>>>>That's an interesting personal spin on things. I will leave it at that.
>>>
>>>Let me share with you another personal "spin" :). My brother-in-law is 20 years younger than me. So I have known him since he was in the elementary school. In college he was very liberal (just like most college kids). After college, while at his first job he is still very liberal. My wife and I are laughing amongst ourselves like "give him time he will change." The kid is very hard working and ambitious. He is not happy with what kind of money he is making. So he goes to school for his masters. After masters he gets another job. Still very liberal. Works very hard and still not happy with his financial situation. So he goes to law school at night (borrows money on top of what he already owes for other schools). Make the long story short. He is now a partner in one of the top law firms in Boston. Married to a professional; has two kids. He is now Republican and proudly displays it on his Facebook. So my conclusion is that if a person, by the time they are 35 yo, is still liberal he/she is either socialist or loser <bg>
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>>So, my husband and I, along with many of our friends and their relatives, must be the exceptions that prove your generality. How nice that your brother-in-law has joined the 'me first, damn the rest' society - bet he's a Big Christian too 'cuz you can't be a Big Ole Republican without being a Big Ole Christian who's forgotten that the Golden Rule isn't "He who has the gold makes the rules". It's "Treat others and you want them to treat you." Or, if you prefer the older version "Do unto others as you would have then do unto you."
>
>I don't see where trying to do better for yourself and your family (by investing your time and working hard) means 'damn the rest'.

This is what I got from your story.

'Liberal' = Socialist/Loser
Your BIL started out as a loser. As he got older, and the reality of the world started slapping him in the face, he realized that he couldn't live within his salary - so he went back to school on someone else's money (yes, he borrowed it - which makes it someone else's dime). (Hmmm....could those school loan repayments be part of the problem, or was he one of the ones who got most of it 'forgiven'?) Still couldn't live within his salary so he went back to school yet again - on someone else's money.

So, now that he no longer needs someone else's money he suddenly 'sees the light' of conservatism and start flying the flag, and this is just a guess here, probably is one of the loudest complainers about any plan to lower interest rates on student loans among other things.