Posts Tagged ‘conservatism’

On a personal level admitting a mistake can be difficult, especially when you once passionately believed in your decision. This thorny task becomes virtually impossible when individuals are poised to pounce and proclaim “I told you so!” It’s a point of pride for all involved and pride, we all know, is a deadly and destructive sin.

I wish to address my conservative minded friends and challenge you to consider your ways. Do arrogance and condescension win points with you? Are you persuaded to a new opinion by someone who generally makes it known they consider you an idiot? Name calling, personal attack and I told you so serve only to inflate some egos while bruising others.

The chief point I want to make is precisely this: each person is sovereign over their will. Almighty God is the only Being capable of overcoming individual will and he won’t so what makes us think we can? Are conservative values true and good? Absolutely! Do conservative principles reflect the truth about human nature and provide a system whereby freedom serves mankind universally and individually? The answer, proven by the American experiment, is a resounding YES! But no amount of brow-beating will (or should for that matter) change anyone’s mind.

The challenge and opportunity for conservatives is to demonstrate the objective truth inherent in our principles of personal freedom and personal responsibility. But we must not stoop to arrogance and condescension. We must win a hearing and be invited to share and discuss important ideas. I recommend asking gentle questions that invite people to consider issues at a deeper level. When someone willingly considers key ideas and principles you are on the verge of winning the battle with out firing a shot.

Passion plays a vital role in both Liberalism and Conservatism. The enthusiasm of the Conservative is that of the grateful soul, thankful for the manifold opportunities true freedom brings. Yet he is not blind to the challenges and pitfalls which arise from human nature. Unfortunately, the passion must often be exhibited in a defensive posture against those determined to take away freedom.

The zeal of the so called Liberal is at heart subjective. He wishes to have the cake and eat it too, as it were. Consider the slogans Liberals proffer: “Hope” and “Change” and “Fair” or especially “Believe.” There is no lack of fervor in these words but no amount of passion changes their subjective nature. Ask for specifics such as “hope in what?” or “change to what?” or “fair to whom?” and especially “believe in what/who?” If these cannot be answered specifically then we must wonder just how these slogans reference reality. To merely pose questions such as these is portrayed as cruel and heartless by Liberals and Progressives. Yet the questions remain and unanswered.

Millions of American citizens are coming to realize the gravity of their decision to vote for Barack Hussein Obama. The excitement of the campaign is giving way to a creeping uneasiness as rhetoric becomes reality and slogans are sculpted into actual policy. Taxes are rising, jobs are scarce, home prices are depressed and this administration is inflating the currency as fast as the printing machines will drink the ink! Right now we are seeing first hand, not stylistic oratory, but the stiff actuality of Democratic Party policy. People who voted for the current president are nervous.

Let’s make it easy for them to come around!

Remember that that which is false cannot be demonstrated and the truth about modern Liberalism is that it is incompatible with personal freedom. Ask the right questions in a gentle way and encourage genuine discussion. Don’t let pride manifest as arrogant condescension. Be approachable and inviting and people will make up their own minds either factually and objectively or emotionally and subjectively.

Conservatives offer a vision that’s not about greed and class envy, it’s all about freedom and responsibility. Our national character is not about have verses have not or victor verses victim. It is about normal, everyday citizens channeling naturally selfish inclinations into productively meeting the needs of their fellows. That is free market capitalism and it works so well precisely because it recognizes this embarrassing fact about human self interest. But prideful arrogance is an automatic turn-off, so avoid it! Besides, it’s not like we invented Truth, we just take part in it.

Thanks for reading.

Conservatives have a problem, and the NY-23 congressional race is only making it worse. Don’t get me wrong, I am pulling for Doug Hoffman, and if I lived in the district I’d certainly vote for him. But, there is the dilemma – stick with the GOP or go third party. The Republican Party has moved to the left, and conservatives are understandably feeling abandoned, after all there hasn’t been a real conservative candidate in over 20 years.

We must be careful though, we’ve been down this road before.

Remember, we all thought Bush 41 was going to be alright; he’d been the Gipper’s VP for eight years. But, that “no new taxes” campaign promise… I can still see those Saturday Night Live skits; Dana Carvey’s spot on, “it wouldn’t be prudent.” It was because of that broken promise many of us voted for Perot in 1992; good or bad, had we all stuck with 41, he’d have served a second term.

Here’s the problem, the Democrats own their base. The Republicans have sold theirs out. If you’re a liberal, you’re a Democrat; if you’re a socialist or a statist, you’re a Democrat. If you’re pro-choice, pro-union, pro-gun control, you’re a Democrat. If you’re a conservative, you might be a Republican, or a Libertarian, maybe Conservative Party member, or the American Conservative Party, or perhaps you’re a Constitutionist, or maybe you’re none of the above.

I know there are exceptions to the rule, Joe Liberman, Zell Miller, etc. The point is the Democrat Party has moved toward its money base, and the Republican Party has moved away from its. And yes, unfortunately, it is about the money.

You can say it’s about principal and not party, and to a certain degree, you’re right. But, at some point you have to look at party affiliation, it does serve its purpose. Without party affiliation there is no majority; without a majority there are no committee chairmanships; without committee chairmanships there is no agenda. If conservative groups write off the GOP, they must either find a way to band together into one major affiliation or risk remaining in the minority for another 40 years.

But then again perhaps the NY-23 election is a warning shot across the bow that turns the GOP ship around. I guess only time will tell.

Forsooth!

Now there’s a perfectly good English word with a clear, concise meaning. When was the last time you heard it used in everyday conversation? No doubt you recognize the term as one which people once used but the definition is insignificant. The word no longer conveys anything that matters. With a heavy heart I submit two more words which fit the category “Meaningless.” Democrat and Republican have ceased to convey anything meaningful! Their replacements are and ought to be respectively Liberal and Conservative.

Whatever Democrat used to mean clearly no longer matters and the same goes for Republican. These once venerable terms have degenerated into nothing more than a cloak behind which political parasites regularly and systematically hide. Ah, but the solution is simple in conception and implementation! The polarizing point is our very own founding document, the Constitution.

The people of this great nation must demand all holders and seekers of public office declare regarding their stance on the Constitution. Liberal or Conservative?

Liberal: Viewing the Constitution as a “living” document, subject to interpretation and changeable outside the established provisions for amendment and ratification by the states.

Conservative: Viewing the Constitution as being a “literal” document to be followed and enforced. Changes are to follow the established procedure of amendment and ratification by the states.

Remember…the Constitution places no constraint on the citizen, only on the government. In effect we are demanding our representatives to declare whether they believe the citizen is free and sovereign or does the governing authority have final say? Did the founding Fathers forge a guide for the nation or merely a suggestion? I confess my great fear to be that words like “freedom, civility and sovereignty” are becoming themselves “meaningless words.”

I pray not!