[ELURNSERB]

Good points ...though I think characterizing the love of a strong federal government exclusively as the liberals' love ignores the current ruling party that continues to over reach and expand the powers of the federal government (i.e. The Patriot Act). The current policy of the federal government of continuing to cut taxes only pushes the burden and the reach down to the states and the locals.


I'm speaking mainly of high concepts here. Obviously, once Republicans saw what great power they wielded, they were corrupted and now have the hubris to think they can implement a conservative form of Big Government.

But in terms of ideology, outside the way politics is actually done, liberals are in favor of centralized government, while conservatives prefer decentralized.

I guess your postulate that state and local governments are less likely to over reach is based on the fact that their governments are closer to their constituents. However, some of the most primitive legislation this country has ever seen has been enacted on the local level …

Yes, but that tends to offend the people outside the locality more than the people inside. And anyone can move out of a city with relative ease.

I heard another interesting reason why it might seem like the constitution is on the left...because when they wrote it they were going against the more right leaning British government at the time. So there is a lot of freedom for the people in the constitution, which is a leftist idea.

Except for reproductive rights, I fail to think of any examples where the left favors liberty over regulation. And I sense that being pro-choice is more a tactical stance than an actual core belief, as many liberals are getting sick at the idea that people will choose to abort babies based on disabilities or sex. I sense regulation coming even to reproductive freedom as soon as the right is no longer a threat to overturn Roe.

But I'm game, give me some examples where the left favors liberty as opposed to regulation? Besides sex. I'm waiting.