Let's Clear This Up: Political Labels

Politics makes most reasonable people's blood boil to a certain degree, but I can't help myself to briefly discuss it. Most objective people would be in agreement that the average person does not usually make a significant effort to research or study a particular topic to any degree, whether it is how to raise children, get ahead at work, be more happy, eliminate worry, or a million other things.

People in general formulate their opinion and knowledge based on sound bites they hear on TV, things they read in a newspaper or online, celebrity ramblings, or topics discussed by friends and coworkers. Nowhere is this truer than in the world of politics. People often think they know what something means when they clearly do not. That is okay. There are more interesting things to occupy your time than politics, but let's clear something up.

I am not going to tell you what these labels actually mean, because that is not my job or interest. I am just going to tell you what they don't mean. If you then choose to go out and research additional details, well then, you will be one of the few truly informed people.

Liberal: Liberal does not mean you are open minded, broad-minded, hip, young, current, intellectual, poor, blue-collar, morally challenged, more caring, benevolent, pro-illegals, emotion driven, anti-religion, entitled, hate America, modern, etc.

Conservative: Conservative does mean you are close minded, rigid, old, not open to new ideas, an advocate of authority, educated, wealthy, spiritually obsessed, hate government, anti-immigration, don't like change, self-centered, wear suits to work, screw the little guy, etc.

Okay, I will give you one little hint as to what it really means to be Liberal or Conservative in political terms. It has to do with how you choose to interpret the documents upon which America was founded and built, and which have lead to the greatest prosperity, standard of living improvement, and freedom for people than any political, social, or economic system in the history of the world. The documents are The Constitution of the United States of America and The Declaration of Independence.

As is the case with any one word political label that gets thrown about, it eventually gets distorted, misinterpreted, and abused. Most political labels are solely designed for one reason, to create a reaction or stir emotions. They are used as a way for people to argue because they can't state their case clearly and with any degree of depth. Labels are the lazy mans way of trying to get a point across. Labels are also used to manipulate the masses to think a certain way and to try and influence. Unfortunately, due to the naivety of many people, they get accepted for what they are not. Most don't care enough to truly understand a particular topic and what is really being said so they just roll with it.