What's the difference between a Conservative and a Liberal??

What is a Conservative?? A Liberal?? A Democrat, a Republican?? We hear these terms all the time. But what do they really mean??

Here is a definition from the dictionary of a Conservative: One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics; -- opposed to revolutionary or radical. Sound like someone you know??

Here is where I have a problem. Conservatives, Republicans always say they are for less government. Yet, they seem to want more regulation or laws regarding personal freedoms. Or lack of freedom I guess would be a better way of putting that. They would like to overturn Roe v. Wade, for one, they don't believe in civil unions, or any kinds of rights for gays or lesbians. Basically, more laws, I call them bedroom and body laws.

Now, here is what it says about a Liberal: favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.

Liberals, Democrats are usually more open to an everything goes type lifestyle I guess would be the best way to put it. They believe in allowing you the choice of how you live your life. Not the government telling you how to live. Yes, there are laws on the books, and that's as it should be, but Dems believe Roe v. Wade is fine as it is. Basically, NO more bedroom or body laws.

Another thing is the death penalty. This one is puzzling. Conservatives are supposed to be the "Christian" party. So, if someone asks God for forgiveness for his or her crimes and according to the Bible if we ask God will grant it, then our sins are forgiven and forgotten. So therefore we are for the moment anyway, sinless. How then, do we justify putting someone to death for that crime?? Isn't that murder, as they claim abortion is??

Of course, there are just as many Christian Democrats as there are Republicans I believe. Even if some of the Christian Conservatives just think there is no way you can be a Christian Liberal. They seem to think it just doesn't work that way.

So, what do these terms mean to everyone else?? One Conservative columnist wrote a book and titled it "If Democrats had brains they would be Republicans." I guess we know how she felt. There seems to be a lot of divide between the two parties, yet when you compare them, actually they are rather close. I think we all want the same things. We want a government that helps us up, but doesn't bail us out as it seems they have been doing Wall Street lately.

We want our elected officials to be able to talk to us like they actually know what they are talking about. With some knowledge, not like they dropped out of school in the 6th grade. We want integrity, honesty, and honor. We want people around the world to respect the USA again as they used to.

We want our troops to come home from Iraq with honor, we want to find the ones that attacked us on 9-11 and punish them. We want to honor our military and take care of them with the dignity they deserve, instead of treating them like 2nd class citizens.

We all want these things and I am sure there are other things we want as well that I have not mentioned. It doesn't matter if we are Liberal or Conservative, Republican or Democrat. At the end of the day, when the final tally is done, the final census will show we are all American's.