Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Joad
That is a false equivalency.
Conservatives are extremely easy to "peg" as you call it.
They are by their very nature fearful of change and diversity.
Therefore they march together in lockstep like lemmings.
All you have to do is look at the congressional voting record of Republicans.
They block vote together on practically all significant issues.
And they practically excommunicate any of their members that dare to waver from the strict party line.
Being A Republican is a lot like being a member of the Mafia.
You seldom see that among Democrats.
It's the liberal side that has the big tent.
You will find more diversity among 10 liberals than you will among 1,000 conservatives.
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In my experience, being a liberal means being open-minded. That includes being open to viewpoints opposing one's own - which might include viewpoints coming from someone who might be considered a conservative. For example, I occasionally find columns by Michael Gerson and Kathleen Parker to be enlightening. George Will even has something worthwhile to say sometimes - when it is about baseball. I might occasionally disagree with Robert Reich. Now if that disqualifies me as a liberal in your book, would that not make you just as guilty of the doctrinal orthodoxy of which you accuse the conservatives.
I don't see conservatives as monolithic. Indeed, as has been pointed out here, many coming from the right are not conservative at all. The recent terms of the Supreme Court demonstrate that. The right wing of this Court is as activist as the Warren Court. It has been activist in a way that facilitates the ability of the corporate class to consolidate power. The "personhood" of corporations has been greatly expanded. Property rights have taken precedence over other rights. The Court has ambitiously expanded the scope of the Second Amendment. Several long-standing precedents have been disregarded. Again, this is not conservative at all. If anything it is regressive.
Actually, regressive is probably the best term to describe many of the ideas from the right. And I suppose that there are many here who would never describe themselves as liberal, but who would nevertheless disagree with a number of the ideas oozing from the hard right.
I have been here long enough to be surprised to agree with some things said by people who I consider right-wing. Some here who articulate very well the opposition to right-wing positions, are full of shit when it comes to collective bargaining rights.
There are several here who are nearly impossible to "peg" with a liberal or conservative label. Most people here would not seriously question my liberal/progressive
bona fides. But I rarely doubt that the regular participants here, from whatever perspective they post, are sincere in their views. (I say regular participants, because the trolls quickly get bored and move on.)
Regards,
D-Ray