to help out.

As Oddball pointed out, all serious studies conducted have concluded that conservatives, more than liberals, are more likely to contribute to the less fortunate not only money and property but also they give more blood, donate more time to charitable causes, and poorer conservatives contrbute proportionately more than do the rich.

So who is more empathetic? Those who give of themselves and their resources? Or those who are more generous with other people's property/money than they are with their own?

I suggest that our more 'generous' friends who think the government should take more money from the people to provide to the less fortunate should put their compassion where their mouth is and provide that extra money. Those same studies say they make a bit more than conservatives do so they have the means to do so.

How about this foxfyre? Maybe we should start a survey.

LOL. I love it.

I really do think along with the presidential campaign checkoff, there ought to be a place where liberals can add a percentage to their tax returns. Sort of like a tip in a restaurant. I mean with all that compassion and empathy and all, they would surely jump at the chance to help the government help their poorer neighbors.

 

[chanel]

Exactly foxfyre. And as someone said "Empathy is an emotion; not an action" I say "Walk the walk.."

I work in education and there are many big hearted teachers who have "empathy" for the "bad kids". I think that's great. I have empathy for the good kids, the ones that just want to learn. It seems the OP believe only the left can choose who is "worthy" of empathy. Arrogance much?

 

[freedombecki]

Empathy is the ability to imagine the plight of another.

You'll no doubt note that most of the self proclaiming cons on this board display a complete lack of empthy.

Now whether these folks are just trying to sound like tough guys, or they're truly incapable of getting outside of their own shoes, is anyone's guess.

But one does frequently encounter people who are permanently stuck in their own heads who truly cannot remotely imagine another's POV, and almost without exception those types tend to be dogmatic cons.

Empathy is the ability to imagine the plight of another.

Sure is. And the people who need it the most deserve the leadership of Rick Perry, Republican Governor who is running for President to repeat his successful gains in employment.

He led his state to get 50% of all new jobs created in America in Texas. With the other 50% getting spread thinly over the other 49 states, they averaged 1% apiece compared to his 50%.

Empathy is giving an unemployed man or woman a job. Perry's the man who's gonna do just that.

Go, Rick Perry, 2012!!!

/"We pause for USMB Station identification."

 

[midcan5]

Footnote: While I use the term Conservative pejoratively, it must be said that it refers to the social Darwinist modern American types who have lost heart and soul in their worship of the rich and corporations. Oddball, Elvis, and other here represent this type of UN-American puppet. Whitehall seems to fit too.

What kind of empathy did it take for LBJ to fund the "great (liberal) society" that tore Black families apart and greated the welfare state? We are still paying for the abject failure. Maybe political pundit Michael Savage was right when he said "liberalism is a mental illness".

This is an interesting wingnut myth, consider that LBJ's policies had the greatest (factual) impact on poverty and mostly helped whites and you soon wonder why some still repeat this sort of nonsense. Voting rights also had great impact and today the right is trying like hell to bring Jim Crow back. I'm sure you'll be right there standing in line defending more contemporary wingnut anti-democracy nonsense. Savage is too stupid for comment, another mouth that does nothing good for the nation.

A government can have empathy? How?

Not sure that was mentioned anywhere, but it raises an interesting point. Ms Kelly only found the liberal policy beneficial because she benefited from it. She learned empathy? Now consider we all benefit from government in a variety of ways, but those on the right think government is the problem. Now why would that be considering we owe our freedoms to our constitutional government. But empathy is a harder topic to tackle, depends a lot on your family and life experiences as well as education. Now how will this influence Kelly's other ideas.

Considering organizations like the Jaycees and the Shriners have a conservative foundation, and have done more to actually help people than any "progressive" government program I can think of, I'd say there isn't much merit to the base of this thread.

I have actually taught computer skills at Shriner's so that must make it a liberal foundation, you think? It would seem to me that helping people is liberal while telling them to get up out of that wheelchair and walk is conservative, your kind of conservative, am I close. I have no idea why these people just didn't be more careful in so many ways, you blame them right? You blame others down on their luck. And why does that bad old government even gives Shriner's tax-deductible status? Do you? Funny, I don't remember the people there being anything but concerned and caring, empathetic one would say.

PS The greatest progressive achievement was social security, followed by medicare and voting rights for all. I have asked for years for a conservative accomplishment equivalent to any of these and never ever get an answer. I wonder why.

 

[code1211]

Empathy comes from the heart, not from an edict from on high.

Then again, the left has shown themselves to be in possession of the tiniest hearts out there -as evidenced by the widely circulated annual lists of political types who give the most and least to private charities- so it's little surprise that they'd project their callousness onto everyone else.

You guys keep posting this crap like a badge of courage or something. Speaking as someone who's actually given to charity..and worked for charity..making sure all our citizens share in the wealth of the nation should be a given.

There is absolutely no reason, none, nadda..that any American citizen should starve, be denied health care or live in squalor.

In truth, there are reasons for all of these things.

The business community is scared to death to use the funds they are sitting on to fire up the economy. Why are they scared? Because the Liberal Administration has abandoned rule of law in favor of agenda driven, capricsious creation of regulations and the threat of ever more intrusive and constrictive restaints and penalties on risk taking and investment.

As long as the policy of the US Government is to attack and restrain business, there will be fewer jobs, less opportunity and more poverty. As a result, American citizens will, as you say, starve, be denied health care and live in squalor.

Providing charity is noble and you are admirable for doing so. Providing opportunity is much better, though, and that is impossible given the thinking and the planning of this administration.

 

[code1211]

Is it more empathetic to believe all people have the same abilities and can rise above circumstance ? Or to support policy that hinders such?

All people do not have the same abilities, come from the same point in life or have the same means.

That's total nonsense.

Is this an example of Empathy? I have known and do know many people of lesser abilities who are proud of their accomplishments and who are happy.

 

[code1211]

Empathy is the ability to imagine the plight of another.

You'll no doubt note that most of the self proclaiming cons on this board display a complete lack of empthy.


Now whether these folks are just trying to sound like tough guys, or they're truly incapable of getting outside of their own shoes, is anyone's guess.

But one does frequently encounter people who are permanently stuck in their own heads who truly cannot remotely imagine another's POV, and almost without exception those types tend to be dogmatic cons.

Part of the mindset that makes on a con also limits their ability to percieve the world from any other viewpoint but their own.
They learn to go thru the motions of being sympathetic to others but it is a sham.
For instance, they will never understand that many muslims have valid reasons to hate the USA.

Wow! Elitist?

It's difficult for me to see the world from your view point because I can't look down your nose at it.

 

[rdean]

Can we say, "Oxymoron"?

 

[code1211]

There is absolutely no reason, none, nadda..that any American citizen should starve, be denied health care or live in squalor.

For conservatives, of course, there is a reason.

The prospect of an American citizen starving, going without healthcare, or living in squalor acts as an incentive for all to do better. It’s the conservative doctrine of fear, the only real motivator.

The only Conservative doctrine on this topic that I am aware of is to work hard and plan.

 

[code1211]

Is that why the left keeps trying to scare seniors every time a realistic approach to reforming medicare is proposed?

You probably missed the 2010 elections. (Hint: it wasn't the left scaring seniors about Medicare reform.)

As it is, when one party takes the extraordinary step of proposing to end the Medicare program and all but four of its members in the House and five in the Senate vote in favor of it--well, it would just be irresponsible to let that pass unnoticed. The agenda the party leadership denied it had prior to the 2010 elections ("Representative John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, the minority leader, has praised Mr. Ryan but said the Roadmap would not be a part of the Republican agenda this fall.") has been amped up on Tea Party steroids and is now the official party line. And that's a matter of public record.

All the whining and hand-wringing in the world won't change that.

The Republicans put forth a plan to extend the lives of two of the programs most closely embraced by Seniors. The Democrats cling to a policy of do nothing until the collapse occurs in about 10 years and you say the Republicans are the ones at fault?

Cue the circus music.

 

[Greenbeard]

The Republicans put forth a plan to extend the lives of two of the programs most closely embraced by Seniors.

They put forth no plan for Social Security and their "plan" for Medicare is to dismantle it. Clever.

The Democrats cling to a policy of do nothing until the collapse occurs in about 10 years and you say the Republicans are the ones at fault?

The Democrats have already passed two rounds of Medicare reforms over the past two and a half years. Lo and behold Medicare cost growth has since slowed.

 

[code1211]

The Republicans put forth a plan to extend the lives of two of the programs most closely embraced by Seniors.

They put forth no plan for Social Security and their "plan" for Medicare is to dismantle it. Clever.

The Democrats cling to a policy of do nothing until the collapse occurs in about 10 years and you say the Republicans are the ones at fault?

The Democrats have already passed two rounds of Medicare reforms over the past two and a half years. Lo and behold Medicare cost growth has since slowed.

The Democrat "solution" to the rise of Medicare cost is to cover less of those of those costs by reducing the amount that a provider may charge.

What happens when no providers will continue to provide at the rates reduced too far?

 

[Foxfyre]

Dear Fellow Conservatives:

It pains me to write that our more liberal (generic) brethren seem afflicted with some sort of permanently ingrown blinders that causes a kind of bitter tunnel vision.

They empathise with the poor man who has no job and see the only solution as to buy him groceries and pay his rent to be accomplished by taking the richer man's money and giving it to the poor. They perceive that as the righteous path.

They can't comprehend empathy that feels s man's longing for self worth and dignity that can be restored with a paying job best produced with policies that encourage the richer man to create more jobs. They perceive that as the path of the hard hearted, greedy, and uncompassionate.

Is there anyone with a remedy for this affliction?

Sincerely yours,

 

[Greenbeard]

The Democrat "solution" to the rise of Medicare cost is to cover less of those of those costs by reducing the amount that a provider may charge.

To repeat what's already been said a dozen times.

The Democratic approach thus far has been the EHR incentives (and the Regional Extension Centers that have been helping providers to adopt the technology), shared savings, paying for value instead of just procedures, reducing preventable hospital readmissions, the Multi-Payer Advanced Primary Care Initiative, greater transparency through the various Compare tools, bundled payments, quality reporting, reducing hospital-acquired conditions, the creation of the IPAB, improving patient safety, a host of new tools for fighting fraud, and so on. These are about changing the way Medicare does business to get more value out of the health care system and thus stretch health care dollars further.

Not as easy a soundbite as your "policy of do nothing" bullshit, but that's life. We'll all just have to take solace in results.

 

[freedombecki]

Dear Fellow Conservatives:

It pains me to write that our more liberal (generic) brethren seem afflicted with some sort of permanently ingrown blinders that causes a kind of bitter tunnel vision.

They empathise with the poor man who has no job and see the only solution as to buy him groceries and pay his rent to be accomplished by taking the richer man's money and giving it to the poor. They perceive that as the righteous path.

They can't comprehend empathy that feels s man's longing for self worth and dignity that can be restored with a paying job best produced with policies that encourage the richer man to create more jobs. They perceive that as the path of the hard hearted, greedy, and uncompassionate.

Is there anyone with a remedy for this affliction?

Sincerely yours,

Yes. Put the military in charge of the political science brainwashing academies that are teaching flag-burning and hatred of conservatives. That'll do it.

 

[Foxfyre]

Dear Fellow Conservatives:

It pains me to write that our more liberal (generic) brethren seem afflicted with some sort of permanently ingrown blinders that causes a kind of bitter tunnel vision.

They empathise with the poor man who has no job and see the only solution as to buy him groceries and pay his rent to be accomplished by taking the richer man's money and giving it to the poor. They perceive that as the righteous path.

They can't comprehend empathy that feels s man's longing for self worth and dignity that can be restored with a paying job best produced with policies that encourage the richer man to create more jobs. They perceive that as the path of the hard hearted, greedy, and uncompassionate.

Is there anyone with a remedy for this affliction?

Sincerely yours,

Yes. Put the military in charge of the political science brainwashing academies that are teaching flag-burning and hatred of conservatives. That'll do it.

LOL. Well I was thinking maybe something just a weeeeeee bit less extreme. Maybe mandating that honest curriculum in Constitution, the Founders, the concepts of unalienable rights, self governance, and uniquely American values be taught from kindergarten through highschool might turn things around? I honestly think those folks with the blinders don't have a clue what all that is about.

If they did, they would know that empathy that misreads the problem is not a virtue; that extended sympathy that aggravates the problem is a vice; and that modern American conservatism has produced perhaps the most genuinely caring, accepting, and benevolent society that world has ever known.

 

[Vargulf]

I remember watching a newscaster talking to a woman in her twenties several years back and asking her what could be done to help the handicapped.
Her response was that they should be executed.
The newscaster asked her how she could be so callous and her response was to be taken aback and say that she considered herself to be a nice person.
That woman clearly had a lack of empathy toward others and I am sure fits right in with the likes of Glenn Beck and the ultra-right wing conservatives.
There is no empathy from the uber-rich. They are simply money addicts and consider all others to be no more than bugs. They want this nation to be turned into what the third-world nations have for a work force. No unions. No decent wages. No irritating government regulations for the safety of said workers. No environmental regulations. All such things hamper.....more riches.

 

[Bern80]

I remember watching a newscaster talking to a woman in her twenties several years back and asking her what could be done to help the handicapped.
Her response was that they should be executed.
The newscaster asked her how she could be so callous and her response was to be taken aback and say that she considered herself to be a nice person.
That woman clearly had a lack of empathy toward others and I am sure fits right in with the likes of Glenn Beck and the ultra-right wing conservatives.
There is no empathy from the uber-rich. They are simply money addicts and consider all others to be no more than bugs. They want this nation to be turned into what the third-world nations have for a work force. No unions. No decent wages. No irritating government regulations for the safety of said workers. No environmental regulations. All such things hamper.....more riches.

As a rationale person it really is difficult to figure out how people like you become so deluded into believing what is observably, completely false.