ZingerKing: Social Conservatives, Political Extremes, Special Interests

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Social Conservatives, Political Extremes, Special Interests

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Friday June 12, 2009
The Weekend Edition

Today's Zinger:

Human Nature May Be Excited By Extremes But Lives In Moderation

The Morning Briefing:

Headlines are designed to grab our attention. Human nature is "thrilled" by extremes. Record breaking, baby killer, hottest, coldest, evil empire, failed policies, all get our attention and we want to know more. When we take the time to listen to the whole report or read the entire article, we usually find out that there are many modifiers to the extreme headline. Many times we find out the media is willing to distort the truth to support their views. Unfortunately, few of us take the time to listen or read the entirety. As such, our society has turned in to the headline view of the world.

Political parties, the media and special interest groups are pushing us into an extreme view of most situations. Research has shown that Americans have more in common in their view of social and political issues than the extremes that we are left to believe as normal. Most Americans are "Social Conservatives".

The Discussion:

The political system pushes us into being a conservative or being a liberal through affiliation with the Republican or Democratic party. With this affiliation we are labeled.  With each label comes certain preconceived notions that quite frankly do not represent the beliefs of the vast majority of Americans.   The vast majority of Americans would pick some beliefs from a conservative menu and some beliefs from a liberal menu. But that doesn't feed the political system or meet the needs of certain special interests groups pushing their agenda. America is tired of the extreme views that are causing discord and misdirected policies.

The vast majority of Americans care about other Americans and want to help those that are having temporary problems. They understand the need for limited government but don't want the government to become too big and interfere too much in their daily lives. They care about individual rights and are not trying to impose their values and will on other people, but they expect other people to be responsible in their actions. Americans understand the need for our government to provide shared services, infrastructure and defense, but do not want the government competing with private enterprise and involved in what should be personal choice.

However, it seems that the headline grabbers are the extremists.  The politicians that want the government totally out of our lives. The healthcare advocate that believes a single payer system is the only way to provide healthcare to all. Tax the rich and to enable the poor. Revise capitalism to stop the extreme greed of Wall Street. Stop all abortion, as the implications are the same from conception to birth.

You may be someone that believes some of these statements, however research shows these are not the views of the vast majority of Americans. Extreme views are the result of extreme situations that are presented as the norm. The extreme view of a government totally staying out of our lives or not providing boundaries (regulation) for how business will operate within the economy. The extreme view of welfare mothers having babies to increase the welfare check and don't work because it is easier to have babies then go to work each day. The drug addict whose repeat addiction keeps him or her out of work and on the government payroll for years. The businessman willing to operate without regard to law or regulation in order to enrich himself. Illegal immigrants working the system of welfare and education while earning a living in the cash society. Let me be clear, these things do happen but they are not the norm nor are they supported by most Americans. These are the battle cry of the far left or far right.

It is these extreme views and the abuses of the system that are used as ammunition against the other side that creates the labels of liberal or conservative. These views have been relegated to inflammatory soundbites to reinforce the notion that conservatives are self absorbed and only care about their own satisfaction. They believe that conservatives hate government because government costs money and they want to keep their money and they don't want the government to tell them how to live their lives.

Conversely, these labels reinforce qualities a liberal as a bleeding heart. Someone that doesn't want to work hard to make their own way, but would rather have others pay their way for them. Someone that believes the government should solve their problems rather than take responsibility to solve their own problems.

Research shows that the majority of Americans believe certain aspects of both the "liberal" agenda and the "conservative" agenda. I call it the intelligent middle or Social Conservatives.   These people are left of center on social issues and right of center on fiscal issues. The problem is we respond to the abuses and the extremes of each rather than logical and tempered view.

I call these people Social Conservatives. Someone that is a fiscally and socially responsible.   Someone that believes in a small and cost effective government and someone that believes in caring for Americans that are disadvantaged but are trying to make their way back to being a responsible citizen in our country. They believe in the role of government and the believe in the rights of the individual.

The Republican party and the Democrat party are pandering and peddling the abusers and the extreme views of each other. The media is headlining extremes to sell their story. Special interests represent the extreme view to win their chosen battle. When extreme views win they become the standard by which the majority must live, despite the fact that the majority holds a more tempered view of the situation. These groups are creating tremendous discord in this country for their own power and benefit.

The Conclusion:

We, as a nation, must break the pattern of cynicism and negativity that has been created by our political parties, the media and special interest groups. Each party has stereotyped the other side pushing them further and further from the middle. Thus, those that are socially responsible and fiscally responsible are left without representation, but must instead decide which extreme they care about most and vote in that direction.

The United States is entering a defining moment.  Many changes underway in our political and economic system have the potential to alter the course of our nation. Who we allow to be citizens, the individual rights of citizens and non citizens, the financial debt load encumbering future generations, how much the government represents of our economy versus private enterprise, government involvement in private enterprise, the United States' role and standing in global affairs, our energy future, international trade or protectionism of jobs, taxation of corporations and individuals domestic and abroad, relationships with existing allies. These are just a few of the policies that have been put in play in the past six months.

Citizens of this nation have more in common than differences. We need to come together on our common beliefs to solve these critical issues or we will either enact policy of the extremes or we will fail to act to avoid the extremes.

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