The Difference between Conservatives and Liberals

A rather gentle explanation of the difference in thinking between people with
opposite outlooks.

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others
her age, she considered herself to be very liberal, and among other liberal
ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government
programs, in other words redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch conservative, a
feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated
in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for
years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the
rich and the need for more government programs.

The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth
and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in
school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him
know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very
difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go
out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a
boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her
time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she
never studies and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college
for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times
she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and
ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a
2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair
and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back,
"That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my
grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done
next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the conservative
side of the fence."

Not a good analogy at all.

You might have an analogy for someone who wants pure Communism but not for a "liberal".

Originally Posted by buggyone

Not a good analogy at all.

You might have an analogy for someone who wants pure Communism but not for a "liberal".

Au contraire mon ami... A liberal believes in government action to achieve equal opportunity for people. Ergo Obama's call for the re-distribution of wealth and the attack on anyone making $250,000 or above.

Whereas conservatives believe in prsonal responsibility, limited governement and a free enterprise system where people can be free to seek their goals.

Due to the liberal movement beginning in the late 1060's we have progressed to a generation of trophy kids who are disengaged from the realities of life and have this entitlement mentality

Originally Posted by rubicon

Au contraire mon ami... A liberal believes in government action to achieve equal opportunity for people. Ergo Obama's call for the re-distribution of wealth and the attack on anyone making $250,000 or above.

Whereas conservatives believe in prsonal responsibility, limited governement and a free enterprise system where people can be free to seek their goals.

Due to the liberal movement beginning in the late 1060's we have progressed to a generation of trophy kids who are disengaged from the realities of life and have this entitlement mentality

I fear that you are right! but I certainly hope that you are wrong...

Originally Posted by KatzPajamas

I fear that you are right! but I certainly hope that you are wrong...

There are a lot of good kids out there. However we have for far too long let kids believe that winning was not important and despite effort or lack therof everyone was entitled to a trophy irrespective of talent or effort. It is one factor IMHO that led to dumbing down in schools. My heart will always bleed for the disadvantage but I don't believe that gifted students should be ignored as these are the kids most likely to make the major advances in science, etc.

We know from experiences that life is not fair and all the attempts at equalizing life lessons isn't going to work . Some day we all have to face the pied piper. Just look at the number of parents coddling their kids right up to and including college..GEEEZ

"Due to the liberal movement beginning in the late 1060's we have progressed to a generation of trophy kids who are disengaged from the realities of life and have this entitlement mentality."

Are you seriously saying that this began with the Norman Conquest of England in 1066?

Not a good analogy at all.

You might have an analogy for someone who wants pure Communism but not for a "liberal".

I see this as a teaching moment for me.
Please explain.

I thought is was pretty good.

Originally Posted by rubicon

There are a lot of good kids out there. However we have for far too long let kids believe that winning was not important and despite effort or lack therof everyone was entitled to a trophy irrespective of talent or effort. It is one factor IMHO that led to dumbing down in schools. My heart will always bleed for the disadvantage but I don't believe that gifted students should be ignored as these are the kids most likely to make the major advances in science, etc.

We know from experiences that life is not fair and all the attempts at equalizing life lessons isn't going to work . Some day we all have to face the pied piper. Just look at the number of parents coddling their kids right up to and including college..GEEEZ

My poor kids got two highly competitive parents. You can imagine the conversation when one of them would bring home a "participation" ribbon...lol! Maybe our qwerks will pay off for them in the long run after all!

Originally Posted by rubicon

Au contraire mon ami... A liberal believes in government action to achieve equal opportunity for people. Ergo Obama's call for the re-distribution of wealth and the attack on anyone making $250,000 or above.

Whereas conservatives believe in prsonal responsibility, limited governement and a free enterprise system where people can be free to seek their goals.

Due to the liberal movement beginning in the late 1060's we have progressed to a generation of trophy kids who are disengaged from the realities of life and have this entitlement mentality

Whereas conservatives believe in prsonal responsibility, limited governement and a free enterprise system where people can be free to seek their goals.

This is the part that always confuses me about conservatives, especially the "limited government" concept. It seems to me that conservatives want the government out of anything that has to do with their making money, but right in there about social things they do not like. For example, the most personal and private events of a person's life...THAT's where they want the government to come right on in. Freedom of choice.....conservatives want to tell half the population what they can or can not do with their own bodies. It is a woman's personal responsibility to make that decision. Gay marriage...again, a very personal thing, and once again...conservatives want the government to legislate morality. I just don't get it....No liberal I know fits the distinction you make.

No one is "attacking" those who make over $250,000...the issue is equity in PAYING TAXES, no redistributing wealth. I have no problem paying my fair share of taxes based on my income.

I guess there is way too much stereotyping going on in this labeling and name calling. This response is specific to the issues in the post....

None of us can agree on what or who to tax nor can we agree on what to spend the tax money on. I would just like to see this great nation bring in one dollar per year more than is spent in a year.

What exactly is one's "fair share"? Would that be a specific percentage across the board? That would seem like the fair way to do it.
Legislate morality on gays? How do conservatives do that? It is legal to be gay, and this conservative will not stop them from that lifestyle. However, marriage is an institution of the church, and as such is defined as the union of a man and a woman.
Conservative want to dictate to women what they can and cannot do with their bodies? I think not! If you mean put illegal drugs into themselves-liberals are against that too. If you mean abortion- someone with the name ladydoc would imply scientifically educated enough to know that the unborn is not part of a woman's body.

There's a difference between the analogy - which is 'mandating' an equal OUTCOME and what, to me, is a 'reasonable' liberal's stance of equal OPPORTUNITY.

I, for one, am FOR the latter and VERY AGAINST the former.

Having said that, I don't believe that we CAN, for example, let industry polic itself. We did that and ended up with ungodly pollution in the 1960s. I remember seeing all that smog in the air when I was younger. When I moved to NH in 1974, the Merrimack River was, for all intents and purposes, dead. Now there are fish in it. I much prefer having a government that (albeit inefficiently and not consistently) stands against the kind of filth we used to accept.

Originally Posted by the villager ii

none of us can agree on what or who to tax nor can we agree on what to spend the tax money on. I would just like to see this great nation bring in one dollar per year more than is spent in a year.

amen!!

Originally Posted by KatzPajamas

What exactly is one's "fair share"? Would that be a specific percentage across the board? That would seem like the fair way to do it.
Legislate morality on gays? How do conservatives do that? It is legal to be gay, and this conservative will not stop them from that lifestyle. However, marriage is an institution of the church, and as such is defined as the union of a man and a woman.
Conservative want to dictate to women what they can and cannot do with their bodies? I think not! If you mean put illegal drugs into themselves-liberals are against that too. If you mean abortion- someone with the name ladydoc would imply scientifically educated enough to know that the unborn is not part of a woman's body.

Now you are reduced to attacking my name? Well, KATZ, do you use a litter box?

Marriage is most certainly an institution of the state. If you need a license to get married, it is a state function. Laws of inheritance are controlled by the state, not the church. And can you try to remember not everyone goes to a church?

I am not going to bother addressing the fetus is not part of a woman's body nonsense because I refuse to get into another "discussion" with you about freedom of choice.

this redistribution nonsense must stop. Why is it when we cut taxes of the wealthiest no one yells redistribution is no good. If we just let the Bush tax cuts die will some of you be yelling about this redistribution stuff? Incomes in America have always changed as have the tax rates on people. I just can't believe that the wealthiest 1% and the super corporations have convinced some of you that any change in taxes is not American.