Posted on 02/10/2011 11:54:16 AM PST by red meat conservative
As our annual CPAC gathering kicks off today with the sponsorship of the gay Republican GoProud organization, it is important to understand something about socially liberal "conservatives". They don't exist. Period. (O.K. there is Jeff Flake on DADT, but he is still 100% pro life).
American conservatism is comprised of three indissoluble principles; social values, national defense, and classic economic liberalism. A movement that includes those who categorically reject one of those ethos is not a big tent. It is a circus. That is because those who reject social values or national defense will indubitably reject fiscal conservatism as well. How many self proclaimed social liberal/fiscal conservative Republicans are indeed stalwart, intrepid, and truculent in their defense of the free market and liberty? Very few, indeed, and certainly not anyone who is associated with GoProud.
As Erick Erickson observes at Red State,GoProud has worked to undermine conservatives throughout their existence, even if that meant teaming up with the SEIU. If these clowns were in the trenches fighting our battles for limited government and a robust America-first foreign policy, we would be more inclined to accept this group. However, GoProud, along with every other self proclaimed conservative socially liberal group, has been missing in action as it relates to the issues that are important to authentic conservatives. That is because conservatism without the social values is like a body without a soul. It is lifeless. Thus, they expend their efforts assiduously pushing their hard left social agenda, with no regard for any fiscal or national security issue.
Conversely, it is the inimitable social conservatives like Jim DeMint and Michelle Bachmann who are inexorable in their defense of national security and free market economics.
This is not the time to begin reaching out to fair-weather gay conservatives whose motives are dubious at best. Social conservatism is under assault on every front; from the repeal of DADT and the integration of women in combat, to the proliferation of gay marriage throughout the states. In my home state of Maryland, even the former Republican Senate leader is joining with Democrats to make the Old Line State the 6th state that recognizes gay marriage.
We must work indefatigably now, more than ever, to reassert ourselves over social issues and not cede the battleground to the left. Are we prepared to eschew the core values that we seek to promote because of contrived "generational changes"?
Let there be no ambiguity concerning the motives of socially liberal "conservatives". If they are willing to abjure some conservative values due to generational shifts, they will easily surrender the rest of the policy battlefield to the whims of the left.
Right on the money
Then again, if I meet such a person, and they tell me they favor abolishing Social Security, Medicare, medicaid, etc., maybe I'll believe him.
Just my opinion.
This is not the time. Never is the time to knuckle under to the demands of the homosexuals.
When a Righteous God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord didn't check to see if the deviants were for lower taxes and then give them a pass. An abomination is an abomination.
re_nortex,
I wish more conservatives had the temerity to hold the line on homosexuality.
Nailed it.
The only conservatives who reject “national defense” are those who want to use the Pentagon to police the world, spread democracy, and engage in nation building. All of these goals only serve to undermine national defense.
I don't agree that social liberalism is a good thing though. Most of the things social conservatives stand for are much better for our society as a whole than the junk fiscal liberals think will be helpful. In both cases, one could argue that government is too "big".
>>it is important to understand something about socially liberal “conservatives”. They don’t exist. Period.
Not sure I agree with this, or it may just be a conflict in the terminology. I’ve met plenty of very fiscally conservative folks who also think that it’s none of the governments business who they sleep with, contract with (marriage), or what they eat, smoke, drink etc.
But they usually refer to themselves as libertarians, not conservatives, and that is probably a more accurate term.
They also believe that if someone has the freedom to screw up they also have to suffer the consequences of their actions (ie. no coddling from society).
Most of them I met through my local Tea Party.
LQ
Prime example: mandated medical care.
When I was a kid there was no law requiring a hospital to treat you.
LBJ brought that.
Find one of these dopertarians that wants to end medical businesses being mandated to treat them after they overdose money or not.
Me forced to fund that isn’t fiscal conservatism.
I used to work with a guy that professed that he was “socially liberal but fiscally conservative”.
Frankly, he was nothing but a liberal cheapskate. He wanted all the big government goodies, but he wanted someone else taxed to pay for them.
This is true, so this must mean real conservatives are going to get tossed under the bus.
Could be location matters. From what I can tell mine has been running about 50/50, it’s kind of an odd conglomeration of folks.
Fair call. Most adults-first libertarians encourage or turn a blind eye to social problems, when the tax bills come in though they do a runner.
It’s always the churches and working class families left with the mess. They’re the ones picking up the pieces.
I believe in individual freedom
I believe in personal responsibility
I believe in a strong national defense
I believe in the right to keep and bear arms
I believe in protecting our borders
I believe our government should strictly follow the Constitution
I believe in the rule of law
I believe in the Constitution and if we followed it that would mean the dismantling of most, if not all federal entitlement programs
I believe that individuals should be able to do anything they want as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others, and as long as all parties involved are the age of legal consent. This includes, having sex with whoever they want, prostitution, drug use, etc. (Note that my belief in individual responsibility means that no one else should be expected to pick up the pieces from your poor choices).
I believe that individuals and corporations should only be taxed in the amount necessary to fund the limited resposibilities granted to the government under the Constitution.
I believe that we need to protect the rights of all Americans, including the unborn
I hope people don't get addicted to drugs. I hope women don't become prostitutes. I hope people choose to make good choices and live a happy and healthy life. I gladly volunteer my time to help people in need. I do NOT think it's very conservative to leglislate these hopes onto others because individual freedom is the most important item of all. Republicans have tarnished conservatism because they've tried to force others the follow thier values on social issues. Liberals have been beating them over the head with that since the beginning of time. It's time to stop that.
Bottom line? Individual freedom, and personal responsibility should rule the day. That's how I see it and I am the worlds foremost expert on my own opinion.
.00015 percent. The attendance rate of libertarians at church.
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