Political Opinions: Purist or Eclectic?

Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be.
-- Jim Horning

When listening to or reading about contentious political issues, I often encounter simplistic finger-pointing tactics geared toward finding a simple cause for such issues, finding someone to blame. Conservatives blame liberals for every problem...."All liberals are....", and liberals likewise do the same: "We'd not have this problem in the conservatives hadn't....." There are dozens of books written by those on both sides of the political aisle who paint everyone on the other side as deluded at best, evil at worse, and their own side as completely altruistic saints. Such books sell like hotcakes, as many unsophisticated readers apparently love to see complex political issues presented as having simple causes and solutions, showing their opponents as cardboard cutout one-note bad guys..

But it's not that easy. Few of us are purists when it comes to our political opinions. Most of us lean to one side or the other, but many of us also hold opinions that are more common of those on the other wing. It may be extremists writing and reading the books, but most voters tend to be more eclectic to varying degrees..

I'm a hybrid between liberalism and libertarianism. My opinions are largely libertarian, but I temper the most extreme forms of libertarian ideas with a liberal "safety net". I'm a big believer in the right of people to live their private lives as they see fit, unhindered by government meddling, particularly when it comes to social issues.

However, I also believe that the weaker members of society need to be protected from the worst excesses of greed in a capitalist society with certain protections -- and that we all have the potential to be a "weaker" member of society from time to time in our lives for whatever reason. I think the government's role should be to keep us safe, healthy, and ensure that everyone has at minimum basic sustenance needs met: food and shelter. It's also in a country's best interest to make sure that all citizens have access to a quality education.

I even hold a few opinions that are generally seen on the conservative side of the aisle. I believe that something needs to be done to secure our borders and to stem the tide of illegal immigration into this country. Those who come to this country need to do it through proper channels, and I believe learning English should be a part of becoming an American citizen. From my years on the police force, my views on gun control lean somewhat to the conservative side -- I believe that, as the police cannot be everywhere, that people should have the right to defend themselves with guns. It's like the old saying goes, "If the worms had guns, the birds would leave them alone". Statistics bear this out -- the highest crime areas also tend to be the same areas with the strictest gun laws. But unlike an extreme purist neocon, I can also understand why some people hold the opposing opinion.

I know many other people whose political opinions don't all fit neatly under one label, even though most of their opinions could place them in one group or another. Usually such people, on both sides of the aisle can be reasoned with. It's the purists of all stripes, the extremists, the black and white thinkers, that worry me.

Not everything is simple and neatly divided into categories, nor should it be. Complex issues deserve complex solutions.

Thoughts?