Letter: On the wrong side

What is wrong with "a conservative point of view" in regards to politics and why should we be skeptical about political conservatives?

Mostly because conservatives are not good problem solvers. If you automatically think and vote conservative you are not trying to problem-solve; you are only looking for solutions that fit into your framework of thinking and field of experience.

I realize that makes you more comfortable but you are starting out with an ideology and nostalgia that may be outdated rather than an open mind and will therefore miss many possible solutions to a problem,like unemployment.

Another issue is that many political conservatives resist change because they know it will cause changes in their world as many conservatives in the South resisted desegragation because it forced them to treat blacks like human beings.

Of course, it is difficult to admit one is selfish and prejudiced, so they used the states' rights argument to oppose integration when the real issue was maintaining their unjustified privileged position in society.

Likewise people who oppose regulation as socialism may be simply concerned about profits.

The point here is that political conservatives are not open to new ideas and consequently have been on the wrong side of history for years. They opposed integration, extending the right to vote to all Americans and regulation of food and drug production among other issues and they are still on the wrong side of history. Also, they often are simply trying to maintain their privileged position in society.