- How can we be so different?
There is no doubt there are significant differences between the ideologies of the Liberal Left and Conservative Right. We are a nation divided by two distinctly separate interpretations of who we are and the direction our country should be moving towards. I have narrowed it down to twelve distinct attributes discerning our differences. Some will accuse me of oversimplification, but I think they will readily understand what I'm trying to say.
ECONOMIC POLICY
LEFT: Socialists - believes the rights of the community supersedes those of the individual. No success or failure. Wants to redistribute the wealth.
RIGHT: Capitalists - believes in individual initiative, risk and the freedom to try. The individual should keep what he makes.
LEFT: Socialists - believes the rights of the community supersedes those of the individual. No success or failure. Wants to redistribute the wealth.
RIGHT: Capitalists - believes in individual initiative, risk and the freedom to try. The individual should keep what he makes.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
LEFT: God jeering - many agnostics and atheists determined to remove God from our lives.
RIGHT: God fearing - most believe in a supreme being and govern their lives by religious morals.
LEFT: God jeering - many agnostics and atheists determined to remove God from our lives.
RIGHT: God fearing - most believe in a supreme being and govern their lives by religious morals.
WORK ETHIC
LEFT: Entitlements - assumes no responsibility; believes they have a right to something even if they didn't earn it.
RIGHT: Responsibility - assumes both credit and blame for personal actions.
LEFT: Entitlements - assumes no responsibility; believes they have a right to something even if they didn't earn it.
RIGHT: Responsibility - assumes both credit and blame for personal actions.
MORALITY
LEFT: Breaking the law to suit their agenda is considered acceptable.
RIGHT: Respect for the rule of law.
LEFT: Breaking the law to suit their agenda is considered acceptable.
RIGHT: Respect for the rule of law.
GOVERNMENT
LEFT: Believes the Constitution no longer serves the needs of society and should be replaced.
RIGHT: Believes in the U.S. Constitution.
LEFT: Believes the Constitution no longer serves the needs of society and should be replaced.
RIGHT: Believes in the U.S. Constitution.
IMMIGRATION
LEFT: Welcomes illegal immigrants.
RIGHT: Welcomes legal immigrants.
LEFT: Welcomes illegal immigrants.
RIGHT: Welcomes legal immigrants.
GUNS
LEFT: Believes guns are dangerous and should be banned.
RIGHT: Advocates the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
LEFT: Believes guns are dangerous and should be banned.
RIGHT: Advocates the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
FEDERAL DEBT
LEFT: Credit card mentality; wants to keep raising the debt ceiling as opposed to addressing the problem.
RIGHT: Believes we owe it to future generations not to burden them with an insurmountable debt.
LEFT: Credit card mentality; wants to keep raising the debt ceiling as opposed to addressing the problem.
RIGHT: Believes we owe it to future generations not to burden them with an insurmountable debt.
FEDERAL BUDGET
LEFT: Balancing the budget is immaterial. Keeps raising spending and lowering income.
RIGHT: Wants to balance the budget and live within our means.
LEFT: Balancing the budget is immaterial. Keeps raising spending and lowering income.
RIGHT: Wants to balance the budget and live within our means.
WORK ETHIC
LEFT: The public should be treated like cattle. Government will do the thinking for them.
RIGHT: Respects the dignity of the individual human spirit and the importance of each person to lead a worthy and productive life.
LEFT: The public should be treated like cattle. Government will do the thinking for them.
RIGHT: Respects the dignity of the individual human spirit and the importance of each person to lead a worthy and productive life.
SIZE OF GOVERNMENT
LEFT: Believes a larger government is needed to regulate everything.
RIGHT: Believes in smaller government, thereby less bureaucratic interference with business.
LEFT: Believes a larger government is needed to regulate everything.
RIGHT: Believes in smaller government, thereby less bureaucratic interference with business.
PATRIOTISM
LEFT: Wants to make us ashamed of our past by rewriting the history books, and eliminating our sense of exceptionalism.
RIGHT: Loves country; believes in exceptionalism.
LEFT: Wants to make us ashamed of our past by rewriting the history books, and eliminating our sense of exceptionalism.
RIGHT: Loves country; believes in exceptionalism.
It is like we live in separate countries with little compatibility between the two. Whoever wins the presidential election in November, the other side is certainly not going to like it.
Related articles:
"A New Mason-Dixon Line" (Dec 13, 2011)
"What if the South had Won the War?" (Dec 20, 2011)
Also published with News Talk Florida.
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim's columns, see: timbryce.com
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