Put simply, BJ, the fundamental difference which separates the Left from the right is that true conservatism is based on rugged individualism, while the far left is all about collectivism.
While the radical leftwing moonats are telling us it takes a community (them) to do anything, ie, dependency, the conservative wants the freedom to act alone, the privacy to be left alone, and the durability to deal with adversity and overcome--- alone, ie., independency and self-actualized autonomy.
Our desire to work, think and act alone has been the only thing which has allowed the radical left to grow to the terrible extent they already have.
Even a wild animal in a cage would much rather hunt for and kill its own food than to be locked up being given chopped, cooked meat to eat by a captor in a cage.
It is all about spirit. American spirit. The Left needs us badly, they need our work, our tax money and our votes, but the truth is that we don't need them, and it is that independence, that lack of total control and uncertainty over us that scares the bejesus out of them.