Bob Minchin claims “liberalism is an emotive ideology. By nature, it relies more on feelings than intellect.”
Then I guess conservative “intellects” Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are actually liberals in disguise.
Here are a few in a long lists of quotes that prove they rely on emotions rather than rational thinking:
“We’re not sexists, we’re chauvinist — we’re male chauvinist pigs, and we’re happy to be because we think that men were destined to be. We think that’s what women want.”
“I could give a flying crap about the political process.... We’re an entertainment company.”
“Every night I get down on my knees and pray that Dennis Kucinich will burst into flames.”
Unfortunately for Minchin’s logic, conservative radio hosts are no intellectuals and neither are their liberal counterparts.
If you’re going to make such an argument, you have to support it with facts, not just a petty, one-sided political agenda.
Minchin also claims that conservatism is winning because people are voting some Democrats out of office.
Then what happened in 2006?
What happened in 2008?
Anyone who has the most basic education about American politics knows well that there are cycles.
Some cycles benefit the Democrats, and some benefit Conservatives.
There will always be both a conservative and a liberal base, but the truth is most Americans fall in the middle and despise these extremes.
They despise liberalism just as much as conservatism.
And just for the record, Mr. Minchin, without some liberal ideas, we would not have Social Security or Medicare.
Just ask a bunch of 70-year-old Tea Party members to end their Social Security and Medicare benefits and see their reactions.
In all fairness, without conservatism perhaps our income tax rates would be what they were under presidents of the 1960s or 1970s (70 to 90 percent for the highest brackets).
I guess what I’m trying to prove is that our country is neither conservative nor liberal but a constant political mix, where different ideas from different ideologies are blended to form this beautiful country that — with all its problems — I dearly love and adore.
Nicolas Sayavedra is a senior psychology student.
Editor's note: This letter refers to this column.
