One of my stereotypes of Republicans, and I am a believer that there is a lot of truth in stereotypes, is that they like to think of things in terms of black and white/with us or against us/good vs evil. And further that the reason for this is a less advanced process of thought where everything is simplified and the answers are more easily explained and attained. Things all sort of fit into a neat package and there is always some omniscient interpreter, such as Rush Limbaugh or Fox News who are there to explain how and where everything neatly fits. That is why so many R's are more likely than progressives to be of the evangelical strain where the Bible, and God, have all the answers, not just for life on earth, but potentially more perplexingly, what happens after we die.
And they are in opposition to us hand-wringing, discerning and threshing, left-wing-types who are always trying to see every possible permutation of a problem, every corner of grey, taking care not to step on anyone's toes or hurt their feelings or making anyone feel emotionally or economically less healthy.
And all this is leading up to one paradox, which is to wonder why we progressives are more willing to let government have more of a say in our lives, giving us the answers, providing for us economically and to some affiliated extent, emotionally as well.
So to totally oversimplify, for those on the right, they think God has all the answers and for those of us on the left, we think government will provide for us.
And in the end, I think both are wrong - we the people can, should and generally do provide for ourselves...and most important, for each other.
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