Posted on 03/16/2013 7:10:58 AM PDT by kindred
“...by making it mean nothing and everything, which is what you are doing with your ridiculous list of contradictions and narrow categories.”
Kind of like America, huh? At its core, I would say that conservatives are individuals, and build from there. You cannot find a single issue in which we *all* agree; but we are not going to exclude those from conservatism who are not in lockstep with us.
If you want to define us by our political enemies, feel free, but that has no purpose or goal other than a static defense against their ideas. You embrace the old, leftist idea that the opposite of progressivism is to be reactionary. That the opposite of a communist is a Nazi. But that is a patently false idea.
The opposite of radicalism is real moderation, the opposite of bad radical change is a return to efficiency and common sense, not nostalgia for a “golden age” that never existed. The bad idea is confronted with a good idea, with the idea that the good idea will trump the bad idea in the marketplace of ideas.
The founding fathers were well aware that attempts are made to corrupt written laws before the ink is dried, so the way around this is to have different groups with different priorities acting in balance with each other. The constitution is full of such balances, and so is conservatism.
Look at FR! How many “lockstep” and uniform conservatives do you find here? For the most part, they will politely argue every aspect and element of conservatism, within some limits of decorum. Compare that to leftist forums where the politically correct is sacrosanct, and those who violate their rigid belief structure are instantly expelled.
Theirs is not the way of strength, but of terrible weakness, for they are afraid of new ideas. Yes, they are unified, from their lowest member, at the state and local level, through congress, and all the way to the POTUS, but only because they are so brittle that even a slight nudge will collapse their agenda.
The religion, the faith, of leftists is an idol with clay feet. Conservatism is made of much stronger stuff.
No wonder you guys created a Mitt Romney and are moving the GOP to abortion and the homosexual agenda.
And no wonder you guys nominated Ron Paul and are moving the GOP in the direction of the Whig party.
No reason to be nasty. No, I was never a supporter of the onerous Mitt Romney, nor do I support abortion or the homosexual agenda. Nor, I might add, do I try to tell other conservatives what to think or how to act. That is something that a Democrat would do.
I consider conservatives to be smart, strong and innovative, and expect them to think first, not just obey.
Good luck with trying to force your agenda on them.
If someone is not a social conservative, then they are not conservative, and they are aligned with the left.
Do you actually read replies, or just give knee jerk responses to them?
A conservative has certain funaemental beliefs. We may sometimes disagree on how best to get there, but not on the fundamental beliefs themself.
A republican is another matter.
Yes I read your post, and responded to it.
If one isn’t a social conservative then they are not conservative, and are aligned with the left.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.