Life’s Curveballs

After my last post, I received a personal message from someone asking why I am conservative; meaning, “With a stance on killing like you have, why do you considered yourself to be a conservative.”   I guess they are confused because being conservative has nothing to do with senseless killing and violence, which I’m completely opposed.

I found a website, even though it’s somewhat dated, that list the meaning of conservative and liberal with all of the issues and a view from each perspective.  It’s on the Student News Daily site at www.studentnewsdaily.com.  I say it’s somewhat dated because it was copyrighted in 2005 but most of the issues are still in play and I invite you to review it.  I’m not going to repeat any of the issue definitions here because the Student News Daily website has done an excellent job defining them, but I will give my view on each of the issues here below.  However, since some people may not know the difference between Conservative and Liberal, here are the definitions from the Student News Daily Website:

CONSERVATIVES - believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense.  Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals.

Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.

LIBERALS - believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all, and that it is the duty of the State to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.  Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need.  Believe that people are basically good.

Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve people’s problems.

My View

The Conservative definition above could have been written by me and it precisely reflects my views.   However, when we look at individual issues, I do take a liberal stance on some and I will explain my differences below.  I will list the issue, my view (whether Conservative, Liberal, or In-Between), and my reasoning.

The Issues

• Abortion - In-Between

I hold the conservative view that life begins at conception, however, I am a realist and believe if the mother’s life is in danger or if there is something horribly wrong with the fetus it should be aborted.  Baring these two things the fetus should be brought to term.

There are many people in this country that cannot have children and we need to make it much easier for them to adopt unwanted children in this country.  There should be no need for a loving couple to travel to a foreign land to adopt a child.

• Affirmative Action - Conservative

There is no place for the past when hiring or admitting someone for a job or school.  Reverse discrimination is not a solution for racism.

• Death Penalty - Liberal

I have to admit that I flip-flopped on this issue.  There was a day that I held the conservative view on this but OJ and a Nunn made me see the light.  As good as our judicial system is, and we have one of the best on earth, it is not infallible.  Just look at how many people are released from prison every year when it has been proven that they are innocent.  My biggest concern is an equable defense and it is most evident with the OJ Simpson verdict.  If OJ had been a poor black man he’d be in prison or dead by now.  Life without parole is just as effective.

Note - I can’t see how conservatives can be pro-life on abortion and for the death penalty.  To me it’s an oxymoron.

• Economy - Conservative

I favor a free market system and less government regulation.

• Education - School Vouchers - Conservative

Parents should have the right to send their children to the school of their chose.  In fact, vouchers should be issued to every student and the parents should select the best school for their children.

I’m in favor of privatizing all public schools.  If schools had to compete for dollars, our education system would most definitely change for the better.

• Environment - Conservative

Over restriction by extreme environmental policies limit jobs and damage the economy.  Yes, we should be exploring alternative energy sources but just look at how our policies have harmed our national security by our need for foreign oil.  Need I say more?

• Gun control - Conservative

Owning a gun is one of our basic rights.  If a criminal wants a gun they will fine one and gun control may slow them down but not stop them.

• Health Care - In-Between

I agree that some sort of health care plan is needed for everyone but I’m completely against socialized medicine.  Waiting a month to see a doctor or waiting a year to have an operation is not my idea of a viable health care system.  I don’t have the answer but I know it’s not socialized medicine.

• Homeland Security - Conservative

I’m firmly for the Patriot Act.  We need to be protected from people that will harm us and better intelligence is one way to combat the problem.

• Immigration - Conservative

The government should strictly enforce the immigration laws currently on the books.  Our borders should be secured and all illegal’s should be rounded up and deported.  I do support legal immigration and believe we haven’t done enough in this area like a guest worker program and allowing more legal immigration for workers south of the border.

• Religion - Conservative

The phrase “separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution. Our country was founded on Judeo Christian principles and our founding fathers were firm believers in God.  God can be found in many early documents, on our money, and our symbols.  The only thing that our government should not do is interfere with religion and religious freedom.

• Same-Sex Marriage - In-Between

I firmly believe that marriage is between one man and one woman.  However, I see nothing wrong with same sex unions as long as it’s not called marriage.

• Taxes - Conservative

I’m for lower taxes and less government, and I firmly believe money is best spent by those who earn it.  The only way to create jobs and expand the economy is for the people to spend their own money not the government.

• Welfare - Conservative

People on welfare only want more welfare and even the poor need to work.  If we made the poor work for their welfare check we’d be spending less on welfare.  There’s a distinction between people that can’t work because of health or disability and those that are able bodied that just want a handout from the government.

I think that I have covered the main issues and there should be little doubt where I stand.

Larry