Are you a Liberal or a Conservative? Basic concepts inside
 

What Does It Mean To Be A Liberal?
You are concerned with individual rights & liberties. You are often in favor of government intervention and government programs (pro-regulation). You lean toward anti-business. You get excited by new government initiatives like sending man to Mars.
A left of center or "liberal" individual tends to philosophically believe in a majority of these political positions:
* Abolition of the death penalty
* Believe in affirmative action
* Belief in reinstating the Fairness Doctrine
* Disapprove of teacher-lead prayer in classrooms & school sponsored religious events
* Equal opportunities for men and women in the military
* Favor equal opportunity & denial of gender differences
* Government-rationed & taxpayer-funded medical care (example: Universal Health Care Coverage)
* Government spends big on social programs (also higher taxes to fund these programs)

2. ....cont.
* Income redistribution (through progressive taxation)
* Legalizing abortion & pro-choice
* Legalizing same-sex marriages
* Oppose an American foreign policy of continuous intervention
* Oppose domestic wire-tapping & other intrusive acts (as authorized in the Patriot Act)
* Oppose full private property rights
* Support protection of our environment
* Support of labor unions
* Support Globalism ("one world government")
* Support obscenity and pornography as our First Amendment right
* Support teaching comprehensive sexual education programs in schools (as opposed to abstinence-only programs)
* Support a "Living Constitution" reinterpreted for modern times (not how it was originally written & intended)
* Support disarmament treaties
* Support gun control laws
* Support government programs to rehabilitate criminals in society
* Taxpayer-funded public education system
***********.uselections.com/ideology/left-liberal.shtml

What Does It Mean To Be A Conservative?
You resist change simply for the sake of change. You are cautious and pro-status quo. You Invoke a "good steward" mentality and are careful with management of resources. You tend to be pro-business, anti-tax and anti-regulation.
A right of center or "conservative" individual tends to philosophically believe in a majority of these political positions:
* Actively support a return of prayer in schools
* Believe in our Second Amendment 'Right to Keep and Bear Arms'
* Believe that parents (not schools or teachers) should educate children about sex
* Believe in a strong national defense
* Economic allocative efficiency (as opposed to popular equity)
* Endorse choice in education
* Endorse lower taxes & tax cuts (favoring the upper class)
* Favor the death penalty
* Favor stronger law enforcement and anti-crime laws

2. ....cont.
* Generally don't care much for the United Nations
* Oppose same-sex marriages
* Staunchly pro-life and want to stop abortions
* Support free enterprise
* Support limited government
* Support strong public morality
* Support laws against pornography & obscenities
* Support enforcement of current immigration laws
* Support private medical care & retirement plans
* Support tightening of our border security
* Want to open foreign markets to products made in the USA
* Want to weaken or eliminate failed social support programs
***********.uselections.com/ideology/right-conservative.shtml

"You lean toward anti-business"
-(md) (md) (md) - this is so far from reality... look at what Clinton adm was doing and what was happening in the business world during those 8 years.
I think this whole "gradation" does not take into account various "fractions" - far-left ( pro-union, anti-business - crazy kind) is probably very EMOTIONALLY close to protectionist -in different aspects - values of far-right ( intolerance to immigrants, religious fervor) ..... In fact, most reasonably thinking people are neither "far" anything. They understand that you look at the world with different eyes at different moments:
- you can see a world as a consumer, or as an investor- shareholder, or as a humanitarian, or as a citizen, or as business owner -in different circumstances and this nuanced approach helps you develop an outlook that is not black or white, but real.

I also think that the definitions that Slavik "надыбал" are too simplistic and misleading. What's alarming is that politicians use these stereotypes to appeal to masses.

Of course it's too simplistic. The key is majority of these political positions

this is ultra-ultra left vs ultra-ultra right i guess...
i really don't know anyone who is anti-business no matter how liberal they are for example

For Mike:Anti-business does not mean that someone sits around and says "Boy, I hate business" it's when they want to build a factory and a person says, "Boy, what will that do to the environment ?", or if they want to open a Walmart and the same person says...you got the idea.

Oleg, I agree with your point a couple of posts below. (Y)

Also:

"* Want to open foreign markets to products made in the USA"

How is that even related to conservative/liberal???

Oleg, hm.. i think "what will it do to the environment" is an essential question that needs to be asked before you build a factory... so maybe not the best example :)

Guys, это что-то типа курс молодого бойца. Все ниже отписавшиеся ИМХО уже давно решили за какую команду болеют.
Там не всё дословно и это не pass/fail exam for party membership. Но если так хотите то поставьте галочку возле каждого пункта с которым согласны с скажите потом что "я всегда был либерал, а после этого опроса вижу что консерватор"

Mike, my example of the factory and environment was a typical example of an anti-business thinking. The factory maybe clean, it also may be replacing another, more dangerous factory. It also maybe a boon to a dying town, bringing thousands of jobs, attracting retail, building schools, etc. But the anti-business person will mention environment first.

Like the Democrat legislature in California who cares more about the tiny smelt fish in the Delta than about thousands of lost jobs in the Central Valley because of the lack of water for irrigation.
This is a man created drought and a prime example of the anti-business thinking. :-|

It is a very typical example , don't get distracted by the details. For progressive libs it's all about the Gaia first, human beings -later.

1. Я вот что заметил, большинство людей либерально-демократического толка (чтобы избежать ярлыков, скажем что здесь они представлены теми кто поддерживают реформу здравоохранения или теми кто никогда не слушал целой передачи Глена Бека, но готовы кастрировать его тупым ножом) зарабатывают себе на пропитание службой в public sector. Или имеют бизнес или практику зависящую от контрактов с public structures.

2. Я практически никогда не встречал человека поддерживающего Обаму, голосующего за демократов или ратующего за передачу денег тратящихся на войну на нужды образования, который:
а) has sold his/hers talent/skill/profession for compensation to a highest bidder
b) has offered service or merchandise for sale on the free market
c) relies on free-market based economy (only) for his/hers entire household income
Люди перечисленные выше оказываются обычно правее меня. Люди же работающие на город/государство/штат/имеющие бизнес базирующийсся на городских/штатных/гос. работах обычно намного левее Маркса. Не находите?

Олег, конечно каждый человек поддерживает то, что ближе к его интересам. Главное, чтоб этих, которые работают с государством или в public sector и еще тех, кто от них ждет подачек, не стало больше, чем нас. На их "размножение" и направлена политика нынешней левой администрации. Плебс форева!
Кстати, это главным образом и сломало хребетдревнему Риму. Граждан стало много, граждане не хотели работать, но "имели право". Их нужно было ублажать, с ними нужно было заигрывать, а ресурсы истощались. Даже войны не помогали. Рос гос аппарат (в Риме, в провинциях), росли расходы на плебс. Неработающие граждане морально разлагались и хотели только хлеба и зрелищ.Вокруг женабирались сил молодые дикие варвары...

An ironic part is that the today conservatives are actually the classic liberals. And those who call themselves liberals, are just statists/socialists. For them it's all about control of other people lives and money.

Спасибо, девушки. Главное, чтоб этих, которые работают с государством или в public sector и еще тех, кто от них ждет подачек, не стало больше, чем нас.Мне нравятся методы, которыми они пытаются это проделать. К примеру, все доминиканцы, пуэрториканцы, гаитяне и т.п. автоматически отправлены в разряд "нуждающихся". Под это дело тратятся миллиарды долларов: программы, спец школы, language centers, жилье, медицинское обслуживание. Я спросил одного "все-взять-и-поделить" деятеля, почему сицилианцы устроились в Америке без государственной помощи и не жужжат, а доминиканцам нужна вся мощь вывернутых карманов налогоплательщиков. При этом все эти сицилианцы живут в своих домах, а доминиканцы в проджектах и никак не могут поколениями из них вылезти. Ответ был что-то типа: "как можно их сравнивать?" А почему бы и нет? И те и другие приехали сюда безграмотными, из жуткой нищеты. Только первые вынуждены были работать, а вторым успели "помочь".

Oleg, it occured to me that the Dems wouldn't want to mess with Sicilians and how they got where they are... (I'm from Jersey myself) :-D so are wise to stick to the Dominicans for now, if the Domslikethe projects and welfare so thoughtfully doled out by the Dems...))

хоть смейся, хоть плачь:'(:-)

Maria, great definitions,(Y) if only....

Валентина,на мой взгляд здесь все очевидно.Мексиканцы и при Буше переползали на брюхе через границу,а что тогда говорить о нынешней администрации.У меня есть надежда,как и у многих здравомыслящих людей,что через три года произойдет республиканская революция,как произошла в свое время во времена Картера.И на смену Обаме придет достойный лидер на долгие годы.Очень хочется в это верить.И тогда может всей этой шушере перекроют кислород.

BTW, one thing just occurred to me: my example with public sector jobs does not work the other way around. I know lots of people who hold public sector jobs and are pretty conservative. It's just that I don't know any liberals earning their bread by free market, old fashioned, supply & demand means.

There is a section of private sector where liberals found a niche -green businesses ( huge subsidies from uncle Barak)

Oleg, how about George Soros? He is an ultimate socialist, but made his big bucks through the evil Capitalism.

Boris, I knew you will be an interesting addition when I was accepting you in the group. Military contractors and farm subsidy recipients might be Republicans or RINOs, whatever. I am sure that deep down they are pro-big government whores, or, they have to be real hypocrites.

Maria, from Wikipedia:
He has stated that his intent was to earn enough money on Wall Street to support himself as an author and philosopher — he calculated that $500,000 after five years would be possible and adequate.
Сорос никогда не открывал свой бизнес, не зависел от рынка сбыта или от рынка рабочей силы. Он гениальный финансист, который делал деньги для того чтобы хватило на жизнь философа и писателя. Благодаря своему гению он сделал больше денег чем планировал, но делание денег не было его целью.

BTW, one thing just occurred to me: my example with public sector jobs does not work the other way around. I know lots of people who hold public sector jobs and are pretty conservative.
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Your example doesn't work. Period. I have never held a public sector job...but I believe at least some of your family's benefits are provided by the government.

.
It's just that I don't know any liberals earning their bread by free market, old fashioned, supply & demand means.
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you really need to get out more.

And something else I've recently learned that I believe applies to your family, Oleg: "despite investment collapses worldwide, active and retired participants in <FONT color=#006699>New York
City's teacher pension system draw an exceptional taxpayer-guaranteed return of 8.25 percent annually on savings funds known as 403(b) plans. "

Wow, I sure wish the taxpayers would guarantee all of my investments... People who live in glass houses should really refrain from throwing stones.

Where did you find any contradictions? My wife works harder than most of the people who make over $200K, if she gets good benefits it's only a fair reimbursement for an actual service that she provides: teaching children.

how very hypocritical of you... do you know how many people work50 hour weeks (weekends, late nights, holidays...)for only $40,000/year? and they don't get every holiday off, not to mention 2 months in the summer... and the service they provide is no less valuable, yet you wouldn't know it by looking at their paychecks or benefits -none of which,by the way,are subsidized by our tax dollar.

I would rather work holidays then educate pregnant teenagers and gang members.
Teachers don't get paid enough. Period.

do you know how many people work50 hour weeks (weekends, late nights, holidays...)for only $40,000/year? and they don't get every holiday off, not to mention 2 months in the summer... and the service they provide is no less valuable, yet you wouldn't know it by looking at their paychecks or benefits -none of which,by the way,are subsidized by our tax dollar.

Yet, once again Lina is throwing red herrings into the conversation....
What is the point of this argument? In our more or less free market economy every single one of those people that Line mentioned have a right and an opportunity to leave their 50hr, $40K jobs and become a teacher and garner all of those faboulous benefits. Why don't they?
Well because it is one of the more difficult, thanklessjobs that majority of people don't want to for any money

I couldn't resist not to post it here:
1.THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
OLD VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself
MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks th e ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
to be con-ed

2.CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green.’
Acorn stages a demonstration in front of the ant ’s house where the news stations film the group singing, ‘We shall overcome.’ Rev. Jeremiah Wright then has the group curse God for the grasshopper’s sake.
Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC & nbsp;drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

3.The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010.

I thought it may fit the theme ( conservatives, liberals,capitalism)
Jesus the Capitalist
1. Michael Moore likes to claim that the Bible supports socialism. But God is not on his side.
Michael Moore has been bashing capitalism, its excesses, and its lack of concern for workers and their exploitation. A story that backs Moore up comes from a reliable source. It’s a story of naked capitalism ignoring the rights of workers and arbitration.
A farmer had some crops that needed to be harvested and he hired day laborers, agreeing to pay them $100 for working a 12-hour shift. The farmer was in a hurry to get his crops harvested, so he went out again two hours into the shift and hired more workers. He continued to look for laborers throughout the day, bringing in more laborers every hour. Finally, at seven o’clock, one hour before sunset, he brought in a dozen more workers to help finish the job.

2. He then lined the workers up to give them their pay and he paid first the workers who had only worked an hour. Those who stood, sweat dripping from their bodies from a 12-hour shift, smiled when they saw the one-hour hires get $100. They figured that meant they’d get paid extra. But to their horror, the farmer also paid them only $100.
They confronted the capitalist with the charges of favoritism and unjust discrimination. Rather than offering arbitration, the farmer responded, “I’m not doing you any wrong. Didn’t you agree to work for $100? Take your money and leave. I’ll pay the people who worked an hour the same as I paid you. Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want with my own money?”

3. Who is this capitalist exploiter of workers who thinks he can pay people whatever he wants?
Most theologians will tell you this landowner represents none other than Christ himself. The names, currencies, and exact quotes have been changed, but the essence of the story Christ told in Matthew 20 hasn’t.
It’s a helpful story to remember when Michael Moore is out telling us that capitalism is anti-Jesus.
The rest can be read here
********pajamasmedia.com/blog/jesus-the-capitalist/

Why the left does not get it?
Maria, we have these new friends, "the commies". I am sure that they would say: "This is too simplistic, you have to look at grasshoppers roots, what if his father have molested him, what if he lacks the basic skills that ant possesses, etc."