Shots Across The Bow

I think that's one of the most important posts to make - conservatives and liberals do not equal stands on policies, they are philosophical life views. A particular issue is in a lot of cases neutral with regards to these life views, but historically and popularly are connected to them because the political parties that claim to represent these views co-opt certain issues as their own, and as such the two become interrelated.

Pro-Choice Abortion may be a Democratic Party issue, but it's not necessarily a liberal issue. If you feel you are a liberal, it doesn't necesarily follow that you should be pro-choice, nor does it mean the issue is defined by the philosophy or vice versa. You can count yourself Pro Life regarding abortion, but that doesn't mean you have to become or identify with or even agree with the Republican Party. And if you are a conservative, you don't have to feel like you're supposed to be Pro Life - just because the Party supports it doesn't mean you have to just because you're a conservative.

The issues don't always track together, and it's the blind obedience to Party lines and platforms that eliminate a lot of open minded decision-making and discussion about issues.

To me that's as important as anything in this question, Rich.

You hit the nail on the head, Barry. This is exactly what I'm trying to do, determine the philosophical underpinnings of political ideology. Just as I'm doing with my brand of libertarianism, I'm hoping to find folks to work with conservatism and liberalism.