Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with conservative

Therapy help for polyamorous triad near Waco?

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:56:21 -0800

How do I find a family therapist/counselor in Waco, TX that can help, rather than judge, my polyamorous relationship? My partners and I have some thorny issues to work out.

We're all new to polyamory; it fell in our lap and we're still trying to figure out where all the pieces fit together. It has been thrilling, heady, and deeply satisfying, but it has also caused serious problems in which, blinded by love, one or the other of us has neglected providing the support and attention another needs, or is perceived to have done so. Finding appropriate and safe and positive boundaries for ourselves and making sure that we don't inadvertently sacrifice ourselves just because it's what the other people want has been extremely arduous. Worth it, but arduous.

The problem is that my partners and I are stuck in the land of barbecue, pickup trucks, sixty foot tall crosses and megachurches.

I've talked to a few counselors to see if I could establish a relationship and get some help, but so far they've all started with the premise that the polyamorous relationship itself is the problem, that we need to stop pretending we love each other and settle down into a nice 1-1 relationship like, like Adam and Eve!

Internet resources, like the Opening Up website and the Polychromatic provider list, show some poly-positive therapists in other places, like Austin, Dallas, Houston. But those are very far for us.

Any help would be amazing, thank you in advance.

What responsibility does the Bush administration bear for the current financial crisis?

Lownotes — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:27:28 -0800

What responsibility does the Bush administration bear for the current financial crisis? When I visit my father, we usually argue about politics.

He's a big Fox News fan, and I think it's drivel. He tends to parrot what he sees there, and I often find myself explaining how things really work to him.

Since Obama was elected, these arguments have been far less frequent - until the last two weeks when suddenly the Republican spin machine began to pound Obama's budget plans in light of our financial crisis.

I keep telling him, "Bush was president for the last eight years."

He keeps saying, "This is not Bush's fault."

So, hivemind, what sort of responsibility does the Bush administration really bear in all of this mess?

Links to source material are welcome.

Need RIght To Use Rush Limbaugh Photo

toucano — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:42:10 -0800

How/where do I obtain the right to LEGALLY use a photo of Rush Limbaugh? I don't have a particular photo in mind, but can not find an organization/individual to grant the right to use any photo. After the recent flap over the Obama photo...

Who funds the tories?

MrMerlot — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:29:11 -0800

How does one find a list of Tory party (UK) donors? Hi I'm trying to cross-reference which executive directors of failed UK banks were Tory Party donors? Does anyone know where i can find a list?

America, love it or leave it (but where to go?)

DragonBoy — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:42:41 -0800

I'm a liberal in a red state (Texas). After the 2000 and 2004 elections many people I know told me that if I didn't like the President I should move to Canada.

If Liberals go to Canada when a Republican wins, where would the conservatives go now? They wouldn't like Canada at all (no offense my Canadian friends). Conservatives wouldn't go to a country that has nationalized health care, progressive taxes or abortions. Any thoughts on what countries Conservatives would like?

How much does Cameron earn?

MrMerlot — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:54:28 -0800

How much does David Cameron earn annually? The leader of the UK Conservative Party has criticised the BBC for paying its executives too much money. Which is a fair question. But does anyone know how much he gets paid a year? Is there anything already in the public domain?

How to break the news to the conservative parents?

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:52:49 -0800

My girlfriend and I have been living together for about a year, and her conservative Asian parents don't know. How do we break the news to them? We moved in together last year, and she didn't want to tell her parents then because she was afraid that they would freak out and disown her. I'm not so sure; her father is the stern silent type but her mother seems like a sweetheart and they both seem like realists. She's the only daughter of four children, and it seems like she's kind of the favorite. Serious old-world shunning seems a little unlikely. Then again, they're her parents, and she'd know better than I would. Therefore, I've generally deferred to my girlfriend's judgement about when and how to deal with them. Since they live in another city, it hasn't yet been an issue.

She's in her first year of graduate school in a lucrative field and I'm just finishing my undergrad this semester. After that I'll be graduating and getting a day job while pursuing my career as an actor. Somewhat understandably, this doesn't endear me to her parents, as they envision her meeting a doctor, or at least a lawyer. So I worry about being seen as a leech. I'm not; I pay my own way and intend to continue doing so, but I can see where their reservations come from. They also seem to have this "actors are professional LIARS" prejudice that I thought had died out a hundred years ago.

Obviously we can't keep this hidden forever, but a simple "call them up and tell them" may not be the best thing. My girlfriend is terribly nervous and says she has no idea how they'll react. I'd like to salvage whatever scraps of good impression I can by seeming responsible about it. We have been considering waiting until I have graduated and am gainfully employed before telling them, but whether we do that or not we are at a loss as to what strategy to take.

Do we tell them that we JUST moved in together, i.e. that I moved in to the apartment that they think she's been living alone in? (We moved in simultaneously.) Do we tell them we moved in together nearly a year ago, and that we've been hiding it? (Sorry Dad!) Should we wait till I graduate or get a job and then look for a new place and "move in together" then? Should we keep up the subterfuge until I "make an honest woman out of her?" Wait until the first surprise visit? (I thought for sure it would have happened by now, but so far no "just passing through" moment has yet to occur.) Is there another option I'm not seeing here?

I'm particularly looking for people with experience with conservative immigrant parents of significant others. They really are a different creature than other parents, or so it seems. It's like they're from Mars.

Any advice is helpful.

Sorry this is anonymous, but her father is a notorious snoop and a known google-whiz.

What are the quality magazines of Conservative (U.S.) political/social opinion?

radiosig — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:21:07 -0800

What are the quality magazines of Conservative (U.S.) political/social opinion? Currently I take the New Yorker, which I love to read because I find the subject matter of the articles fascinating but also, if I'm being honest, because it's generally congruent with my ideology. Recently I read an article I found thought-provoking (this one, via) from The American Interest and it occurred to me that I'm clueless as to what are the quality publications with a conservative/neo-conservative/libertarian bent. What's worth subscribing to?

Point of clarification: I'm not necessarily looking for U.S. publications exclusively, but I'd like something sympathetic to what we call Conservatism here in the states. (e.g. low/no taxes, aversion to gay marriage and abortion, etc). Also I'd like to stay away from religious magazines as much as possible (not compelling for me).

Thanks in advance!

We're not in kansas anymore...

craven_morhead — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:19:05 -0800

Liberal moving to Colorado Springs for the summer. Please Advise. I took a job as a judicial clerk for the summer in Colorado Springs. I'm liberal, it's not. I bike everywhere, whitewater kayak, climb, etc. Any suggestions on how to meet like-minded people and flourish in what I gather to be a somewhat oppressive, fundamentalist city?

How to become a sex goddess?

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:01:33 -0800

SexualityFilter: I was raised as a strict religious conservative, but have realized that's just not me and I am starting over. I'd like to learn a lot more about myself, sexually. What tips and books do you have to help give a 23 year old woman sexual knowledge and confidence? I'm in the process of getting a divorce and moving to another city to start my new life. The marriage had a lot of roots in the religious indoctrination and fell apart as I grew away from it. The sex was mediocre and infrequent. We were both virgins.

This wasn't the best atmosphere to develop into a satisfied sexual being. Now, I'd like to learn more about satisfying myself... establishing a baseline for my own pleasure, if you will. Once I have that, translating that to a damn fine time with a partner would be fantastic ;)

I'm looking for helpful books or web pages that may assist me on my journey.

A few things just for information:
- I took a Human Sexuality class at university, as well as having the internet, so I know the mechanics.
- Although when I was religious, I never thought about it because it was "evil", I've now discovered I also like women as well as men. Any books suggestions for bisexual or lesbian aspects would also be helpful.

how do you describe "x"

GernBlandston — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 05:07:19 -0800

When you hear that someone is a "liberal" or a "conservative", what mental images immediately come to mind? What kinds of attitudes do you expect them to have? What do you think a political conversation would be like with them? Also, are you "liberal" or "conservative" or something else?

Smart, funny, convincing Bush-supporting/conservative blogs?

WCityMike — Mon, 04 Apr 2005 05:43:44 -0800

I'm looking for conservative bloggers who are going to make me, a fairly well-entrenched liberal, re-examine my ideas and my own precepts by the weight of their arguments, and yet be an enjoyable read in the process. I know very little about conservative blogs; I've been an inhabitant of the 'left' half of the blogosphere for a while. I'm hoping Ask MeFi can point me in the right direction.

Above all, I am looking for a blog that is must be very low on vitiriol and foaming at the mouth. The point is that I'm supposed to enjoy reading this blog and want to check it every day, so I'm not going to exactly enjoy being called a traitor and so on. Do not think Ann Coulter, for example. Preferably, the blog would be Bush-supporting — this is not required but is highly preferred, as that's a mindset I can't currently understand.

Extra points for conservative Bush-supporting blogs that are smart, funny, written well, and manage to construct convicing arguments -- those will be pretty much the home runs out of the park.

While I understand that this topic might lend itself to debate within the responses regarding the Bush Administration, that's a discussion that has repeated itself many times elsewhere, and I respectfully suggest

Republicanism 101 for Teen Liberals

stet — Mon, 07 Mar 2005 14:22:11 -0800

CogentRightWingThinkerFilter: A friend of mine has a younger sister who is a well-educated and politically savvy 16-year-old liberal Democrat. In the interests of broadening her horizons, what sources for Republican or right-wing politics would you recommend for her? Since this young woman resides deep in the blue territory we've all heard about, she has little exposure to the American right other than the trained monkeys that infest television and the popular media. Obviously, this isn't limited to the right, so I'm not looking for right-wing equivilents to Michael Moore or Jon Stewart. Something like a conservative Harper's magazine would be more the goal. Or, if there is some sort of seminal book on conservative politics that is well-reasoned and well-argued, that would also fit the bill. Polemic works or anything that uses the word "Liberal" as a synonym for evil are not what I'm looking for. I'd like her to have an understanding of the reasons the good, honorable, and thoughtful conservatives exist.

What makes you flip political allegiences?

rooftop secrets — Sun, 06 Mar 2005 17:48:12 -0800

What makes you switch sides? There's the old saying that if you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, and if you're not a conservative by 60 you have no money/brain... but what events actually make people change? I'm pretty liberal myself and don't really see myself changing, but obviously people do. What event made you change, from one perspective to the other?

Unbiased political writing?

grumblebee — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 11:01:18 -0800

Now that the election is over, I'd like to ask a question about preparing for the next one. I'm still struggling with being (or not being) a political person. My problem is that I can't stand us-vs-them mentality. If a political discussion veers into "those insane democrats" or "those horrible republicans," by brain turns off. I know some will disagree, but I think there are very few complex issues that are black & white. So it's hard for me to believe that one party is right and the other is wrong. But most commentators seem to be "liberals" or "conservatives." I know I'm supposed to listen to them both and then make my own informed decision. But I'd love to find some writers (or speakers) who are deeply independent. I want to read columns by someone who regularly says, "the democrats are right about X and wrong about Y, whereas the republicans are right about A but wrong about B." And it would help if this person (people?) is a good writer, smart and knowlegeable about history. Where do you find the writers who are interested in facts -- not sides?

Where to Expatriate?

pissfactory — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 06:15:12 -0800

Of Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.:

Who hates Americans least?
Who is the least conservative?
Whose language is easiest to learn?

Did George W. Bush Actually Ever SAY That Our Mission Was Accomplished?

anastasiav — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:41:40 -0800

Debating politics with a (conservative) friend last night, we got to talking about the whole "mission acomplished" thing. He has challenged me to come up with a single quote where Bush says anything similar to "Our mission in Iraq has been accomplished" (as opposed to just standing in front of a sign that says it). Can anyone provide such a quote, with a link to back it up?

Southern Alberta: Am I throwing my vote away by voting NDP?

Quartermass — Mon, 28 Jun 2004 06:38:22 -0800

It's election day here in Canada, and I have still not made my mind up on who I am going to vote for. I am in Southern Alberta, so it is pretty much decided who is going to win here (last poll had the local Conservatives at 60%), Am I throwing my vote away by voting NDP? Or should I vote "strategically" with the second place party (the Liberal party, which I am not a huge fan of - mainly because of Paul Martin), as an "anyone but conservative" vote?

Intelligent, Cool, Conservative, Quiet, Traditionally Minded, Non-Religious, Non-Libertarian, Non-Gung-Ho, Non-Gun-Totin', Non-Evangelist Celebrities?

MiguelCardoso — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 02:04:19 -0800

Are there any intelligent, cool celebrities (specially women, gays and intellectuals) who are conservative, quiet-spoken and traditionally-minded (and preferably non-religious) in a soft-spoken, non-libertarian, non-gung-ho, non-gun-totin' sense? Here's a list and here's another - but they both seem full of loud-mouthed, unthinking yobs or evangelists. Many thanks for any help with a list I've been asked to compile.