The Left and the Right: Physiology, Brain Structure and Function, and Attentional Differences
There are major differences in the brain function of Conservatives and Liberals. Beyond the jokes (that Conservatives have no brain), there actually is a big difference in the way the Right and the Left sees the world. It would appear that Conservatives respond more to fear and negative facts, while Liberals respond more to positive facts.
From the study: In a series of experiments, researchers closely monitored physiological reactions and eye movements of study participants when shown combinations of both pleasant and unpleasant images.
To gauge participants’ physiological responses, they were shown a series of images on a screen. Electrodes measured subtle skin conductance changes, which indicated an emotional response. The cognitive data, meanwhile, was gathered by outfitting participants with eyetracking equipment that captured even the most subtle of eye movements while combinations of unpleasant and pleasant photos appeared on the screen. While liberals’ gazes tended to fall upon the pleasant images, such as a beach ball or a bunny rabbit, conservatives clearly focused on the negative images – of an open wound, a crashed car or a dirty toilet, for example. Consistent with the idea that conservatives seem to respond more to negative stimuli while liberals respond more to positive stimuli, conservatives also exhibited a stronger physiological response to images of Democratic politicians – presumed to be a negative to them – than they did on pictures of well-known Republicans. Liberals, on the other hand, had a stronger physiological response to the Democrats – presumed to be a positive stimulus to them – than they did to images of the Republicans. By studying both physiological and cognitive aspects, the researchers established unique new insights into the growing notion that political leanings are at least partial products of our biology, UNL political scientist and study co-author Kevin Smith said.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
1. Conservatives (the largest group) are responsible for the disastrous economic condition of our country. and 2. Conservatives and Moderates elected what they consider to be "A Black Socialist as President of the United States!"
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
1. Conservatives (the largest group) are responsible for the disastrous economic condition of our country. and 2. Conservatives and Moderates elected what they consider to be "A Black Socialist as President of the United States!"
You get that from a chart? I'd love to hear your logic on that. NO WAY only 21% of people are liberal....I'm betting there are plenty of people that don't know what a liberal is, but vote that way.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
You get that from a chart? I'd love to hear your logic on that. NO WAY only 21% of people are liberal....I'm betting there are plenty of people that don't know what a liberal is, but vote that way.
I won't speak for the accuracy of the chart, but it does show that most Americans are NOT liberal and the chart shows 75% stating that they are NON liberal... yet (in Conservative parlance) a "Liberal Black Socialist" was elected US president. Maybe the problem is that Liberals vote and Conservatives don't, but say that they do.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The 3 main things IMHO that drove the economy and the jobs out of this country were greedy unions, entitlements, and over regulation.
"Unions, Entitlements and Over Regulation... killed the US economy." The $3,700,000,000.00 spent on two wars, and the $1,034,000,000.00 spent on Tax Cuts for the Rich, came out of the petty cash drawer, and did no harm to the economy!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
I won't speak for the accuracy of the chart, but it does show that most Americans are NOT liberal and the chart shows 75% stating that they are NON liberal... yet (in Conservative parlance) a "Liberal Black Socialist" was elected US president. Maybe the problem is that Liberals vote and Conservatives don't, but say that they do.
13% of the population is black. 90% consistently vote democratic, which leaves 11.7%. Of those lets be "conservative" and say 90% are liberal. So that means they make up 10.2% of total vote.
That leaves just 10.8% for the other minorities, union members and typically college educated whites to be liberal... The poll, when compared to real world results , just doesn't make sense.
I also think that "liberal" and "conservative" definitions come in to play. Is a fiscal conservative and social moderate like me a Conservative? How about a social conservative and fiscal liberal?
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
13% of the population is black. 90% consistently vote democratic, which leaves 11.7%. Of those lets be "conservative" and say 90% are liberal. So that means they make up 10.2% of total vote.
That leaves just 10.8% for the other minorities, union members and typically college educated whites to be liberal... The poll, when compared to real world results , just doesn't make sense.
I also think that "liberal" and "conservative" definitions come in to play. Is a fiscal conservative and social moderate like me a Conservative? How about a social conservative and fiscal liberal?
As I posted earlier "I won't speak for the accuracy of the chart" but I also don't invent statistics simply by my own political observations. I've worked in a UNION SHOP voted majority for Republicans. You also seem to use Democrat and Liberal to be the same when obviously they are not.
As of 2010, Gallup polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 38% as independents... My guess is that the Conservative/Liberal numbers are quite mixed in the three groups.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Agreed Box, the money spent on the 2 wars didn't help the situation any, but the cost of entitlements far outways that cost. By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY The federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year — far more than the official $248 billion deficit — when corporate-style accounting standards are used, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
The loss reflects a continued deterioration in the finances of Social Security and government retirement programs for civil servants and military personnel. The loss — equal to $11,434 per household — is more than Americans paid in income taxes in 2006.
"We're on an unsustainable path and doing a great disservice to future generations," says Chris Chocola, a former Republican member of Congress from Indiana and corporate chief executive who is pushing for more accurate federal accounting.
Modern accounting requires that corporations, state governments and local governments count expenses immediately when a transaction occurs, even if the payment will be made later.
The federal government does not follow the rule, so promises for Social Security and Medicare don't show up when the government reports its financial condition. Bottom line: Taxpayers are now on the hook for a record $59.1 trillion in liabilities, a 2.3% increase from 2006. That amount is equal to $516,348 for every U.S. household. By comparison, U.S. households owe an average of $112,043 for mortgages, car loans, credit cards and all other debt combined.
Unfunded promises made for Medicare, Social Security and federal retirement programs account for 85% of taxpayer liabilities. State and local government retirement plans account for much of the rest.
This hidden debt is the amount taxpayers would have to pay immediately to cover government's financial obligations. Like a mortgage, it will cost more to repay the debt over time. Every U.S. household would have to pay about $31,000 a year to do so in 75 years.
The Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Board, which sets federal accounting standards, is considering requiring the government to adopt accounting rules similar to those for corporations. The change would move Social Security and Medicare onto the government's income statement and balance sheet, instead of keeping them separate.
The White House and the Congressional Budget Office oppose the change, arguing that the programs are not true liabilities because government can cancel or cut them.
Chad Stone, chief economist at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says it can be misleading to focus on the government's unfunded liabilities because Medicare's financial problems overwhelm the analysis.
"There is a shortfall in Medicare and Medicaid that is potentially explosive, but that is related to overall trends in health care spending," he says. Share this storyf the wars.
Agreed Box, the money spent on the 2 wars didn't help the situation any, but the cost of entitlements far outways that cost. By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY The federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year — far more than the official $248 billion deficit — when corporate-style accounting standards are used, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
The loss reflects a continued deterioration in the finances of Social Security and government retirement programs for civil servants and military personnel. The loss — equal to $11,434 per household — is more than Americans paid in income taxes in 2006.
"We're on an unsustainable path and doing a great disservice to future generations," says Chris Chocola, a former Republican member of Congress from Indiana and corporate chief executive who is pushing for more accurate federal accounting.
Modern accounting requires that corporations, state governments and local governments count expenses immediately when a transaction occurs, even if the payment will be made later.
The federal government does not follow the rule, so promises for Social Security and Medicare don't show up when the government reports its financial condition. Bottom line: Taxpayers are now on the hook for a record $59.1 trillion in liabilities, a 2.3% increase from 2006. That amount is equal to $516,348 for every U.S. household. By comparison, U.S. households owe an average of $112,043 for mortgages, car loans, credit cards and all other debt combined.
Unfunded promises made for Medicare, Social Security and federal retirement programs account for 85% of taxpayer liabilities. State and local government retirement plans account for much of the rest.
This hidden debt is the amount taxpayers would have to pay immediately to cover government's financial obligations. Like a mortgage, it will cost more to repay the debt over time. Every U.S. household would have to pay about $31,000 a year to do so in 75 years.
The Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Board, which sets federal accounting standards, is considering requiring the government to adopt accounting rules similar to those for corporations. The change would move Social Security and Medicare onto the government's income statement and balance sheet, instead of keeping them separate.
The White House and the Congressional Budget Office oppose the change, arguing that the programs are not true liabilities because government can cancel or cut them.
Chad Stone, chief economist at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says it can be misleading to focus on the government's unfunded liabilities because Medicare's financial problems overwhelm the analysis.
"There is a shortfall in Medicare and Medicaid that is potentially explosive, but that is related to overall trends in health care spending," he says. Share this storyf the wars.
The point you seem to miss... The Optional war in Iraq? Cost the US Taxpayer, but did nothing to help him. It was all cost, not benefit. The War in Afghanistan, was supposed to go after AlQaeda... but turned into a shoot the Taliban war. It Cost the US Taxpayer, but did nothing to help him. It was all cost, not benefit. The Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich? Helped 1% of Americans, and cost the rest of us. Cost99% US Taxpayer, but only benefited 1% . It was almost all cost, not benefit.
Social Security and Medicare on the other hand help All Americans.
See the difference?
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
As I posted earlier "I won't speak for the accuracy of the chart" but I also don't invent statistics simply by my own political observations. I've worked in a UNION SHOP voted majority for Republicans. You also seem to use Democrat and Liberal to be the same when obviously they are not.
As of 2010, Gallup polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 29% as Republicans, and 38% as independents... My guess is that the Conservative/Liberal numbers are quite mixed in the three groups.
again, until the "liberal" and "conservative" definitions are in black and white, we have no idea who is what. What I do know is very few social conservatives are Democrats and very few social liberals are Republican.
There is a difference between social and fiscal anything, and maybe that gives us a clue why more and more people are listing independent as NEITHER party is doing a job of inclusion. You are either all in or all out.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
Social Security and Medicare on the other hand help All Americans.
No they don't...SS helps retirees, some disabled, and some survivors. Medicare help retirees. Medicaid helps the poor.
SS won't even do that soon...Mark my word, unless something changes we are going to have means testing for SS. 50% of the US population has less than $25,000 saved for retirement at age 50. Which means the people that were responsible enough to save for retirement instead of buying that car or house they could do without, are going to get fucked.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
No they don't...SS helps retirees, some disabled, and some survivors. Medicare help retirees. Medicaid helps the poor.
SS won't even do that soon...Mark my word, unless something changes we are going to have means testing for SS. 50% of the US population has less than $25,000 saved for retirement at age 50. Which means the people that were responsible enough to save for retirement instead of buying that car or house they could do without, are going to get fucked.
TRUE STORY..... A 91 year old woman just had her social security benefits reduced!! Why? Because her daughter died and left her an inheritance. Not only did they reduce her SS benefit...but also 'taxed her inheritance!!! TRUE STORY!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
TRUE STORY..... A 91 year old woman just had her social security benefits reduced!! Why? Because her daughter died and left her an inheritance. Not only did they reduce her SS benefit...but also 'taxed her inheritance!!! TRUE STORY!!!
If the 91 year old woman was receiving Social Security AND SSI, which is income based, and inherited a large amount of money, she should lose her added SSI. And she should pay the same inheritance tax as everyone else. Why would you find this story strange?
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Logged
f the wars. 
