I've been thinking a lot, lately (dangerous, I know) about politics, conservatism, liberalism, etc... I've been trying to learn to articulate my views well, and to truly understand why I have them. In other words, I want to be able to state concisely and convincingly what exactly I believe politically, and be able to defend that position when asked "Why?".
I have few liberal friends to debate with, but I've gotten into several political discussions lately, both in real life and on the internet, with supposed conservatives, and have found myself at times in outright opposition to some of their views.
This has left me confused at times as to what conservatism really represents, and why, and how some of us have gotten so off-base.
Let me tell you a little of what I believe. Feel free to agree or disagree, but please be willing to defend your position. An honest, healthy debate cannot help but clarify or correct our principles.
I am a conservative. To me this represents the view that our nation was founded in liberty upon certain principles. The primary theme of our founding document is limited government and the ensurance of liberty. Based on this, we can see that liberty and government power are squarely in opposition to one another. Wherever one advances, the other retreats.
I believe that conservatives and Republicans do a poor job of remembering this basic principle, and do an even poorer job of promoting it. I believe that all the minority groups and special interest groups that have become known as the voting base of the Democratic party have been lured there by false promises and world-class marketing, all while we "principled conservatives" expect the message to speak for itself.
There is a lot of talk about winning in November. We will. But the battle doesn't end in November, in fact, it will only be beginning. The only way to take back this nation of ours which I love so dearly, is to subvert the Democratic base to conservatism.
That sounds preposterous, I know, but the Democrats got everyone to beleive their lies, shouldn't it be possible to get those same people to beleive the truth?
Who are the typical liberals?
Artists, for whom the freedom of expression is their livelihood?
Activists, for whom the freedom of speech is essential?
Women, for whom only conservatism offers freedom of opportunity?
Blacks, for whom only conservatism offers equality, rather than lowered expectations?
The poor, for whom only conservatism says "There is no height you cannot reach, so long as you are willing to work for it."
Gays, for whom personal liberties and the right to privacy allows them to live as they choose?
These are all minority groups which were lured to the Democrats on promises of a better life. Is it any surprise that if most people were asked to describe a typical conservative, they would describe an average white man?
At the same time, the Republican party has confused and clouded its own ranks with anything but conservatism. Republicans have been responsible for the exchange of liberty for security under the Patriot Act. Republicans have been responsible for record spending (a record the Dem's recently took back, of course). Republicans have been responsible for expensive and intrusive expansion of the Dept. of Education and farm subsidies, as well as proposing over-reaching and intrusive acts such as the definition of marriage amendment. We even had a candidate who almost had the Republican presidential nomination, who was responsible for one of the most comprehensive and earliest statewide health care program in the country.
We conservatives have lost, because we are lost. We have been abandoned by those who we thought represented us, and marginalized and demonized by the opposition. We must all study and learn true conservatism, and evangelize.
What do you think? I know a lot of you may disagree with some of my points, and that's fine with me, and if you can convince me that I'm wrong, I'll gladly admit it.
I have few liberal friends to debate with, but I've gotten into several political discussions lately, both in real life and on the internet, with supposed conservatives, and have found myself at times in outright opposition to some of their views.
This has left me confused at times as to what conservatism really represents, and why, and how some of us have gotten so off-base.
Let me tell you a little of what I believe. Feel free to agree or disagree, but please be willing to defend your position. An honest, healthy debate cannot help but clarify or correct our principles.
I am a conservative. To me this represents the view that our nation was founded in liberty upon certain principles. The primary theme of our founding document is limited government and the ensurance of liberty. Based on this, we can see that liberty and government power are squarely in opposition to one another. Wherever one advances, the other retreats.
I believe that conservatives and Republicans do a poor job of remembering this basic principle, and do an even poorer job of promoting it. I believe that all the minority groups and special interest groups that have become known as the voting base of the Democratic party have been lured there by false promises and world-class marketing, all while we "principled conservatives" expect the message to speak for itself.
There is a lot of talk about winning in November. We will. But the battle doesn't end in November, in fact, it will only be beginning. The only way to take back this nation of ours which I love so dearly, is to subvert the Democratic base to conservatism.
That sounds preposterous, I know, but the Democrats got everyone to beleive their lies, shouldn't it be possible to get those same people to beleive the truth?
Who are the typical liberals?
Artists, for whom the freedom of expression is their livelihood?
Activists, for whom the freedom of speech is essential?
Women, for whom only conservatism offers freedom of opportunity?
Blacks, for whom only conservatism offers equality, rather than lowered expectations?
The poor, for whom only conservatism says "There is no height you cannot reach, so long as you are willing to work for it."
Gays, for whom personal liberties and the right to privacy allows them to live as they choose?
These are all minority groups which were lured to the Democrats on promises of a better life. Is it any surprise that if most people were asked to describe a typical conservative, they would describe an average white man?
At the same time, the Republican party has confused and clouded its own ranks with anything but conservatism. Republicans have been responsible for the exchange of liberty for security under the Patriot Act. Republicans have been responsible for record spending (a record the Dem's recently took back, of course). Republicans have been responsible for expensive and intrusive expansion of the Dept. of Education and farm subsidies, as well as proposing over-reaching and intrusive acts such as the definition of marriage amendment. We even had a candidate who almost had the Republican presidential nomination, who was responsible for one of the most comprehensive and earliest statewide health care program in the country.
We conservatives have lost, because we are lost. We have been abandoned by those who we thought represented us, and marginalized and demonized by the opposition. We must all study and learn true conservatism, and evangelize.
What do you think? I know a lot of you may disagree with some of my points, and that's fine with me, and if you can convince me that I'm wrong, I'll gladly admit it.