First of all, a disclaimer:— Anyone who tries to classify me as liberal or conservative will find that they are way off the mark. In certain things, I am what is generally regarded as liberal (whatever that means). In other things, I am really quite conservative (whatever that means).

Labels such as "liberal" and "conservative" are forms of political profiling akin to racial profiling. They are unrealistic pigeon-holes that save people from the effort of thinking. But they also lead people into a morass of contradictions.

It is generally assumed that liberals are unorthodox and non-traditional, favoring individual freedom, social reform, often advocating increased government size and spending while at the same time wanting to restrict government's power. Constant change. Shake it up. Try new things. If it isn't busted, fix it anyway.

It is generally assumed that conservatives want to preserve the tried and true, the traditional values. They generally regard themselves as more patriotic—somehow more truly American—than the liberal who so often finds fault with the government. And among those traditional values—family, church, Truth, Justice, and The American Way—is that greatest of all accomplishments of the Founding Fathers, the Constitution. When it comes to change, conservative are much more cautious.

Why, then, when harsh winds begin to blow, it is not the liberals, but the conservatives who want to flush the Constitution down the toilet so that the government can better deal with the problem? And this includes many presidents, who have to take an oath to protect and preserve the Constitution!

That's not "conservative." That's not even "liberal." That's radical! And one could make a pretty good argument that it verges on treason.

Can somebody explain that to me?

Don Firth