Conservative Beliefs

[midcan5]

Doug posted that conservatives are diverse. I am not sure what that even means as all human beings are diverse. Few even have friends who share the same headset. But on the other hand starting in 70's the conservative think tanks and conservative MSM has laid out a list of memes that serve as a guide for conservatives. These ideas are so deeply imprinted in conservatives that you know their answer to any question or situation. The form I wrote them in originally was the contrast between belief and action.

A little dated because of last election but the belief part still holds true. A few names can be swapped, Elizabeth can be swapped for Teresa. lol

*********************

This is a list of concepts and ideas that arrange the way a person thinks about a number of topics. The list includes items that are positive and negative and often it is the degree to which something is believed or used that determines the way they understand any of the issues that face us as Americans. They serve as categories that allow easy classification without thinking or reasoning.

You believe taxes are bad
You believe a government that taxes is bad
You believe Unions are bad
You believe giving tax cuts to those who ship jobs overseas is good
You believe people on welfare are cheaters
You believe welfare is bad
You believe CEOs making 100 million are getting paid fairly
You believe minimum wage is enough
You believe millions of dollars of compensation for the rich is good
You believe helping the poor is bad
You believe government contracts for the rich are good
You believe anyone without a job isn't looking
You support small business but not the Small Business Administration
You support small business but give dividend relief to the large corporations
You support small business but tax breaks go to the top 1%
You support small business but you shop at Walmart
You support small business but you buy foreign products
Government is a bad thing but the military industrial complex is a good thing
Regulation is bad but bailing out failed corporations is good
You talk Jesus and the power of religion but vote more corporate power
You talk family values but vote more corporate power
You talk less government but support more corporate power
You talk honesty but support more corporate power
You believe in a domino theory of actions
You believe in the slippery slope of morals
You believe the liberalism that founded American democracy is now wrong
You protest against so called cultural elitism not corporate greed
You protest against abortion not lack of education and funding
You protest against evolution not the inequality of wages
You protest against atheism not poor living conditions
You have to believe a few cells is a person but bombing living people is fine
A few cells is a person but executions are fine
A few cells is a person but executing retarded people is fine
A few cells is a person but supporting medical research that could save lives is bad
A few cells is a person but the child that dies every minute doesn't matter
A few cells is a person but food supports are bad
A few cells is a person but sex education about it is bad
A few cells is a person but condoms are bad
We invaded Iraq because it was a threat to us
We invaded Iraq because they didn't follow UN resolution 1441
We invaded Iraq because they didn't allow UN inspectors
We invaded Iraq because Saddam was a bad man
We invaded Iraq to free the Iraqi people
We invaded Iraq to form a democracy in the middle east
You believe education is good but don't support it
You believe education is a good thing but we don't need public schools
You believe education is a good thing so long as they teach your values and religion
You say 'leave no child behind' but make sure the rich get further ahead
You impose 'No Child' laws but let the states pay for it
You say 'compassionate' but cut back support for food for children
You say 'compassionate' but withdraw aid for after school programs
You say 'compassionate' but weaken international laws that protect child
You believe it's ok to be armed but one ounce of pot is a jail sentence
You believe it's ok to be armed but medical marijuana is bad
You believe it's ok to be armed but song lyrics should be banned
You believe it's ok to be armed and those who aren't are out of touch with reality
You believe it is ok that women do not have the same rights as men
You believe women should be quiet and in the background
You believe women are ok but you hate Hilary
You believe women are ok but you hate Teresa
You support women but close the Office for Women's Initiatives
You support women but remove medically accurate information from the web
You believe tariffs are bad unless you are a corporate farmer
You believe tariffs are bad unless it helps win votes
You believe free trade is fine so long as it doesn't affect your corporate contributors
You believe affirmative action is bad but connections are ok
You believe global warming is myth
You believe pollution is not an issue
You believe the environment will take care of itself
You believe we must roll back the New Deal
You believe interfering in the lives of gays is proper
You believe interfering in the lives who choose to die is proper
You believe government is bad unless it enforces your values
You believe government is bad unless it is bails out corporations
You believe government is bad unless it builds more prisons
You believe creating laws that impose on personal freedoms is good
You believe that what another citizen is doing in their bedroom is your concern
You believe if it is not something you believe in then it is wrong
You believe you support the military
You believe you support the military while you cut back their benefits
You believe you support the military while you close VA hospitals
You believe you support the military while you send them to war with no plan
You believe you support the military while your candidates never served
You believe creationism is good science
You believe Evolution is just a theory
You believe media is liberal
You believe Limbaugh is right on
You believe Hannity is right on
You believe Coulter is right on
You believe Savage is right on
You believe Ingram is right on
You believe the WSJ editorial page is right on
You believe Fox is fair and balanced
You believe media is liberal
You believe Bush is a common man even though he has never worked nor served
You believe Cheney is a common man even with a 55 million paycheck
You believe the republicans represent the common man while the corporations support them
You believe liberal or elitist is bad
You believe some people are bad because of the coffee they drink
You believe some people are bad because they read
You believe some people are bad because they have traveled
You believe people are bad because of the car they drive
You believe people are bad because they honor dissent in America
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but culture that defines us
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but religion that defines us
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but political affiliation that defines us
You must believe as you believe in nothing else that your opponent's ideas are bad
You must never concede that your opponent has a valid point you must repeat that
You must finally raise your partisanship to an ideology that you believe as a child believes
You believe you do not reason
You believe you do not think
You believe

The scariest thing about the new right is the power it has on many. They do not question the assumptions it makes, they start at the top of this list and they find there truths that should not be questioned. An irony of this is the pieces by themselves are not always negative it is rather the combination of all working together that are a threat to individual and economic freedoms.

 

[Paulie]

Listen bro...it wasn't always this way.

It's just how it is NOW.

But that doesn't mean you have to vote for ANY candidate who proves that list completely true.

There are other options besides the one's that the corporate media shove down our throats.

You can't just bitch about the system, if you are still going to let that system dictate your life.

I read that list, and I only picked out a fraction of it that defines Ron Paul. and NONE of the one's that sounded the most horrible, either. The best thing about the man, is that even IF he shares those beliefs in that list, if the constitution doesn't authorize it, he doesn't even support the Federal government playing a role in it.

If you're a liberal in the truest sense of the word, then that's fine. But having a man like Ron as our president would NOT be a bad thing for the people of America. I've talked to countless liberals about him, and the response i get is great.

Don't let the media sway your beliefs, make up your OWN mind.

 

[Doug]

As I skimmed through the list of points in the initial post, I was thinking ... how can anyone who knows anything about the conservative movement say this? As I got toward the end, I was laughing ... because of the coffee they drink? Is this a put-on?

But of course, few people on the Left know anything about the conservative movement.

And this is understandable. Your knowledge of conservatism comes from Fox News, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and the people who post on these Boards, most of whom have politics which are within that framework.

Why should you read our journals, or follow our debates on the Web? (Although I will say, without intending to hurt anyone's feelings, that some of the leftists and liberals who post on this Board don't seem to read very much of anything at all. If this is the case, all is lost.)

Most people are comfortable with the beliefs and prejudices they have. So be it. But if anyone on the Left here would like to see some conservative politcal diversity, why not choose an issue, and I'll show you the astonishing range of conservative thought on it.

Go on: gay rights, abortion, the war, immigration ... pick anything, one of these or something else. (If you find something substantial on which all conservatives agree, I will rejoice.)

 

[JimH52]

"You believe Limbaugh is right on
You believe Hannity is right on
You believe Coulter is right on"

Talk about three scarey people!

But I believe the list was overstated dogma at its best. Those are the principles of conservatism as expressed by a liberal. I know a few conservatives who actually prove all of them true but only a few.

Why do we gravitate to extremes? What is wrong with the middle? I try to live there and life is very comfortable!

 

[AllieBaba]

Only scary if you fear the truth.

Which libs, by and large, do.

 

[JimH52]

Do you realize that Ann Coulter is emotionally disturbed? The woman definitely needs help!

 

[Annie]

Doug posted that conservatives are diverse. I am not sure what that even means as all human beings are diverse. Few even have friends who share the same headset. But on the other hand starting in 70's the conservative think tanks and conservative MSM has laid out a list of memes that serve as a guide for conservatives. These ideas are so deeply imprinted in conservatives that you know their answer to any question or situation. The form I wrote them in originally was the contrast between belief and action.

A little dated because of last election but the belief part still holds true. A few names can be swapped, Elizabeth can be swapped for Teresa. lol

*********************

This is a list of concepts and ideas that arrange the way a person thinks about a number of topics. The list includes items that are positive and negative and often it is the degree to which something is believed or used that determines the way they understand any of the issues that face us as Americans. They serve as categories that allow easy classification without thinking or reasoning.

You believe taxes are bad nope
You believe a government that taxes is bad nope
You believe Unions are bad mostly
You believe giving tax cuts to those who ship jobs overseas is good nope
You believe people on welfare are cheaters nope
You believe welfare is bad yes
You believe CEOs making 100 million are getting paid fairly depends
You believe minimum wage is enough don't think there should be one
You believe millions of dollars of compensation for the rich is good depends
You believe helping the poor is bad not necessarily
You believe government contracts for the rich are good depends
You believe anyone without a job isn't looking no shit
You support small business but not the Small Business Administration nope
You support small business but give dividend relief to the large corporations nope
You support small business but tax breaks go to the top 1% nope
You support small business but you shop at Walmart lol
You support small business but you buy foreign products lol
Government is a bad thing but the military industrial complex is a good thing huh?
Regulation is bad but bailing out failed corporations is good huh?
You talk Jesus and the power of religion but vote more corporate power huh?
You talk family values but vote more corporate power lol
You talk less government but support more corporate power wrong
You talk honesty but support more corporate power truly, you're full of shit
You believe in a domino theory of actions hardly
You believe in the slippery slope of morals see above
You believe the liberalism that founded American democracy is now wrong lol
You protest against so called cultural elitism not corporate greed bs
You protest against abortion not lack of education and funding hardly
You protest against evolution not the inequality of wages clueless
You protest against atheism not poor living conditions not a once
You have to believe a few cells is a person but bombing living people is fine not
A few cells is a person but executions are fine clueless
A few cells is a person but executing retarded people is fine clueless
A few cells is a person but supporting medical research that could save lives is bad clueless
A few cells is a person but the child that dies every minute doesn't matter clueless
A few cells is a person but food supports are bad clueless
A few cells is a person but sex education about it is bad clueless
A few cells is a person but condoms are bad clueless
We invaded Iraq because it was a threat to us liar
We invaded Iraq because they didn't follow UN resolution 1441 liar
We invaded Iraq because they didn't allow UN inspectors liar
We invaded Iraq because Saddam was a bad man liar
We invaded Iraq to free the Iraqi people misrepresent
We invaded Iraq to form a democracy in the middle east true
You believe education is good but don't support it clueless
You believe education is a good thing but we don't need public schools clueless
You believe education is a good thing so long as they teach your values and religion clueless
You say 'leave no child behind' but make sure the rich get further ahead clueless
You impose 'No Child' laws but let the states pay for it clueless
You say 'compassionate' but cut back support for food for children clueless
You say 'compassionate' but withdraw aid for after school programs clueless
You say 'compassionate' but weaken international laws that protect child clueless
You believe it's ok to be armed but one ounce of pot is a jail sentence clueless
You believe it's ok to be armed but medical marijuana is bad clueless
You believe it's ok to be armed but song lyrics should be banned clueless
You believe it's ok to be armed and those who aren't are out of touch with reality clueless
You believe it is ok that women do not have the same rights as men clueless
You believe women should be quiet and in the background clueless
You believe women are ok but you hate Hilary clueless
You believe women are ok but you hate Teresa clueless
You support women but close the Office for Women's Initiatives clueless
You support women but remove medically accurate information from the web clueless
You believe tariffs are bad unless you are a corporate farmer clueless
You believe tariffs are bad unless it helps win votes clueless
You believe free trade is fine so long as it doesn't affect your corporate contributors clueless
You believe affirmative action is bad but connections are ok clueless
You believe global warming is myth it is in all likelihood
You believe pollution is not an issue clueless
You believe the environment will take care of itself clueless
You believe we must roll back the New Deal clueless
You believe interfering in the lives of gays is proper nope
You believe interfering in the lives who choose to die is proper clueless
You believe government is bad unless it enforces your values clueless
You believe government is bad unless it is bails out corporations clueless
You believe government is bad unless it builds more prisons clueless
You believe creating laws that impose on personal freedoms is good clueless
You believe that what another citizen is doing in their bedroom is your concern clueless
You believe if it is not something you believe in then it is wrong clueless
You believe you support the military clueless
You believe you support the military while you cut back their benefits clueless
You believe you support the military while you close VA hospitals clueless
You believe you support the military while you send them to war with no plan clueless
You believe you support the military while your candidates never served clueless
You believe creationism is good science clueless
You believe Evolution is just a theory clueless
You believe media is liberal it is, proven
You believe Limbaugh is right on clueless
You believe Hannity is right on clueless
You believe Coulter is right on clueless
You believe Savage is right on clueless
You believe Ingram is right on clueless
You believe the WSJ editorial page is right on clueless
You believe Fox is fair and balanced clueless
You believe media is liberal clueless
You believe Bush is a common man even though he has never worked nor served clueless
You believe Cheney is a common man even with a 55 million paycheck clueless
You believe the republicans represent the common man while the corporations support them clueless
You believe liberal or elitist is bad clueless
You believe some people are bad because of the coffee they drink clueless
You believe some people are bad because they read clueless
You believe some people are bad because they have traveled clueless
You believe people are bad because of the car they drive clueless
You believe people are bad because they honor dissent in America clueless
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but culture that defines us clueless
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but religion that defines us clueless
You believe it is not honesty and hard work but political affiliation that defines us clueless
You must believe as you believe in nothing else that your opponent's ideas are bad clueless
You must never concede that your opponent has a valid point you must repeat that clueless
You must finally raise your partisanship to an ideology that you believe as a child believes clueless
You believe you do not reason clueless
You believe you do not think full of shit
You believe

The scariest thing about the new right is the power it has on many. They do not question the assumptions it makes, they start at the top of this list and they find there truths that should not be questioned. An irony of this is the pieces by themselves are not always negative it is rather the combination of all working together that are a threat to individual and economic freedoms.

you are so wedded to your prejudices, you wouldn't know a potential ally if they clapped you on the back.

 

[doniston]

As I skimmed through the list of points in the initial post, I was thinking ... how can anyone who knows anything about the conservative movement say this? As I got toward the end, I was laughing ... because of the coffee they drink? Is this a put-on?

But of course, few people on the Left know anything about the conservative movement.

And this is understandable. Your knowledge of conservatism comes from Fox News, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and the people who post on these Boards, most of whom have politics which are within that framework.

Why should you read our journals, or follow our debates on the Web? (Although I will say, without intending to hurt anyone's feelings, that some of the leftists and liberals who post on this Board don't seem to read very much of anything at all. If this is the case, all is lost.)

Most people are comfortable with the beliefs and prejudices they have. So be it. But if anyone on the Left here would like to see some conservative politcal diversity, why not choose an issue, and I'll show you the astonishing range of conservative thought on it.

Go on: gay rights, abortion, the war, immigration ... pick anything, one of these or something else. (If you find something substantial on which all conservatives agree, I will rejoice.)

well, since it appears there are as many gays (if not more) on the coinseravie side, That won't prove anthing.

Immigration doesn't seem particularly devisive either, that leaves abortion, and the war--- take your pick

 

[midcan5]

Remember 'latta drinking liberals' from the last presidential election. Some right wingnut agitprop does date. The list is obviously hyperbole but isn't that the point of good political stone throwing? Actually in my liberal wired heart, I thought the list too harsh but then I hear many of cons on this site and I thought....

Doug, where is your how to argue with a liberal? please post or email it to me, I'm dying to see it.

 

[Alpha1]

Mid....after reading that rant, its obvious you don't have a clue about anything conservatives believe....
At first I was tempted to reply to each one, but on further reflection, I come to the conclusion that if you actually believe what you posted, it would be a waste of my time....
Its rather astounding that you can show such an ignorance of a topic....

So if you think you don't pay enough in taxes...send the IRS some more
If you think Corporations are evil, and CEO get paid too much,don't work for one.
If you don't like Fox News...don't tune in...
And the rest of your beliefs show just much too ignorance to even reply to...

But the bottom line is...don't fuckin' preach to me about what I believe, you don't really have a clue in the first place....but if would like to defend any one of your inane points, pick one, I'm sure someone would try explain things to you..

 

[midcan5]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

Edit

Oh and remember liberals only drove Volvos.

 

[Gunny]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

You believe giving tax cuts to those who ship jobs overseas is good

Bullshit and ....

You believe it's ok to be armed but one ounce of pot is a jail sentence
You believe it's ok to be armed but medical marijuana is bad
You believe it's ok to be armed but song lyrics should be banned
You believe it's ok to be armed and those who aren't are out of touch with reality

... more bullshit.

And quite frankly, most of the accusations I see in your initial post are stupid, and without substance. I had to search like hell to find any that were even close to factual.

 

[Alpha1]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

Well, start at the top....

"You believe taxes are bad"....WRONG

No Conservative will state flatly that "taxes are bad".....

Of course, taxes are a burden....a necessary burden, in order to finance an orderly, safe, and functioning government and country, infrastructure and military....and need to be imposed on all citizens in a fair and equal manner....

Now EXCESSIVE taxes are wrong...taxes that are imposed in order to advance a political agenda, akin to bribing a section of the electorate to get votes....

No tax law should be imposed against one sector of citizens to advance a special privilege for another segment of citizens....

 

[Alpha1]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

Edit

Oh and remember liberals only drove Volvos.

# 2....You believe a government that taxes is bad..WRONG

Same as above.....

 

[Alpha1]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

Edit

Oh and remember liberals only drove Volvos.

#3...You believe Unions are bad ...WRONG

Some unions are honest and fight for fair and equal treatment of the members. Pay...seniority...safe working conditions...etc....I belonged to a union for 36 years.....

Some unions are riddled with crooks, organized crime and literally steal the member dues for their personal use....make unfair demands on companys and/or state governments...and use members dues to bribe politicians for favorable treatment at the expense of others....
And example...here, our school teachers have negotiated this....the teachers 401K money profits, naturally belong to them...if they should suffer a loss in the stock market, the taxpayers must make up the loss...so they have a no lose proposition .... nice if you can get it....totally freekin' unfair for the rest of us....

 

[Alpha1]

I was reading through them and thought which are not true of conservatives today and other right wingnuts in America today. A few are arguable statements but can a conservative tell me even one that is not true? Please, one or two only.

The coffee, reading, travel comments are dated as they were reactions to political right wingnut ads during the 2004 election.

Edit

Oh and remember liberals only drove Volvos.

You believe people on welfare are cheaters ...WRONG
You believe welfare is bad ...WRONG

Some citizens, through some misfortune, find themselves in need of the necessities of life, and of course deserve a helping hand from our tax dollars...
We believe in a helping hand, not a hand out....
We believe in personal responsibility,

We don't condone welfare to continue for the next 3 generations of those in need...if the best you can do is flip bergers after losing your VP spot in some company, then thats where you start......we all started somewhere
Unless you're disabled and can't work...find yourself a job,
4.4% unemployment and 20 million illegals can.... Conservatives will help those that help themselves....

 

[midcan5]

Welfare is too easy, Unions are too easy, see below. I often read conservative sites and commentary to check out what they are preaching today. I have found that for many, many years it is the same baloney. It does not build up or help rectify a situation, rather it beats down the particular idea, be it social security, welfare, taxes, or unions. It is like the wife who beats her husband but then says, I really do love you, and if you conform to my rules, the beatings will diminish.

Reagan's Cadillac mom and lazy union people is so well founded in the conservative psyche I am surprised you even mention them.

Both of these are from the 'Intellectual Conservative.' Glad to see they include libertarian now, I have always maintained Libertarian is more conservative than liberal. You see the focus in both pieces. The focus is irrelevant, the results of both are viewed negatively.

"A Conservative Perspective on Social Welfare Policy" by Bruce A. Thyer

"Self-help, family-provided assistance, help provided by local churches, temples and mosques, or by one’s town, city or state, should be the first-choice service providers, where feasible, with federal services the option of last resort.

or unions
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/04/03/labor-unions-double-edged-blade/


I'll comment later on other remarks.

 

[Alpha1]

If your next comment to my post are going to be like the last one...save your fingertips....

PSYCHOBABBLE won't win you any points here....nice try though...

 

[Diuretic]

Interesting to see the outrage when conservatives are told what their beliefs are. Not a nice feeling is it?

 

[midcan5]

Alpha1,

You do realize these lean towards stereotyping you fine upstanding righties. That is their purpose. But there is more than a hint of truth in them as well and that is what my psychobabble is trying to convey. If you gave a test it could be multiple guess or one of those fancy psychology test where you must pick what you think of government, welfare, taxes, unions; would a liberal and conservative test the same? For instance, our Government is: you can only pick one, a. too large b. a necessary evil c. inefficient d. essential to democracy - your choice would be? Unions are the foundation of the middle class or unnecessary and wasteful today. My point is the issues are more complicated than you allow and the outcome of your policies are not good for a democratic society. If these conservative memes were not true then Unions would not be viewed so negatively by the right nor Walmart so highly.