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Banned
Jan 8, 2019
2,437
I was listening to a conservative talk about immigration and it occurred to me his view contradicts with his self-proclaimed views on liberty. Because he does not believe in the freedom to migrate to his country.

So I did a search on the contradictions of conservatives and this is the first link that came up:

I won't copy the whole article, but just the 10 points that are listed.

Can any poster add to this list?

It seems like conservative/right-wing views have one central view from which others flow: selfishness.

www.counterpunch.org

Conservative Contradictions

10 Questions for the New Congress

1. As opponents of "big government," why do you fervently support an unending stream of government-sponsored wars, vast government military spending, the power of local police to shoot and kill unarmed citizens, government interference with abortion rights and family planning, government restrictions on marriage, and the linkage of church and state?

2. As advocates of "consumer sovereignty," why do you oppose requiring corporations to label their products with information (for example, "contains GMOs") that would enable consumers to make an intelligent choice of products?

3. As advocates of personal advancement through individual effort, why do you oppose inheritance taxes that would place the children of rich and poor on a more equal footing in their struggle for personal success?

4. As advocates of capitalist competition in the marketplace, why do you so consistently support the interests of giant corporations over those of small businesses?

5. As advocates of the "private enterprise system," why do you so often favor government subsidies to failing big businesses and tax breaks to thriving big businesses that you desire to lure into your state or region?

6. As advocates of freedom to choose to work for an employer ("freedom of contract"), why do you oppose employees' right to stop working for that employer―that is, to strike―and particularly to strike against the government?

7. As advocates of voluntary (rather than government) action to redress grievances, why do you so fervently oppose labor unions?

8. As advocates of the free movement of labor and capital, why do you support government immigration restrictions, including the construction of enormous walls, the massive policing of borders, and the building of mass incarceration centers?

9. As critics of statism, why don't you oppose government loyalty oaths, flag drills, and pledges of allegiance?

10. As advocates of "freedom," why are you not at the forefront of the fight against government torture, political surveillance, and censorship?
 
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Jakisthe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,576
Eh, if there was any point to challenging conservatives on their contradictions, there wouldn't be conservatives.
 
OP
OP
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Combo

Banned
Jan 8, 2019
2,437
BTW the conservative was Thomas Sowell. That man is a walking contradiction.
 
Oct 27, 2017
5,264
I get it but I've gotten pretty tired to challenging these people on their hypocrisy. Because they're basically immune.
 

TreeMePls

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,258
Advocates for "pro life" laws yet constantly vouches for guns and always goes against Universal Health Care
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,694
There's really no point in calling out the philosophical contradictions of conservatives because they don't actively seek any, or rather the contradictions being pointed out do not take into account an inherently self-serving world view, where good ideas are things that benefit the groups they care about it no matter the measurable expense of those ideas to others.

Like, the moment you understand conservatives literally do not think like you- that they believe democracy is only as good as the ends, that the sociopolitical hierarchies we are stuck with are not only fully meritocratic and deserved, but are actually necessary to prevent the imminent collapse of society- all the fucking stupid shit they say actually starts making sense within that context.
 

acheron_xl

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,449
MSN, WI
Advocates for "pro life" laws yet constantly vouches for guns and always goes against Universal Health Care

Because 'pro life' means nothing more or less than 'anti abortion' and anyone who pretends otherwise, even in opposition, is just swallowing the marketing line and accepting their debate terms. Everything a conservative does, including the language they use, is in bad faith.
 

Poppy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
18,273
richmond, va
contradictions have no meaning to the supremely ignorant or the supremely hateful, and that is the composition of all conservatives
 

More_Badass

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,623
Because 1) to them, those aren't contradictions. You're just being a mean liberal trying to do nasty gotchas. Regulation bad. Also did you know the Democrats was the party of slavery?

and 2) because conservatives are selfish assholes with a persecution complex who think anything that Republicans say or do is saving the soul of the America regardlessly what they actually say or do
 

Chadtwo

Member
Oct 29, 2017
655
Tbf some of these are contradictions, some of these are just reflections of the distinction most political spectrums make between statism per se and government regulation of the economy. Conservatives support the former but not the latter, which is why they favor a massive security state, military intervention, and regulation of social behavior, but not, say, Keynesian economics.


not defending conservatives, I'm a socialist, but this has always struck me as an odd way of criticizing republicans
 
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SaintBowWow

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,085
Fervent 2nd Amendment support with the argument that it will be needed to allow a Revolution against a future tyrannical government while simultaneously supporting military and police spending in addition to the erosion of privacy rights, both of which would make said revolution impossible.
 
OP
OP
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Combo

Banned
Jan 8, 2019
2,437
I think most conservative viewpoints stem from them just being mean people.
Exactly. Or from tribalism (e.g being brought up conservative) or from supporting only a few conservative issues but disagreeing with others.

I am of the view that those in the latter categories can be pulled out of that group. This is where debate and education comes in. But the true conservative is just a horrible person.
 

Kernel

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,882
1. As opponents of "big government," why do you fervently support an unending stream of government-sponsored wars, vast government military spending, the power of local police to shoot and kill unarmed citizens, government interference with abortion rights and family planning, government restrictions on marriage, and the linkage of church and state?

They speak in euphemisms and coded words.
"Big government" really means social programs and anything that smells like wealth redistribution.

"Consumer sovereignty " means companies should be able to lie or exaggerate their products and it's on you to do your research,government shouldn't do it for you.
 

Deleted member 1698

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,254
Being conservative does not mean believing in these things.

It means trying to make money from these things.

Which makes it all make perfect sense.
 

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,986
The core of all conservative thought is fear. It is inherently self-centered, and that's a short jump to selfishness in all things, as OP points out. Follow any conservative belief back to its origin point and you will find fear. That's why so much of it is contradictory and borderline nonsensical when you line them all up next to each other. Logic has little sway over fear and cowardice.
 

WillyFive

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
6,979
The contradictions exist because conservatism is not about those things, its about capitalism. Those viewpoints make the rich richer, so they are indoctrinated into people under the guise of something else, and they bet that the vast majority of people won't realize those views contradict.
 

Psittacus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,933
First and foremost conservative ideology is about ensuring that social stratification persists and that the right kinds of people are at the top and bottom of the pyramid. Everything else is secondary.