Conservative vs Liberal When people discuss politics, invariably the labels ‘Conservative’ and ‘Liberal’ pop up. Sometimes I wish these terms would go away. Having to choose between two categories of beliefs is ridiculous. I’m not going to paint a picture with only red and green (well, maybe I would… but I’m not going to do ALL of them that way), I’m not going to do a sketch with only vertical and horizontal strokes, and I’m not going to make a meal with only steak and salt!

Forcing people to choose between two views, no matter how distant, nor how similar, just isn’t fair. Surely that’s the reason why Bush and Kerry seem to be so close in the American Presidential election set for tomorrow; what if you like the idea of hunting terrorists, AND think abortion should be allowed? How can you reconcile a choice like that?

Why do Conservatives have to oppose abortion? Why to Liberals have to oppose war?

Of course, one of the big problems with any labels, is that different people believe the same labels mean different things. While I think that Conservatives oppose abortion, I’m sure there are many people who don’t agree with that. Works for me. (For the record, I don’t oppose abortion. I don’t think it’s a good idea, but it seems like banning it is a worse idea. How does it go? “Rare, but safe”?)

Since this is my ‘blog, I’ll say what ‘Conservative’ and ‘Liberal’ mean to me. I think by the time we’re done this, we’ll see that if I’m forced to choose, I call myself ‘Conservative’.

When it comes down to fundamental beliefs, the core is whether you trust other people or not. To me, Conservatives believe that people will do the right thing more often than not. Liberals, conversely, believe that people will act in self-interest more often than not. Now, in a great many day-to-day decisions, ‘the right thing’ and ‘self-interest’ coincide enough that Liberal/Conservative doesn’t matter all that much. That’s the key principle that makes democracy work.

But, when the details unfold, I see it like this: a Conservative will let you do what you want. If you make mistakes, you’re in trouble. A Liberal will tell you what to do, and if you make mistakes, they’ll pick you up and dust you off. In this view, conservatives are optimists, liberals are pessimists.

Ironically, most people view Conservatives as ‘cold and calculating’, with Liberals being ‘warm and compassionate’. This certainly fits in with my belief. On the other hand, think about life, and who you like to be cold and who you like to be warm. You want your doctor to be warm, but you don’t want to see him very often! You want your accountant to be cold, because then he’ll get you the most money.

As I see the world (the democratic world), there will be an eternal tug of war between ‘Conservative’ and ‘Liberal’. It’s GOOD to have a safety net. People make mistakes. People just can’t quite get it right. But if we focus on the net more than on success, the net will become meaningless: who goes to see the trapeze artist lying in the net?

If we go too conservative, the net breaks when it’s needed. If we go too liberal, then we spend too much time on the net, and can’t afford to maintain it.

If I had to choose, between going without a net, or manning the net, I’d choose to go without the net. And I think that’s what makes me ‘Conservative’.
  ¶ 10:52 AM