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I reject the very idea of political parties. The purpose of voting is to choose the best candidates, the women, and men whose beliefs are most closely aligned with your own. Voting for a party is why our government is dysfunctional today.
However, your politics defines you. No one should be defined as a Republican or a Democrat. However, every American leans more toward liberal or conservative beliefs, as they exist in the 21st century. Who are you?
You might notice that I use “liberal,” and not “progressive.” This is because I believe that liberals should be proud of their history. In my estimation, only three presidents in history were true liberals, and they made positive changes for America: Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Today’s conservatives are celebrating the overturning of Roe v Wade. They believe that women have no right to make decisions about their reproductive health. Several red states passed laws defining “personhood” as beginning at contraception. The life of a one-celled organism is of greater importance than that of a woman.
Liberals support women’s rights and full equality in all life situations. Abortion is a personal and human right. No man should prevent a woman’s right to care for the future of her own mental and physical health.
Conservatives are attempting to suppress the voting rights of millions of Americans, primarily those who live below the poverty line and minorities.
Liberals proudly supported the John Lewis Voting Rights bill. Voting is our most important right and our only weapon against a corrupt government.
Income inequality is a growing problem in America. Conservatives created today’s plutocracy and continue to support tax cuts for the super-rich and our most profitable corporations.
While conservatives preach fiscal responsibility, they don’t mean it. Not a single right-wing politician complained about Trump’s waste of tens of millions of dollars every month as he used the national treasury as his own personal bank, holding hate rallies and constantly golfing without concern for our nation’s future. Liberals support fair taxation. This simple change would lessen the national debt. Social programs which would improve the quality of life for all Americans would be affordable.
Racism is a growing problem. Conservatives embrace white supremacist/Neo-Nazi groups and their anti-American beliefs. These fascists have been given a place in our government. For four years, their leader was defiling our nation’s White House.
As a proud liberal, I celebrate America’s diversity. We are and always will be a nation of immigrants. Different cultures, races, and Americans of color contribute to what will someday make America great. Racism and ignorance are synonyms. There is no place for hatred in my America.
One of the problems I first noticed as a young American was the unfounded fear of what is now known as the LGBTQ community. Homophobia is a mental disease. These men and women ask for nothing more than their first amendment rights.
Red states continue to pass legislation condemning the LGBTQ community. They are creating laws that contain hateful actions which remove the human rights of transexuals. Conservatives are attempting to ostracize millions of men and women who are defenseless. Those who express anger and hatred for no other reason than their sexual orientation is void of average intelligence.
The Constitution is under attack from conservatives. Right-wing members of the Supreme Court, “The Six Bad Actors,” are making decisions that would remove the rights guaranteed by the First, Fourth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments.
However, they are expanding the antiquated and outdated Second Amendment, which should be repealed or at least rewritten. It no longer applies to 21st-century America.
Liberals believe that the Constitution is the greatest document ever written. However, it is a living document and must be interpreted in relation to the changes in America over the last 246 years. There is no comparison to living in the United States between 1789 and 2022.
America’s healthcare system is one of the worst and most expensive in the world. I am not referring to healthcare, only the system. American scientists and medical professionals produce some of the greatest advances in their field on the planet. However, the system fails most Americans. Only the wealthy can afford adequate healthcare.
Conservatives consider the system perfect. They continue to fight for free universal healthcare for all. This is a human right ignored by the party of special interests who continue to believe that this situation is only for the super-rich.
Liberals condemn the current system. Thousands of Americans die each year because they cannot afford life-saving treatment or life-saving prescription drugs which prolong life. Thousands more families lose their homes and their quality of life as medical bills swallow most of their income. This is one of the leading causes of homelessness in America.
I could list many other differences between liberals and conservatives related to issues, including education, sensible immigration, the environment, the Electoral College, term limits for Congress and SCOTUS, and others, but this article is already longer than I anticipated.
I will summarize my story by stating the simple fact that conservatives oppose every issue favored by the majority of the American people. This alone speaks volumes.
Op-ed by James Turnage, Novelist
Sources:
AKelley: Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs; pdf
Diffen: Conservative vs. Liberal
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Gerd Altmann’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Reimund Bertrams’ Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
Second Inset Image Courtesy of John Hain’s Pixabay Page – Creative Commons License
