Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
Published on January 31, 2005 By Draginol In Blogging
Issue Conservative Liberal
Abortion   X
Environment   X
Religion   X
Military  X  
Taxes X  
Social Services X  

I'm a conservative on the key issues of the day. Taxes, Military Policy, and Social Services. But I'm liberal on many too. Pro-Choice, Pro-Environmental policy, Not religious.  I also support civil unions for gay couples (though not marriage).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to paint myself out as some sort of moderate.  However, one of the things I have noticed is a tendancy of those on the far left to take the "all or nothing" point of view.  If you don't adhere to all their positions, you're a right wing kook to be derided.

To be fair, conservatives are guilty of this too. But it is much more pravelent in my experience for the left to drive away those who have any conservative opinions and label them as "far right".

The problem when you do that is that you end up having a very small group left to carry your banner.  For instance, if you're pro-life on abortion, you can forget speaking at the Democratic National Convention.

The Democrats need to try to be more inclusive.  But at the same time, they need to shed their militant extremists.  A difficult balancing act to be sure.  But as has been pointed out elsewhere, the Democrats have been steadily losing ground since 1996.  By all accounts, the Democrats should have at least picked up a senate seat or too.  2004 was the EASY senate re-election one.  2006 is going to be even tougher for them.

What do you call a Senate with 60 votes held by one party? One party rule.  I happen to believe it important for the US to have two strong national parties (at the very least two).  But election after election the Democrats are losing more and more ground.

They need to start recognizing that just because someone doesn't agree with them on some of the issues doesn't mean they have no common ground.  Moreover, they need to not demonize those same people (Bill O'Reilly, for instance, is many things but he's not "far right" as one example).


Comments
on Jan 31, 2005
At the risk of reducing the discussion to "labels", there is a word for people who are generally vote "conservative" on fiscal issues but "liberal" on social ones. That word is "Libertarian".

"The Democrats need to try to be more inclusive. But at the same time, they need to shed their militant extremists. "

One of the reasons the Democrats are losing ground is that, instead of shedding their militant extremists, more and more they are allowing the extremists to define the party.
on Jan 31, 2005
For instance, if you're pro-life on abortion, you can forget speaking at the Democratic National Convention.


and if youre pro-choice and not democrat zel miller you can forget speaking at the republican convention.  for that matter, if youre heather poe, dont plan on sitting on stage with mary cheney and the family.  and if you're anti-nra and your husband was brain-damaged by a bullet he took to the head during an assassination attempt on his boss, ronald reagan, you dont need to worry about writing a speech. if youre a republican who is also pro-choice or gay, dont expect a unification plank in the platform. it works both ways.
on Jan 31, 2005

and if youre pro-choice and not democrat zel miller you can forget speaking at the republican convention.  for that matter, if youre heather poe, dont plan on sitting on stage with mary cheney and the family.  and if you're anti-nra and your husband was brain-damaged by a bullet he took to the head during an assassination attempt on his boss, ronald reagan, you dont need to worry about writing a speech. if youre a republican who is also pro-choice or gay, dont expect a unification plank in the platform. it works both ways.

Arnie is not Pro-Life.  Last I heard he believed about the same as Draginol.  And was a featured speaker.

You just hate criticism of Democrats.  I guess because it is usually accurate.

on Jan 31, 2005

and if youre pro-choice and not democrat zel miller you can forget speaking at the republican convention. 

Rudy Guiliani and Arnie are both pro-choice and both spoke at the RNC.

on Jan 31, 2005
A great article which of course immediately drew out a morlock.
on Jan 31, 2005

I would pretty much fit in your same category.

People who don't "know" me think that I am a democrat.  I try to be kind to the environment, I'm pro-choice, and I'm not "religious".  I think that there is a need for social services, however, I don't believe that it is the job of the government to do it.  I also don't think that I should be taxed to death to pay for others, and I support military spending to keep me and my family safe.  I'm not happy about "war", but I also know that peace isn't always an option.

I don't fit on either side, but I vote Republican (mainly) simply for the financial and military concerns.  I typically don't vote Democratic, even though I agree with some of the platform, because a lot of the Democrats scare me.  I don't like extremes on either side, and the Democratic party seems to be getting more and more extreme as time goes by.

on Feb 03, 2005
A few quotes
"There is no left and right wing, only up wing and down wing" Bob Dylan
"I am politically non-Euclidian" Illuminatus trilogy
Paraphrased from memory "Many in the Labour party prefer the ideological purity of opposition to the hard decisions of power" Dennis Healey if I recall.

There is a great critique of the problems of the American left in Sokal and Bricmonts "Fashionable nonsense". Google on Sokal
on Feb 03, 2005
I don't dislike Bill O'Reilly because of his positions, because frankly, there is a lot of common ground there... I don't like him because of the persona and the way he presents his ideas.

I am sure there are people whose ideas you may agree with whose methods of presentation put you at odds with them, both in the entertainment world and in your personal dealings, both within the JoeUser universe and in real life.
on Feb 06, 2005
Um... that's called a Libertarian...

Freedom is your main decision point on all of these items not conservative or liberal bias.

Hence you (and a whole lot of people that vote Republican because they think there is no other choice) should be voting Libertarian.