So, I was thinking the other day, I don’t know any conservatives. Sure, there are a few people who are regulars on my site that I’ve interacted with in a friendly 
manner, but in the “real” world I just don’t know any conservatives. This isn’t by design. When I’ve made friends I don’t give them a litmus test of asking who they voted for or anything like that (although the ones that do vote all voted for Clinton, Gore and Kerry as far as I know). It doesn’t help that I’ve lived in areas that would be considered very liberal - Takoma Park, MD, Boston, MA, Los Angeles, CA and Fort Lauderdale, FL. I didn’t move to those places because they were liberal, I just moved to them because I liked the place or because of work (with the exception of Fort Lauderdale - that was 10 years of childhood that’s all my mom’s fault).
My close circle of friends vary from way more liberal than me to libertarian. And the few that are libertarian are more interested in just not ever paying taxes more than any honest economic theory. In general, I tend to be the more conservative one in my group of friends. My dynamic with my mom is probably even weirder than most in that I’m way more conservative than she is. Let’s just say I’m the one usually arguing with her that no, we can’t just take away Bill Gates’ money and give it to the poor because he has “too much”. Heh.
I’m guessing that’s part of why I don’t get conservatism. Not a single person I interact with regularly could conceivably be called a Bush supporting Republican. Maybe if I knew anyone that far gone I might be a bit more forgiving. Although my friends would likely say that isn’t remotely true.
I’m just saying. Thought I would put that out there.
Concur.
Statistically speaking, these people must exist. I see bumper stickers expressing their sentiments, so we must assume that they can drive and own cars. They troll on this very forum.
Why don’t we ever meet any?
what insular lives you lefties lead. No wonder your ideas are so poorly thought-out and formed.
Try inserting “Blacks” or “Jews” instead of “conservatives” in your little missive for a fun exercise……
And here’s fredfarkle to demonstrate why.
Bye the way O.W.
The map you’ve shown is a tad misleading. The current leadership in Canada is as far right as it’s ever been. They import swiftboaters from Jesusland to smear the liberal opp. using enormous wealth from oil to keep the lumpen quiet and satiated…………..for now!!!!
Just like America though, Canada will fight off this horrible stain on humanity.
Oliver, your post amuses me because I do consider you fairly conservative on a fairly broad variety of issues. That might surprise or leave bewildered some of your conservative readers but you are pro-death penalty, a severe critic of distribution of birth control in school health clinics, very cautious in your critiques of conservative religious political organizing. You are probably far to the right of the median Takoma Park resident.
The problem is fredfarkle counts the liberal voices that talk to him when he watches the news to be his liberal interaction for the day.
Try inserting “Blacks” or “Jews” instead of “conservatives” in your little missive for a fun exercise……
Oliver doesn’t know any black people? That is strange.
An ellipsis is three periods, Fred. Not six. Only you can help us conserve our precious ellipses.
Coming from Dallas, it would seem to me a bit over the top to not know any conservatives. I’m surrounded by Bush supporters and liberals alike, and I’m friends with both. I’ll admit, some Bush supporters make me nervous when discussing politics. These discussions turn them into an angry bunch, as they momentarily lose touch with reason and logic. And their rabid hatred of liberals comes off as mentally unhealthy. These are typically the Rush listeners.
“what insular lives you lefties lead. No wonder your ideas are so poorly thought-out and formed.”
New York City is arguably the most ethically diverse city in the country, and one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world. It is also one of the most liberal cities in the country.
I guess you are wrong again.
“Try inserting ‘Blacks’ or ‘Jews’ instead of ‘conservatives’ in your little missive for a fun exercise……”
Trying inserting, “stupid” instead and it works even better.
Here’s a hint, political affiliation is not the same as ethnicity.
and being Jewish is an “ethnicity”…what’s your point (notice the studious conservation of elipsis spider….((oops!))
“and being Jewish is an “ethnicity”"
Yes is it. Being Jewish is not just religious, but cultural. In fact, there are more atheist Jews there are atheists in the general population in the United States, on a per capita basis, that is.
Many people equate being Jewish and Judaism, but there is a difference.
same argument can be made for conservatives and liberals then as well…..
I also do not know any conservatives.
All of my friends and all of my family are very liberal on social and economic issues. I also tend to be a little more conservative then many of my friends and family.
I guess I can think of a few people I interact with who might be fairly conservative but I know them in settings where politics just doesn’t come up. Even still I would be surprised to find any of them had voted for Bush.
I think it works both ways. I doubt many conservatives know that many liberals. We just don’t share enough interests to meet each other.
Other than family members most people do not know people who have radically opposing views on the major issues of the day. My family is all very liberal hence I do not know any conservatives.
I also think this is a middle and lower class phenomenon. Being higher on the economic ladder probably necessitates mingling with people with a wider range of political opinions.
That’s funny…
I’ve lived in Maryland and Wisconsin; but the Congressman from Maryland is Roscoe Bartlett and the one from Wisconsin is Sensennbrener.
And I’ve still never met any conservatives.
same argument can be made for conservatives and liberals then as well…..
N…no it can’t. Judaism is considered an ethnicity and a race because of millenia of inbreeding due to isolation from non-semites (whether this isolation was intentional or imposed). It’s also why there are genetic diseases found mainly in Jews, such as Tay-Sachs.
The only conservative I regularly spend time with is one of the most charming and intelligent women I know. She has, however, recently decided that she identifies more as “libertarian” than “conservative.” She rather understands that today’s conservative sounds more like charmless, under-intelligent fredfarkle and wishes to have no part of it.
We disagree on a lot. But she doesn’t drink at the poisoned well that is modern conservatism, that cesspool of O’Reilly misinformation, Limbaugh bullying, and Malkin/Coulter batshit insanity.
FredFarkle: “same argument can be made for conservatives and liberals then as well…..”
No. No it can not. But I’m not surprised you would think so, after all, you’ve been wrong about so many things. No wonder you support Bush.