Back Talk

As a converted Conservative, I accept that it never hurts to analyze one’s opinions on a regular basis to insure against the writer’s assertion. Now, saying that the holders of opposing views are close-minded translates to, “If you refuse to change your mind and agree with me, you have a closed mind,” but I did a sanity check on my beliefs anyway. I jotted down some of the most important or critical issues in our society. I started with abortion and immediately had to admit that Conservatives are not open to reconsideration here; if a person believes that it is murder to destroy a baby in the womb (Liberals always use the term fetus, although an expectant mother never refers to her onboard baby as a fetus,) he or she is not going to change that view. So one point for the Liberal. Next, I looked at the environmental issue, and, here it seems Liberals are the close-minded group. They accept the opinion of any and all spokesmen who say man caused global warming, but are unwilling to consider the opinions of opposing scientists, of which there are many. Trendy environmental expert Al Gore refuses to sit down and debate the issues. Even the Liberal New York Times has published a sharp critique of Gore’s misrepresentations. It looks very bad for the Liberals on economic issues. President Bush proposed a fix to our looming Social Security bankruptcy – allowing us to invest 2% of our income in safe mutual funds instead of donating it to the Government – and was soundly beaten down. Liberals are locked into the view that tax increases are necessary to increase revenue, that we must have regular minimum wage increases, periodic wage and price controls, and strong government control in our lives. Facts are stubborn things and they put the lie to all of these views: Four Presidents have cut taxes and successfully increased revenues; minimum wage increases have caused unemployment of the people who most need a job each and every time. Price and wage controls have always corrupted the market system, caused shortages (reference the gas lines in 1973,) and unemployment. I believe Liberals are closed-minded to different opinions because they receive daily validation of their beliefs from the Liberal Media. It’s hard to avoid noticing that many of us have switched from Liberal to Conservative over the years – after all everyone is a Liberal from K through college – but it’s impossible to find an adult who has gone the other direction?