Posted on 03/14/2005 8:24:05 PM PST by Badray
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MUTH'S TRUTHS by Chuck Muth March 13, 2005 _____________________________
"FORGET THE NEO-CONS, BEWARE THE EX-CONS"
So I'm listening to talk radio recently during the hellish commute to our nation's capital, and I hear caller after caller start out by saying, "I'm a conservative, except..." The issue was over a proposed new government-mandated smoking ban in bars and restaurants. And the callers - so-called "conservatives" - were all for it.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying smoking is good. And I'm not saying smoking isn't offensive to a lot of people, especially while dining. What I AM saying is that the proper, consistent conservative position is that the decision whether or not to allow smoking in a privately-owned bar or restaurant should be up to the OWNER of the bar or restaurant - not the government.
If the bar or restaurant allows smoking - and you don't like smoking - don't go there! There is no "right" for you to eat in someone else's kitchen. I'm not saying conservatives need to defend smoking. I'm saying true conservatives need to defend individual liberty; to defend the private property owner's rights over government power and coercion. If government can tell a business owner how to run his business, how long before that same government begins mandating healthy meals in your own home - for the good of the children, of course?
I've found over recent years that more and more so-called conservatives find "exceptions" to their limited-government principles on a host of issues. I've started calling them "ex-cons" - exception conservatives - and they are far more dangerous to the limited-government movement than the so-called "neo-cons." See if you haven't run across an "ex-con" in your political travels recently...
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to tobacco. Government shouldn't raise taxes, except on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. That's OK."
* "I'm a conservative...except for delivering the mail. The government should continue to ban private companies from competing with the post office."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to advertising by drug companies. The government should force them to cut back on their advertising so that their products would be cheaper."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to McDonalds and Burger King. The government should stop them from advertising during kids' shows."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to snack machines in high schools. Those machines should be banned to protect the children."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to Howard Stern. The government should ban him from the airwaves...even on satellite radio."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to Budweiser and Coors commercials during college football and basketball games. The government should ban those ads."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to Microsoft. The government was right to prosecute them for being so much better at selling their products than their competitors. Bill Gates was being fair."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to terminally ill patients using marijuana to relieve their pain and suffering. The government should prohibit pot smoking in the privacy of your own home no matter what the circumstances."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to home-schoolers. Those people should have to report to the government."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to driving safety. The government is absolutely right to require people to wear motorcycle helmets and seat belts."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to wages. The government should determine the minimum wage a private employer has to pay to his or her employees."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to air travel. The government has every right to randomly search people and their luggage without probably cause. It's for our own good."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to health care. Health care is a "right" and the government should make sure everyone gets it. For free."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to retirement. The government should provide everyone with a comfortable retirement."
* "I'm a conservative...except when it comes to gun rights. It's OK for the government to require that people get gun licenses and ban the sale of guns at gun shows. Otherwise, a 'bad' guy might get one."
And on and on and on. One "except" after another. THIS is the biggest problem with the conservative movement today. If so-called conservative voters are willing to constantly make exceptions to their own philosophical beliefs, is it any wonder that pandering politicians are so schizophrenic in their voting? If we, as true conservative voters and activists can't or won't be consistent in our positions, how can we expect our elected representatives to be any better?
We have met the enemy, and it's us. Conservatives, heal thyselves.
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Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citizen Outreach. He may be reached at chuck@citizenoutreach.com.
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Copyright 2005 Chuck Muth. All rights reserved. "Muth's Truths" may be republished providing the column is copied intact, and full credit is given. Talk show producers interested in scheduling an interview with Mr. Muth should call (410) 391-7408.
I think Chuck makes a really good point.
We claim to be conservative except when it comes to our own pet peeve. Then we want to get the government involved.
With all of the exceptions, there isn't room left for common sense and individual liberty.
Who dictates what makes a "conservative"?
For example, seat belts in cars save lives. I'm pro-life. I support seat belts.
You are pro-life so you need the Government to tell you when to buckle up?
I don't get it. Do you want government control or not?
A lot of libs call up shows and claim to be conservatives or Republicans in an effort to make people think there is a tide in the leftward direction.
When it comes to saving lives, government should involve itself - as long as it is honest and upfront.
All this bumph about tobacco, and then governments collecting millions in tobacco taxes in double standards at its best.
I think it makes good sense to wear a safety belt but the only reason for safety belt laws is another source of revenue for greedy local governments.
Getting people to wear their safety belts should be like manners.
The biggest problem with government legislating good sense is they do it in a ham-fisted one-size-fits-all sort of way that doesn't make good sense. Look what happened when they legislated air bags.
I wish you'd told my brothr-in-law about that two weeks ago.
If he'd been wearing a seat belt, he would not have been thrown from his car and, subsequently, would not be now buried in a grave.
Seat-belts also make us drive recklessly. If there was a dagger coming out of the steering wheel instead of an air-bag, we would drive more carefully and there would be less deaths.
Seat belts save the driver, the other people in the car, and the people in other cars due to the added control it gives the driver. I'm all for seat belt laws, as lines have to be drawn somewhere. Driving is a privilege and a responsibility. Do you disagree with licenses also? Seat belts are just another means of ensuring road safety for everyone.</
Silly question. Me, of course. LOL
For example, seat belts in cars save lives. I'm pro-life. I support seat belts.
Seat belts can save lives. Lots of times they do. Sometimes they kill people. Should you be mandated to wear a selt belt when it might kill you? Should the government be your nanny?
Let the government inform people. Free people should make their own decisions without penalty for it.
We have had compulsory wearing of seat belts in Australia for thirty years. In that time thousands of lives have been saved. Well worth it by any standard.
Apparently they sign up in droves on conservative web sites and do the same thing. Especially on FR. ;-)
You're not suggesting I'm a leftie, are you?
Welcome to FR.
Do conservatives not believe in small, unobtrusive government and individual liberty too?
If you smoke down feathers to relieve your migraines, is it anyone's business but your own? Why should anyone care if I actually get relief or if I just get high before I die. What are you gonna do? Put my dead body in jail for smkoking a joint on my death bed?
Part of 'conserving' the past is the liberty that we all once enjoyed to do things that adversely affected no one.
Most of what will be said here has been said there.
God didnt create one magical plant to give an excuse to install Big Government to ban it
I am sorry for your loss. Last year, two of my cousins were in a pretty bad wreck. Bruce, the younger one, always wore his seat belt. Walt, the older, stubborn one (like me) never wore his. We buried Bruce. Walt walked away with scratches and bruises.
I don't know if the seat belt killed him, but that incident reinforced my decision not to wear one.
bttt
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