It really is not all that popular to be a conservative today, is it?
The liberal side of our society stereotypes a conservative as biased, narrow, even fundamentalist. A conservative is oppressive, defensive and for many offensive.
But what exactly is a conservative? Can any individual human being be classified as a conservative in every way, for every occasion or every issue, anymore than a liberal can? For, in reality, virtually every human being holds some conservative points of view as well as liberal. And even the most ardent liberal can find himself or herself on the conservative side of an issue from time to time.
So I ask again, what exactly is a conservative?
One young aggressive entrepreneur Pia Varma chooses not to even use the word conservative, but rather the POLITICAL RIGHT. And she, bright young thinker that she is, thinks of this political right as a mixture of different and often conflicting factions. And, she is right even as there are many different liberal points of view in the liberal tent. There are, Varma says, under this conservative or politically to-the-right tent the following:
- Republicans
- Conservatives
- Libertarians
- Classical Liberals
- Objectivists
- Randians
- Austrians
- Neocons
- Radcons
Nine of them. Some who may think of themselves as conservative may never have heard of some of these conceptual categories or political groups. Do you know, for example, what a Radcon is, or for that matter an Austrian? There are for them enough differences on the political scene to differentiate themselves, to form a new category, and postulate new political philosophies and principles. Differences prevail and no wonder there are often conflicting factions under the so-called conservative or politically right tent.
But it seems as though there are common areas of agreement for all those politically conservative or on the right.
The first point of agreement is that government should be less and not more. Government at work in any capacity, size or political or social sphere is NEVER the solution, never. Government at work, especially large government, creates more problems than it provides solutions. All conservatives agree.
Conservatives further agree that government bureaucracy is social and financial strangulation. It produces little more than obscure, inefficient and extremely difficult rules and regulations, and red tape at every turn.
Conservatives also agree that welfare of any kind, in any extreme, is wrong done by government. That is so whether corporate or personal welfare. Government cannot provide and support in any permanent way again without causing more problems than solutions.
Conservatives also agree that the government must take a conservative approach to the world of finances, to money. Government cannot provide bailouts and government cannot print money to pay the debt, only at the cost of runaway inflation and the devaluation of private assets and property.
Conservatives agree that our Constitution and its precious amendments are the law of the land, and that law must be respected at every turn. Conservatives are essentially strict constructionists when it comes to the constitutional law and in fact all law and its interpretation and application of the law. Conservatives are passionate believers in individual freedom, and freedoms generally, and they rebel at the thought of government circumscribing any individual freedom. The more government intervenes, the less freedom there is.
Conservatives passionately agree that taxes should be extremely limited. All taxpayers should be treated fairly and equally. The concept of taxation should never be utilized for social purposes, and any form of taxation should be eliminated whenever it is not absolutely necessary. Those on the political right think that the tax code should be overhauled, simplified or perhaps even eliminated in favor of a flat tax. Rampant taxation is a means towards socialism, it results in a redistribution of wealth and the subservience of individual rights, including and especially financial opportunity.
Conservatives passionately believe in free enterprise and in the great system of capitalism without undue restraint or restriction. Those on the political right believe in laissez faire. That is, government HANDS-OFF, hands-off private enterprise and capitalism at work. Let the marketplace determine and let individuals have maximum opportunity to think, create, and make things happen.
None of those nine groups would disagree in any fundamental way with these overarching principles. Whether Republican, Conservative, Libertarian, Classical Liberal, Objectivist, Randian, Austrian, Neocon or Radcon, or any other form or type of conservatism, none would disagree with the above principles. They are fundamental. They are American. They are the principles which formed the basis and total structure of our great country. They have guided us for more than two and a quarter centuries and those principles are right. They are the best. Without them, there would be no America. We are headed my friends in so many ways for statetism, for a new form of socialism foreign to all Americans. Movements are at work to erode or eliminate virtually every fundamental conservative principle and point of view, especially those mentioned. It is absolutely imperative that conservatives of all stripes put aside their differences, and work together for a common cause. That is, to save America. We need such an aggressive act to make certain that our great Country does not go under. America needs to be saved from the CHANGE which has come with far more detrimental change on the way. If we the conservative do not band together and protect and preserve what we have, there will be no America for our children and grandchildren. Nowhere near the America you and I now know and love and enjoy.
Democrats and liberals, fairly synonymous, have an amazing way of putting aside differences and working together for common causes. That is why they are generally more successful in the political arena than conservatives. Conservatives seem to maximize and stumble over differences rather than putting them aside, forging allegiance and alliances on principles in common that bind and unite, and making things happen. Conservatives are done as a political force or a philosophic and conceptual point of view if they, if we, if you, as conservatives, if we do not unite. I urge you my friend to find every commonality with anyone who cares for America as it used to be and as it is. Otherwise, get ready for CHANGE radical, fundamental and perhaps forever. Stand up and say what you think and believe or say goodbye to America!