You can find the whole conversation HERE
Conservatives are scrambling to find out how they can attract people to their cause. After much thought - this is what I believe:
I appreciate the time, thought and effort you put
into analyzing females. What I don't think you take into consideration in your
analysis of this conspiracy theory - it is extremely offensive to women to
think FOR us or even worse - tell US what WE think (again, this is the
disconnect).
I am a woman. I am independent. I have a brain and I use it.
I see things from a different perspective BUT I do know when a man is trying to
control me - and to be honest... THAT's not going to happen willingly. Saying
that a woman's "innate urge to be cared for" and that we are
"programmed" into being "catered to" - that is EXACTLY what
feminism is against.
To be honest, what you wrote (about women) offends me -
because I am the only "son" my father (a Republican) raised. He never
placed limits on me and he NEVER made me think that I needed a companion to
depend on or that I should get assistance from the government. He taught me
self-reliance and determination - not because he was a republican... because he
was a good man who wanted more for me than raising kids, cooking dinner and
sitting at home waiting on a man (not that there's anything wrong with that choice). I was an only child... so I wasn't just
"Daddy's Girl"... I was his son too. I was EXPECTED to do whatever was asked of me -
because I wasn't limited to "womanly" tasks. I didn't play with dolls
- I had Tonka Trucks, Matchbox Cars, and a cool village with roadways carved
out in the dirt - by the roots of the big Maple tree in our back yard. (BTW, I
raised my kids the same way).
I can drop a tranny, change an alternator, cut down trees,
problem solve, manage people (at work), write CSS and XHTML, raise my kids,
take care of my home, and a host of other things - BY MYSELF. I am independent,
strong willed and open-minded. My husband (of 24 years) supports everything I
do - and to be honest, I don't think I could be in a relationship that put any
restriction on me.
The "traditional family" is a fallacy. I have a
menagerie of kids that call me "Mom" that I didn't have the pleasure
of conceiving. They don't ask to go in my fridge, they put their feet on my
couch, and they know where we keep the clean towels. I have very close friends
in same sex marriages that have adopted (unwanted) children because pro-choice
doesn't mean pro-abortion. They don't love the children any less or any
differently than if they had given birth to them. The children are fine with
having 2 moms or 2 dads. Not to mention the multitude of my friends that are
going it alone with little or no help from the other parent. All of these children - because of their
"untraditional family" are growing up just fine (and may be better
off) because they are surrounded by people that love them.
What I do see (and know)... pro-life actually means
pro-birth. If you ask a pro-birther how many (unwanted) children they've
adopted... 9.5 out of 10 will tell you none. ALSO, the majority of Pro-lifers
support the death penalty (another hypocrisy - leads to the disconnect).
What makes me a (spiritual, not religious) liberal is that I
empathize with people in the struggle. What makes me believe that our
government plays a roll in creating a safety net for our struggling population
is - the private sector picks winners and losers (because they have a bottom
line to justify)... the government will help everyone. I do not advocate for women to have 10 babies
to collect a check - but I do know more often than not, people fall on hard
times and because the private sector (and some non-profits) can pick and choose
who they want to help... too many people will be left behind. My mother calls
me a "bleeding heart liberal" and I'm cool with that because I know
that we DO live in the greatest country on earth - but we treat our citizens as
if we live in a 3rd world country. I certainly don't make enough money to save
our nation - but I think collectively we can make a difference and the
government is in a position to coordinate that effort.
There are people in our population that do not have the
mental capacity to hold a job (that's a fact). There are people in our
population that do not have the physical capacity to hold a job (that's a
fact). The children and the elderly deserve our support. Children don't ask to
be brought into our world and sometimes against better judgement - they are...
leaving them in unthinkable living situations. There are not enough people with
the means to care for that sector of the population without some sort of
assistance.
In a perfect world, everyone should hold 6 jobs to take care
of their family (or do whatever it takes).
Some people's circumstances would never allow them to hold 6 jobs. So,
because it works for some - it doesn't work for all. It's a personal journey
and those that can't - may need a hand up from time to time. Personally - I do
without before I ask for assistance but my breaking point (and priorities) are different
than others that may be in similar circumstances.
The biggest part of the disconnect - and I get my news from
multiple sources - (and enjoy listening to JD because all though we don't agree
on everything - I appreciate his perspective) IS (and this is my
perspective)... Religion has no place in government. Laws cannot be made with
any tinges of religion involved. My rights cannot be infringed on because YOU
(and that's a general YOU) sin differently than me. If YOU don't believe in
same sex marriage, don't marry someone from the same sex. If YOU don't believe
in abortion, don't have one. If YOU don't like contraception - don't use it. If
YOU don't like weed - don't smoke it. These are just some of the social issues
that drive the Liberal base. These are the things that draw a large divide
between the parties. We are not telling conservatives to have abortions, we are
not telling conservatives to marry someone from the same sex - but why are
these topics even on the table? The premise of the constitution is your ability
to live with freedom (EXCEPT when Conservatives THINK something is immoral).
Throwing communism, socialism and marxism around makes
everything you say after it sound like "WAH WAH WAH". We tune you
out. Because in 1 breath you cannot say "The Constitution" and the
next breath say "You can't do this". It's THAT SIMPLE. We need a
society of laws for a civil society but these things have to be tempered with -
if I'm not bothering you (I haven't crossed into your personal space)... no law
needed.
Obamacare has it's place in our society because healthcare
is not negotiable. Things that are negotiable and are on the table for a free
market are material things (Cars, Houses, Appliances etc.) because if you can't
afford a beemer, you can negotiate or compromise to find something more in your
price range. If you can't afford a mcmansion - you live with what you can
afford until you change your circumstances and have the ability to buy one. You
may not have a big-screen, so you make due with a 19 inch... HEALTHCARE is not
a free market item. If you are dying and need healthcare (insurance) but you
can't afford it (or have been denied) - the only thing a provider is required
to do is stabilize you. If you don't have the money to pay for procedures that
would improve your quality of life - you die (or go bankrupt). That's because
there are "bottom lines". People should not have to choose between
eating and going to the doctor. Your life (and health) are not negotiable. And
to swing back around to the disconnect - most conservatives are pro-life, until
you can't afford your hospital bill - then you can die (or go bankrupt). Obamacare provides manageable personal
responsibility. Just like we pay our taxes to improve our country (infrastructure,
services, security)... using the buying power of a nation (and everyone then
takes personal responsibility) to make (and keep) everyone healthy - will have
long term effects on costs and prosperity. When people have to file bankruptcy
because they were having a heart attack and get tagged with a $79,000 bill -
who do you think picks up those costs?
It's like shoplifting - the "store" is going to get their
money back somehow - so they pass the cost down to the other consumers.
Obamacare is preventing that.
I know this is pretty lengthy - and I apologize for my
verbosity - but as I listen to conservative radio on my ride to and from
work... after Obama won his second term - (despite some radical - and in some
cases racial opposition) - the nation took a turn to the left. Liberals are not
going to be bullied (on a national level) by the right fringe. We are becoming
an open-minded society and some of the religious right are losing their minds
over it.
All the FOX pundits are saying "what is wrong" -
but when people like me provide feedback - you tell me I don't know what I'm
talking about. Stop rejecting our opinion and trying to "strategize"
how to attract people and just be yourself. I don't hold it against you (I was
raised by republican parents) and you are entitled to your beliefs - as long as
you don't force me to believe what you do... because it's not going to happen.
I won't hold it against you if you don't use birth control or need viagra -
it's your life... do your thing (as long as your thing doesn't cross into
Terri-Town). ;) 
