a. The right to an abortion
b. The right to own an AR 15
c. The right to be undocumented
d. The right to be unvaccinated
There are 16 possible combinations of these rights (assuming Boolean approach).
Definitions: a: Being in favor of legalized abortion. ~a: Not being in favor of legalized abortion. \cap: Intersection.
Why are pretty much all the following combinations represented in Washington DC the following:
1. a \cap ~b \cap c \cap ~d (democrats)
2. ~a \cap b \cap ~c \cap d (republicans)
What consistent ethos unites a \cap ~b \cap c \cap ~d together and ~a \cap b \cap ~c \cap d together?
It's all because the parties decided to embrace these arbitrary combinations of ideas. But then the parties control what the vast majority of people in this country think on these 4 issues.
I do not believe there is a single thing that unites a \cap ~b \cap c \cap ~d together and ~a \cap b \cap ~c \cap d together other than what the parties decided to initially back.
And if balance between freedom and safety is the goal, there are 4 other combinations that support 2 other rights and reject 2 others (a \cap b \cap ~c \cap ~d) (and it's opposite), as well as (~a \cap b \cap c \cap ~d) (and it's opposite). These 4 combinations (plus the democrat and republican combination) is 6 (4 nCr 2). This is not by accident. It's basic mathematics.
But these other ideas are barely represented because people have parties to stick to in DC. In fact, out of 16 Boolean combinations of these beliefs, only 2 are even represented (because the 2 party system has this country by the balls (and the far left and the far right that people seem to want will be in favor of the same combinations as the democrats and republicans separately; they are just more passionate about it).
In our tribalistic political environment, pretty much the only difference between center (left/right) and far (left/right) is passion. Bernie Sanders has the same goals as Biden (he's just faster paced with them than Biden is) and Matt Gaetz has the same values as Kevin McCarthy; Matt Gaetz is just faster paced with them).