Liberal
Content
Austin Jackson Government 4/12/12 Liberal vs. Conservative What is the difference between a liberal and a conservative? The basic definition of liberal is: Favorable to progress and reform. While the basic definition of conservative is: Disposed to preserve existing conditions. Keep in mind this is a generalization of either the majority or of those who are “representing” these ideals. Let‟s break down conservative ideology first. Conservatives, in my opinion, tend to mainly focus on the economy first and then think about social policies. Their view on the economy is that government has no place in it, that the free capitalistic market should be left alone, that if it falls on hard times it will naturally adapt and correct itself. They hate to tax the people, and will cut spending to almost anything to lower taxes on the people, that is except for militaristic reasons. Conservatives are very pro-war in most situations, and are always looking for the next thing to add to their military strength. They are also anti entitlement program such as welfare. On their social side of the chart, conservatives very much want things to stay the same, they want traditional values to be implemented, and in America “traditional values” means the Christian faith. The are usually Anti-Gay marriage, Pro increased punishment of criminals, such as death penalty, pro-life, pro-gun, they tend to lean to the side of big corporations when making any decisions, such as Ryan Budget that provides huge tax cuts on the Oil industries, and are normally willing to sacrifice liberties of the people to protect the nation. Liberals on the economic side feel that the government should be involved in the economy to some degree; they feel that the market has to be regulated in order to provide a fair chance for the smaller business owners. They are normally for higher government spending, especially into entitlement programs, healthcare, and other programs that help the underprivileged. On their social side, liberals favor equality for all, they are pro-gay, pro-choice, anti-war, anti-war on drugs, they favor the people over corporations, pro-freedom of speech, want gun restrictions, open to all religious practices, want complete separation of church and state, and do not want such a large gap between the poor and the richest 1%, and never want to restrict the personal liberties of the people. A brief rundown of that is, Conservative‟s want to be out of the economy and into your personal life, while Liberals want to be in the economy and out of your personal life.
The quiz we took the other day told me I was a liberal at 21 answers. I agree with that considering the fact I have researched into each ideology, as well as many minor ones, before to better understand where my beliefs fit in. I think it was quite accurate into how liberal I am other than the fact it was only an x axis scale, and not the detailed pretty one above ^^^. As a side note I think one day you should bring the laptops in and have the students take this quiz, it is quite good. Why am I a liberal? Well start with my lesser concern, the economy. I will admit I am not the most knowledgeable in economics so most of my stances here are likely to change once I learn more and more about what helps the market. I believe that for America to be called “The Land of Opportunity” that the market has to be controlled to some degree, monopolies do not help the economy, they only drive out all competition, and when you have no competition there is no innovation, that is actually one of the major flaws that Communism has, lack of will to innovate, if you keep the market in a regulated state that promotes the more innovative and forward progressing company over the one that happens to be richer and more you will benefit the country. Then you start to run into the problem of “They worked hard to be on top why should the government stop them?” and that is an extremely valid point, one that while I feel it is necessary, is bad. But then one could say that (example) someone ran for the President of the U.S, and he/she worked hard, appealed to the people and eventually won the election, then he/she decided to become an etch-a-sketch and go against his or her promises to the American people and do something they don‟t agree with (I‟m looking at you Romney.) Should He/she stay on top because they worked hard? That‟s what a lot of corporations do now days, especially big oil. They have an extremely large voice in our politics, they‟ve snuffed out almost all attempts to find better, cleaner, more efficient fuel in the name of their profit, and their only goal is to increase their income. If Monopolies like that were regulated in a way that doesn‟t necessarily hurt them but weakens the ability to effect other business and promote innovation, in this case for a cleaner more efficient energy source. Now that my economic rant is over lets go to
my fun side, the social side. This is where I become quite far left, and start to get sick of looking at the right. I believe in freedom, that all men and women are created equal regardless of their race, sex, nationality, religion, culture, the way the act, their preferred gender, their style, anything. They are Human Beings. A government has not one single right to ever tell someone to “not act like that we don‟t agree with it.” A government is there to give people order, to tell provided for them, and to defend their freedoms at all cost. And not in the name of money. This country should not be ruled by those with an “I am Holier Than Thou” agenda. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” is our first amendment for a reason. This country was founded on freedom from religious persecution. For those with non-Christian faith, to those with none at all. Their beliefs are not shared by everyone. I will not tolerate the people that “rule over me” hate those that are different, tell them they don‟t have access to the basic, not even a right, a part of the human being, an emotion called Love just because they are the same gender and “My religion says I can‟t do that, so neither can you!” If these are the people we want to rule this country, the ones filled with the most hate, and intolerance making the decisions for me, and my future generations, I vote that instead of ask them to leave we walk them out the door ourselves. I want freedom and equality for all. Onto war, War is not something that you just use at your leisure just because you want something. To take your advanced, cutting edge, insanely large “Army of Freedom” into some country for oil, but tell everyone that “We‟re spreading Democracy!” That in a basic sense is Fascism, “that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader” War should only be implemented if the nation is under direct attack, call from allies that are under direct attack, or in a country is so out of hand someone needs to step in, BUT! It is not America‟s job to be „The Crusader of Democracy!!!” There needs to be an organization (like the U.N. but actually works) that would come in and either try to fix or say “we cannot do anything” and declare war, and then America can enter. Now for sacrifices of personal liberties and National security, The NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) was a bill that tried to pass, but was not, that would make it legal for U.S citizens to be arrested, and imprisoned indefinitely without trial for stating something that could be considered “Terrorist sympathetic”. Completely nullifying something we like to call “Freedom of Speech” and just the other day the supreme court ruled in a 5-4 ruling (the five votes coming for the five conservative judges) that anyone arrested, even accidently, no matter how minor the offence can be strip searched. Jon Stewart said the conservatives “The “defending personal liberty” guys. Which is weird because I‟m not a constitutional scholar, but I‟m willing to bet Big Government feels it‟s biggest when it‟s inside your anus.” Even if you are a criminal, you still have rights, you can‟t be treated like an animal, you are to be tried, convicted, and unless in the case of an extreme crime, some sort of rehab. Norway‟s prison system has a max sentence of normally 21 years, and prisoners instead of being grouped together in a concrete building are placed in an open environment rehabilitation area, where they receive counseling, and other forms of rehabilitation. And they have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. (Note prisoners do not immediately go to these systems; they spend a short time in a normal jail then
are sent here. Still no death or life sentence.” Ive burned threw a few pages so I should stop ranting and give a summary. I am liberal because I value People over money. That all people no matter what, are all the same. We are Human. And I will not stand idle while the “Leaders of Freedom and Equality of the World” discriminate, and treat their fellow humans and Americans as less than them. That they will dismiss the poor, the sick, the gay, the atheist, the Muslim, the blacks, the Mexicans, the Asians, the women or any other minority just because “They are different and don‟t agree with me.”
The quiz we took the other day told me I was a liberal at 21 answers. I agree with that considering the fact I have researched into each ideology, as well as many minor ones, before to better understand where my beliefs fit in. I think it was quite accurate into how liberal I am other than the fact it was only an x axis scale, and not the detailed pretty one above ^^^. As a side note I think one day you should bring the laptops in and have the students take this quiz, it is quite good. Why am I a liberal? Well start with my lesser concern, the economy. I will admit I am not the most knowledgeable in economics so most of my stances here are likely to change once I learn more and more about what helps the market. I believe that for America to be called “The Land of Opportunity” that the market has to be controlled to some degree, monopolies do not help the economy, they only drive out all competition, and when you have no competition there is no innovation, that is actually one of the major flaws that Communism has, lack of will to innovate, if you keep the market in a regulated state that promotes the more innovative and forward progressing company over the one that happens to be richer and more you will benefit the country. Then you start to run into the problem of “They worked hard to be on top why should the government stop them?” and that is an extremely valid point, one that while I feel it is necessary, is bad. But then one could say that (example) someone ran for the President of the U.S, and he/she worked hard, appealed to the people and eventually won the election, then he/she decided to become an etch-a-sketch and go against his or her promises to the American people and do something they don‟t agree with (I‟m looking at you Romney.) Should He/she stay on top because they worked hard? That‟s what a lot of corporations do now days, especially big oil. They have an extremely large voice in our politics, they‟ve snuffed out almost all attempts to find better, cleaner, more efficient fuel in the name of their profit, and their only goal is to increase their income. If Monopolies like that were regulated in a way that doesn‟t necessarily hurt them but weakens the ability to effect other business and promote innovation, in this case for a cleaner more efficient energy source. Now that my economic rant is over lets go to
my fun side, the social side. This is where I become quite far left, and start to get sick of looking at the right. I believe in freedom, that all men and women are created equal regardless of their race, sex, nationality, religion, culture, the way the act, their preferred gender, their style, anything. They are Human Beings. A government has not one single right to ever tell someone to “not act like that we don‟t agree with it.” A government is there to give people order, to tell provided for them, and to defend their freedoms at all cost. And not in the name of money. This country should not be ruled by those with an “I am Holier Than Thou” agenda. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” is our first amendment for a reason. This country was founded on freedom from religious persecution. For those with non-Christian faith, to those with none at all. Their beliefs are not shared by everyone. I will not tolerate the people that “rule over me” hate those that are different, tell them they don‟t have access to the basic, not even a right, a part of the human being, an emotion called Love just because they are the same gender and “My religion says I can‟t do that, so neither can you!” If these are the people we want to rule this country, the ones filled with the most hate, and intolerance making the decisions for me, and my future generations, I vote that instead of ask them to leave we walk them out the door ourselves. I want freedom and equality for all. Onto war, War is not something that you just use at your leisure just because you want something. To take your advanced, cutting edge, insanely large “Army of Freedom” into some country for oil, but tell everyone that “We‟re spreading Democracy!” That in a basic sense is Fascism, “that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader” War should only be implemented if the nation is under direct attack, call from allies that are under direct attack, or in a country is so out of hand someone needs to step in, BUT! It is not America‟s job to be „The Crusader of Democracy!!!” There needs to be an organization (like the U.N. but actually works) that would come in and either try to fix or say “we cannot do anything” and declare war, and then America can enter. Now for sacrifices of personal liberties and National security, The NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) was a bill that tried to pass, but was not, that would make it legal for U.S citizens to be arrested, and imprisoned indefinitely without trial for stating something that could be considered “Terrorist sympathetic”. Completely nullifying something we like to call “Freedom of Speech” and just the other day the supreme court ruled in a 5-4 ruling (the five votes coming for the five conservative judges) that anyone arrested, even accidently, no matter how minor the offence can be strip searched. Jon Stewart said the conservatives “The “defending personal liberty” guys. Which is weird because I‟m not a constitutional scholar, but I‟m willing to bet Big Government feels it‟s biggest when it‟s inside your anus.” Even if you are a criminal, you still have rights, you can‟t be treated like an animal, you are to be tried, convicted, and unless in the case of an extreme crime, some sort of rehab. Norway‟s prison system has a max sentence of normally 21 years, and prisoners instead of being grouped together in a concrete building are placed in an open environment rehabilitation area, where they receive counseling, and other forms of rehabilitation. And they have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. (Note prisoners do not immediately go to these systems; they spend a short time in a normal jail then
are sent here. Still no death or life sentence.” Ive burned threw a few pages so I should stop ranting and give a summary. I am liberal because I value People over money. That all people no matter what, are all the same. We are Human. And I will not stand idle while the “Leaders of Freedom and Equality of the World” discriminate, and treat their fellow humans and Americans as less than them. That they will dismiss the poor, the sick, the gay, the atheist, the Muslim, the blacks, the Mexicans, the Asians, the women or any other minority just because “They are different and don‟t agree with me.”
