Instead of government flowing from the top down (Washington dictating to the individual), the power should descend from the individual, to the local government, then state, then federal government.
All the issues we might discuss--guns, speech, etc.--would flow from this basic idea. The government should enable the individual to make his way through life with the least amount of interference (which would include taxing him to "enable" others to pursue THEIR way of life--freedom FROM government interference will do more than government programs to enable one to live an independent life).
A true conservative is not one who is against there being a federal government, or a state or local government, but he is one who wants these structures to do the bare minimum necessary to allow all citizens to pursue happiness.
I could put down a laundry list, but I think a lot of conservatives have forgotten what conservatism truly is. For one thing, it's not about religion.
I agree. But religion is one of out most basic freedoms and one that seems to be under relentless attack from all sides, including government.
In essence, it is a way of life by self governance. Living by the conviction of fundamental principles “protected by our Bill of Rights”. Also living by and upholding the freedoms provided by our Constitution. "For one thing, it’s not about religion.”
Despite whether or not you’re religious, to say this is to ignore the reason our forefathers left Great Britain, or to dismiss the Mayflower Compact, or the words penned in our very own Constitution. This is not to say that to be non-religious and a conservative is a contradiction.
I agree with you on your view of what a conservative is (or at least, I agree with you on a politician’s ideal values, since there will never be agreement on the definition of conservative). Do you support Fred Thompson? He is by far the closest to what you describe, from what I can tell.
Good post.... for the record..i’m still not sure who i support in the primaries....i know who i don’t support...Rudy and Mitt are too slick for my taste...FT, i’m still looking at....i’m one of the few conservatives on FR that questions “free” trade and such.... I have thought about J Robinson’s position that if Rudy is elected, it will shut out conservatives in the Republican party for some time....I can’t say that i wouldn’t vote for Rudy if he was running against Hillary...but i’m not that scared of Hillary in the WH...it would cause a $hit storm in the Republican party and they might just find their soul...just my rambling opinion.... ;)
Seems that there's a lot of Republicans that aren't conservatives, or leastwise favor a statist solution to individual problems.
Thank you for that last part! True indeed!