What are the liberals liberating and the conservatives conserving?

I'm not certain where you got that bit of wisdom, but it's based on several false umptions. First off, let's stop with the 'liberals' and 'conservatives', as this creates false choice and false definitions. The US political spectrum today is different than it was even 20 years go, not to mention different players and a far different social and economic background. The democrats have always, to a greater or lesser degree, stood up for 'labor' and civil rights. The GOP traditionally stands up for the investor cl and to a greater or lessor degree opposes civil right. While they finally got on board for civil rights for racial minorities, and reluctantly got on board for women's rights, with the exception of abortion, they still oppose civil rights for gays and lately for those that the US holds as POWs...even refusing to grant those captives the status of POWs. The GOP as a party, thouogh not always as individuals, has consistantly opposed environmental laws, and moving away from a coal and oil only energy policy. As a party, though not always as individuals, the GOP has placed the military budget above all others, sides with those that 'don't believe' in climate change and currently supports torture and violations of the 4th amendment as a national policy. They also support more involvment by the Christain religion in US secular politics. The democrats, after a decade of moving to the right, have fallen back to a more centerist position. Civil rights for all, a pro-choice policy on abortion, seperation of church and state as a national policy, respect for the 4th amendment, the end of torture as a national policy, a science-based policy toward climate change, a rapid moving foreward to 21st century energy production to keep the wheels on the road and the lights on, an end to our back to back wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a lawful resolution of the legal situation concerning foreign prisoners. These are real differences and these 'differences' have created the red state/blue state political situation. While to some this may be 'boring', there is a social 'civil war' going on, and depending on who eventually 'wins' 'will determine how the citizens of this country live, work, prosper or decline for the next 100 years. This is important...even to those that believe that nothing has, will or can change. No kiddin'!