It means that, instead of following party ideology, I look at both sides first.
On some issues, I'm conservative, others, liberal. On all, I look at how progressive it is.
Take gun control. I'm a strong supporter of the second amendment. I urge everyone that has the constitutional right to own a gun to own one. But the also have the societal obligation to know how to use one, and care for it. Im not talking just hitting a given target, but the cleaning, the storage, and care. I hate seeing anyone catryingba handgun in their pocket because I know how easy it is for it to fall out and injure or kill someone. Open carry? If you don't mind being a main target in a shooting situation, don't do it. If one is required, have a CCW permit, which should be honored in all states but isn't. Open carry is only good if you are out hunting.
Social programs? While Conservatives talk about cutting them, they won't. They'd lose to many of their supporters across the south. Fortunately, they have the liberals they can blame for all the Social programs, so, while they trim a bit here and a bit there, they will never eliminate it.
Social Security. They want those funds to go into Wall Street. After the meltdown in 08, do you think I'd trust those money managers with my retirement funds? One pension I had from a major corporation, has yet to recover. By retirement, it would have supplemented my retirement benefits by about a third. It is worth 10% of what it was 20 years ago. But that's better than my other pension. 30 years ago, it had a value of what my other pension has today. Gone, completely gone. No, I do not side with the conservative faction.
I don't look at a party and say they are better. I look at what is best for America.
