I want one of these shirts!

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”
-Ronald Reagan

It’s time for a return to true Conservatism!

It’s time that the vision that Ronald Reagan was so successful in presenting to America is championed again!

It’s not time to “re-invent” the party…it’s time to get back to what the party is really all about!

My Disappointment

I have to admit it…I was pretty down November 5th.

Sure, it is historic that a black man has been elected president. For me and much of my generation, a candidate’s race isn’t an issue. Granted for older generations it probably is a bigger deal. Barack Obama is a great idea: a black man, representing change, is elected president. In fact, that is basically how he got elected, as an idea! Since election day, he’s tried lower his messianic expectations and the media is now starting to realize they don’t know this man.

I’d been as vocal as one can be in Utah, bringing up issues I had with Barack Obama and his policies. I even started a blog specifically dedicated to political discussion.

One outlet that I had beyond “the reddest state in the nation” was Twitter. I carried on several debates. I linked to relevant articles. And apparently, I was annoying enough to lose some followers.

Two things that I think the GOP needs to learn from this last election are:

• A compelling vision of hope is more powerful than a negative campaign.
• When @barackobama has +144k followers, it’s clear Twitter can be a powerful tool for political purposes.

Conservatives on Twitter

During the campaign, it was frustrating to see the obvious slant of much of the Twitter population. Every time I caught a conservative comment, I’d follow the author because it was so rare to find someone with common viewpoints. The good news is that won’t be a problem any more! Michael Leahy, a Conservative author and Republican strategist, put together a list of The Top Conservatives on Twitter.

This list was first placed on the web on November 28, 2008. In the short time since then, it has become a bit of a rallying point for conservatives on Twitter. I think all of us who are on the list can conceive of many additional ways to improve the list to strengthen and grow the conservative community on Twitter.

When I first saw the hashtag for Top Conservatives on Twitter (#TCOT), I followed it to the site and shortly added my name to the list. Seeing names added like Michelle Malkin & Bobby Jindal has been exciting. Many of the TCOT’ers are campaigning to get Rush on there too!

My hope with all of this is that Conservatives take control of of their party, that they return to the principles of the Constitution, Lincoln, & Reagan, that they contest every election, and present the real “compelling vision” of liberty, of capitalism, of the American Dream!

Follow me here @ryansmiller!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes.
- George Soros

I’ll be the first to admit that I am right most of the time. However, in the rare instance I am wrrrr…wrrrr…wrrrooooonn… [excuse me] not right, I want to know it, so I can fix it.

Really that’s what this site is all about: exploring the other side of issues by arguing what I disagree with. There are some pretty obvious topics that jumped out at me where Conservatives have been cast as heartless. A few that I already plan on tackling are:

• Addressing Poverty
• Minorities Concerns
• Taxes

I would like your suggestions.
For my Liberal friends, what do Conservatives just not get?
For my Conservative friends, what do you “not get” about the Liberal mindset?

No one quite knows the reason.
It could be perhaps that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
- Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I have been indoctrinated.

I admit it. From the time that I was born, I have been raised with a specific worldview. Primarily, I believe what I believe because I was raised that way and I vote the way I vote because I was raised to vote that way.

Have my ideals been challenged? Definitely. Have I defended my views? Absolutely. But being challenged and defending a worldview when it has been so thoroughly ingrained doesn’t necessarily indicate that you have evaluated and internalized those values. After all, “talking points” are called “talking points” for a reason.

Why do I believe what I believe? Maybe it is because my shoes are too tight! Or worse! Maybe, because I have been raised in such a callous, greed-driven, privileged environment, I am actually heartless? Let’s look at the factors that contributed to my values. Which elements give credence to the criticism that I have been brainwashed, or at least, have a very limited perspective on the world?

In fact, for fun, lets give some ratings to see how I score. Negative points for factors that, according to my Liberal friends, typically promote close-mindedness, indoctrination, and a limited worldview. Positive points for factors that, again, according to my Liberal friends, typically promote open-mindedness, critical thinking, and an expanded worldview.

My Roots

• I am white (-20). Oh, big hit! I am starting out in the hole! But, I am a quarter Mexican! I do have a grandmother that immigrated from Mexico City (+4), but my Mexican heritage doesn’t exhibit itself very much (-3).
• I am male (-20). Another big ding against my cred. How does a white guy know anything about the challenges and struggles in America?!
• I was raised in Southern California, with plenty of diversity, culturally and economically (+12). I lived in Riverside County, a county some have said is more Conservative than Orange County (-11). There was a great deal of cultural diversity in my hometown: 46% white, 20% black, with 38% with hispanic origin. Almost 35% of the population spoke another language besides English with over 100 different languages being represented (+9).

My Religion

Upclose & Personal with the Cycle of Poverty



AAs an LDS missionary, I spent time in some of most crime-ridden & poverty stricken areas in Baltimore, Annapolis & Anne Arundel County. Almost nothing else in my life has made me question more the Conservative approach to helping this part of society. Who is right when it comes to helping people caught in these vicious cycles of poverty, welfare, drugs & violence? This is one of the issues I plan to post about.
(Click here to read about one of my crazy experiences)

• I am a Mormon (-10). Yeah, me and Mitt Romney are ol’ buds! The mere fact that I believe in a religion is a knock against me! But I’ll agree that the stringent adherence to no smoking, no drinking, no premarital sex, can appear to some as blind acceptance and, truthfully, for some Mormons, it is! So here’s an additional ding (-5).
• If that weren’t enough, I went to BYU, voted #1 Stone-Cold Sober School by the Princeton Review for ten-plus years straight! (-9) Even I experienced culture shock when I first got there coming from California. I guess if it’s something you agree with, you wouldn’t call it indoctrination (kids that go to Cal Berkley hopefully know what they’re getting into), but I would agree that BYU absolutely promotes specific ideals, and critical views are looked upon with horror! Again, here’s an additional ding (-6).
• However, since I know what is truly intended both from BYU & from LDS Church, and know that we are, in fact, encouraged to be compassionate, love our neighbors & our enemies, and seek out truth wherever it may be, I’m giving myself a slight bump (+2).
• One of the defining experiences in my life was the two years I spent as a missionary for my church. At age 19, I set aside education, work, and normal social life to volunteer full-time in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Yes, I proselyted and shared/imposed my beliefs (-11), but I also volunteered. Among the weekly service we provided for the areas we were in we volunteered at schools, at a hospital, and even at a Catholic charities homeless shelter (+4).
• Some of the circumstances I encountered has given me a different perspective on how easy it is to get stuck in a cycle of poverty & crime. I got to know their struggles and their pain. When you spend everyday, day in and day out, from 6 am to 10 pm, thinking about, praying for, serving and loving a people, they change in your eyes. I feel that I have a different perspective because of my experience (+13).

My Reality

• I live in Utah (-6), in Utah County (-7), in a small town (-4) that hosts a yearly rodeo (I know! Trust me I mock some of these hicks myself). I guess I could fall into the “bitter-clinger” category if I owned a gun (+6), but my brother-in-law’s family has several, including an AK-47, which is a blast to shoot! (-3)
• The town I live in doesn’t have any recycling program like I was used to in California, and I think they should (+6), but they did recently build a wind farm! (+8) However, I think man-made global warming is a hoax (-8) and going green is worthless (-8) unless it saves me money (i.e. those florescent bulbs)! (+2)
• I work in a very entrepreneurial-minded, small business-starting field and think business should get all the tax breaks possible (-7) and the rich shouldn’t be taxed proportionally more just because they are rich (-8).
• I am married. My wife doesn’t work (-8), instead she stays home to raise our two children. Our boy was born with special needs and totally rejected any thought of aborting the pregnancy (-2). -140

I’m One Cold-Heart Jerk

Adding everything up, I have 156 negative points against me and 66 positive points for me, bringing the total to a unfeeling, discompassionate -90! In reality, the points I assigned were rather arbitrary other than to illustrate how I estimate a Liberal-minded individual would evaluate my perspective. How did I do? According to my calculation, I have been brainwashed and could use some independent thought!

Now let me assure you, I do think. I think for myself. I have moved beyond a reliance of other influences so that I believe what I believe because I believe them. I have considered my positions and values and have made my decisions through independent critical thought.

At the same time, I am open-minded. I want to understand the opposing point of view. I want to understand the positive aspects to that ideology. I can’t trace the source of the idea that Conservatives are cold and Liberals are compassionate, but I want to understand it. So I am going to try to view the world as a Liberal. I’m going to fake it. I am going to pretend that I am compassionate and re-evaluate my positions. With this blog I am feigning compassion until I understand how to be compassionate.

Here’s where you come in.
If you think I am wrong in my arguments, tell me!
If you have something to add, please do.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
- Albert Einstein

What a crazy few months! It has been a while since I have been this involved and seen so much participation in politics!

Politically, I’ve always considered myself informed and able to articulate why I support a certain viewpoint. I give much of that credit to my very politically active father. As it always is, this election year it is important to understand these issues, the candidates and take part in the democratic process. However, as my sister-in-law pointed out:

There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin
– Linus in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Particularly with family! Politics can be a sensitive subject! Most of the time, our views extend into a very emotional space. While we should attempt to approach the issues logically, it is not realistic to say rational discussion is going to happen in every dialogue when parties both feel that the other represents the exact opposite of everything they believe.

I do not intend to set forth my views and argue why the other side is wrong (at least in this post). Instead, I want to discuss the decision-making process.

I have thought about this a lot this year, because I want to know for myself why I will be voting the way I am voting. This is not exhaustive, but here are some of the rationales I see people using to make their decision:

Superficial Factors

Sarah Palin’s hot. Barrack Obama is handsome. I think on some level, the most superficial criteria factor into everyone’s thought process. These types of factors should have absolutely no bearing on our decisions, but they do (e.g. JFK handsome vote). There are superficial factors that do have deeper political and historical implications: Barrack Obama is black; Sarah Palin is a woman. It is going to be a historic election no matter who wins because of those two elements. While I think it is valid to acknowledge their significance, I still don’t think those factors should be why we should vote either way.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Barrack Obama should not be elected because he is black. He should be elected because he was the best candidate! John McCain should not be elected because Sarah Palin is a woman! He should be elected because he was the best candidate! However, while I feel that the decision should be based on “the content of their character,” there will be people that vote one way or the other based upon that factor alone.

Superficial Beliefs

Matt Damon is worried about whether Sarah Palin believes that there were dinosaurs on the earth 4,000 years ago. (Dinosaurs in 2,000 BC?! Really Matt?) The criticism or endorsement from anyone in the entertainment industry carries very little weight for me, but it brings me to the idea of superficial beliefs. How many celebrities vote Democratic because that’s the “Hollywood” thing to do? How many Utahns vote Republican because that’s the “Mormon” thing to do?

How many of you vote the way you do because of someone else? There are endorsements that matter to me. For example, I trust my father. We have the same values and principles. I feel that he is informed and makes good decisions. In areas that I haven’t taken the time to understand and hash out for myself, I trust his perspective. For you, it may not be a family member for who you default to in order to establish your basis. For some it is Rush Limbaugh. For some it is Oprah. While referring to these sources is valid at a certain level, it is important for individuals to go beyond that reliance and establish their own viewpoint.

Emotional Factors

There are plenty of emotional and irrational reasons to throw your support one way or the other, but fear is probably the most banked upon. While the candidates try to polarize their opponent and paint the consequences of their opponent’s policies as bleak as possible, fear is the media’s bread and butter. Whether overtly or covertly biased, media sources play on the sense that if your candidate doesn’t win, the world will end. In one respect, it is hard to avoid getting caught in the emotions such tactics are intended to evoke. At the same time, with the ever increasing types of media in the world today, it is easier to be selective in what sources to which you choose to subject yourself. Admittedly, I watch FoxNews almost exclusively, as a majority of the US does now, but with the ousting of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews, I feel somewhat validated in my suspicions of other networks’ biases. For the internet, I have been visiting Real Clear Politics which does a good job of highlighting articles of interest from both viewpoints. If you are looking for something between The Drudge Report and Daily Kos, try RCP.

Logic

Ideally, we could sit down, spread all the facts out in front of us, and weight them with cold logic. But this is politics! Logic and fact for one side is rhetoric and distortion for the other. When Bill O’Reilly presented stats that indicated the US collected 20% more tax revenue under George W. Bush than under Bill Clinton, Obama dismissed it with, “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” When something appears so blatant and logical to you, don’t be surprised when it appears totally convoluted to the other side.

There are statistics and facts that both sides raise to argue their points, what is left is to personally evaluate what you feel is valid and apply your logic to it. Realize that your logic won’t appeal to everyone. Shoving your logic in someone else’s face will have much sway when they feel that the factors your argument is based upon are invalid.

Values

In my view, the ultimate basis for decisions should be rooted in your own core values. What ideas and principles are important to you? What are the guiding principles do you use in your own life? Some develop these values in religion. Some from life experience. Some from science. Do you believe in man’s responsibility to care for the earth? Do you believe in personal responsibility? If nothing pops to your mind when you ask yourself “What do I believe in?” I would suggest that you take some time to define what values are important to you.

The Chance for Dialogue

Where do we go from here? How can we have meaningful political discussion with those in whom we disagree? How do we persuade and convince others so our candidate gets elected? More important than those with whom we disagree, how do we talk to those that we care about with whom we disagree? How do we bring them to the light?

Understanding each other is crucial. We need to understand where our friends are making their decision. Decisions made at some levels are more pliable then decisions rooted more deeply. For me understanding why someone believes what they do, I am able to at least appreciate their perspective. When I understand that a decision is tied to something that they feel defines who they are, I can realize that this is a time to agree to disagree and not dismiss them as ignorant.

I have started this site, where I, and any others that care to participate, try to understand both sides of the issues by taking turns advocating both perspectives. Even if I have to fake it, I will argue issues from the opposing view. If my watching of FoxNews hasn’t tipped you off to my politics, let me leave no doubt: I am a Conservative and plan on stretching myself to be more “compassionate” as my Liberal friends would argue my ideology is not. The site is titled Feigning Compassion and I would love for anyone who is truly interested in meaningful dialogue to join in our discussion.

My parting shot: according to this article, a study shows that Conservatives understand and can articulate Liberal views, Liberals are not able to articulate Conservative views!