Are Liberal Democrats forcing us to do with less so the rest of the world will feel better?

No. It has nothing to do with liberal democrats or conservative republicans, everyone on the planet could have a good standard of living without being pigs about it, but what if all political and corporate leaders, whatever their party or ideology, are determined to be pigs beyond the ability of most of us to imagine? As long as a handful of oil men rule the world and money equals power, the planet and all life on it are screwed. Within 100 years Antarctica will be the only habitable place on Earth.