What Does the Affiliation of "Conservative" Mean to You?

[preservanation]

I thought maybe asking people to define what "liberalism" means to them but I anticipated the usual mishmash of platitudes and high-falootin generalizations, so I thought this better.

A quick synopsis of what I consider my brand of Conservatism standing for are:

Smaller gov.
Freedom to unlock an individuals potential through self-actualization, and the removal of governmental regulations and obstacles which stifle the individual and economic growth.

Originalist.
Constitutionalist
Constructionist.
Capitalist.

Strong defense.
Enforced borders.
Support an orderly and strict immigration policy, with emphasis on assimilation.
America is the greatest force for good in world today.

Federalism, (decentralization of the Fed Gov and more ability for the states to govern themselves).

Lower taxes.
MUCH lower federal spending.

There's more, but this will give you something to chew on.

[AlanC]

I can ascribe to just about all of that and I would add... a return to true citizen legislatures and the end of life long career politicians who have never had the responsibility to actually do something productive in this life and live under the regualtions they make for the rest of us.

Obviously I support term limits.

[Truth_and_Power]

Low-Spending
Low-Taxation
Individual Freedom
Rule of Law


That's what a real conservative is to me. So the neo-cons and the evangelicals would not be conservative to me.

[preservanation]

Excellent, AlanC!
That could fall under the category of Origionalism, I think.
That is what the founders precisely had in mind when the envisioned our representation in Congress!
They never saw it turning into the business and the life long positions it has become.
Even with term limits the blood suckers spend 80% of their time and money trying to get reelected to further their power and cushy lifestyles.[hr]
Low-Spending
Low-Taxation
Individual Freedom
Rule of Law


That's what a real conservative is to me. So the neo-cons and the evangelicals would not be conservative to me.
See, this isn't that hard.
Thank you very much TnP!

[Archasgame5]

I definitely agree with your assessment of a smaller government, and I am also a proponent of term limits.

Modern Republicans, in my opinion, have often strayed away from true fiscal conservatism. I believe Newt Gingrich is a big supporter of returning to "Reagan policy."

[preservanation]

I definitely agree with your assessment of a smaller government, and I am also a proponent of term limits.

Modern Republicans, in my opinion, have often strayed away from true fiscal conservatism. I believe Newt Gingrich is a big supporter of returning to "Reagan policy."
Yes!
I think Bush somewhat betrayed the conservative movement in many ways, and I think the Congress was lost in 06 because Repubs had lost their way and tried to represent the squishy middle, participate in back room deals with the Dems and go on spending sprees which would make FDR blush. All is not lost, they just need a major wake up call. If the GOP loses in 08...I hope that's enough. Running on a Reagan conservative model would be a winner, but even the GOP candidates have moderate streaks a mile wide.
The American people need a clear choice...not Bush light on the left or Bill Clinton light on the right.

I supported Newt till it was clear he was not willing, or unable (due to those hideous Campaign Finance reform laws) to run. Take the money out of politics...good one McCain and Feingold (boobs), then Bush didn't veto it and the Supremes deemed it constitutional? (more boobs)

[AlanC]

Well that is one other thing that would be right in the mix with conservative values. And that is judges who apply the law as its written instead of subverting the constitutional role of legislatures by trying to create law from the bench.

[preservanation]

To most of us, if I may be so bold, the ability for the next Pres to nominate Fed judges is paramount, and probably the defining issue to me.
There are two who are hanging on by a thread, Ginsburg and Kennedy come to mind.

[Wndrtch]

I can ascribe to just about all of that and I would add... a return to true citizen legislatures and the end of life long career politicians who have never had the responsibility to actually do something productive in this life and live under the regualtions they make for the rest of us.

Obviously I support term limits.


How about an age limit (as in, not before you are 55 years old)?

I can't stand the fact, that so many ignorant boobs go into Politics, just because they can't do anything else.

At the founding of our great Republic, "Politics" was something one did at the end of their career, to pay back society for the success they enjoyed in business. A little good 'ole fashioned "experience" would do a world of good in Washington.

[Truth_and_Power]

I would like to see a return to pre-WWII conservatism where interventionist foreign policies were considered something for the other party to advocate. I'm not an american history buff but that is how I gather things were from what little I know.

[firefox]

This is true to some extent, TP. However, the Rs were probably the most responsible for the War Between the States, so it goes both ways unfortunately...

[davo]

Russel Kirk defined Conservatism as the negation of the pursuit of political ideology. "The conservative mind and the ideological mind stand at opposites" - Russel Kirk.

"Conservative" has come to mean all sorts of things these days. Thanks to the Neocons and the Bush administration, the name has become particularly tarnished. "Old school" conservatives like Barry Goldwater, Robert Taft and Pat Buchanan stand far closer to the definitions of 'conservative' expressed earlier in this thread than the Bush administration.

[Aidie]

Conservative means being conservative and not wasteful or radical or extreme about everything in life from your personal activities and thoughts to your political and public thought and activties.At least thats what I think it means.
Aidie

[Keith Hamburger]

"Conservative" has come to mean all sorts of things these days. Thanks to the Neocons and the Bush administration, the name has become particularly tarnished. "Old school" conservatives like Barry Goldwater, Robert Taft and Pat Buchanan stand far closer to the definitions of 'conservative' expressed earlier in this thread than the Bush administration.

If you're using those as your examples of Conservative, to me, the meaning of the current users of the term "conservative" would be hipocrite.

Present company included.

To go to the OP ...

Originalist.

Any support of foreign wars and the Federal Reserve system would by hipocritical.

Constitutionalist

The only candidate in the current election that actually fits this definition is strongly opposed by those in power that call themselves "conservatives".

Constructionist.

Yeah ... by itself I don't even know what this word means.

Capitalist.

Very few modern Americans, with the only exception being those that are familiar with the Austrian School of Economics, even know what this really means.

Anyone that supports interest rate cuts by the Fed, and "boosts" to the economy from "tax rebates", doesn't understand "capitalism".

Keith