Is simply painting with too broad a brush.

As a genearality goes, your position portrayal on Liberals and Conservatives is right on. But keep in mind that individualism has always been a defining American characteristic. Alexis de Tocqueville noticed this and talked about the American exceptionalism based on this characteristic.

The "absolutes" you complain about, are not really absolute; they are best seen as tendencies. For example, I am a gun owner and collector and I am very proud to consider myself as a liberal. This is because I tend to support more liberal political positions than conservative.

But I agree with your dislike of blind adherence to any party line. The attempt to convert political positions into religious dogma is sickening and I share your dislike of the "True Believers" with programmed responses to governmental policy.

Publius