I think it’s important to distinguish the modern Republican agenda/motives from conservative ideas and viewpoints though. There’s a lot of generalizations you’re making about what people believe…I think it’s accurate for the Republican Party (which is just as much of a shit show right now as the Democratic Party), but it’s not necessarily accurate for all conservatives and you kind of lump them together at the end there. I think we’d have so many new solutions if people on both sides just stopped vilifying and making assumptions about the people within the parties they so viciously hate.

For example: Not everyone who believes life begins at conception votes against abortion. Not everyone who votes against abortion thinks that you can’t have an exception if the life of the mother is at risk. Conversely, it would be incredibly unfair to say that pro-choice people don’t value life. Issues like this are way more nuanced for most people (on both sides). The problem is that the political system benefits most from making the common man turn against his friend for a different set of beliefs.