With what conservative positions are you ready to find common ground?

[starroute]

Thinking about all the conservatives who have recently broken with Bush -- including some who have shown up here at DU -- has gotten me wondering whether what we're seeing is a marriage of convenience for this election only, or if we'll be able to find common ground for a more general alliance in the future.

For my part, I generally hold strongly liberal positions -- but I'm also quite aware that many of the conservative critiques of liberalism are valid and that certain conservative values are worth maintaining. My problems with conservatism lie more in its short-range tactics (such as laissez-faire capitalism) than in its long-range goals (such as maximizing freedom for everyone.)

I'd like to lay out a few specific examples and encourage discussion of these and similar issues along the liberal/conservative divide:

1) Defense. The liberal side of me wants nothing more than a peaceful world and deeply believes that although a certain level of violence may be part of human nature, organized warfare is not. However, I also acknowledge that in a world of great economic inequalities, killing other people and taking their stuff is always going to be a temptation. So how do we maintain adequate military strength to protect ourselves but not be tempted to use that strength to bully others? How can we value those who are willing to lay down their lives to protect the rest of us without over-glamorizing the use of force?

2) Regulation. The conservatives are right that government regulation of business is expensive, time-consuming, and generally a pain in the butt -- but the abuses of employees, consumers, and the environment that occur in the absence of regulation are even worse. And bribing large corporations to do the right thing doesn't have a great record of success either. So are there alternative ways of protecting our people, our communities, and the natural world that don't require intrusive inspections or the filling out of forms in triplicate? Will greater computerization help? Is there some way to empower ordinary people to give them greater control over local businesses that would take government largely out of the equation?

3) Cultural issues. Let's face it -- our society is pretty tacky. The standards set by reality shows are not the standards we want our children to grow up with. But a reimposition of two thousand year old moral strictures is not the answer either. How do we haul our social values back out of the gutter without the old guilt-and-punishment trips? Would curtailing advertising (with its mind-control techniques based on sex and terror) be a good place to start?

4) Corporations. Speaking from the liberal side of the equation again, I believe that corporations are a large part of our problem -- that they are soulless, blood-sucking monsters that have to be brought under control and restored to their original purpose of serving the common good. Just as with copyright and patents, the goal should be to allow people enough of a profit to encourage them to undertake difficult or dangerous projects, but not to guarantee them the right to make money forever. The flu vaccine shortage is also raising questions about whether there are certain vital functions, like health care, that will never be adequately served by a profit-based system and may require a greater or lesser degree of government intervention. So is it possible to engage our conservative friends in a discussion about the place of the profit motive in a well-functioning society and whether there are areas where it simply does not belong?

[mmonk]

1. I believe in free enterprise,

just not as a substitute for government. Right now, corporations have, in some instances, more rights than people.

[Cleita]

2. Well, I have always been fiscally conservative, like

not spending more than we have, nor borrowing more than necessary, but then it turns out the "tax and spend Democrats" are really Republicans. So, I guess I have nothing in common with conservatives.

[Warpy]

6. Fiscal responsibility

which includes a progressive tax system, targeted tariffs to stop the hemorrhage of jobs overseas that keep the US as the market for all the goods and services produced, and reining in a Pentagon that is completely out of control at this point. None of these things is palatable to a "fiscal conservative," since they all involve taxing his most revered sacred cows. However, fiscal restraint is a good place to start discusssions with them.

[bif]

27. Amen. If you don't have it, you don't spend it.

Same way we run our household. Screw the Red-Ink Republicans!

[DieboldMustDie]

3. Balancing the budget

Not every year, necessarily, but over the long term we simply have to pay the bills.   The current massive structural deficit is going to have disastrous consequences if we don't do something about it.

[da_chimperor]

4. I'm generally open to compromise on many issues, with some exceptions

Abortion, stem cell research (my grandma died of Parkinson's disease), lower defense spending, a balanced budget amendment, and campaign finance reform are issues that I can't budge from. I am willing to compromise or negotiate on a number of others. I completely agree when you say that many traditional conservative positions are completely valid, and I agree with a number of them, such as having a balanced budget. I think it's ridiculous that the chimp still calls himself a conservative.

[info being]

5. Anti immoral crap on MTV and all the reality shows

Time for Progressives to stand for common sense. MTV doesn't have a first ammendment right and we should unite with the Christians to get rid of all the drunken 3 way action and drug overdoses and shit. That stuff belongs in porn and fantasies, not in a depiction of actual life.

Sorry if I offended anyone actually involved in 3-way action. Maybe I'm just jealous.

On edit, I'm a devout Agnostic.

[mark414]

22. so change the channel

[eaprez]

7. one thing...

no abortion after viability (unless mother's life is at stake) - I can go for that - but they will NEVER comprimise....

cultural issues - that's up to families. families aren't doing their job in raising decent citizens - get rid of the tv if you can't turn it off. the repubs fought for the V-chip and its not even being USED. It was a non issue and still is. the cable laws should allow families to CHOOSE which channels they want and which channels they don't want in their homes....without forcing you to get some large package. In my house all the ESPN channels would be gone in a heartbeat!

i wish those people who were out there worrying about abortions and gay marriage would spend as much time taking a stand against racisim or volunteering in disadvantaged communities as they do spouting their self righteous morality on the rest of us.

[sandnsea]

8. Capitalism is good

Whenever they figure out that subsidizing low-income Walmart employees through food stamps and other govt programs isn't "free market" capitalism; maybe we'll be able to talk.

[Dob Bole]

9. balanced budget, some states' rights....and THAT'S IT!!!!

No compromises here, because we won't have to compromise. Bush's tax cuts can be rolled back by simply letting them expire...we don't need the House. The Kyoto Treaty can be ratified by the Senate, which we'll control. All of the judicial nominees/executive appointees will be ratified by the Senate, and we will control the Supreme Court.

We'll need the support of the House for the Health Care plan, but that shouldn't be a problem...even big business is coming around to the idea, because it will save them health care costs and they're all about the bottom line.

In fact, we don't even need the Republicans to accomplish a balanced budget, because we'll have veto power over spending bills.

[DiverDave]

10. Lower government spending.

I have NEVER thought that throwing money at a problem ever worked.
There is a remarkable lack of common sense when it comes to problem solving in Washington, D.C.

[sangh0]

11. Democracy

After that, I'm on the other side, but I'm willing to let the political process sort it out without my having to preconditionally compromise

[Touchdown]

12. None! It's timme they find common ground with us.

They wanted to shut us out, and have suceeded for a decade, and over the last 4 they wanted us destroyed.

I refuse to play nice to a party that questioned my patriotism! I'm a vet, and that is below scum, and until I see an abject humble mass apology...which I see they will NEVER do, then they can sit in exile.

[lastknowngood]

13. Death penalty. I believe any repug who violates the law should

be put to death. The Dem's should just pay the fine.

[OnionPatch]

14. It's hard to believe we can't find more in common

Personally, I believe our side has done much more compromising already and it's their turn, but in the hope that we could be united I'd love to try to find common ground. I can't believe we don't have any.
As far as which issues, I can think of a few. I'm pro-choice, but I don't like the idea that so many people are so bothered by abortion. I would love to see both sides try to find ways to at least make them rare.
And social security...if they want to gamble theirs away, I don't give a damn as long as mine is safe.
I won't budge an inch on environmental protection, safe food and clean air and water. I don't understand why any Republican who doesn't stand to gain financially from it would not support those things unless they've been lied into thinking it's not a problem.
I would have a hard time budging on worker's rights issues although I'd love to see small businesses get a few breaks with employee expenses.
Oh, the separation of church and state is another thing I have to stand strongly on.
Hmmm...the more I think about it, the less I can think of things I would compromise. I wonder what their list would look like. Ha. I bet they wouldn't even think about compromising.

[American Tragedy]

19. When do they ever compromise?

I am so fucking sick of seeing Democratic leadership cave in and try to be nice, while the Republicans pat themselves on the back for being such bipartisan successes. When do you ever see the Republican leaders try to see the Democratic side of it and cede to them? Surely not as often as the reverse situation.

As for me, I am willing to accept minor compromise on economic issues, but never on personal freedom.

[Skittles]

15. none

I'm against everything those bastards stand for

[webjamn]

16. tort reform

I think some of the awards given are ridiculous. Having said that I don't side with assholes like Delay who want to exempt entire industries from liability lawsuits. Unusually large monetary awards only drive up the cost of everything for everyone else. Unfortunately neither side wants to compromise on this issue.

[mark414]

21. simple solution to that

penalize anyone who files a frivilous suit

and those large monetary awards you hear so much about don't do shit to the costs of, say health care or anything like that, but greed sure does

[lagniappe]

17. I agree with conservatives on gun rights, defense,

support for small businesses and the death penalty in extreme cases. I would even support drilling in ANWAR if there could be some accountability.

However since Reagan, I've been convinced that conservatives are the most fiscally irresponsible people on the planet. While I believe in fiscal responsibility, I can't say it is something I agree with conservatives on because they are most certainly not. Borrow and spend should be their motto. They talk a good game, but that is about it.

It is hard to meet most conservatives half way because of their fanatical support for big business even at the expense of small businesses.

I won't give an inch on universal health care and support for the working class.

[American Tragedy]

18. The government needs to stay out of cultural issues altogether

The last thing the government needs to be doing is social engineering of any kind. That includes Nader and ADL trying to ban anything that could remotely offend anybody, as well as the religious right's crusades to legally control individual behavior and beliefs.

[Tsiyu]

20. Not Many, but a few. Good Question starroute!

Let's hope this stays cool. As a talk host, there were four subjects I NEVER discussed unless I wanted to hear the same obsessive arguments on either side: abortion, death penalty, evolution and gun control. And here I will be discussing three of those!



Abortion: I will always be pro-choice, so I can't find any common ground there.

Guns: I favor fewer restrictions rather than more, so I would be in the Conservative camp there. My reasoning has always been that we have the right to bear arms so that our government cannot so easily resort to tyranny against the people. I believe this was the founders' intention, though many would disagree.

Death Penalty: I am for this in extreme cases, but only when the proof of guilt is overwhelming and only if the defendant has been afforded adequate counsel. The current system does not support the death sentence, owing to the disparity of convictions between Minority and Caucasion, between rich and poor.

Home Schooling: Big rightie issue. I believe parents should have choices, and would love to see more cooperation between schools and home educators.

Economy: I believe in fiscal responsibility, but that would contradict current Republican mindset and doesn't currently qualify as "common ground." Presently the Democrats are more fiscally conservative in the choices they would make regarding the budget and what it should pay for.

Defense: I believe in a strong defense. I do not believe in giving the Pentagon carte blanche to spend like freaked out idiots. The strongest defense is the spirit and courage of our fighting men and women, and the best way to keep that up is to pay them well, retaining the best women and men in the process.

Well, there are probably more issues. I abhor many forms of pornography but would not censor anything. So that's not really common ground, either.


that's all I can think of now.

[bling bling]

23. I'm not even willing to think about it.

Like I stated in another thread, the conservative "party" has zero credibility with me right now.

If they ever want any respect from me again, they're going to have to prove to me that they stand for anything of value to humankind in general. So far, I haven't seen it by their actions in a long, long time.

[Raiden]

24. This is a really good post!

The biggest issue I am willing to compromise is gun control. I like the moderate policy that local governments can decide what kind of gun regulations need to be set. Federal gun control would be nothing more than outlawing assault weapons and ensuring that convicted felons do not get their hands on guns. I was talking with my pretty conservative US History teacher today about gun control, and he said that he really thought that the NRA is a bunch of fanatics, and he had the same opinion on gun control that I had. I just don't think that we should pick and choose which civil rights, as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, we wish to support; the way both sides of the aisle do. I fully support the ENTIRE Bill of Rights, including the second amendment. I am also fiscally conservative and would like to see a balanced budget amendment passed.

Some issues I am not willing to compromise on would be abortion, civil rights, separation of church and state (my teacher agreed with me on this as well---which really shocked me), a social safety net, campaign finance reform, nuclear weapons, the environment, etc.

[Jackpine Radical]

25. Well, the Missionary Position is OK for a little variety.

[69KV]

26. Interesting topic

Principled conservatives are a different breed entirely from the Bush Evil Empire and the hateful spin coming out of the Repuke media outlets.

I'm ready to find common ground with principled conservatives on the premise that there are decent people who can discuss issues together, agree to disagree, yet still be able to come to solutions that will bring the country forward.

Some principled conservatives who come to mind: Ron Paul: I agree with him on his opposition to the Iraq war and his uncompromising defense of civil liberties. Pat Buchanan: I agree with him on his opposition to the Iraq war and on trade, outsourcing, and jobs issues. Andrew Sullivan: Agree on gay rights, and on his perception that Kerry will show more fiscal responsibility than Bush has. (Sullivan has endorsed Kerry outright - and I say, a big hearty welcome to him and anyone else who does so.) Conservative Democrats: Brad Carson, Charles Stenholm and so on, should be commended for sticking with the Democratic Party through thick and thin, and not selling their souls to Bush as Zell Miller and Rodney Alexander have.

Sorry to say, there's no way I will be able to find any common ground with the "movement" Conservatives who are more motivated by a fervent hatred of liberalism than anything else. The Limbaugh-Coulter-Bush axis *is* the problem with this country right now, and they have no place in the mainstream civil discourse of the future.

There's a good litmus test to tell the difference. Do they blindly support Bush, or do they dare to dissent on principle?

[HEIL PRESIDENT GOD]

28. "States' rights and local control"

This has dropped almost entirely out of the Repug lexicon, and when used never meant what it says--it was always crypto-racism or -anti-choice.

But there is something to be said for giving more control to communities. Where were the principled conservatives to defend Mendocino County's democratic decision to legalize pot?

I think most "liberals" are against monolithic uniformity. We look so often to Canada, which is a much looser, less centralized confederation than we are.