As a "liberal", I gauge the condition of my neighborhood, town, city, state and country by more than my personal situation.

I believe conservatives gauge the world by their situation, period.

And that's the cruel core.

Am I a "bleeding heart", or empathetic when I think that a job at McDonalds isn't going to allow a displaced worker to take care of his family in any way approaching the former "American Dream".

Who's "compassionate", the conservative with a purely selfish view of the world, or someone who realizes his well-being is at least partially dependent on the well-being of his fellow man?

I almost feel like apologizing. I realize I'm talking to someone who is not a bad guy but who genuinely doesn't understand what I'm talking about, who is concerned only with what he has and can get and has, and cannot envision another way.

There are other people who aren't bad either, and who believe their fellow man is important, too. Not more important than we, but as important.

To conservatives that seems to be foolish, at best. And that's the cruel core you express so well.

Arf