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Do Conservatives And Liberals Have Enough in Common to Keep A Country Together Anymore?
Townhall.com ^ | Nov 18, 2017 | John Hawkins

Posted on 11/17/2017 11:36:10 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” – The Declaration of Independence

Remember the woman who was fired for flipping off Trump’s motorcade? Well, she has been deluged with job offers from liberals and a Gofundme set up in her name has raised 117k dollars and counting. This seems like a small thing, but it’s indicative of where we are as a society.

There was a time when doing something trashy like flipping off a presidential motorcade would be frowned upon -- not because everyone loves the President, but because no one with class would do anything like that. Those days are gone and they’ve been replaced by non-stop trolling, outright hatred of people with differing opinions and grotesque tribalism. Gridlock has become the rule of the day in Congress for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest is that the Right and Left simply don’t agree on much anymore.

Just as an example, ask yourself this question: how many of the fundamental questions about American life do you agree with Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi on? Think about the basic questions of American life.

The Constitution? Conservatives believe in it. Liberals believe in a “living Constitution” which is fundamentally no different than having no Constitution at all.

Religion? Conservatives tend to believe in Judeo-Christian values. Even atheists who are conservative tend to at least be friendly to those values. Liberals mock Judeo-Christian values.

What about patriotism? Conservatives tend to love their country. Liberals love this country like a wife-beater loves his spouse.

Conservatives tend to be capitalists. Liberals tend to be socialists. Conservatives believe people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Liberals believe your race defines you. Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity. Liberals believe in equality of results. Conservatives believe in freedom of speech. Liberals are fine with silencing people that disagree with them. Conservatives believe in small government. Liberals believe in a frighteningly powerful central government dictating your every move.

That last one is perhaps the most significant because if liberals could live the way they want in California, New York and Connecticut while conservatives could live as they please in Texas, South Carolina and Utah, we could shrug off our differences. As the government in Washington becomes ever more powerful, that is no longer allowed.

Getting back to that central question, what do you agree with Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama on? There are certainly some things. For example, Nancy Pelosi represents San Francisco and presumably likes the city. I’ve visited and certainly liked it as well. Barack Obama likes golf and basketball. Certainly there are plenty of conservatives who feel the same way. If we got right down to it, there are probably plenty of conservatives who like the same clothes, restaurants and TV shows that Obama and Pelosi do…but, is that enough to hold together a nation over the long haul?

America is going to be testing that proposition over the next few decades.

Recently, a Republican group in North Carolina asked me to come out and speak. After my speech, there was a Q&A session and someone there asked me, “Is it time for people who love their country to get their guns, head to D.C. and do something about what’s happening in our country?”

Just to be clear, he wasn’t advocating a terrorist attack or a random shooting; he was asking if it is time for patriots who love this country to attempt to overthrow the government to help bring our nation back to Constitutional governance.

What DIDN’T happen is worth noting. Nobody laughed. Nobody shouted, “Oh, come on!” Nobody said, “Oh, that’s just crazy, Dave. You’ll have to excuse him and his wild questions.” Instead, people sat quietly and listened for my response.

The short version of what I told him was “no.” It is not time to split the country apart and have a revolution. That’s a very extreme step and it should only be taken in the direst of circumstances

The longer version of what I told him is that he’s right to be concerned about the country and that, yes, it is entirely possible we won’t hold together long term. What happens when we – almost inevitably at this point – have a debt-driven economic crash which causes Social Security and Medicare to be gutted? Other than wanting to get those checks, what do we have holding us together anymore? Eating lunch at McDonald’s? Watching The Walking Dead? NFL games….oh wait, sorry. We don’t even have that anymore.

We have broken bonds as a nation before: first, with the British, then during the Civil War. Regrettably, we may be headed toward another break down the road. That’s not something anyone should welcome, but when large percentages of the population are forced to live under grating rules they disagree with in the strongest of terms, paid for with increasingly large amounts of tax money they didn’t want to give up and implemented by people they don’t like, respect or feel bound to as a people, no wise person should assume that will continue indefinitely.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: culturewar; leftism; liberalism; progressivism; twocountries
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I'd rather see a civil war than see the country go down the dumper. Who wants to live in Venezuela, which is what this country would become if Liberals had their way? Unfortunately our downward spiral is being enabled by people who call themselves Republicans.
1 posted on 11/17/2017 11:36:11 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
… [Karl Marx] envisioned a regimented breed of Pavlovian men whose minds could be triggered into instant action by signals from their masters. He wanted a race of men who would no longer depend upon free will, morals, ethics or conscience for guidance. Perhaps without realizing it, Marx was setting out to create a race of human beings conditioned to think like criminals. …

— The Naked Communist, chapter 2
Once one realizes that liberals are this kind of human being, the picture of what we are up against becomes clearer.
2 posted on 11/17/2017 11:43:56 PM PST by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

There is a much better solution than a second civil war . New England should be made part of canada. And California eastern Oregon and eastern Washington can form thier own country. Then those conservatives left in any blue areas can migrate as well as the blues to their people. Pick a solution 1 of these appears inevitable. I prefer the one without bloodshed.


3 posted on 11/17/2017 11:49:27 PM PST by Panhandle.deporable
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

America is for Americans. Dems are anti-American.

Sterilize and deport it’s the only way to be sure.


4 posted on 11/17/2017 11:51:02 PM PST by Electric Graffiti (Obama voters killed America...Treat them accordingly.)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

We also then make Guam a state and tell Hawaii to do whatever they want. But we don’t want them


5 posted on 11/17/2017 11:51:57 PM PST by Panhandle.deporable
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To: Panhandle.deporable

Meant western Oregon and Washington


6 posted on 11/17/2017 11:52:50 PM PST by Panhandle.deporable
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

Dunno

They don’t want guns.

We got guns....


7 posted on 11/17/2017 11:53:32 PM PST by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH-pk2vZG2M)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
Unfortunately our downward spiral is being enabled by people who call themselves Republicans.

Yep. And while there is strong push-back by conservatives, the only thing that's going to stop liberals and progressives is lead. Anything less will be met with a middle finger.

8 posted on 11/17/2017 11:57:07 PM PST by CatOwner
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

No, we do not anymore.
If this sharp division continues, I expect America will become quite a bit like Europe, but with a few common languages. Certain issues may united us sufficiently enough to keep the patriotism strong, such as wars or innovations from powerhouses such as Apple or some new version of General Motors, Tesla, but on a strict budget.


9 posted on 11/18/2017 12:00:32 AM PST by lee martell
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
there is too big a canyon between "us" and "them"...

a lot of them don't have any values...none whatsoever..

10 posted on 11/18/2017 12:02:22 AM PST by cherry
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

Our country has been divided between the anti-God and the Godly, the perverts and the traditional family.

63M deplorable, bitter clingers, as we are called
62M pervert, leftists

The 62M anti-God perverts have made it very clear they are more than willing to pass laws to throw the 63M deplorable, bitter clingers in jail.


11 posted on 11/18/2017 12:03:34 AM PST by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - Classical Christian Approach to Homeschool ])
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To: CatOwner

Living in the Baltimore suburbs and so near that damn Swamp, I feel so disenfranchised.
At 57 years of age, I had been a democrat since registering in high school in 1978. Then, along came Donald Trump, who was thee only “republican” ever to compel me to change party affiliation. He opened my eyes and ears with his straight talk and obvious solutions to all of our crises. I thank God every day for bringing him forward to lead us at this perilous time in history.
It is beyond bewilderment and exasperation why practically every American, democrat and republican, doesn’t share my profound gratitude and appreciation for President Trump. It’s all about patriotism and rallying behind our great Commander-in-Chief in his quest to MAGA!!!
Make no mistake, President Trump is our last hope for a future worth living!!!


12 posted on 11/18/2017 12:13:30 AM PST by edie1960
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
Liberals and conservatives can work together.

Left wing and right wing ideologues can't.

13 posted on 11/18/2017 12:19:45 AM PST by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

I have asked that question many times. The only real answer would be to try and divide up the country with states like California and New York going to the liberals and most of the central and southern states going to conservatives. Only problem is that in a few years all the liberal states would be broken down third world banana republics and all the liberals would try to invade the conservative states and take advantage of the great prosperity that they would generate. Basically we would have another Mexico on our hands. So it would only work with conservative states implementing real serious border control. I’m talking electric fences, minefields, crock filled moats, and an automatic death sentence for violators.


14 posted on 11/18/2017 12:26:53 AM PST by TonyM
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To: Panhandle.deporable
"I prefer the one without bloodshed."

And you actually believe that this will save you? I bought a chunk of the Berlin Wall. Why do you think it existed?

Communists MUST own the entire planet. Their system can permit no other option. It's why they're so committed to preventing any migration. If North Koreans, East Germans, Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Cubans, can see and are able to compare Communism to Capitalism, they will leave for a better life. This can not be permitted.

The Stupids will stay, because only when all are absolutely equal, by government edict, can they pretend success. Striving to better oneself is Deviationist.

15 posted on 11/18/2017 12:27:59 AM PST by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: edie1960; Oshkalaboomboom; CatOwner; ForYourChildren
edie1960: "along came Donald Trump, who was thee only 'republican' ever to compel me to change party affiliation."

Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump had/have the remarkable ability, for Republicans, to reach across the divide and appeal to Democrats who still have some of our traditional values -- family, work, patriotism, reverence for Founding ideals among others.

But such leaders are few & far between, while such reachable Democrats are also growing fewer each year.
Are they just enough to provide a stable majority to roll back the tides of Leftist history?

Maybe, but certainly not if we give up and resort to the kinds of violence which only make things much worse.

16 posted on 11/18/2017 12:30:46 AM PST by BroJoeK (a little historical perspective...)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

Only a return to GOD can heal this divided nation. Pray for a second GREAT AWAKENING!


17 posted on 11/18/2017 12:48:19 AM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

Anyone with half a brain knows the political pendulum swings from side to side. Obama was an over-reaction to Bush who the liberal media totally destroyed and who never defended himself or his positions - a wimp’s wimp. And, not a conservative, but a moderate at best.

So Obama came, and inspite of being protected and universally promoted by the media, and his successor Hillary being treated the same, the pendulum swing - and Trump was the right man in the right place at the right time.

Watch how the media and liberals are responding to Trump - While they hated Bush, they literally want to destroy Trump, see him dead.

Watch out how the pendulum will swing after Trump. We are likely to get an OPENLY Marxist Muslim as our next president who will make Obama seem like a moderate.

If this happens, it’s unlikely our nation will ever recover - without another revolution.


18 posted on 11/18/2017 12:49:26 AM PST by Arlis
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
This is a question which has bothered me for a while. Our democratic Republic only works if both sides take the good will and intentions of the other for granted. We may disagree, but we both have the good of the country at heart.

Since the 70’s, I have seen a fundamental change. The left no longer assumes that we can honestly disagree but share the same goals. For a generation the “progressives” have instead assumed that their beliefs and feelings are self evidently correct. And therefore can be treated as fact and Truth. This implies that everyone actually agrees with them, since the Truth of their position is obvious. Therefore, if anyone, such as conservatives, does not go along with what they say they want, such persons must have ulterior motives, or be crazy, or evil, or both. This is what I see behind Trump Derangement Syndrome, and was the motivation for Bush Derangement Syndrome as well. I have seen this attitude in too many otherwise intelligent and well educated people that I know, even relatives and used-to-be-friends.

I do not know how our Republic, based on the consent of the governed, can survive without the common agreement to grant good faith and concurrence to the citizens who do not agree with us.

19 posted on 11/18/2017 1:14:15 AM PST by VietVet
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To: jonascord

Most of these leftists are politically stupid. only the leaders are hard core Marxists. In American society today the vast divide is due to Christians on one side (conservative) and non believers (liberals) on the other side. This divide splits almost every family and workplace. And most are just average people with not much in common with the other. So yes I do believe in peaceful separation. Already happening in many areas of country by choice.


20 posted on 11/18/2017 1:15:01 AM PST by Panhandle.deporable
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