I used to have a better sense of humor before the election.
I am always astonished at the way conservatives love to insist that their ideas are based on logic, while liberals are guided by uninformed, soft-headed emotions. It seems to me to be the exact opposite. Scratch a conservative hard enough, and you'll find the emotional trigger that makes them fear women, freedom (real freedom, not 'freedom'), gays, the poor, those of alternate skin persuasions, legal immigrants, illegal immigrants, intellectuals (how they managed to demonize knowledge is quite a trick, but they done done it!), etc., and makes them sitting ducks for those truly unscrupulous power-whores who use them to advance their real goals - personal power and wealth.
Conservative? Not a chance, friends. Not this bunch. Real conservatives...conserve! Not recklessly spend money they don't have to steal things they have no right to. These guys LOVE welfare and affirmative action, as long it's for their corporate pals and their progeny. Fiscal responsibility is for suckers, and so is civic responsibility and duty to country - you can bet none of their kids' butts are on the front lines in Falloujah; they'll be partying - I mean studying - at the Ivy League college of their parents' legacies.
While they blather on about 'life is precious', they're happy to needlessly and callously expend the lives of our servicemen and women like so many wadded-up tissues in pursuit of their own ends, while destroying any shred of moral authority that the United States was once proud to claim. The vast, yawning chasm between what they say and what they do is tantamount to the Orwellian slogan "WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH". (In searching for the exact quote, I found this: )
4 comments:
Hi Alicia :)
I like your blog because (a) I agree with you on the election and (b) Green Acres was one of my favorite shows growing up. And "Petticoat Junction," too woo hoo :P
Anyhow, with all due respect, as a "compassionate conservative," your last post---aren't you sort of lumping all the the conservatives together? It seems ironic to me that both sides of the debate, as a rule, assume that each member of the party or political persuasion that they disagree with all think with one mind. I went to college in the 70's, and back then, the left was much more intolerant than the right. Now, it seems to me that there is no real difference, when you come down to it, between either the Democrats or the Republicans; they are both out to control our lives, dig into our pockets, and put foreign interests before those of America.
ALthough I have always disliked Kerry personally, (many of my freinds got killed in Viet Namh, and it offended me deeply when I watched those Senate Hearings, and he called my friends "baby killers" when those guys were a victim of the Johnson administration, because LBJ was too proud to back out of that war, just like the guys in Iraq are a Victim of the Bush administration), I supported him over Bush because Bush at best is incompetent, and at worst is evil (yep, I'm a Republican and I think he's evil can ya believe it? :) and I figured well, Kerry on a personal level is sort of a jerk, but he's progressive, and he means well, and if I don't like the job he did I can vote against him in 4 years. But, the red states spoke and there you go. I am glad that he had the class to concede, because that keeps him alive politically, and he learned a lot about campaigning this time, maybe next time if he's the strongest candidate, I can support him more enthusiatically. This time, it was "anything but Bush!"
Anyhow thanks for your time and keep up the good work--I respect your views even if I don't agree 100 %
Bruce :)
Wow, a REAL compassionate conservative? I thought they were just unicorns cooked up by the administration. I'm kidding Bruce.
But there is a difference between true conservatism, and neo-cons. True conservatism believes in small government, fiscal responsibility, and low taxes. While Meatloaf may have said, "two out of three ain't bad," one out of three sucks, and that's about all this administration cares about.
So you're not a Neo-con Bruce, and bless you for making a logical decision over an emotionally hazed one. Personally, I think Kerry's status as a war protestor after his voluntary service in Vietnam was courageous, but then I realize that I see it through the eyes of someone who wasn't alive back then.
Alright, I need to go read some news so I know what I'm talking about.
Mr. M
LOFC.BLOGSPOT.COM
Bruce - thank you so much for your point of view! You are exactly the kind of conservative that gives me hope for a civilized discourse. Yes, you're right; I am ranting here, and lumping all conservatives together is not what I mean to do. Venting my frustration here is what keeps me from just laying down in despair. I hope, as this blog progresses, to move past the emotional and get down to brass tacks - that is, how can we really 'reach across the aisle' - not by bludgeoning each other into submission, but understanding our brothers and sisters on the other side of the street, and helping them to understand us. After all, conservatives are our brothers, sisters, parents, children, co-workers, even (gasp!) spouses. Although we don't agree on everything, I respect you because you presented your viewpoint in a thoughtful and courteous manner - one which deserves respect. The bonus is that it makes me willing to check out where you're coming from, and add your experience and ideas to what I consider when formulating my own point of view.
I'm more hopeful already!
Hi Alicia. I had intended to point out much of what the articulate Bruce has already said, so I'll try not to go on and on. Essentially, both political parties (as political entities) are short-sighted and self-serving. I have trouble involving myself in politics at all, due to almost all politicians proving themselves to be equally corrupt, most of the time. I'm also a Republican, who doesn't like Bush, and would like to see conservatives and liberals (although those words are misused often) able to speak to one another without ranting, raving, and spewing rhetoric.
I don't like large government, would like to see a strong stance on illegal immigration, and favor fiscal conservatism across the board. I don't attend an Ivy League school, and have had no privileges beyond those shared by anyone (probably) who reads this - growing up in a First World nation, which admittedly is a considerable advantage.
Let me just say, though, that I don't think this is a "privilege" as such. My grandparents and great-grandparents and etc. bought this way of life for me with their blood and sweat, and however much anyone may dislike the way America is developing, our system, which many in the world consider intolerant, unsympathetic, and cold, obviously works much of the time - or we wouldn't have the resources to do what we do in the world, right or wrong.
I guess, I see the essence of healthy conservatism as "live and let live"; don't tell me what to do, and I'll leave everyone else alone as well. Of course, there are plenty of conservatives who give the rest of us a bad name. Just wanted you to know, there are plenty of decent, non-Bible thumping, friendly Republicans in the world, willing to chat without rancor.
-E.
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