Liberal vs. conservative debate continues

What does it mean to be liberal or conservative? In a letter last week, Harold Hochstatter took offense and accused me of trying to put everyone into these two categories. Harold, I do not claim that everyone is either liberal or conservative. However, notice that some people call themselves liberal or conservative. It is worthwhile to try to understand those concepts.

This idea (from my friend Emery) is regarding using the power of the government to restrict actions: conservatives want to restrict individual freedoms and remove barriers for businesses, while liberals want to restrict business and remove barriers for individual freedoms.

Consider two letters to the CBH last week from self-proclaimed conservatives. Scott Hudson warned of Marxism and "the Government takeover of private industry." Jon Smith warned of "liberal socialism" and "the growing size and intrusion by government." (Smith also embraced my previous idea of conservatives looking to the past: did you notice that, Harold?) The letters from Hudson and Smith demonstrate that conservatism means removing barriers for business. Consider also that conservatives tend to be against abortion, birth control, and homosexual marriage, which are examples of restricting individual freedoms.

Consider liberals: they tend to be in favor of legal abortions, accessible birth control, and homosexual marriage, which are examples of removing barriers for individual freedoms. Liberals are also usually in favor of environmental regulations and workers' rights that restrict business. For example, proper food labeling and child work laws are liberal restrictions upon businesses that would prefer not to tell you what's in your food and would prefer to hire children because you can pay them less.

Conservatives restrict individuals and free business, while liberals free individuals and restrict business.

Dennis Knepp

Moses Lake