[2012 Edition] What does it mean to be Conservative or Liberal?

My short opinions/definitions on how I'd categorize someone:

What is a Fiscal Conservative versus a Fiscal Liberal?

Fiscal Conservative - Less spending, less taxes as a result.
Social Conservative - No abortion, no gay marriage, no mar1juana.

Fiscal Liberal - Spend lots on social programs, tax to make it up.
Social Liberal - Abortion, gay marriage, legalized mar1juana.

Fiscal Middle and Socially Middle - Need some spending cuts, but also need some increased revenue via tax increases while keeping most social programs. Thinks gay marriage is just fine, giving choice for abortion is fine (but they wouldn't do it), but legalizing drugs might be a little extreme.

Fiscally Conservative and Socially Liberal - Libertarian (combination of related aspects above).

Fiscally Conservative and Socially Conservative - Right-wingers (also combination of above definitions).

All of the above - Impossible. Too many conflicting ideas.

Personally, I fit into the definition of fiscally moderate (need some cuts, some revenue), but socially liberal. However, given the rancor and extreme partisanship out there today, I'd probably be considered "radically left" by some.

 

Depends who you're talking to. For the most part it's all subject.

Take fascism for instance. The majority of people, including fascists, will tell you they are on the far right on the political spectrum. However, this neglects some of the similarities between fascism and communism.

The spectrum isn't a straight line. Rather, it's a jumbled mess of lines pointing in various directions. Like a compass.