Are republicans without conscience or empathy?

I feel this is a very legitimate question... In fact, I wonder if it's part of the republican ideology to frown on things like conscience or empathy? Do republicans view empathy as weakness?

I ask because I see a lot of posts about liberals being lazy, or the unemployed being lazy. That needy families should be cut from the welfare they count on to survive, or that healthcare should be cut. Muslims should be killed. Illegals should be killed. Enemies should be tortured. That we should embrace Big Oil over better renewable sustainable energy. And a complete lack of care and a complete lack of responsiblity for the envionment.

I see a very cold mentality devoid of all empathy, and in fact, very resentful toward the unemployed, the poor, and the needy. Hatred and blame toward illegals, with zero empathy expressed. I see a hatred toward muslims and a patriotism toward the U.S. that even war crimes committed by the U.S. is not an issue for republicans. Things like torture are shrugged off or coldly embraced.

There is just so much coldness from Republicans on what feels like every issue... I just have to ask... Are republicans without conscience or empathy?

reply to post by spiritualzombie


Americans, no doubt, owe many other moral duties to his fellow countrymen; such as to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick, protect the defenseless, assist the weak, and enlighten the ignorant. But these are simply moral duties, of which each man must be his own judge, in each particular case, as to whether, and how, and how far, he can, or will perform them.

If you would not confront me and demand my money at the point of a gun to solve every new problem that may appear in your life, you should not allow the government to do it for you. "Oh, but we're just asking everyone to pay their fair share."

But government is not about asking. It is about telling. The difference is fundamental. It is the difference between making love and being raped, between working for a living and being a slave. The government is not asking anybody to do anything. It confiscates your assets and puts you behind bars if you don't pay.

This is not a formula for freedom but for tyranny.

reply to post by spiritualzombie

Quit it!

If you look at our history in a non-bias manner, you will realize both democrats and republicans are consistently COLD HEARTED SCUM OF THE EARTH.

The ONLY difference is that Democrats PRETEND to care about you. They use this false concern to gain power for themselves and further their agenda.

Do not be fooled. Deny Ignorance.

when the democrats stop supporting abortion,classwarfare and pushing social programs that enslave millions of americans with no other means of support as it stands right now i am not convinced they have any conscience or empathy.

Yes, most Republicans are sociopaths, as you can see just by perusing this forum for a short time.

(jk btw)

I think you better take a look at the news as of late.

We have idiots from both parties slapping each other on the back and smiling for the cameras over this debt ceiling bill, which doesn't amount to anything. It's a drop of water in the Pacific ocean.

Both democrats and republicans sitting up on the Hill fiddling while Rome burns.

There is no virtue in compulsory government charity, and there is no virtue in advocating it. A politician who portrays himself as "caring" and "sensitive" because he wants to expand the government's charitable programs is merely saying that he's willing to try to do good with other people's money.

Well, who isn't? And a voter who takes pride in supporting such programs is telling us that he'll do good with his own money – if a gun is held to his head.

Most of the major ills of the world have been caused by well-meaning people who ignored the principle of individual freedom while trying to improve the lot of mankind-in-the-mass through some pet formula of their own.

Wouldn't a much nobler cause than solving problems with government be a movement to emancipate all of mankind from the arbitrary rule of other others?

I just want a government that leaves me be, neither restraining nor aiding me in my pursuits. Too much to ask? Show me a movement that leaves me free and doesn't hate somebody and I will join it at once.

The democratic party supports slavery .... They expect middle class families to work 4 months a year just so they can sit on their fat arses. The slave masters love the average democratic voter because they consistently vote to enslave the middle class just so they can get a few crumbs.

They sure do. As a whole, Republicans make larger donations to charities then Democrats.

If the Govt were to get out of the "Helping" business, then more people would have more income, allowing for individual choice for more donations.

When Govt gets involved, they are the middle man, and they do take their "fair" share.

Oh no they have a conscience and empathy.

For their corporate masters.

Double post.

Originally posted by EmVeeFF
reply to post by spiritualzombie

 

Quit it!

If you look at our history in a non-bias manner, you will realize both democrats and republicans are consistently COLD HEARTED SCUM OF THE EARTH.

The ONLY difference is that Democrats PRETEND to care about you. They use this false concern to gain power for themselves and further their agenda.

Do not be fooled. Deny Ignorance.

First of all, being Democrat or Republican is not limited to the people in Washington. If as a voter, you feel gays should not have equal rights, or that healthcare should not be afforded to everyone, or that we have no responsibility to the envionment... or if you have no empathy toward illegals, and feel war crimes are just a normal part of war... I have news for you... the other voters out there who feel differently actually do care.

But you're saying we should not push for renewable fuel or reduced emissions regulations, because that's only pretending to care about the environment. We should not push for equal rights for gays because that only pretends to care about them. We should not push for medicare, healthcare, or welfare for people who desperately need it, because that's only pretending to care about people??

It's this cynicsm that also seems to be an inherent part of being republican....

I understand you don't want government forcing you to pay for things you don't agree with, but I still have yet to see any sort of empathy, compassion, or moral responsibility to help the needy, the environment, or issues of equality from republicans. War doesn't seem to be an issue for republicans though, nor is giving tax breaks to only the wealthiest individuals. Which, of course, neither of those stances requires any conscience or empathy.

The voice of republicans on these issues is pure resentment with no room for compromise. And despite all these posts, I see no evidence of conscience, empathy, or compassion

Hmmm... good question. All of the bought-and-paid-for DC scum that call themsleves polticians share the same feudal, elitist mindset. They just spin it different ways. Mrketing does this all the time --- produce two identical products and simply give them differnet packaging and names in order to appeal to two different market segments. So if social 'welfare' programs (foodstamps, unemplyment, SSI, etc.) are inherently evil, is it still ok to send billions of dollars to foreign countries? Or isn't that the same thing just on a different level? Where 'welfare' helps support the less fortunate among the common people, isn't foreign aid the 'richer' countries helping to support the less fortunate among the elite? Or said another way (paraphasing), Foreign Aid is rich countries taking money from their poor and giving it to the rich of poor countries.

It isn't about Republicans. It isn't about Democrats. It's about the agents of the elite (corporate or private) helping them continue to consolidate all the wealth of the country into as few pockets as possible. Damn them all.

reply to post by spiritualzombie


I usually vote republican or conservative independent. I am not rich by any means and work my tail off for what little I have. I do not own my own home, I have a 10 year old car that barely gets me to work and back but I am very grateful for the fact that I can provide for my family even though it's not the ideal situation.

I support gay marriage yet I am not gay, I support a woman's right to choose, I try to donate what I can to charities that I believe in like animal shelters and veteran's programs.

I do not support illegal immigration or people who milk the system for a handout but am very supportive of the people who use welfare as a means to an end in order to survive while looking for work, ya know, the ones who it was intended for.

I think the tax system is broken and we should live up to our responsibility as a nation to pay our debts instead of borrow and spend our way into oblivion.

How would you classify me?

Originally posted by spiritualzombie

I understand you don't want government forcing you to pay for things you don't agree with, but I still have yet to see any sort of empathy, compassion, or moral responsibility...

Is your definition of "compassion" confiscation of your neighbors money at the point of a gun, then proceeding to give it to someone else? If it is wrong to use force to take money from a neighbor, how have you rationalized that it is OK for the government to do it for you?

Republicans and Democrats are kindred spirits as far as government spending is concerned. First, let's make sure we understand what government spending is. Since government has no resources of its own, and since there's no Tooth Fairy handing Congress the funds for the programs it enacts, we are forced to recognize that government spending is no less than the confiscation of one person's property to give it to another to whom it does not belong – in effect, legalized theft.

Whenever you depart from voluntary cooperation and try to do good by using force, your bad moral value of force triumphs over good intentions.

Originally posted by spiritualzombie
I wonder if it's part of the republican ideology to frown on things like conscience or empathy? Do republicans view empathy as weakness?

Oh boy...we're going to have fun with this aren't we?

That needy families should be cut from the welfare they count on to survive

Yes...Republicans desperately want people to starve to death and little kids to die of preventable diseases. Please.

Nobody has ever asked for all of these "almighty" social programs to be completely done away with...but there does need to be some drastic overhaul to the system. As it stands now...anyone and everyone can obtain welfare benefits...even the ones who don't really need them. All of that money has to come from somewhere doesn't it?

or that healthcare should be cut.

Yes...Republicans want everyone to die miserable from easily treated problems.

Healthcare being completely done away with has never been on the table. Having a belief that the government should not run and control your healthcare is not the same as cutting it. Standing up for freedom of choice and personal responsibility is not a bad thing. Standing with your hands out to the government is the real problem. And that is a problem fostered by the liberal agenda.

Muslims should be killed. Illegals should be killed.

Are you really going to stand here and try to tell us that the murder of innocent people based on religion or race is something the Republican party promotes. I hope you are neither that naive or ignorant.

Enemies should be tortured.

Sure...why not? If we are holding some bastard who is responsible for taking the lives of innocent people and vital information can be gained from it...then why not. I'd rather see a murderer suffer a little bit than see innocent people die because we weren't willing to do what was necessary.

That we should embrace Big Oil over better renewable sustainable energy.

Nonsense. Nobody wants to stifle the development of renewable energy sources. That's the problem though...they are still in the developmental stages. Oil is here right now and is ready to use at what could be more affordable prices. Renewable energy sources are still not ready for mainstream use at an affordable cost. Punishing oil companies is only punishing the average family by driving up the cost of the only viable energy there is.

And a complete lack of care and a complete lack of responsibility for the environment.

You really do have it bad my friend. This is ludicrous.

Originally posted by METACOMET

Originally posted by spiritualzombie

I understand you don't want government forcing you to pay for things you don't agree with, but I still have yet to see any sort of empathy, compassion, or moral responsibility...

Is your definition of "compassion" confiscation of your neighbors money at the point of a gun, then proceeding to give it to someone else? If it is wrong to use force to take money from a neighbor, how have you rationalized that it is OK for the government to do it for you?

What gunpoint? Who is holding the gun? Is this referring to the wealthy giving up tax breaks that were supposed to be temporary in the first place? Is this about the cost of healthcare? welfare? Or the taxes collected from everyone to support war whether you agree with war or not?

If you are telling me you want a government with zero taxes, I'm all for it, though I have no idea how that would work.

But in today's world, where we are expected to pay taxes, and that money goes to programs we don't agree to, I would much rather that money go to help the poor, needy, or to pay for healthcare, than to have it go toward the building of a bomb.

If we are going to spend money we don't have on war or buying out banks, don't give me grief and say we have to be suddenly fiscally responsible when someone suggests money go towards helping the poor and needy.

My definition of compassion is basically feeling CARE for people, animals, the environment...

reply to post by spiritualzombie


OP, you are right on the money. never in my short time here at ATS have I seen a post like yours and frankly it bothered me that I hadn't. I am a diehard liberal Democrat. I share your views on the Republican party. I often wonder how they cling to their bibles with such straight faces. long live the Democrats. IMHO, they surely sleep better at night. I hope when it is time to meet our maker I'm aloud to easedrop when a right wing Republican tries to explain his life philosophy and why he treated his fellow man with such contempt. whoops, almost forgot; a star & a flag for you. haha, that's the first time I got to write that. and this is surely the post to do it. thank you.....

Originally posted by spiritualzombie
But in today's world, where we are expected to pay taxes, and that money goes to programs we don't agree to,

So you don't want your tax money going to things you don't agree to...but it's fine if Uncle Sam takes the tax money of the wealthy and does whatever you think should be done?

Sounds about right.