Conservatism 101: Who is Really a Conservative?

Townhall.com ^ | May 28, 2015 | Bethany Blankley

[gusty]

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.

[knarf]

I've always considered the root to conservative is 'conserve'

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

[Jim Robinson]

Bump!

[Alex Murphy]

Ping to read later.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Exactly right.

[Rodamala]

File under the heading "Is NOT".

[greene66]

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.

[Jim Robinson]

If you truly believe in, defend and support God, family and country you are conservative.

[HangnJudge]

The durability of Conservatism has depended, to a great extent,
on it being a disposition rather than a philosophy.
What marks Conservatives out, across the generations,
and whatever the environment they operate in,
is an attitude of mind rather than an adherence to dogma.

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

[Kaslin]

I wonder if you realize that works both ways?

[Kaslin]

Thanks

[Pelham]

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.

[T. P. Pole]

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.

[Kaslin]

Post #11 is also for you

[Kaslin]

BTTT

[Servant of the Cross]

I very much agree with this. It is why true "conservatism" includes all three legs of the stool which President Reagan spoke of - fiscal, social and national defense. The social is essential because it recognizes "the divine origin of mankind" and "the fundamental truth that human rights are God-given, not man-made and that individual liberty and freedom are birthrights".

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.”

[Old Sarge]

Conservatism 101: Who is Really a Conservative?

Freeper Definition:

"Whatever it is, it sure as Hell ain't YOU!!!"

[Sea Warrior]

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.

[EveningStar]

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.

By Jove, I think you've got it! :-D