Doubt. Am I liberal or conservative? Help me. Thanks!?
366579
Liberal and conservative are just labels.  In fact they are dualistic labels, like good/evil, right/wrong, smart/stupid, etc.  Frankly I am tired of dualistic thinking (not to say you are doing this), it is quite simpleminded.  Things are much more complicated than black/white.\n\nI am a Californian living in France.  Growing up I always thought of myself as leftwing to moderate.  Now that I live here in France I can see how complicated labels can be.\n\nLet me break it down:\n\nSocially I could be called liberal; I believe in equal rights and opportunities, against death penalty, separation between church and state, and I even think marijuana should be decriminalized.  We likely have much in common, not totally, but I imagine that we vote similarly.\n\nIn America I could be called liberal when referring to economic policies; I believe in universal health care, social security, unemployment benefits, worker rights, etc.\n\nOk here is the twist; in France they don't know what to call me.  I appear to be liberal for the reasons I described above, but then I believe in polices like affirmative action.  In France affirmative action is considered right wing!  And then there are my observations on the French social security policies, which I believe to be way too left wing (far too liberal).  \n\nFor example, if you are a worker in France, 1. you have major union protections, 2. you can't be fired/laid-off, 3. if your are fired/laid-off you can sue your employer and win a years salary, or even get your job back, 4. you get incredible unemployment insurance (85%) of your former salary, and 5. once that runs out after several years; you get what is called RMI.  RMI is a minimum stipend from the government that equals income from a minimum wage job!\n\nIt sound too good to be true!  But the reality is that all these protections make employers very cautious with hiring.  This means high unemployment rates.  And loads of people take advantage of the system.  People travel the world on these benefits.  Others just sit around and get drunk and (or) high.\n\nFor me to say this in France, I would be labeled "right-wing".  But on many other levels I am left.  I confuse the hell out of the French, but I also confuse the hell out of Americans, for example; I believe in mandatory military service for all 18 year olds.\n\nSo anyway, am I right or wrong, black or white, liberal or conservative?  These words are tools for communication, but mistakenly many people use them as identities.\n\nI don't like labels because it is always way more complicated then the label explains.\n\nHow about this for a label: Moderate?
967985
A liberal worried about morals? give me a break!
968493
I used to be a moderate but now I'm a flaming liberal. I used to be a moderate but how did I become such a liberal? When I saw that the conservative christian republicans are taking away my rights. My rights as a woman (freedom of choice), as a citizen (patriot act), as a free-thinking person. \n\nWhen Bush came to office he promised "I'm a uniter not a divider" but since then, he has alienized half of the country already. \n\nWhy are Americans so divided? When they feel their opinions don't count and their rights are being chipped away slowly.\n\nOh and reading "The Boot"'s entry, I highly doubt he has an advanced degree considering he couldn't spell the world "liberal".
879149
First let me address Hidden\n1.  the asker asked you to refrain from mindless bashing\n2.  bush is far from the only republican representing the party so your comments are meaningless\n3.There are even Liberals in the party god helps gee couldn't have that\nSorry folks had to get that off my chest most Democrats and Republicans are sincere folks that just differ in there views and outlook and that is there god given right!I  As a conservative I admired very much former senator Welsltone from From MInn. I disagreed with most of his views but the guy was open and honest and voted his conscience not the party line or the latest poll. Gee an honest politician who votes his beliefs what a novelty. \n\nno for my party I am a Republican but have constitutional party sympathies. Why? well partly because the party is more friendly to conservatives generally the party philosophy generally supports a more limited Govt. role fiscal restraint and a more constructionist view of constitutional law. While I am not particularly religious or a member of the Christian Right I do have strong views on the role of religion as a moral compass for societies  the world over hence have a strong aversion to  secularism. While i will be the first to admit the current crop of Republican congressmen have strayed from the course greatly especially in regards to fiscal restraint. That does not change the  tenants of most in the party.. the one most influential  Republican to me in my lifetime is Ronald Regan, No not for the tax cuts or rebuilding the military or the fall of the soviet bloc although I supported all of these. But simply put the man had a way of making people believe in themselves and their country at a time that we were very low and most thought in decline. In return the people believed in him it was a truly amazing thing to live through. The outpouring at his funeral from America some 15 yrs later is some measure of his affect. So because of the hope someday that we can come up with another Regan I tend to remain loyal to the party Despite  attractions to the Libertarian and Constitutional parties. No I would never vote party line just for the sake of it but all things being equal I would tend to support a republican. As a conservative I also respect another's right to disagree  or hold a diverging  philosophy this world would be an all to dreary place if we had a hive mentality  with all the drones dancing to the queen bees beat. I certainly would not demean your intelligence by implying  that because you believe differently that you are stupid or wrong. I may try to sway your opinion using intelligent discourse using logic and facts you may not be aware of.  But, To accuse you of being wrong is hubris in the extreme and denies the most fundamental right of all humanity the right of choice.\n\nSo sir that is a little window into at least this mans soul?
1081156
What constitutes a "conservative" changes with time just as what defines a liberal, Republican, or Democrat.\n\nI think I have rather good credentials as a conservative. I list them so you can understand my current position.\n\nI was a founding member of the Conservative Party of New York State before I was old enough to vote. Even though I was only 15 years old  I was elected the Vice chairman of the Queens County Conservative Party Club (the largest in the state). I was a vice chairman of Youth for Goldwater and a chairman of Young Americans for Freedom. \n\nAfter college when I moved to Missouri I was elected a Republican committeeman, a member of the Republican State Committee, and chairman of the Republican City Central Committee.\n\nI ran (unsuccessfully) for congress at the personal request of President Ronald Reagan who campaigned for me and helped me raise campaign funding. \n\nI have managed campaigns, been a fund raiser for and a political consultant to a large number of  Republican candidates and elected officials including half a dozen United States Senators and two dozen congressman.  \n\nYet despite this history I did not vote for George Bush in either presidential election and have left the Republican Party to become a Libertarian.\n\nGeorge Bush and the current Republican leadership know as much about traditional Conservative principles as Jennifer Lopez knows about the Talmud.\n\nTraditional conservatives believe in fiscal responsibility. \n\nGeorge W. has given us a huge budget deficit. He has signed pork laden spending bills authorizing billions for absurdities like a bridge to nowhere in Alaska and a Museum to the Packard Automobile in Ohio.\n\nTraditional conservatives believe, like George Washington, in "avoiding foreign entanglements." \n\nGeorge W. has sent American troops to the other side of the globe to "nation build."\n\nTraditional conservatives believe in state's rights. \n\nGeorge W. has sought to oust the jurisdiction of Florida State courts when he didn't like the outcome of the Schivo case. He seeks a constitutional amendment concerning marriage, a traditional state prerogative. He uses Federal authority to deal with K-12 education, another local prerogative (and responsibility). \n\nTraditional conservatives believe in individual rights. \n\nGeorge W. has used the so called Patriot Act to violate those rights. He has directed the NSA to conduct covert surveillance of American citizens. He attacks the rights of homosexuals. [NB:Barry Goldwater, iconic conservative leader, once said, "You don't have to BE straight to be in the army, you have to SHOOT straight"]\n\nIt is clear that what passes for "conservatism" today is far removed from the traditional conservatism of men like Senator Barry Goldwater. It won't pass muster with me or anyone else who believes that what a real conservative seeks to conserve is, first and foremost, the Constitution.
236804
Well, this is an interesting question. \n\nTo start off, I will say that I am Atheistic to the point of fanaticism. I am also very much a Republican, about as for right as anyone I know. In fact, the only way I am not conservative is in the bedroom...there I am extremely libertine.
846467
I believe either way is acceptable...and I'm pretty conservative :)
1090658
you are a Liberal: \n1-you support killing babies.\n2-you believe that guns should be banned and the only people who can have them would be the government (scary, huh?)\n3-you think that Christians are evil.\n4-you think that sex ed. should be taught in elementary school.\n5-you think that history books should be changed to include homosexuals in history.\n6-you think that the records we have on climate changes, which are only 100s of years old, represent anything on a large scale.\n7-you believe man is totally responsible for natural changes in earth's climate.\n8-you think Bill Clinton is a saviour because he got a "bl0w job". How respectable.\n   the list could go on and on, but i'll stop here.
53909
I classify myself as a "moderate", but am far more Conservative then I am Liberal.\n\nI believe in law and order.  I believe in a strong defense.  I strongly oppose racism, and any other form of discrimination.\n\nWhen it comes to politics, I refuse to follow either party in lockstep.  I make up my own mind, based on personal belief and conscience.  I do not let attachments to a "political party" determine my opinion on the topics of the day.\n\nI think the largest reason that "Liberals" attack "Conservatives" is guilt.  They also tend to have a very simplistic point of view of the world.  To them, everything is black or white.  And since they are "right", everybody who does not agree with them is "wrong".\n\nAnd to take that a step further, everything Conservatives believe in must be wrong, and opposed.  This is not a logical point of view, and most of their reactions show that.  This is why they can fully support every military action that Bill Clinton took, and oppose every action that George Bush took.\n\nAnd that they can say at one time that being in the military is not a requirement for being President, then turn right around and call Bush a "Draft Dodger", even though he served in the National Guard.  It is illogical and does not make sense, but that does not matter.
384
Sorry, here in Europe, liberal is not conservative...Is not left (actually, is center-right), but here in Europe, in the Center right has three families: Conservatives, Christian-Democrats and Liberals; and they are pretty differents.
1185882
I am a conservative and I have some liberal friends.  Though we differ on certain issues we do have one thing in common and that is we are patriotic.  There are extreme liberals that spew with anti American rhetoric and those that do not.
315652
There is nothing wrond with being liberal, its the opposite of conservative...  Liberal covers the entire left side of the political spectrum - it's generic for people who believe in individualism, freedom, equality, the social contract and rational evidence-based (as opposed to morality-based) public policy but often disagree on the application of these principles.
713607
I'm conservative.  I had an ecclectic educational mix of private and public schooling, followed by private and State college.  \n\nI observed that liberalism wasn't economically feasible, and didn't factor in human nature.  I studied world history and thought our form of government was the best.\n\nSomething made us different from every other nation, and I thought it was worth trying to preserve.
694274
We define "freedom" very differently.  Obviously, since you are a liberal, you cannot conceive of how your rhetoric affects conservatives.\n\nVice versa.\n\nDifference is, I don't care.
653189
Well, we could call you a Conservative. Or we could call you a Moderate. Or we could call you Conservatively Moderate or even Moderately Conservative....reminds me of that comedian guy..."Well, you can call me Larry or you could call...."\n\nNo, you won't be shunned. The Republican party has a fair amount of those like yourself..John McCain, myself. I applaud you as you are obviously able to see "out of the box" and are most likely a flexible, perceptive, insightful, constructive and well rounded person.
1110600
Though I am not a liberal, I have found that wacko conservatives are more stubborn know it alls than are liberals. Personally, I think both are retarded, but that's just the opinion of a hard line moderate.
714518
I do research. During the 2006 elections I went to a website called votersissue.org. Sometimes I just went and type the name of the person and a website detailing their stance on issues has been helpful. The media has pretty much mislabed politicians making one conservative where they were actually moderate. Making someone a liberal but they actually were a little to the right.