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Fri 24 Jan, 2003 01:20 pm
I thought it might be an interesting exercise to ask people to do the following:
1) State whether you identify yourself as a liberal or a conservative.
(For the purposes of this exercise identifying yourself as a "moderate", "libertarian", or other will not be useful. Try to pick either liberal or conservative based on what most people would consider your views to be.)
2) Identify one person, policy, or program that is strongly identified with the opposite political persuasion that you like or approve of, and explain why. (If you are X, tell us one person, policy, or program from Y that you like or with which you disagree, or something a Y politician did that you admire...)
PLEASE refrain from using this discussion to attack or insult the other side. That runs contrary to the point, and there's plenty of room for that elsewhere in A2K. Thanks.
Well, well...
If we can successfully check partisanship at the door, this should prove to be a really neat thread.
I am basically conservative:
I do not believe R v W should be overturned, though I suspect there are many other conservative realists who think the same way.
Although Faith Based initiatives seem like a well-intentioned assist to church programs which are successful, I have not come to a pro-FBI stance, because of concerns about Church and State issues.
Don't believe the Dem party is useless. Think we have come this far due to two party system. Think GOP protects industry and Dems protect environment. (Example) One keeps the other from going off too far in one direction.
I will probably be back with more...
Hope you get lots of responses.
I think this is really a nice idea, too. I wrote something then realized there was backhanded stuff in it and didn't post. Will think more. That part -- the thinking, the researching the other perspective -- is what I like about this.
sozobe wrote:I think this is really a nice idea, too. I wrote something then realized there was backhanded stuff in it and didn't post. Will think more. That part -- the thinking, the researching the other perspective -- is what I like about this.
Sozobe - Yes, keeping our natural tendency to editorialize in check may be difficult, but thanks for thinking before your strike! I look forward to what you have to offer.
Lash Goth wrote:Don't believe the Dem party is useless.
Um, this is
not exactly what I had in mind. :wink: Maybe you can come up with something a bit more positive?
Big, respectful kudos to sozobe for self-editing 'back-handed stuff'.
(I know, its HARD.)
trespassers!!
I said I DON'T THINK THEY"RE USELESS. Many Repubs think they are. It was a compliment to their usefulness in our two party system. And a point where I differ from many Republicans.
You be unfair to me.
I'm by no means a hard-liner, but I guess I lean to the right (darn these shoes!)
I have to stand with the Liberals who oppose the 'war' against Iraq. There hasn't been (to my satisfaction) proof of WMDs: if there was going to be anything found, why hasn't it turned up by now? If the US gov't has evidence against Iraq, why don't they just show it to us? I'll support a war against Iraq ONLY if an imminent danger can be proven. I like to think of the US as being slow to war and never throwing the first stone. That isn't what is happening here.
casting aside the labels of Republican/Democrat since neither are consistent with political/philosophical doctrines. I am a Liberal, (as in Progressive) what i have traditionally valued as a conservative ethic is personal autonomy, which has, in my opinion been totally abandoned by both sides of the aisle.
Lash Goth wrote:trespassers!!
I said I DON'T THINK THEY"RE USELESS. Many Repubs think they are. It was a compliment to their usefulness in our two party system. And a point where I differ from many Republicans.
You be unfair to me.
Not at all, just trying to keep a lid on things. Keep in mind that how you mean it isn't always how it comes across. From here it smacked a bit of a back-handed compliment, sort of like saying, "You know, you're not as ugly as I first thought." :wink:
- TW
Actually I'd like to join.
Unfortunately, this is a thread for US-Americans only.
Conservative
Support liberal opposition to faith based initiatives.
trespasser--
OK. Will watch wording more closely, as not to appear as back-handing.
Amendment to #3 of my original post.
Differing to many conservatives, I believe the liberal party guards against moving too far to the right of many issues; the environment, social programs, reproductive rights... Probably many more if I thought hard.
Hi, I'm back! Figured if I went too long without posting that'd be a statement itself.
("Something good about a conservative position... hmm... no... ummm... not that either... errrrrrr..."
)
I like the concept of "No Child Left Behind", and visited this website to learn more:
http://www.nclb.gov/next/overview/index.html
I especially like this:
Quote:For the first time, parents with children in a school identified as in need of improvement will be able to use federal education funds for what are called "supplemental education services." Those services include tutoring, after school services, and summer school programs.
I'm impressed at the range of choices provided, and like that this one is so immediate and "low impact" -- the solution goes to the student rather than the student having to go to the solution, as with changing schools (although that may sometimes be the better option).
This is good, too:
Quote:Schools and teachers will get a boost from the more than $4 billion in 2002 that allows schools to promote teacher quality through training and recruitment.
People say I am a liberal however not in my mind. In any event I think that affirmative action has seen it's day and I side with Bush VS the University of Michigan's enrollment policies.
I hope more people will join in on this discussion. I'm finding it interesting seeing where people cross over on certain issues.
- TW
GREAT Idea for a thread, Tress!
And your challenge is well constructed. I'm definitely gonna get back here when I can think clearly enough to try to make some sense. I'd like to see this thread to get lots of action ... it sure opens some intriguiing and challenging thoughtlines!
timber
I am a liberal.
I tend to favor the conservative view of unincumbered free speech. By that I mean I think one ought to be able to address controversial questions without being subject to arbitrary rules of political correctness; however, I say this with the proviso that conservatives have their own long list of politically correct issues from which one dare not deviate is speech. I think the best antidote to bad speech is good argument.
A further disclaimer: Note that above I said I "TEND" to favor...
There are some people who resort to disgusting political speech. This is virtually always a bad idea.
Also by speech, in this context, I'm talking about verbal speech. I don't think we should be allowed to dynamite our opponent's property as a means of making a statement.
I hope I have not said anything offensive, but I just want to narrow down what I mean.
I can see the conservative side of the same sex marriage debate.
I also can see both sides of the abottion debate.
I'm a Conservative. I'll wait politely while the audience settles down from the shock of that revelation ...
Well, OkeeDokee then ... that didn't take long.
While I personally am against abortion for a number of reasons, I do not feel it should be a matter controlled by legislation. I would let R. Vs W. stand.
timber
Well, I am happy to find out that I am not the only anomalous person on A2K.
I believe that the government should be as small as possible and still be able run itself in a practical fashion. I think that the government is bloated with programs, that are better, and more efficiently done privately. I used to think that the conservatives had the edge on economy of government, but I realize that they spend as much as liberals, but only on different things.
I believe that people have the right to live their own lives, with as little government interference as possible. The liberals are strong on that in some issues, but not in others.
I am pro-choice, and anti gun control. I see no contradiction, because both issues concern individual freedom. I highly disapprove of faith based funding, because IMO this is a blatant attempt of blurring the lines between church and state.
TW- I cannot label myself. Bottom line, there are facets of conservatism and liberalism to which I both agree and disagree.
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