How many here are liberals?

Just a question. As a continue to grow as a person, I'm also seeking the truth of who has MY best interest in mind as a black man. Now, before I continue, I am NOT a republican, but I call myself Moderate. On certain issues I tend to lean towards the right and others I stay center. I'm from Detroit and I come from a family of Democrats. Howver, after living in Phoenix for 7 1/2 yrs, I see things much differently.

 

I hate to define my philosophical leanings as i consider them rather multi-dimensional but i definitely lean more "left" than "right".

 

Co-sign. I lean a lot further left, but won't hesitate to vote the other way if I feel it's in my best interest.

 

Man, what a complex issues...I'm gonna try and keep my reply simple as possible b4 i get on a rant lol. I feel the same as you smooth. I want to know the truth of the matter before aligning myself with one group or another, I've come to find the harder I look the more muddled the "truth" becomes. It seems to me after a bit of searching the labels "Liberal" "Conservative" "Republican" "Democrat" are in many instances detrimental to the unity of our country. It's almost as bad trying to categorize people by race there is just too much variation for any one party to accurately represent an individual. Long story short I believe our two party system is flawed and is only accepted because it's easier for the masses to just pick a side(repub dem lib cons) rather than explore the depth of every issue. That being said I encourage you not to pick a side but pick issues that are important to you and support those who have similar views regardless of affiliation. *note* As far as i'm concerned we'll never truly truly be free until we have an intellectual revolution where people take it upon themselves to self educate and seek the TRUTH regardless of its convenience. I hoped that helped somewhat /end rant

 

Greco awesome response!
I am more leaning to the left, to me the dems are the lesser evil of 2...

 

I try to look at the fundamental premise of each party....Republicans' aim is to maintain the status quo....to be conservative....to make sure things work as they always have...resistant to change. Democrats seek to change whether it is needed or not. Dems. attach themselves to newer ideas/trends...a more "liberal" outlook on life.


When everything is going well....you generally want to maintain that momentum....but often....things aren't so rosy....therefore it would make sense to align with those who are most likely to seek change and challenge the status quo.


The Republicans have gotten so bogged down that they only focus on the military, abortion and gay rights it seems.....its not so much that the Dems are so much better...but they seem to focus on a much broader range of issues

 

I guess I would call myself a liberal or Democrat. While I dont agree with everything they say or do, when I think about the Republican Party and some of the crap they have pulled, it makes me sick. And its one thing to do dirt, but if your're going to do dirt, then be upfront about it. Dont do dirt and then play crazy or and like you didnt realize doing "A" would lead to "B". Examples:

-The Bush Administration was notorious for passing legislation during Holidays (they love to pass stuff on the Christmas Holiday) when they knew people were traveling and obviously not as aware of what they were doing.

-School vouchers, a conservative issue, is nothing more than a way for the weathy to get the government to help pay for their kid's private schooling. (If the bad schools are so bad, the give every child there a voucher, not just some of them. And dont give vouchers to wealthy parents. Republicans dont like income restrictions on vouchers.) Here's an idea...why dont we just improve the damn schools. Raise teacher's salary so that the "smartest" people in college consider education as a career option. (Who in the hell can live off of $35K a year in FL, CA, or anywhere in the northeast?)

-They dont favor any measures that would make it easier for the masses to register or vote. And they fought like hell to have absentee and "hanging chad" ballots tossed out during Bush's first election.

-Repubicans LOVE to jump on the "stop welfare abuse" band wagon. Who cares about poor people stealing millions when these wealthy coporations are stealing BILLIONS in the form of corporate welfare.

-And lets not even talk about the war in Iraq. When I was in just a little crumb snatcher and was kinda falling in love with the whole military - "man-in-uniform" thing, my mom told me something that I will never forget...,"Never go in the military when there's a Republican in the White House."

...but yeah, I guess I lean a little to the left...

 

Being a Black Republican is a great way to meet white womens at political functions. On the Democrat side, brothas are a dime a dozen.

Ann Coulter is a blonde Goddess mmmmmmmmm

Laura Bush is definitely MILF material.

 

Wow that's sooo lame. I would never compromise myself to meet woman. Or promote my views by anything other than the merit that they stand on. "Dude blonds totally dig guys who support the patriot act" C'mon man you see how superficial that sounds. If anything you are discrediting yourself. I'm not mad @ ya if your a republican good for you but your only hurting yourself and promoting dissent in your comment...

 

I'm with you Greco. I tried to support Bush after becoming somewhat "conservative". I even listen to talk radio (Rush, Hannity, etc...) however' the're not conservatives, but rather "Bush-bots" and mouthpieces for the Republicans. I ONLY listen to Michael Savage, who is really good because he's independent--he blasts both Dems and Reps. I may catch Laura Ingraham every now and then (I actually met her and had my pic taken with her---gorgeous woman).

From my observation. It seems that black folk seem to lean towards left because back in the 60s, that generation were desperate for someone to understand the cause....so it seems that we alligned ourselves with the hippies???? Am I wrong?? But again my personal opinion and look at where we are now.

It seems that most people here seem to lean towards left, as I mentioned, growing up, I got the impression "if they love us black folk, they're alright'. Now I learn that's all lies. If you're black and don't agree with the left, you're an Uncle Tom and villified by the extremist of left wingers. But hey, we're screwed either way right? (Okay Smooth, keep your cool).

Now before you strat firing your rifles, are you guys voting for Obama for the right reasons or simply because he's a Black man?

 

Great post Smooth! I was actually listening to Savage nation last night lol!

 

My Man, I can see that we'll be great friends. 8)

 

Another thing...don't get conservative confused with Republican. Living in Arizona, most conservatives I know do vote Rep. but are just as dissatisfied as well.

Conservative does not mean kissing G.W.'s ass. It can mean (back in the day when) your grandmother going to church every Sunday and waiting to save herself for your granddaddy who would work 2-3 jobs to support her. It can mean having both parents raising a child esp. the father. Instilling values and work ethics instead of being a lazy ass.

As far as who's running for pres, I say THEY ALL SUCK! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Pretty sad that all of those things are considered conservative. Lots of that should just be common sense.

 

Yeah, but many libs I know don't think like that.

 

Word, Greco. The problem with our system is that we are the only real democratic republic that enslaves itself to a two-party system. There are variants to the terms "liberal" and "conservative," but in our country they are confined to "Democrat" and "Republican" respectively. I consider myself far, far left of center, which means farther left then most Democratic national office holders; nevertheless, as is Chigirl, I am forced to choose the lesser of the two evils.

Everything about our elective process, from official government funding to the role of the media" is geared toward silencing other voices and maintaining the Democrat-Republican two-party system. Candidates who are not considered "viable" are left out of national debates (Ron Paul was kept from the Fox (Faux) News debate); if a party does not win 10% of the votes in the general election, it cannot receive federal matching funds for the next election.

The truly brave people are those who vote their hearts and not according to their fears. I was such a person in 2000, I think, when I voted for Ralph Nader, but now I fear the prospect of another 4 years of illegal war, saber rattling, American imperialism (actually, this will no doubt continue even if a Dem is elected), and unabashed ignorance and denial (on an international scale) of the existence and effects of global warning. I will definitely vote Dem this year, even if Republican-lite Hillary Clinton gets the nomination.

 

Honestly, if Obama doesn't get the nomination, i would vote for the Bloomberg/Hagel ticket.

 

I don't know what the terms liberal or conservative mean. My understanding of the political spectrum has libertarian on one end and authoritarian on the other, and I am firmly on the side of libertarian. On economic issues, Republicans traditionally, but not always lean libertarian, but on social issues like abortion, gay rights, end of life isssues etc. democrats tend to do better.

Whatever the issue, I am with the side that favors government taking a hand-off position and leaving individuals in charge of their own affairs. Very little in society has ever been improved by getting government invloved.

 

My Dick curves to the left you got me..u.

 

authoritarian = conservative

The problem is you cant have it both ways. Democrats, while they favor more "government intervention," favor abortion and gay rights. Republicans say they favor less government involvement, but then they (Republicans in government) want to take away a abortion and gay rights.

And thats where the Republican message gets cloudy. How can you favor less government involvement and then want the government to get involved in abortion and gay issues?

I see Democrats as the lesser of two evils.