Quote:
Originally posted by lurkette
Generally speaking, liberals tend to want a "nurturing family" model of government - one in which Mom & Dad (the government) are there to provide guidance, meet basic needs, and catch you if you fall, but you're basically free to go explore and do whatever you want. This entails a minimum of interference in your personal behavior and only a moderate amount of responsibilty.
Conservatives tend to want a more "traditional authoritative family" model of government - one in which Dad's job is to raise you till you're 18, teach you how to take care of yourself, and then interfere as little as possible. This necessarily requires a certain amount of respect for authority, a strong controlling hand in some areas, somewhat limited freedom if your actions jeopardize the family, and a high amount of responsibility.
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Realistically, after reading this thread the distinction between liberals and conservatives becomes quite blurred. While I somewhat agree with the above idea or explaination, I feel it's ironic that the family, which suffers under the liberal model, is used in such a positive parallel.
Quote:
Originally posted by Ratso
Being a liberal means you generally believe in reform. You like to move forward, or challenge the status quo. Being a liberal in general means you're more open to change, and see the benefits and the advantages of a changing society. It can also mean that you're more of a free-thinker, etc.. but that's really stretching the boundaries of the word in a political sense.
Being a conservative means you believe in keeping things the way they are. Don't fix what isn't broken. A belief in the idea that we're better off believing in the actions we've taken as a society in the past, and there's no sense in taking risks. "Stay the course."
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According to this, when a liberal idea becomes the "status quo", then a conservative who decides to change the "status quo" would, by the above definition, become a liberal.
IMO the dirty little secret is the conservative-liberal debate is like the north-south poles of a magnet. They are the same-just opposite.