Common Sense University

             This article will be difficult to understand if one has not read our two previous postings where we attempted to ask two questions:

• What’s so wrong with Conservative values?
• What’s so right about Liberal Values?

            We intentionally did not try to find answers to the questions but attempted to describe these divergent value systems as we saw them. The purpose behind all this was to respond to the currently espoused and also somewhat accepted mindsets in this country that being a conservative is essentially bad while the liberals have the positives on their side. This should not come as a surprise though since we know that the media - the industry that brings us the news in whichever form or format - is considered heavily leaning towards the liberal side of the ledger in an approximate ratio of 9 to 1. What is ironic though is the fact that liberals do not necessarily want to be called or referred to as liberals but would rather be called ‘progressives’.

            As to comparing these two value systems, we here at Common Sense Politics are convinced that there are positives to both of them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being compassionate and helpful and wanting to fix problems as they - the liberals - see them, what we find objectionable are the instruments with which the liberals go about achieving their goals. Their three main weapons are in no particular order: Taxation, Introduction of new Laws and Protests (when opposed and challenged)! They will do anything to achieve their objectives. Their opposition to rationale and reasoning by others is expressed in feelings and counter attacks that include such things as protests, excessive description and exaggeration of problems as they see them and maligning the members of their opposition. Liberals do not like to debate issues with Conservatives because their own arguments are many times not based on facts and reason but on their strong desire to satisfy their goal orientation. While they do not say so publicly, Liberals are grounded in their feelings. This could be best expressed in the very old saying: Don’t confuse me with the facts; I have made up my mind!  

            We invite you to follow policy discussions in Congress or for that matter in any governing body and see if Democrats are not using these methods. We like to state just one example concerning exaggeration by Liberals: The current debate over offshore oil drilling and in other areas (ANWR and the Oil Shale fields in the Rockies) is argued by Democrats: It isn’t possible to produce one drop of oil in less than ten years. These are outrageous distortions and bold lies! Any person in the oil producing industry can tell you that oil will flow after 2.5 to 4 years if not obstructed by environmental extremist groups. Maybe that is what Liberals are counting on when they make these absurd predictions.

            Another liberal argument against increased oil production is the insane statement: We cannot drill our way out of this situation! This is complete nonsense and in clear contradiction of the basic laws governing Supply and Demand. You don’t even have to be a college student to understand this, common sense should tell us that increasing production results in lowering the cost. You flood the market with more than it can absorb and the price goes down. We see it daily in all walks of life. Go to a supermarket and check the price of produce and ask the question: Why is the price, for instance, for a basket of strawberries lower in the summer than in winter? We should not have to answer that for you: Because summer is the season for strawberry production. It’s that simple!

            We try to demonstrate here that liberals will use any emotional argument if it serves their purposes as we outlined them above. Conservatives are in comparison more rational and understand much better what is normal, achievable and therefore reasonable. They will listen to contraire arguments when they are based on facts and revise their point of view accordingly. They do not have to win at any cost any argument or debate on issues for the sake of argument. In fact, they will readily agree once they are convinced that their previously held position is found to be wrong.

            We like to present one more example for comparison purposes: Let us take the case of two young boys, one being raised by a Conservative parent while the other one is being raised by a Liberal parent. Based on the attributes we accredited to the Conservatives and Liberals in our previous articles, we can assume that they are being raised differently and that the value system of the two boys will not look alike at all. While they will share attributes such as courtesy and good manners towards all others, will be equally intelligent and also have a fairly good understanding of right and wrong, will their outlook on life once they reach adulthood be the same? We doubt it very much. Regardless of their successes in life, we are convinced that the conservatively raised person will be more realistic and self-reliant throughout his life in comparison to the liberally raised individual. We also believe that their attitudes towards government will be vastly different; the liberally raised person will look for government to be the safety net in his life if things go wrong while the other one probably looks at government as a necessity but not the ultimate savior. The conservative person will want to live his life the way he likes it and wants as little intrusion on his lifestyle as possible from the government or others, the same cannot be said about the liberal one who will consistently try to alter, change and interfere in everybody’s lifestyle and behavior.

            The main point we here at this site have tried to make with these three articles is to demystify the notion that being a Conservative is bad while being a Liberal is good and therefore much better. Our Declaration of Independence clearly states that…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Therefore let’s stop the unjust bashing of different ideologies and allow everybody his pursuit of happiness as he sees fit. We are all citizens of this great country, let’s try to get along and accept each other for whom and what we are.