Saying Sorry vs Being Sorry

They say death and taxes are the only two things that are guaranteed in this life. I would like to amend that and add learning. Learning is something we do— be it consciously or not— until the day we die. Though I have yet to die, I know that I’m in my seventieth decade and the learning continues…!

My wife Deanna taught me something new— the concept of which I found to be quite the epiphany, once I let it sink in, that is: the difference between saying that you’re sorry, and actually being sorry.

With the former, you are saying it for you, to make yourself feel better. Oh, you couch it with the premise that you’re saying it for the person you’ve hurt— in your head, you say, “You’re sorry,” and that makes the other person feel better.

However, the reality is that you say, “I’m sorry,” and you are effectively absolving yourself of whatever wrong you’ve done. To the target of the apology, they’re actually just words. Unless you have the latter part— the actions that are generated from being sorry— you might as well just say “Captain Harris went to Paris;” it has the same effect.

Ironically— or maybe not— the Church (note the capital “C” in deference to the Catholic Church, not Protestant churches) has a similar paradigm in its canon. The first part, the apologizing part, is called “confession.” We do this for ourselves to  unburden our conscience by confessing our transgressions to the priest, who in turn forgives our sins in God’s stead. Part one: check.

As for the second part— the act of being sorry— the part that we do for others— is called “repentance.” We start this part by being contrite, which is a promise in our heart/head not to do whatever it is we did again. Still just words/thoughts, but now backed up this time by an affirming prayer: the “Act of Contrition.” Which leads us to the final piece of repentance—the actual hard part— consciously trying not to do it again. That’s the part— the action— that’s for the people whom we sinned against. 

One without the other— words/thoughts without actions— doesn’t really work. Again, you might as well just say “Professor Hill went to Brazil” and call it a day. Or a relationship. Empty words have the power to erode a relationship as surely as time built the Grand Canyon. You may be helping yourself in the short-term by making yourself feel better about your transgressions, but you’re not really assuaging the target of your offense, even if they don’t realize it— remember, everyone is doing that learning thin, and they might not have learned it yet.

Let’s review. “I’m sorry” is for you; it makes you feel better about what you’ve done. When we’re younger, it usually ends there, and we usually have to repeat it many times until we learn to add action to the words for whom it was said. Sadly, some people— I would venture to guess most— never learn this, and the results can be seen with a deep dive into the efficacy of their relationships.

Being sorry— actually making the effort to not do whatever it was you did that you need to apologize for— with or without the words— that’s for the person you offended. Most people take a long time to learn that simple plum. Took me sixty or so years to learn it— and I’m still learning it— but practice makes perfect, and I have a very patient teacher.

                                                          

© Ray Cattie

The Return of Rhys Hoskins

In the midst of the gloom of the Phillies limping out of the playoffs in a first round series loss to the Mets in the NLDS, here's a happy interaction from earlier this season. The picture shows a golden moment from June of this year, when Philadelphia Phillie fan-favorite Rhys Hoskins made his inaugural return to Citizens Bank Park in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform. Of course, it was an emotional return for both the fans and for Rhys, the former Phillies first baseman who was traded earlier to make room for superstar Bryce Harper, who took over at first base upon returning from an injury. Hoskins was out with his own injury at the time.

A bit of humor amidst the nostalgic return happened when Rhys was walked by Phillies Ace Zack Wheeler. Then Hoskins did something no one expected— including his own dugout: he stole second base. “He’s not really a runner,” Zack Wheeler joked about his former teammate. “I wasn’t changing up my looks at all… He got an easy bag right there.”

When asked later if he thought he surprised J.T. Realmuto, the catcher with the best POP time in the sport, Hoskins quipped that he hoped he did. “(Realmuto and I) will always be able to go back and forth about that,” he said with an easy grin.

J.T. got the last laugh though, because seconds later, Hoskins tried to score from second on a single to center. It was a great throw from Johan Rojas in the outfield, and Realmuto was able to apply the tag, nailing Hoskins at the plate, and in turn have some good natured, butt-slapping in the process.

How can you not be romantic about baseball? The smiles say it all!

(paraphrased from the article by Anthony SanFillippo for USA Today Sports at https://www.crossingbroad.com/2024/06)

© Ray Cattie

Motorola Razr: The Great Experiment

I initially started writing this blog post back in July of this year, and am just finishing it now, in October...

Last year, when the new Motorola Razr dropped, I was absolutely enamored by the red version of that retro flip cellphone.

2023 Razr in "Viva Magenta"

I exercised restraint, however, under the guise that I would give Apple a little bit more time to come out with their iPhone version of the flip phone. A year went by, and news of the release of the Apple flip iPhone cooled, with release dates ranging from two to three years away. My current iPhone is the model 14 Pro Max, which still runs like the premium phone that it is... but would it keep up with the next two-three years, pushing it to five year-old tech? In the cell phone industry five years is all-but forever.

I decided to take the plunge, and pre-ordered the Motorola Razr+ (aka the Razr 50), 2024 anniversary edition, in the Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz. 

2024 Motorola Razr+ Peach Fuzz

They had done away with the red color that I lusted over last year, in favor of the iconic hot pink color, brought back in homage to the tenth anniversary of the original Razr phone.

In the meantime, I watched every video I could lay my eyes on about my soon-to-be-new Android operating system, and more specifically, my soon-to-be-new Motorola Razr.

It took my new phone about a week to arrive; one week earlier than the in-store release. I was a kid in a candy store queued to buy the latest edition of Wacky Packs, which were all the rage back in the mid-seventies.

Loved these-- you?

I knew that the migration from iOS to Android  would be formidable; after all I had been a resident of Apple's Proprietary Garden for seventeen years, way back to the original iPhone. Currently, I have an iPhone, an Apple Watch, a MacBook Pro, and a MacBook Air. I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. But the lure of the Flip Phone was strong. My original favorite, back when you had the choice of the clam shell (now called flip) or the candy bar/slab  form factor.

Classic Clam Shell

I never lost my secret desire for the clam shell, even though it has been almost two decades since I've actually owned one. Rumors of the "iPhone Flip" have been circulating for several years now, but Apple has remained its usual tight lipped, close-to-the-vest MO, releasing not one whisper of the alleged Apple Flip Phone. Meanwhile, Samsung and Motorola, to name but two companies, are already invested in the flip phone; several years in now. Apple has been know to be late to the market with its products, but when they do release, they have benefited greatly from the extra refinement that they put into their products, believing in quality over speed.

Classic Candy bar (looks like a tv remote!)

By early summer of this year, my resistance was finally breached with Motorola's release of its 2024 iteration of the classic Razr flip phone. I eagerly pre-ordered the Razr+ in the Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz.

Of course in true "Cattie Style," I watched every video I could about the new Razr, looked at hundreds of pictures, read dozens of testimonials, and also worried over the conversion from iPhone to Android which, as it turned out, was (very) justified. When my new Razr arrived, it was with much enthusiasm that I unboxed it, and launched into the initial setup.

"Hello Moto" welcome screen.

Pleasantly, the fact that it was an Android really didn't make much of a difference-- in mid-2024 there isn't really a whole lot of difference. Oh, Android may have a few more customization options, it’s true, and can really get lost down that particular rabbit hole, and of course I did.

In no time at all I had set up everything to work to my liking, and with a quick phone call to my carrier I had my phone number patched over and was texting successfully almost right away.

Gorgeous, ain't it?

On to the what-I-though was going to be the fun part, equally as easy as the initial setup from the "Hello Moto" splash screen: The Copying of My Specific Stuff From My Deep Purple iPhone 14 Pro Max to My Shiny New Motorola Razr+, in the Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz.

Bill's eating-- an apple.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.

I was-- naive? Child-like? Downright Delusional? All apt words to describe an Apple User who has been playing exclusively in the walled-off Apple Garden

Safe, but restrictive…you’ve been warned.

(see above for more detailed immersion notes) who suddenly decides to switch to the relatively "loose" Android Ecosystem.

As easy as the initial setup was from the "Hello Moto" splash screen, I ran headfirst into that brick wall when I endeavored to port over some of my customizations from my iPhone to my new Razr. That hard, very ungiving brick wall that has the Steve’s— Jobs & Wozniak— graffiti spray painted liberally all over it.

There were several apps recommended to help ease the pain of transfer, but to my chagrin the apps were no longer available. The tech had moved on beyond apps, which I will illustrate more fully later.

In a nutshell, there was no way for me to get my 7,000 photos from my iPhone to my Razr. Nor was there a way for me to transfer my gaming data, since I used Apple’s (proprietary) Game Center. While that might not seem to be a big deal, I have games on my phone that I’ve been invested in for years, and the thought of losing them was making me sweat.

Transfer from iPhone to Android?!

But the biggest chestnut was Notes. It might surprise you to know that I am a writer (ha!), and at any given time I have from 350-400 active notes—it’s my go-to writing tool to jot down thoughts and ideas. While they are in fact saved on iCloud as well as on my iPhone, there was no compatible android app that would accept my iCloud notes format. There was no way for me to transfer my notes from Apple’s (proprietary) Notes app to a notes app in Razr, short of literally copying and pasting.

Non-Apple users have no idea how quickly and easily you get seduced by Apple’s ecosystem; ultimately you end up using everything Apple, as it’s miles easier, and everything within the ecosystem plays well together.

My seduction took me across the full gamut from hating Apple, to buying an iPod and iTunes/Apple Music, then iPhone (every year, including camping out at the Apple Store in the early days— great fun!),

Just a few...!

to going from a Toshiba (Windows) laptop to a MacBook Air, then a MacBook Pro, iCloud, an Apple wireless keyboard, an Apple Magic Mouse, an Apple external hard drive, and Apple Watch, AirPods, and of course those magical Apple stickers that come with every Apple product.

Though in the name of “reducing their carbon footprint” to zero by 2030 they have eliminated the stickers in recent years, which strikes me as disingenuous considering all of the Apple people jetting around the world in those fossil fuel-guzzling jets.

Carbon neutral by 2030

Android friends, it’s downright insidious how inevitably and fully you get sucked into Apple’s ecosystem, smiling and happily spending money. As I’ve said, it’s a great ecosystem— everything Just Works. But here’s what they don’t tell you: it doesn’t play well with Android!

Anyway, I digress. I was giving myself the cold sweats thinking about the time I spent working on my conversion, only to realize that I would have to start over with the things that actually meant something to me. And that was the kicker, the rub, the straw that broke the Upgrade Camel’s back.

You can hear it snapping...

I’m no quitter— heck, I’ve been in education for thirty-five years— but after 168 hours, 47 minutes, and 22 seconds of painstaking, aggravating, insomnia-inducing effort, I threw in the proverbial towel and re-boxed my shiny new Motorola Razr+ 2024 anniversary edition in the Pantone Color of the Year Peach Fuzz, and shipped it back.

Update from September 2024: I ended up getting a shiny new iPhone 16 Pro Max, in Desert Titanium (it’s gold, people). It is my hope that it will tide me over until/if Apple ever gets around to releasing the iPhone Flip— errr— the iFlip?

Finis.

© Ray Cattie

Ninth Level Shaolin Kung Fu Master vs Gun

This post is in response to the innumerable videos I see posted on social media showing karate guys demonstrating how they can thwart an attack by someone wielding a gun-- of course, in each and every video the guns are plastic props, and all of the action is in super slow motion.

I love these martial arts people who think they can stand against someone with a gun. And even more— the martial arts fans who watch them and think it’s possible.

Let me just clarify: first, if I have a gun and had it in my mind to shoot you, I’m NOT going to get close enough for you to hurt me— duh— that’s the whole point of a gun. And second, unless you can more faster than 1500 fps, which means faster than .0033/second from five feet away.

Conclusion: you have ZERO chance. I don’t care if you are a ninth level Shaolin kung fu master, the only thing you’re going to do in that situation is bleed.

© Ray Cattie

Political Cheat Sheet- 2024 Cycle

Generally, I try to re-post this entry at the head of upcoming election cycles (when I remember). Most of these issues/views stand the same. At any rate, it will give you an idea as to how things work, should you be interested in pursuing the issues of the upcoming election, as opposed to the rhetoric of being "for" President Trump and voting red, or being "against" President Trump and voting blue:

In the wake of all of this business about pandemics, government shutdowns, debt ceilings, and partisan politics, it behooves us to know where we stand— at all times— on the issues.  What exactly is a conservative?   What is a liberal?  What is a moderate? Left?  Right? Middle? Blue? Red? Purple?  And to which side do the Democrats lean?  How about the Republicans?  Libertarians? Tea Party Patriots? That sounds like fun!  Who doesn’t like tea, for God’s sake…

A liberal, by definition, is someone who is, “…not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted” (merriam-webster.com). Liberals tend to believe in social welfare— that is, things are generally a societal responsibility, as opposed to an individual responsibility.  They are referred to as “left wing.”  An extreme liberal is called a revolutionary.

Conservatives,on the other hand, tend to be more orthodox with their philosophies, “…believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society” (ibid).   They tend to believe more in the individual— from rights to responsibilities— with less emphasis on the society.  They are referred to as “right wing.”  An extreme conservative is called a reactionary.

The terms right and left actually came from the French Revolution and were (and are) used to identify people at opposite ends of the political spectrum.  Apparently, in the Legislative Assembly chambers of Paris, those representatives who sat to the right were supporters of the “powers that be,” while those who sat to the left were supporters of the merchant class, or common people (politicsreport.com).

How does this translate to 21st century American government?  Well, as the conservative philosophy leans towards more personal responsibility, they also tend to favor smaller government, or less involvement of government in people’s personal lives.  Liberals, on the other hand, favoring societal responsibility, tend to put more stock in government, believing that government should be more involved with the society that it governs.

Moderates generally fall in between, believing in a moderate or “middle” philosophy between the conservative and the liberal camps, tending towards, “…avoiding [the] extremes of behavior or expression” (merriam-webster.com), in this case, between the political philosophies of liberal and conservative.

Consequently, the Democratic Party in America is currently the liberal party, representing the interests of the left wing. Democratic states are represented by the color blue.  The Republican Party in America is currently the conservative party, representing the interests of the right wing.  Republican states are represented by the color red.  Purple states are what are called "battleground states," or states that could go either way. The colors have no significance of themselves; they were just a convenient way to show the tendencies of the states on a political map.  “Time” magazine is usually given credit for this distinction from the 1988 presidential election.

For the upcoming 2024 general election— a rematch of the 2020 showdown— the Republican ticket is represented by former President Donald Trump, and the Democrat ticket is represented by sitting President Joe Biden.

Issues

Here are some issues that Americans consider important.  They are listed in alphabetical order, with a brief explanation of the issue, and how each side of the political spectrum views each issue.  Special thanks to studentnewsdaily.com for the specific information.

Abortion- a voluntary medical procedure used to terminate a pregnancy.

Liberal: Pro.  The woman has the right to choose, and the government should protect that right, up to and including providing taxpayer-funded abortions for women who cannot afford them.  Further, a fetus is not a human life, and so does not have separate rights from the woman.  Women have the right to affordable, safe, and legal abortions, under any circumstances, including partial birth abortion.

Conservative: Con.  Human life begins at conception, and therefore abortion is the murder of a human being.  An unborn baby, as a living human being, has separate rights from those of the mother.  They oppose taxpayer-funded abortion, and support legislation to prohibit partial birth abortions.

Affirmative Action- federal laws that require companies (and schools) over a certain size to have a required percentage of minorities in their employment.

Liberal: Pro.  Due to prevalent racism in the past, minorities were deprived of the same education and employment opportunities as whites.  The government must work to make up for that.  America is still a racist society, therefore a federal affirmative action law is necessary.  Due to unequal opportunity, minorities still lag behind whites in all statistical measurements of success.

Conservative: Con. Individuals should be admitted to schools and hired for jobs based on their ability.  It is unfair to use race as a factor in the selection process.  Reverse-discrimination is not a solution for racism.  Some individuals in society are racist, but American society as a whole is not.  Preferential treatment of certain races through affirmative action is wrong.

Death Penalty- The legal execution of criminals found guilty of a capital crime (differs from state to state).

Liberal:Con. The death penalty should be abolished.  It is inhumane and is ‘cruel and unusual' punishment.  Imprisonment is the appropriate punishment for murder.  Every execution risks killing an innocent person.

Conservative: Pro. The death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime of murder; it is neither ‘cruel' nor ‘unusual.'  Executing a murderer is the appropriate punishment for taking an innocent life.

Economy- “The production and consumption of goods and services, and the supply of money” (oxforddictionaries.com).

Liberal: A market system in which government regulates the economy is best.  Government must protect citizens from the greed of big business.  Unlike the private sector, the government is motivated by public interest.  Government regulation in all areas of the economy is needed to level the playing field.

Conservative: The free market system, competitive capitalism, and private enterprise create the greatest opportunity and the highest standard of living for all.  Free markets produce more economic growth, more jobs and higher standards of living than those systems burdened by excessive government regulation.

Education-(regarding vouchers & charter schools)

Liberal: Con. Public schools are the best way to educate students.  Vouchers take money away from public schools.  Government should focus additional funds on existing public schools, raising teacher salaries and reducing class size.

Conservative: Pro. School vouchers create competition and therefore encourage schools to improve performance.  Vouchers will give all parents the right to choose good schools for their children, not just those who can afford private schools.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research- research of the pre-developed cells of the human embryo that can potentially be used to culture any other type of cell in the human body.

Liberal- Pro. Support the use of embryonic stem cellsfor research.  It is necessary (and ethical) for the government to fund embryonicstem cell research, which will assist scientists in finding treatments and cures for diseases.  An embryo is not a human.  The tiny blastocyst (embryos used in embryonic stem cell research) has no human features.  Experimenting on embryos/embryonic stem cells is not murder.  Embryonic stem cellshave the potential to cure chronic and degenerative diseases which current medicine has been unable to effectively treat.  Embryonic stem cellshave been shown to be effective in treating heart damage in mice.

Conservative- Con. Support the use of adult and umbilical cord stem cells onlyfor research.  It is morally and ethically wrong for the government to fund embryonicstem cell research.  Human life begins at conception.  The extraction of stem cells from an embryo requires its destruction.  In other words, it requires that a human life be killed.  Adult stem cellshave already been used to treat spinal cord injuries, Leukemia, and even Parkinson's disease. Adult stem cells are derived from umbilical cords, placentas, amniotic fluid, various tissues and organ systems like skin and the liver, and even fat obtained from liposuction.  Embryonic stem cellshave not been successfully used to help cure disease.

  

Energy

Liberal- Oil is a depleting resource.  Other sources of energy must be explored.  The government must produce a national plan for all energy resources and subsidize (partially pay for) alternative energy research and production.  Support increased exploration of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power.  Support government control of gas and electric industries.

Conservative- Oil, gas and coal are all good sources of energy and are abundant in the U.S.  Oil drilling should be increased both on land and at sea.  Increased domestic production creates lower prices and less dependence on other countries for oil.  Support increased production of nuclear energy.  Wind and solar sources will never provide plentiful, affordable sources of power.  Support private ownership of gas and electric industries.

Euthanasia & Physician-assisted suicide-  the legal termination of a terminal patient’s life; or the physician-assisted termination of a terminal patient’s life.

Liberal- Pro. Euthanasia should be legalized.  A person has a right to die with dignity, by his own choice.  A terminally ill person should have the right to choose to end pain and suffering.  It is wrong for the government to take away the means for a terminally ill person to hasten his death.  It is wrong to force a person to go through so much pain and suffering.  Legalizing euthanasia would not lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients.  Permitting euthanasia would reduce health care costs, which would then make funds available for those who could truly benefit from medical care.

Conservative- Con. Neither euthanasia nor physician-assisted suicide should be legalized.  It is immoral and unethical to deliberately end the life of a terminally ill person (euthanasia), or enable another person to end their own life (assisted suicide).  The goal should be compassionate care and easing the suffering of terminally ill people.  Legalizing euthanasia could lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients.  If euthanasia were legalized, insurance companies could pressure doctors to withhold life-saving treatment for dying patients.  Many religions prohibit suicide and euthanasia. These practices devalue human life.

Global Warming/Climate Change

Liberal- Global warming is caused by an increased production of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).  The U.S. is a major contributor to global warming because it produces 25% of the world’s carbon dioxide.  Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions in the U.S. are urgently needed and should be enacted immediately to save the planet.  Many reputable scientists support this theory.

Conservative- Change in global temperature is natural over long periods of time.  Science has not shown that humans can affect permanent change to the earth’s temperature.  Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions will do nothing to help the environment and will cause significant price increases for all.  Many reputable scientists support this theory.

 

Gun Control- the right for a private citizen to own firearms.  For the record, the Second Amendment to the Constitution states:  “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Liberal- Con. The Second Amendment does not give citizens the right to keep and bear arms, but only allows for the state to keep a militia (National Guard).  Individuals do not need guns for protection; it is the role of local and federal government to protect the people through law enforcement agencies and the military.  Additional gun control laws are necessary to stop gun violence and limit the ability of criminals to obtain guns.  More guns mean more violence.

Conservative- Pro. The Second Amendment gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms.  Individuals have the right to defend themselves.  There are too many gun control laws – additional laws will not lower gun crime rates.  What is needed is enforcement of current laws.  Gun control laws do not prevent criminals from obtaining guns.  More guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens mean less crime.

Healthcare-  Government subsidized healthcare, aka socialized medicine.

Liberal- Pro.  Support free or low-cost government controlled health care.  There are millions of Americans who can’t afford health care and are deprived of this basic right.  Every American has a right to affordable health care.  The government should provide equal health care benefits for all, regardless of their ability to pay.

Conservative- Con. Support competitive, free market health care system.  All Americans have access to health care.  The debate is about who should pay for it.  Free and low-cost government-run programs (socialized medicine) result in higher costs and everyone receiving the same poor-quality health care.  Health care should remain privatized.  The problem of uninsured individuals should be addressed and solved within the free market healthcare system – the government should not control healthcare.

Homeland Security- specifically TSA airport security “profiling” in the wake of 9/11.

Liberal- Con. Airport security – Passenger profiling is wrong, period.  Selection of passengers for extra security screening should be random.  Using other criteria (such as ethnicity) is discriminatory and offensive to Arabs and Muslims, who are generally innocent and law-abiding.  Terrorists don’t fit a profile.

“…Arabs, Muslims and South Asians are no more likely than whites to be terrorists.”(American Civil Liberties Union ACLU)

Asked on 60 Minutes if a 70-year-old white woman from Vero Beach should receive the same level of scrutiny as a Muslim from Jersey City, President Obama’s Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said, “Basically, I would hope so.”

Conservative

Airport security – Choosing passengers randomly for extra security searches is not effective.  Rather, profiling and intelligence data should be used to single out passengers for extra screening.  Those who do not meet the criteria for suspicion should not be subjected to intense screening.  The terrorists currently posing a threat to the U.S. are primarily Islamic/Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 38.  Our resources should be focused on this group.  Profiling is good logical police work. 

“If people are offended (by profiling), that’s unfortunate, but I don’t think we can afford to take the risk that terrorism brings to us.  They’ve wasted masses of resources on far too many people doing things that really don’t have a big payoff in terms of security.”– Northwestern University Aviation Expert, A.Gellman.

Immigration

Liberal

Support legal immigration.  Support amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (undocumented immigrants).  Also  believe that undocumented immigrants have a right to:

-- all educational and health benefits that citizens receive (financial aid, welfare, social security and medicaid), regardless of legal status.

-- the same rights as American citizens.  It is unfair to arrest millions of undocumented immigrants.

Conservative

Support legal immigration only.  Oppose amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (illegal immigrants).  Those who break the law by entering the U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who obey the law and enter legally.  The borders should be secured before addressing the problem of the illegal immigrants currently in the country.  The Federal Government should secure the borders and enforce current immigration law.

Private Property

Liberal

Government has the right to use eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government--with compensation to the owner) to accomplish a public end.

Conservative

Respect ownership and private property rights.  Eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government--with compensation to the owner) in most cases is wrong.  Eminent domain should not be used for private development.

Religion & Government

Liberal

Support the separation of church and state.  The Bill of Rights implies a separation of church and state.  Religious expression has no place in government.  The two should be completely separate.  Government should not support religious expression in any way.  All reference to God in public and government spaces should be removed (eg., the Ten Commandments should not be displayed in Federal buildings).  Religious expression has no place in government.

Conservative

The phrase “separation of church and state”is not in the Constitution.  The First Amendment to the Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”  This prevents the government from establishing a national church/denomination. However, it does not prohibit God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings.  Symbols of Christian heritage should not be removed from public and government spaces (eg., the Ten Commandments should continue to be displayed in Federal buildings).  Government should not interfere with religion and religious freedom.

  

Same-sex Marriage

Liberal

Marriage is the union of people who love each other.  It should be legal for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, to ensure equal rights for all.  Support same-sex marriage.  Opposed to the creation of a constitutional amendment establishing marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  All individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, have the right to marry.  Prohibiting same-sex citizens from marrying denies them their civil rights. [Opinions vary on whether this issue is equal to civil rights for African Americans.

Conservative

Marriage is the union of one man and one woman.  Oppose same-sex marriage.

Support Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed in 1996, which affirms the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states.

Requiring citizens to sanction same-sex relationships violates moral and religious beliefs of millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims and others, who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman.

Social Security

Liberal

The Social Security system should be protected at all costs.  Reduction in future benefits is not a reasonable option.  [Opinions vary on the extent of the current system's financial stability.]

Social Security provides a safety net for the nation's poor and needy.  Changing the system would cause a reduction in benefits and many people would suffer as a result.

Conservative

The Social Security system is in serious financial trouble.  Major changes to the current system are urgently needed.  In its current state, the Social Security system is not financially sustainable.  It will collapse if nothing is done to address the problems.  Many will suffer as a result.  Social Security must be made more efficient through privatization and/or allowing individuals to manage their own savings. 

Taxes

Liberal

Higher taxes (primarily for the wealthy) and a larger government are necessary to address inequity/injustice in society (government should help the poor and needy using tax dollars from the rich).  Support a large government to provide for the needs of the people and create equality.  Taxes enable the government to create jobs and provide welfare programs for those in need.  Government programs are a caring way to provide for the poor and needy in society.

Conservative

Lower taxes and a smaller government with limited power will improve the standard of living for all.  Support lower taxes and a smaller government.  Lower taxes create more incentive for people to work, save, invest, and engage in entrepreneurial endeavors.  Money is best spent by those who earn it, not the government.  Government programs encourage people to become dependent and lazy, rather than encouraging work and independence.

United Nations (UN)

Liberal

The UN promotes peace and human rights.  The United States has a moral and a legal obligation to support the United Nations (UN).  The U.S. should not act as a sovereign nation, but as one member of a world community.  The U.S. should submit its national interests to the greater good of the global community (as defined by the UN).  The U.S. should defer to the UN in military/peacekeeping matters.  The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security.  U.S. troops should submit to UN command.

Conservative

The UN has repeatedly failed in its essential mission to promote world peace and human rights.  The wars, genocide and human rights abuses taking place in many Human Rights Council member states (and the UN's failure to stop them) prove this point.  History shows that the United States, not the UN, is the global force for spreading freedom, prosperity, tolerance and peace.  The U.S. should never subvert its national interests to those of the UN.  The U.S. should never place troops under UN control.  U.S. military should always wear the U.S. military uniform, not that of UN peacekeepers. [Opinions vary on whether the U.S. should withdraw from the UN.]

War on Terror/Terrorism

Liberal

Global warming, not terrorism, poses the greatest threat to the U.S., according to Democrats in Congress.  Terrorism is a result of arrogant U.S. foreign policy.  Good diplomacy is the best way to deal with terrorism.  Relying on military force to defeat terrorism creates hatred that leads to more terrorism.  Captured terrorists should be handled by law enforcement and tried in civilian courts.

Conservative

Terrorism poses one of the greatest threats to the U.S.  The world toward which the militant Islamists strive cannot peacefully co-exist with the Western world. In the last decade, militant Islamists have repeatedly attacked Americans and American interests here and abroad.  Terrorists must be stopped and destroyed.  The use of intelligence-gathering and military force are the best ways to defeat terrorism around the world.  Captured terrorists should be treated as enemy combatants and tried in military courts.

Welfare

Liberal

Support welfare, including long-term welfare.  Welfare is a safety net which provides for the needs of the poor.  Welfare is necessary to bring fairness to American economic life.  It is a device for protecting the poor.

Conservative

Oppose long-term welfare.  Opportunities should be provided to make it possible for those in need to become self-reliant.  It is far more compassionate and effective to encourage people to become self-reliant, rather than allowing them to remain dependent on the government for provisions.

© Ray Cattie