John Hardly: That is a well thought out post and I generally agree with all of it.

Bill Kennedy: I can't say the same for yours :>)

I think we depend too much on the dictionary definition of conservative and liberal. There are conservatives who are more moderate in their views than other conservatives (on the abortion issue for example and maybe even gun control)just as there are shades of liberalism.

I also believe that the definition of liberal and conservative differs from country to country. In some countries the terms "conservative" and "liberal" are used to identify political parties. Such is not the case in the U. S.

Those are my opinons. This I know, though, there are some democrats that are just as conservative as their republican counterparts. Conservatism and liberalism cannot be assigned to any one political party in the United States. Barry Goldwater could never have been elected to the senate from Arizona had it not been for the votes of conservative democrats.

DougR