Conservatives believe that government should only play a limited role in the lives of citizens and that the federal government should be very limited in its ability to control state governments.
Liberals support an active role for government in the lives of citizens and believe that the federal government should exercise significant oversight of state governments.
And yet, both groups have a history of swapping these principles to achieve specific goals. Here are a few examples.
Decades ago, conservatives wanted segregation dealt with at the state level.
But, in the current debate over the definition of marriage, we find conservatives supporting federal intervention.
Liberals, on the other hand, supported federal intervention to deal with segregation, but now they think that states should define marriage.
Currently, conservatives rail against forcing citizens to purchase health insurance, but they support forcing citizens to sell their natural gas mineral rights. At the same time, liberals support forcing citizens to purchase health insurance, but they protest against forcing citizens to sell their natural gas mineral rights.
The ease with which these groups swap principles makes my head spin.
It also makes me think that Groucho Marx was on to something when he said, "These are my principles; if you don't like them, I have others."
David Bross
Cogan Station
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
