Many conservatives complete lack of empathy toward some less fortunate? It's as though they feel their is something righteous about walking over someone who is struggling on he ground rather than helping them up. I ask myself How can I as an individual make up for that kind of cruelty and make a difference even if it's for one person? However as the middle class shrinks I am very fearful in general. Anyone with me on this?

I'm not seeing that at all. Walking over someone less fortunate? Really?

That argument has been used politically though and opens a door for people to vent how rough they've got it, including myself.

3 yrs. ago, I was homeless, literally. Not the gosh I'm going to BE homeless. Homeless. Nothing but a garbage bag worth of belongings and even those I had to let go.

I did not encounter 1 person that felt the need to ignore or step over me and where I ended up was a very conservative area. Person after person offered assistance. Not hand me outs, or wads of money but names, addresses and phone numbers of people I could meet with.

I had to do the leg-work but in the end received a lot of donations, $360.00 worth of food assistance, $1.00 prescriptions, Dr.'s willing to donate their time and a discounted apartment, no deposit until I could afford 1/4 of the cost.

Eventually I ended up in subsidised housing. Now that's a story. People who were there complained a lot, didn't take care of their apartment, suplimented welfare by selling drugs and graffiti all over the new park, trash in the hallways and cochroaches and 2 infant deaths in one year. That was extra special...they were using their balcony as a playpen and the children fell off the chairs out there.

I know what is and isn't available because I've lived it. In the end, the truth of this matter is what you do with the help you recieve.

Elleis, I am so glad you are doing OK. What an ordeal. At my church we do CARITAS each year. When it is our turn, we have social workers, counselors, and anyone else who can assist people in getting back into the work force. It is a helping hand rather than just a handout, similar to what you described in your post.

I listened to a book review one day on BookTV - Jonathan Haidt - He discussed liberals and conservatives - He said he was a liberal but since putting this book together he looks at things differently now. He talked about CARE. Liberals care and Conservatives also care. However, they approach the resolution very differently.

The book is, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

I am a conservative and I am offened by what you say about me. Many of conservatives are not like this! I don't lack empathy for anyone and I work for every dollar that I earn...but what I am tired of it the hand outs and those sitting on their butts not doing anything to better themselves. To label someone who steps on others as they are conservatives doing this is wrong. I have seen plenty of other parties doing this too. I have seen hand outs after hands out and some of those sitting and not doing anything to improve themselves. I work in a grocery store and see those on foodstamps buying $$$$ meats that I would never think about buying because I can't afford it but yet have plenty of money for cigarettes, and tons of tattoos and percing but yet we are told that they have a right to that. The question is where do they get the money for that if they can't afford food?? But what about what I can't get because part of my paycheck goes to fund these many free programs. I have seen plenty of improvements to public housing because new 3-pane windows have been made so the goverment makes the owners of those buildings put the new windows in but I still have single pane windows because I can't afford to put double pane let alone 3-pane windows. where does it stop?? One day while I was working, a couple came in to get groceries and as they slid their payment card...they said..."it would be nice if one day this was free!" I replied..."it already is, it's foodstamps." Can you see why some people are tired of the raping of this country? How some people are tired of the give me state we are in? I see signs of 'we are hiring' but there are those who won't put in for that job plus it has been stated from those who beg on the streets say that they don't get a job because they make more money begging and it is tax free! When I see someone that needs a hand out, I will take them somewhere to buy them food because I don't know if they will buy alchol or cigarettes or drugs with the money that I would have given them. I was close to living on the streets twice but I did not look for handouts,I went looking for several jobs to help MYSELF UP...I did not say poor me and just sit there.

I am glad to see you have picked yourself up...congradulations! Great example give a man a fish...feed him for a day but teach him how to fish and he is fed for a life-time. Teach those how to take on responsibilty and pride in themselves...the improvment will grow! In a place that I lived near one time, the state goverment went in a improve the homes and living condition...new windows, painting, ETC... but with in 3 years the home were trashed and in worse conditions before the improvemnets. Respect of ones ownself is not being taught to our young ones in school anymore.