I'm new here, but guess I will just dive in and give my 2 cents for what it's worth.
Conservatives insist they are for "individual freedom" and work tirelessly to limit women's rights, gay's rights and end anything "anti discrimination".
I do not believe in limiting women's rights. If a woman decides she does not want to go through with a pregnancy, she and she alone must deal and live with this. But I do believe that physicians should NOT be allowed to perform these past the first trimester. With technology we have today, you can found out if you're pregnant practically before you miss your period. It can't be an easy decision to make. I would not want one myself necessarily, but to each his own. If we are talking about women's "rights" though I think we also need to address the issue of self-defense and indepedence, etc. If some asshole is attempting to rape me, I should be able to fight back any way I can, even shoot him if I can. There are a lot of things women have put up with over the years, which they should not. Lots of "rights" here.
When I ask Conservatives to explain their position, it's never clear. Their answers are things like "make better" and "go back to when it was better" and "bring God back".
While a great deal today is definitely better, I believe there was a time when everyone worked together. When "freeloading" was frowned upon. My grandparents and parents grew up during the Great Depression. They refused "relief" from the government and made do, were very independent and self-reliant. People were made to accept responsibility for their actions at one time. You made a choice, you took the blame. I can remember being told as a child "you make your bed, you lie in it."
So, this is THIS liberals view of what it means to be a conservative:
Tax cuts for the wealthy because they make jobs.
As a business owner, at least in MY state, you pay not only self-employement tax, but B&O tax right off the top, no deductions. Then you pay of course all your own social security, medicare, and federal income tax. Increasing and increasing these taxes only means many businesses have to lay off employees, usually last hired, first fired. people who start their own business soon change their tune about taxing the wealthy. The more you make, the more tax you pay. Where does it stop? You make a million bucks, you pay half to the government? for whom? who is the beneficiary of this? Don't you think that said business person would then say, well why should I kill myself making a million bucks if I have to pay half to the goverment. I'm downsizing, so I only make 500,000. Then if he still has to pay half, down size again, until pretty soon NOBODY is making very much, nothing is being paid in taxes to speak of. Then where the government going to get the money for all of the things it wants to spend on?
Morals MUST be legislated. Otherwise, people will run crazy and have sex everywhere if not stopped.
I don't believe in that at all. What goes on between consenting adults. I don't think many people want to "have sex everywhere." Ewww, not a pretty sight.
Science must be "balanced" with God.
Here again, not my thinking either. I do believe in God, but not in organized religion. Science is not exact in many arenas, not at all. One minute you can't drink coffee, it'll ruin your heart; then oh no coffee has antioxidants, and on and on.
We need to return to a better time when blacks knew their place, women were in the kitchen, and gays were in the closet.
I don't know where you heart THAT bit of nonsense. The "place" for blacks is being self-reliant and not dependent on the government. Women in the kitchen? Ask my husband - HE is the cook. My kitchen duties consist of starting the dishwasher!! My "place" is whereever the hell I want to be!! As far as gays, I couldn't care less what they do. That's not even an issue with me. Let em get married, whatever they want.
Stop trying to rebuild America. If a bridge is needed, let the locals build it.
I thought our gas taxes, auto license tabs, taxes, etc. were supposed to pay for road repair, building of bridges and whatnot yes. Unfortunately that money has been spent on Lord only knows what, until they want more and more.
We don't need health care. We have prayer and can go visit a doctor at last resort.
Yes, we DO need healthcare, but not at the direction of the government. Let the company compete, like auto insurance companies do, for the best deal. Or at least let there be healthcare available to those who WANT it I guess, but isn't that already in place - Medicaid? As far as prayer, can't hurt, if I had a loved one in ICU, I'd be saying a few prayers.
We don't need "facts". People are over-educated. Just use common sense.
Again science is not exact. STudies are not conclusive. I take about half of what most scientists say with a grain of salt. I mean driving cars causes glaciers to melt. really? then how did they melt thousands of years ago before cars? THAT's the common sense you might be talking about. Scientists change their minds about everything from soup to nuts -- don't like what they are saying today, tomorrow it will be something else
Democracy is good as long as it doesn't interfere with our Christian Values. Then we may need to "tweak" it.
I don't have any "Christian" values - just the values of common decency and respect for others and treating others as I would like to be treated. Manners, etc.
We need to "return" to basics in education (I can never figure out what that means. Our scientists are coming from somewhere. They didn't all get a private education.)
It means a 10 year old need not know how to put a condom on a banana, they need to learn to read and do basic math at least, science, social studies, etc. They'll be able to then read the condom package and figure it out. It's not rocket science.
I just wish conservatives would explain to me where "education" and "science" fits into their philosophy. What does it mean to the right to be a conservative? Unless I nailed it
I've pretty much told you where I'm coming from. I simply believe that everyone should strive to be the best they can be, be self-reliant and a contributing member of societ instead of a parasite.