For most people, discussing politics is like discussing football. Sure, it's interesting but it has very little actual affect on their lives at first glance.
But in reality, people rarely recognize the unintended consequences of their beliefs.
For instance, nearly every conversation with a tax hike supporter inevitably goes something like this:
Me: I'm against raising the taxes on anyone, including the top 5%.
Tax Supporter: Why? You can afford to pay more in taxes. You've got a big house and a fancy car, etc. You got way more than you need.
Me: Yes, but I'm still one person, one vote. At some point don't you consider the equality there? That is, I use the same services as you do. I'm not suggesting no taxes or equal taxes but if my tax bill this year is >$1 million and your total tax hit is less than $3k how can you seriously argue that your opinion is the opinion of someone who's compassionate or concerned when all you're doing is arguing for me to pay for your beliefs?
Tax Supporter: But the money taken from you helps all of us because that money can then be given to people who need it more. You can live with less.
Me: Are you sure of that? When I pay taxes, it's just another expense. My lifestyle is unaffected. When taxes go up, I hire fewer people or am forced to lay people off.
Tax Supporter: Well then you're just being greedy. You should take a cut before laying people off.
Me: But I'm not the one causing it. It's the government's taxation -- supported by you. Do you live for your job? Is your job the ends unto itself of a means to an end?
Tax Supporter: I work so I can buy food, clothing, shelter.
Me: Same here. Working is a means to an end. I work so that I can have the big house and the fancy car. I don't exist as a public asset to be used by the "body politic".
Tax Supporter: I'm not saying you should.
Me: Sure you are. You support higher taxes on me. You expect me to continue to do what I do best - create jobs and employ people but at a lower salary. You unconsciously see me as something that is expected to work to create jobs as a higher priority than work as a means to an end. You expect my motivation to work to be singularly unique amongst mankind - you work so you can buy stuff, you expect me to work to provide you and yours a job.
Tax Supporter: I just don't think it's fair you should have so much while others have so little
Me: Nothing's stopping someone else from trying to do what I do. I got no special breaks. I worked hard, took calculated risks, stuck to it and built over time a successful business. It's just that not too many people are willing to do that. There's a lot of risk involved in starting a business after all.
Tax Supporter: Yea but now you make more than you need.
Me: Who decides "need"? You? You who has the latest iPod, latest-gen video games and other consumer goods. Putting that aside, concepts like fairness or need are in the realm of philosophy, not reality. The fact is, when you raise taxes, you are having the government take from those who are the best at taking money and creating more money with it that inevitably gets spread out one way or the other.
In short, your beliefs do have consequences whether you realize it or not.