What I learned in my extensive debate with my gracious, but very conservative Libertarian cousin.- They have a Point. by Michael Wall

Recently, I was honored by my cousin with a very strong engagement in a debate over Social Security. Needless to say, it could have been any government administered social program. I admit, I had more difficulty being gracious than he did. I thought he wasn't listening, or facing the facts. Luckily, he stayed engaged, and I dragged myself back into it for long enough for me to learn something which I think explains a lot for us Liberals, who are often mystified and condescending, when it appears that the other side pointlessly cruel and harmful to their own interests. What I learned is this:  They have a highest priority opposition to any mandatory or communally enforced dependency of any kind, except military. Then I thought about that, and I realized: If you understand that, they actually make perfect sense, especially at this point in history. Not that I have become a Conservative, but the truth is: The loss of personal autonomy is profound with modern developments, looking like becoming almost complete. I have to admit and can easily imagine that : We may really need what they are fighting for. And in addition, and most important for us Liberals, if we want to win their support on almost any issue,except Woman's Rights, where strangely they are in complete opposition to themselves, we must try to include provision to preserve personal autonomy. The bottom line seems to be this: Their concept of freedom and dignity must include, at least for healthy, capable people, a pathway through life to supply all needed resources for themselves. I remain a Liberal, but I feel it is an ominous realization that Conservatives are willing to go down and take everything and everybody else down with them for this one reason, so I feel it is important that we respect and acknowledge it.


Ed. Note this appeared on Facebook as a response to the my post.  See the original at https://www.facebook.com/notes/michael-wall/what-i-learned-in-my-extensive-debate-with-my-gracious-but-very-conservative-lib/10150375896426357