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A person who believes that the best decider of what is good for that person is NOT the government, is a conservative.
A person who does not believe that the government should support them - "cradle to the grave", is a conservative
A person who believes that living a Moral life is a good thing - is a conservative
A person who does not believe in "political correctness" is a conservative
A person who believes that the word GOD - is not a "dirty" word - is a conservative
A person who believes in self reliance - is a conservative
A person who does not believe that they are "owed" anything from the "state" is a conservative
How many republicans are "real conservatives"?:
- Freedom - Support freedom of people to grow and smoke whatever they want in their backyard.
- Welfare - Don't support subsidies for farmers and the airline industry
- Morals - Haven't been involved in inmoral things (divorce, corruption, etc)
- Political correctness - Hasn't complained about the media saying or doing something that "seemed offensive"
- Quotes the Bible (not the whole book) when he says what he believes in.
- For the last two - Has not requested for the federal government to go and save somebody in the US or the World.
A person who believes that the best decider of what is good for that person is NOT the government, is a conservative.
A person who does not believe that the government should support them - "cradle to the grave", is a conservative
A person who believes that living a Moral life is a good thing - is a conservative
A person who does not believe in "political correctness" is a conservative
A person who believes that the word GOD - is not a "dirty" word - is a conservative
A person who believes in self reliance - is a conservative
A person who does not believe that they are "owed" anything from the "state" is a conservative
I post on a board in cyberspace with a group of women who are mothers of larger families (we have this in common). Most of them are very conservative, they are Christian conservative. They are very big on "praying" and asking for "prayers" for just about anything and everything even a hangnail. They consider themselves morally righteous and above other people (as far as morals and family values go).
A good number of them are on some kind of public assistance, whether it be welfare, food stamps, WIC, SSI disability, healthcare, etc. They definitely are NOT self-reliant and self-supporting. I just find it very disingenous when I read their posts (most of them complaining about the current administration, the president, the spending, etc.) and how the world is going to h*ll in a henbasket all the while receiving government hand-outs every month.
There are really three different types of people who vote Republican but only one is really a conservative
Neo-Conservative - Big government, lax immigration, interventionalist (war hawk), socially liberal- They are in reality not conservative at all but switched parties to do all of the above in the name of "strong on Defense".
Example Arlen Spector - before switched partys.
Libertarian - vote Republican because the libertarian candidate does not have a chance. Small government, anti-interventionalist, not anti immigration, but immigation controls, constitutionalist, advocate more freedoms with little govenment involvement, socially liberal (generally)
Example. Ron Paul, neil boortz
Conservative (Paleoconservative) Anti-interventionalist, strong immigration policy (very restrictive), conservative values, small government, constitutionalist. They vary from Libertarians in that they are more socially conservative. Example. Pat Buchannan.
the older I get, the more of an anarchist I become. every law they write in washington denies another of freedom. it's pathetic.
I say those christians aren't real conservatives.
Those Christians whose religious beliefs form the basis for their political beliefs are not conservatives, based on its philosophical teachings.
I am Christian, but I'm also Conservative. That means that there's a line drawn between what I think is okay for myself, and what I think should be legislated for everybody. I've posted this several times before, but, basically, what I'm saying is that my religious beliefs and my political beliefs do not always coincide, nor should they.
I've said this before, but I'll say it again: your religious beliefs govern you, but in our system of government, your political beliefs have the potential to govern the masses. It's megalomaniacal to presume that what governs you personally should extend to everyone.
For example, the legalization of same-sex marriage is something I support. I cannot think of a single non-religious objection to it, meaning I can't think of one way in which it violates the rights of another citizen, therefore, it's not the government's or society's right to deny same-sex couples the same rights and privileges that opposite-sex couples enjoy. I'm at a point where I do not have any moral objections to it either, but if I did, my political stance on it would not change because I'm not a theocrat.
And that's what it really comes down to. If you attempt to legislate your religous beliefs, then you're really preaching a more theocratic system of government; you're certainly not preaching conservatism.
Unfortunately, the meaning of the term "conservative" has been corrupted so thoroughly, partly due to those claiming the philosophy who do not truly represent it, that I'm not sure there's anything that can be done to fix the situation.
If anyone is really, sincerely interested in learning what the philosophy of conservatism is supposed to represent, I would recommend studying and reading works from the following: Edmund Burke (widely considered the "father" of modern conservatism), Jeremy Bentham (who argued for gender equality, the decriminalization of homosexuality, and animal rights), and John Stuart Mill (particularly the book On Liberty, which is my personal favorite). Reading their works provides the reader with insight into the evolution of thought that forms the foundation for the modern (key word) conservative philosophy. During John Stuart Mill's time and in his country, he was considered a "classical liberal".
The reason it was "liberalism" in 19th century England and "conservatism" here is because the foundational principles of the two nations so differed. The foundational principles of England at the time did not mesh well with the philosophical teachings of these men and others like them, making such ideas very "liberal". Mill, in particular, had some scathing things to say about "conservatives" as pertained to 19th century England.
But the foundational principles of the United States are greatly in line with their teachings (limited government, the rights and value of the individual, personal liberty, etc), so to promote the adherence to them is "conservative". The two terms are subjective to the period and culture in which they are used.
Some quotes from each that demonstrate why many people claiming the appellation of conservative do not meet the criteria.
Edmund Burke:
"In a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority." (Think Proposition 8 for application to the modern day. It's an example of why a conservative does not support pure democracy).
"Politics and the pulpit are terms that have little agreement."
"Religious persecution may shield itself under the guise of a mistaken and over-zealous piety."
"The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse."
"The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion."
"The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts."
Jeremy Bentham
"As to the evil which results from a censorship, it is impossible to measure it, for it is impossible to tell where it ends."
"It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual."
"No power of government ought to be employed in the endeavor to establish any system or article of belief on the subject of religion."
"Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart."
John Stuart Mill
"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
"Men might as well be imprisoned, as excluded from the means of earning their bread."
"The liberty of the individual must be thus far limited: he must not make himself a nuisance to other people."
"The most cogent reason for restricting the interference of government is the great evil of adding unnecessarily to its power."
"The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it."
"The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant."
"We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavouring to stifle is a false opinion; and even if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still."
"Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men."
So to sum up, a modern-day United States conservative is someone whose political opinions should be primarily informed by the principles this country was founded on: the right of the individual to pursue his own happiness in his own way as long as he doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Opinions on economic issues and social issues should reflect a value of the individual's right to pursue his own happiness, not impose even the majority's opinion of "fairness" or "righteousness" upon him. (Example: You can't rape someone, but you can have consensual sex with whatever adult you want. You can't steal from someone, but you can earn as much money as you want. And so on.)
Someone who attempts to legislate his religious beliefs, someone who uses the Bible as his reason behind his political beliefs, is not a conservative. He is more theocratic in nature (not purely so, but it's the best description I can come up with at the moment), and that is completely contrary to what conservatism is supposed to be.
The attempt by people to reconcile the inconsistencies in their beliefs with their proclaimed philosophy has resulted in terms like "fiscal conservative" and "social liberal", or "neo-conservative", or "moderate", etc, but I personally feel like that's confused matters even more (JMHO).
Because of the medium being used here, some of this is perhaps oversimplified, but, hopefully, the "gist" comes across. For now, since "conservative" is a term that's been kind of ruined, I'm going to try to make up a new one for myself. The existing "libertarianism" is close to fitting me, but not quite right.
Last edited by ChristieCT; 06-17-2009 at 04:35 PM..
While I can't list what makes a conservative a conservative, I can list for you why I consider myself to be one.....
First- I am anti welfare. I do recognize that everyone needs a leg up from time to time but I feel that there should be limits and I do not think that illegals should have a stake in it period. Nobody should get something for nothing and I don't believe that anyone owes me anything.
Second- I am all for smaller government. I believe that the framers intended for our constiution to be interpreted as whatever "powers" were not directly delegated to the federal government was left to the people and to the states.
Third- I am pro gun.- The Constitution gives us the right to bare arms and to form militia- and yes even against our own government if need be.
Fourth- While I do not have a problem with my religion (yes CHRISTIANITY) not being taught in schools- I also don't think that other religions have a place in schools either. I believe it should be all or none. And while many will say that other religions are not "taught" in school, maybe technically they aren't but they are more widely accepted. My duaghter's 1st grade teacher actually did a whole lesson on Hinduism, which I found to be completely unacceptable because had she been teachign on Christianity she would have been fired. All I am saying is whats good for the goose should be good for the gander.
fifth- i dont agree with political correctness. With that being said, I do not agree with idiotic racial slurs but I also don't agree with certain PC terms that we have come to use. I am called white- why is it not ok to call someone black? Why must I use the term African American? Or how bout this one- why can't we all just be American's? And I do believe that reverse racism does exsist.
Those are just a few things that I believe makes me a conservative....Now what I don't agree with or believe in....
I don't believe that I have the right to tell anyone what to do with their body. While I do not personally agree with abortions- The government has no right to choose for us as women what to do. There fore I consider myself pro choice.
I don't care one way or the other about gay marriage- who am i to judge what someone does behind closed doors, and really does it affect me either way?- yes technically that contradicts my spiritual beliefs but i believe that Jesus taught us a message of tolerance and love. Love the sinner/hate the sin so to speak.
Many differences set the two apart.
A conservative wakes up, goes to the bathroom then drinks his coffee.
A liberal drinks a glass of urine, then has a coffee enema.
They get everything backwards.
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The existing "libertarianism" is close to fitting me, but not quite right. 
