If we don't know what a conservative is, we sure know what a conservative isn't .
For example, a conservative isn't someone who supports nationalized healthcare -- even if he does want to send all the illegal immigrants back.
That is part of the problem I have with "conservative" and it is what the Obama and the Left nails us about with astonishingly paltry response from our side. The other side complains that conservatives are always against things but offer no alternative solutions. From what I've seen, that is often a valid criticism and is what keeps these jackals in power.
People on the Right need to know what they are FOR and why. As far as I'm concerned the Right stands for freedom and political freedom means an absence of coercive, unconstitutional government. Economic freedom means the voluntary cooperation of the free market (THE ALTERNATIVE to Obamacare and socialized medicine). Seems to me that's what conservatism should be FOR.