Posted on 05/28/2015 10:02:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
Most Americans, including most Republicans, do not understand what “conservative” philosophy, principles, and policies are.
Merriam-Webster defines conservative as “believing in the philosophy of conservatism,” which it defines as “belief in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society; dislike of change or new ideas in a particular area.”
However, this definition is wrong. The root of conservatism lies in the concept of “ordered liberty” and the fundamental truth that human rights are God-given, not man-made and that individual liberty and freedom are birthrights.
Calvin Coolidge, America’s 30th president—perhaps the most conservative president of the last century—emphasized the underpinning conservative principle of the rule of law rests solely on “the divine origin of mankind.”
In his speech, The Price of Freedom, Coolidge emphasized that in America’s founding documents “there resulted the recognition that freedom was a birthright. It was the natural and inalienable condition of beings who were created ‘a little lower than the angels.’ With it went the principle of equality, not an equality of possessions, not an equality of degree, but an equality in the attributes of humanity, an equality of kind. Each is possessed of the divine power to know the truth.”
Likewise, conservative commentator Dennis Prager defines conservatism by what he calls “The American Trinity,” which preserves three fundamental truths. First, “In God We Trust” is the foundation for the rule of law. Manmade laws are designed to protect God-given human rights. From that, “E Pluribus Unum,” a unified and diverse people are encouraged to live peaceably, with “liberty” in their pursuit of happiness.
Within the American Trinity and republican form of government, the electorate determines the moral and ethical decisions and laws through representatives acting on their behalf. In theory, the electorate governs through limited local, state, and federal governments that restrain and punish the malfeasant and enable ingenuity, personal responsibility, entrepreneurship, creativity, and a range of its citizens’ pursuits.
The electorate may redefine and change moral and legal constraints but conservatism does not.
Because conservatism fundamentally values life, conservative policies will seek to protect it. Pro-life policies include economic, racial, and societal freedoms regardless of circumstances or socio-economic and political climates. Conservative policies are dictated by conservative principles, not the reverse.
Dividing conservatism between social/fiscal policies is a false dichotomy. The root of conservatism is not laissez-faire economic policies that create personal financial profit and power, but principles that value life-giving activities that improve societal welfare.
Conservatism guided Coolidge to relieve a country crippled by debt and severe economic depression, institutionalized segregation, and class warfare to eliminate the progressive policies Woodrow Wilson and Congress created. Progressives devalued life by institutionalizing oligarchy in America through the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, segregating federal employees, and making illegal interracial marriage.
Coolidge evidenced fiscal responsibility by significantly reducing tax rates and the national debt by nearly one third. Debt, he argued, stifled freedom, limited entrepreneurship and economic growth. He advocated for personal responsibility and accountability through the rule of law, attempting to make illegal lynching and racial segregation, and hate crimes. He also sought to create national commissions to help bridge racial divides—yet progressives fought him at every step.
Contrary to Merriam-Webster’s definition of conservatism, that it “dislike(s) change or new ideas in a particular area,” conservatives have consistently opposed the status quo. Instead, seeking to change the law in order to protect human rights, especially when the law seeks to eliminate equality of natural rights and regulate equality of outcomes.
In this way progressivism replace ordered liberty, the American Trinity, and the principles “No God, No Liberty” and “the divine origin of mankind” with “No God/Morality,” and “No Unity,” and “No Liberty.”
“In God We Trust” is replaced by a Godless society that teaches children the state, not God, creates rights and defines morality. “E Pluribus Unum” (of the many, one) is replaced with divisive policies (of the many, many) and “Liberty,” with regulated inequality. In response to this approach Prager reasons, “I can’t think of anything more demeaning than to tell a group we will change the rules and lower the standards just for you.”
In the name of “progress” individual exceptionalism, ingenuity, creativity, successes and failures and the lessons learned from them are restricted and penalized. Yet, as history has shown “equating” economic or social outcomes results in repeatedly failed consequences that devalue life and eliminate human rights.
Conservatives support policies designed to safeguard the principles of the American Trinity and ordered liberty and thwart attempts to weaken and ultimately destroy them.
A Conservative is someone who agrees with me on 100% of everything. If you do not agree with me on everything, no matter how big or small, then you are a flaming Communist heathen.
and politically speaking, a conservative conserves the original idea of America ... personal liberty, freedom with property ownership ... armed.
The rest is all superficial protections for those rights
Bump!
Ping to read later.
Exactly right.
The definition certainly seems to be stretching beyond any boundary it ever once had. We have so-called “conservative” talking heads in the media who are not just pro-amnesty, pro-dope, and pro-fag marriage... but all three!
If conservatism has ‘evolved’ into embracing that kind of crap, then let’s just say it’s no longer a club I want to be included in.
If you truly believe in, defend and support God, family and country you are conservative.
And that disposition
- skeptical, cautious, pragmatic, sensitive to the local and the particular
- has been politically successful because it has been in tune with human nature.
Michael Gove
I wonder if you realize that works both ways?
Thanks
For years Dennis Prager used to remind his listeners that he is/was a patriotic 1960s anti-Leftist cold war liberal who takes religion seriously. He still is but don’t try telling that to the gaggle of silly conservatives who can’t tell the difference.
E pluribus unum used to refer to the creation of the national government out of the 13 colonies, but good liberal Dennis thinks it should instead mean the diverse multi-ethnic stew that has resulted from the mass third world immigration that he dearly loves.
Thanks for that. I think it defines very well how I feel about it.
Too bad most republicans are not true conservatives.
And imagine how many of our problems would go away if that trinity of values was had by all.
Post #11 is also for you
BTTT
This also echoes the reflections of Os Guinness and his Golden Triangle of Freedom:
"... the conviction that freedom requires virtue, which requires faith, which requires freedom, which in turn requires virtue, which requires faith, which requires freedom and so on.”
Freeper Definition:
"Whatever it is, it sure as Hell ain't YOU!!!"
This is true. There have only been two conserative Presidents in the last 100 years. Coolidge and Reagan. Coolidge was more effective than Reagan because the Congress he had to deal with wasn’t as leftist.
Two... That’s it! Get off the George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, George W Bush, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Chris Fatboy, Mike Fatboy, , et, al moderate Democrate train. It’s a time for chosing, once it’s gone there’s no where else to go.
By Jove, I think you've got it! :-D
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