Political Vibe: Regulating Morality.

The main differences between what a conservative and a liberal believe come down to two very broad topics; economics and social policy. These umbrella terms house many other issues that are woven into the tapestry of the current two party system. But what I am here to talk about is, government and morality. My question is should the government be able to regulate morality?  
 
As a liberal, my first instinct is to say no. No the government should not have the power to tell me what is morally right and wrong beyond common sense, meaning, obviously, stealing, murder, rape, are all horrible crimes to commit against anyone. That same instinct telling me to say no, is also one that makes me believe that humans are instinctively good natured, meaning we know what is right and wrong naturally; that when faced with a moral dilemma, we as a cultured people will choose the good, or at the very least the least evil option. But then, I think to myself, governing, government, people in general, are complex things. They can not be painted black or white, because life is a journey of decisions that often have different weights to them. So, to say government should not have the power to regulate morality, my answer is no.  
 
It is my belief that murder is wrong, it is my belief that raping someone is wrong, it is my belief that stealing what is not yours is wrong. And they are by most accounts. I get to thinking, if you kill someone based purely on accident, or in real self defense is that a wrong thing to do. If you unknowingly have sex with someone who is underage, is that really wrong when the partner did not divulge that information, and you had absolutely no way of knowing, is that statutory rape. If you steal a loaf of bread to feed your family, if you rob a bank to pay for a surgery for your dying child or loved one, is that truly wrong.  
 
When I think of abortion, I know what religion says. I know what science says, and I've decided that being Pro Choice is my best route. But I can't help but to think, if I'm wrong about it, (even though I will never have to go through anything like that) what are the consequences. Sure, the decision will live with you for the rest of your life, and some believe that from the moment the sperm touches the egg a child is brought into existence. I can not say for sure...No one can say for sure, which is why matters like this are very controversial issues, and split people between what they believe and what they know. I think about homosexuality, and I know for a fact that I didn't choose to be gay, and I know that it is not a choice for anyone. But there is no definitive knowledge in the scientific community that says yay or nay to a genetic reasoning for homosexuality. I can only rely on what I know, and yet others will go to their graves believing that it is a choice.  In the end, we can only rely on ourselves to make up the decisions for ourselves.  
 
That is why, it makes me furious when government tries to regulate what is 'moral' under the eyes of God. The very reason there is a separation of church and state (even though this has never actually been true) is so that religious texts can not influence policy. And yet, in more than 15 states, state level governments have been pushing (some passing) bills that will severely curtail the rights of women to health care on a number of different issues. A bill in Alabama has just passed a bill that would redefine what is means to be a human being saying that from "The moment of conception, a human is in existence" which would essentially outlaw abortions of all kinds. Such restrictions are mind boggling to me seeing as how Conservatives tout the slogan "Government is too big" and yet they do things like this.  It has long been revealed, and yet not noticed by many, that conservatives want a government that would tell someone they are second class citizens because they are born a certain way. They want to make it so that a doctor has to read a lady inquiring about an abortion, a pamphlet with medically disputed information, before she gets an abortion, and even then, she has to have a three day waiting period so that she can think about it. Liberals on the other hand want medical marijuana to be legal everywhere (I however do not support this) My feeling is that Conservatives want to build a nation in which God rules, instead of people. And while the idea of a holy loving entity ruling people is fine and dandy, it is completely impossible. For one simple reason, man is flawed. If God wanted a perfect society, he would have created one, without knowledge. The saying that ignorance is bliss, came from the story of Adam and Eve. In the Garden of Eden there was no pain, no worry. Therefore they had no idea that fire was hot, and ice was cold and food tasted good. Now that humans have the ability to amass information, they have grown to question authority, and that schism makes a perfect society unattainable.  
 
Like I've said, governing is a complex and difficult task. Many believe that all politicians are the same, sleazy no good liar. And they do have grounds to believe it, thusly shown in life, but if they were all like that, there would be no Medicare, no Military no jobs, no nothing. Everything we do and have can directly be attributed to the governing system we have now. The reason rich people can get rich is because of the government. Libertarians like to believe that Government is useless, but honestly, I don't believe that is true. Simply because, they enjoy the same things everyone else does. In closing, government is made of people, and people are flawed. Though mistakes can be made, it should not be up to them to decide who is allowed to discriminate.