From: stevef@bug.UUCP (Steven R Fordyce)
Newsgroups: alt.rush-limbaugh
Subject: A letter to Rush: what is a liberal
Summary: The difference between liberals and conservatives
Date: 8 Sep 92 15:19:09 GMT
Reply-To: stevef@bug.UUCP (Steven R Fordyce)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Handmade Designs, Salem, OR.

[This was send July 30th, but I think it might still be of interest.  I
would be interested in comments, especially from liberals.]

Dittos Rush!  I've been listening for about a year now, and I must say,
I hate it when you are on vacation!  I used to look forward to the
weekend, but now I look forward to the weekdays.  I listen to you on
KYKN, KXL, and KUIK.

On Wednesday's show I heard you give your definition of liberal and
conservative.  I think you are spot-on, but I want to share an insight I
have on the subject.  It seems to me that one of (if not the) fundamental
differences between liberals and conservatives is the degree to which they
feel in control of their lives.  Conservatives tend to feel that they are
in control of their destiny, perhaps more than they actually are.  Liberals
tend to think that life is something that happens to a person over which
they have little control.  I have no study I can point to to back this up
and I've never heard anyone else say this.  It is just my own observation.
If you think it rings true, please feel free to use it (although I wouldn't
mind the credit).

If you think about it, my theory goes a long way to explain the differences
between liberals and conservatives.  For example, if you are the master of
your destiny, in control of your life, then it is wrong to redistribute
wealth, because those who have it, earned it, and those who don't are
themselves to blame for their poverty.  Conversely, if people don't have
any control over their lives, then the wealthy are only that way through
happenstance, have no legitimate claim to it, and it is only just that the
government should redistribute this wealth.  Clearly, this belief could
come in all different degrees, and it isn't the only difference between
liberals and conservatives, nor is it necessarily true in every case (you
could imagine people who felt that they were in control of their lives, but
other people weren't, at least not to the same degree, or vice versa; such
people could be either liberal or conservative), but still, I think it
explains a lot.

By the way, at least in the extreme, I think it is possible to say who is
right here.  If you actually do have no control over your life, then it
shouldn't matter whether you think you have control or not in how
successful you are in life (at least if you concede that you can control
your own thoughts).  Well, this question has been studied.  It has been a
long time since I read the study, so unfortunately I don't remember where I
saw it, but the study showed pretty conclusively that people who believe
they are in control of their lives are on average more successful, make
more money, and are happier than those who don't.  The study was done over
a number of years, starting with two groups of young people who had the
same educational and economic backgrounds, so that they theoretically only
differed in their belief.  In other words, the belief preceded the relative
success or failure, so you can't say that the success, or lack thereof,
caused the belief (at least not from that point forward).

Along these lines, I have a question for you.  In the case of drugs,
aren't you the one who is saying that people can't be trusted, aren't
smart or mature enough to make their own decisions in this area?  You
say liberals are condescending and think people are stupid (and I agree
with you), and that government has to care and look out for them.  But
in the case of drugs, isn't it you that is saying that government has
to protect people from making the wrong decisions?  Think about it.  I
know your show is event driven, but next time the subject comes up, this
might make an interesting area to explore. 

Cordially,
Steve
-- 
orstcs!opac!bug!stevef          I am the NRA              Steven R. Fordyce
uunet!sequent!ether!stevef         . . .  	        Deer are for Dinner