Why has the gap between conservative and liberal ideologies grown so much in the last decade(ish)? Is this a tactic to divide our nation?

2015-07-24T17:24:41-04:00

So, personally, I think that the liberals are getting more and more unrealistic in their expectations. I'm actually an atheist but I side with conservatives in almost every mainstream issue (except for gay marriage - it doesn't affect me since I'm not gay.) Is this growing gulf between libs and cons being caused by increased liberal detachment from reality or is it simply part of an elaborate plot to divide and conquer our great nation?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 5:25 PM

2015-07-24T17:25:53-04:00

Because of the lefts adaptation to the Saul Alinsky type of thinking.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Jul 24 at 2015 5:30 PM

2015-07-24T17:30:29-04:00

Multiple media sources and the internet have allowed us to silo ourselves into ideological niches and given everyone, no matter how insane, nearly instant infinite reach. I'm sure there's some intent to some of it, but overall, it's just human nature to seek out voices that tell us what we want to hear rather than exposing us to things that may make us reconsider our position.

I'd toss in the blend of religion and politics by the Religious Right as well. I was raised in it and "compromise" was a four letter word. When your politics have theological undertones, giving an inch or even hearing the other person out can be considered betraying God.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 24 at 2015 6:15 PM

2015-07-24T18:15:09-04:00

It really goes back to when the Southern Democrats converted to become Republicans over things desegregation, and equal rights, Brown vs. the Board of Education. There was a time when there was liberal Republicans, and it was acceptable.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Jul 24 at 2015 6:46 PM

2015-07-24T18:46:16-04:00

To understand the workings of American politics, you have to understand this fundamental law: Conservatives think liberals are stupid. Liberals think conservatives are evil. — Charles Krauthammer

My short answer is that the modern education system, mixed with the constant demand on peoples time from social networking, computer gaming, smart phones, etc. have led to a greater acceptance of the word of perceived or self described "experts". Also, many people who call them selves Liberal or Conservative do so (and vote so) based on one or two issues they "feel strongly about". When they are challenged to think out their positions they often become uncomfortable and resort to insults.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 6:47 PM

2015-07-24T18:47:06-04:00

Bear in mind that, for a Liberal, they'd say the exact same thing but that it is the Conservatives who are detached from reality and trying to live unrealistic expectations.

I think a lot of it is that the media seeks out, finds, and holds up the big mouths on both sides, because they need to sell "drama" as news. I haven't met many Liberals *or* Conservatives who *truly* fit the cartoon caricatures that the media holds up; most are "a little of this & a little of that"" with only a few of the far-out ones. And they exist on both sides; I used to be super Conservative and now I learn pretty left, but not as far as I used to lean right because I learned that such extreme points of view are unsustainable if we want a cohesive society.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 7:10 PM

2015-07-24T19:10:58-04:00

It's not caused by a great liberal plot, or increased liberal detachment from reality, anymore than it is caused by conservative detachment from reality. It is the result of 24-hour news cycles, where every person can now voice any opinion, and with the splintering of three major networks into dozens of cable news networks, all competing for viewers. So to hold viewership, they find a viewpoint, and hammer it over and over again.

The end result is a series of echo chambers where we lament the other side and praise our own, having never actually listened to the real arguments of the other side, only a caricature fed to us by our selected media. FB and Twitter reinforce this, especially if you are the kind of person who unfriends people with differing political viewpoints.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 7:47 PM

2015-07-24T19:47:21-04:00

I don't think America has become more polarized. I think the voices that are heard are the extremes of either side and when that's all you hear that's all you think there is.
Look at us for example.
The military (in general) tends to be conservative in outlook and action, but is the largest example in America of socialism in action. Even at the personal level, hours upon hours are spent trying to teach young soldiers self sufficiency, but when it fails there are programs upon programs in place to catch the servicemember and if those fail, in emergency cases, informal collections are held or an NCO simply slips fifty bucks to the servicemember for that tank of gas, New tire, getting the water turned on, etc. From basic training on we hear "square yourself away" in one breath and "take care of your battle buddy" in the other. As we get promoted we become responsible for others and it's beaten into us. It's built into the NCO creed, "welfare of my soldiers."

I had a point to make, but my kids just ran in and I can't remember what it was. I'll come back, if I remember what it was, but this was a lot of typing I don't want to repeat

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 24 at 2015 10:15 PM

2015-07-24T22:15:09-04:00

We have forgotten how to be Americans first.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 25 at 2015 5:47 AM

2015-07-25T05:47:09-04:00

Liberals - the most open minded and accepting of others people in the world. Unless you're a conservative and/or disagree with them!

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jul 25 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-07-25T10:17:43-04:00

I don't think that the ideologies have grown apart. I think that the politicians have just been much better at subdividing us into one camp or the other. As a result, the moderate, pragmatic middle has dwindled, making it appear as if the parties are moving apart. Just my $0.02. Plus, a number of polls show that fewer and fewer people are aligned with either of the two major parties. However, many of those same voters consistently vote with one of the parties. So, while people are shunning the labels, their actions show otherwise.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2015 5:49 PM

2015-07-25T17:49:11-04:00

I am a "conservative" leaning Centrist. I prefer commonsense (that isn't so common anymore) over ideology. So I don't suffer the zealots of either "side" well.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2015 5:50 PM

2015-07-25T17:50:39-04:00

Response by PFC Eric Brown made Mar 3 at 2016 2:15 PM

2016-03-03T14:15:32-05:00

My short answer is this -

Go back to the 1960s and see what the Soviets said would happen to America. See how the Communists said that America would be taken down. They meant it. And they have been quite successful.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 4 at 2016 6:03 PM

2016-03-04T18:03:59-05:00

At some point, it was no longer enough to agree to disagree. If I disagree with someone, I must destroy their credibility, marginalize them, and affect their ability to provide for their family. I don't even think that this happened for all controversial issues at the same time.

When someone's ideology conflicts with mine and I feel emotional about it. I always ask myself the same question. "So what?" If the other side gets entirely what they want what does it mean for me. Can I express my concerns and fears in a calm articulate detailed argument, so they can allay my fears in a calm articulate detailed argument. Then I ask myself what if I get 100% of what I want. What does it mean to them? If we both do that, there's a possibility of a mutually agreeable solution. Otherwise we best call the paramedics.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 10 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-03-10T11:27:20-05:00

Not sure it is any worse. We used to have senators caning other senators on the floor of the senate and politicians dueling on islands in the Potomac River.

Response by MSgt Michael Smith made Mar 25 at 2016 9:59 AM

2016-03-25T09:59:20-04:00

I think you might find your answers in the media. A strange thing happened in the 80s. People got cable television with 50 channels. Now that is more like 500. Also the world-wide-web came online around 1993. Now we have more information than we can handle! News from everywhere all the time. So...how does a news provider, say Fox News make a profit? They find a niche and market to it. For Fox News it was conservative-leaning voters. For MSNBC it was liberals. They call it NARROWCASTING --specifically designing a media channel to appeal to the views/opinions of a select group of people in order to keep that audience and those advertising dollars! You see it all over cable...channels like ESPN, Golf Channel, HG TV, all appeal to particular niches. Now...what happens when conservative / liberal leaning people have media channels that broadcast only the things that align with their own particular view? What happens is called SELECTIVE PERCEPTION and RETENTION, a process where people tend to accept the things that align to their own values and reject the things that don't. It is perfectly natural and happens all the time everywhere. So combine that with the NARROWCASTING in the media channels and you have a self-feeding validation monster that over a decade or 2, completely polarizes people with opposing views -where we are now. The reason is the media.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Mar 25 at 2016 10:49 AM

2016-03-25T10:49:43-04:00

I'd say so. Arguably the last time there has been this much tension (over the past 10 years or so) between people was right before, during, and right after the Civil War. Most of the issues, social especially, have no business getting involvement from the government. Sadly many of these issues drive people to extreme emotions during debates; especially on the internet, and leads to the two people usually hating each other when in fact if it wasn't for said issue they probably wouldn't hate each other. A divided people is always easier to control, and the powers that be (both government and non-government) have had that figured out for a long time.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2016 11:26 AM

2016-03-25T11:26:17-04:00

It is mostly due to our no longer looking at any issue without demonizing the opposing view.

Very few things are 100% right nor 100% wrong. But we treat things as it they were.

Response by TSgt James Carson made Mar 25 at 2016 7:38 PM

2016-03-25T19:38:13-04:00

The gap between the two parties is due to social ideoligies. The great melting pot of this nation became the great welfare state for immigrants 40 years ago, and liberals took advantage of this fact so socialism got a huge foothold in this country that will shortly destroy the nation once looked upon as the greatest in the world.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Oct 2 at 2017 9:41 PM

2017-10-02T21:41:03-04:00

MSgt David Justice I see liberal authors and Democrats who want to push specific agenda items building arguments to create anyone who does not agree as racist or taking actions or omissions to kill people. So much easier to name call and use a straw man argument than to legislate and govern. If we have a policy disagreement, based on how the constitution, why not just execute.
The political difference is really in the level of government that has the power to execute the policy.
The left wants the Federal level so they can shove it down our collective throat, like ACA.
The left already has the means to execute the change they want in the blue states, remember federal constitution 'enumerated powers' so in CA, WA, OR and the East Coast have at it. Pass your laws, raise your taxes and have all the 'free' health care your heart desires. The problem is that even in Oregon, when they try to pass a tax to pay for cost of health care, it fails.
The left wants is to run up the federal credit card to $35-40 Trillion, and then permanent debt and federal serfdom. The last $10 Trillion thanks to Obama Administration + Dem / RINO Congress
i believe liberals, just tell the world Conservative's, have no heart, want to publicly shame us and tell the world we want people dead. What conservatives want is people that solve problems.

I am a conservative because I have kids and I teach them to be independent and take care of themselves and choose to be good to others and be dependent on their terms.
When you are strong in your own terms, you can be dependent on someone and help others in need.
Government also needs to teach our citizens to be independent because we are $20 Trillion in debt at some point, we will run out of money, then what will we do? All the people who were dependent, what do they do?
We keep running debt and building on these failed federal programs, we will have worse than under performing programs we will have complete socialist failed programs like the Soviets, Chinese and so many other Socialist states that have taken all the benefit away from individual work.
I pray we wake up, so far we have not.