The only reason people get more conservative is because they have more to lose as they accumulate wealth so they give up their idealism in exchange for possessions.
Of course any position that disagrees with your must be based on greed or something else negative rather then idealism...
That's what you would like to believe.
The truth is I've lost a lot of respect, if not for conservatives, then for Republicans. I was an independent three years ago. I voted for both Reps. and Dems. No longer.......this summer I will join Moveon. I will give money to the Dem. party. It will be the first time I have ever given money to a political party.
Like many people, I have gone thru major changes this past three years. There is something very wrong with our gov't.....at least the way the Bushies believe it should be run. I believe it must be stopped.
So to answer your original question.....yes, I see some very self centered, greed-motivated behavior on the part of this administration. But my opposition to them goes much deeper than that.
Another example of attacking the person rather then just the idea.
Like you really know what that's like. Try being someone who had liberal beliefs three years ago. The attacks from the right were unmerciful. I was amazed at how in your face they were. I will never forget it.
To compound this the attack on the individuals is inaccurate. I'm sure that some people do change for such self motivated reasons but you said "the only reason". Many libertarians and conservatives are motivated by idealistic reasons or by pragmatic reasons for the country as a whole, not solely for personal benefit.
Well, it seems until recently, they have been fairly quiet about their principles. JF has pointed out that as a conservative, he sees considerable divergence from conservative principles and what's espoused by this White House. And since he spoken out, I've seen that American Conservative magazine is taking stances that is in direct conflict with this WH. All I can say is that its about time.
Personally I was conservative and leaning libertarian before I had any significant amount of money and even now I am far from wealthy. But even if I was wealthy that wouldn't mean I chose to support libertarian and conservative ideas for my own self benefit.
I glad to hear it.
Also if you wish to argue that the fact that some libertarians and conservatives would directly benefit from a smaller government means that their motives and even there ideas where suspect, you would also have to apply the same idea to the supporters of big government. Many of them get subsidies and benefits from the government. I am not just talking about the poor but also people in the middle and upper classes. But while I disagree with them politically I give them the benefit of the doubt about their motives and even if their motives where self motivated that doesn't prove their overall ideas are wrong. If someone argues for X because they would benefit from X, that doesn't mean X is a bad thing.
I understand people's concerns about gov't spending. I am appalled with the spending going on under the current administration.
Why I am not adamant in my position re. gov't spending is because gov't can and does do good things that profit motivated, private industry can't afford to risk. In that way, gov't can play an important, catalyst role in our society. Does it always work? No. But when it does, the results can be quite impressive.
ted |
