Am I a conservative?

Question

5 hallmark traits of conservativism:
-favor free markets and limited government.
-Support a strong American military
-Support states' rights
-seek to defend what they see as traditional values
-support fiscal responsibility
Have I suddenly become a conservative without knowing it? I am in favor of ALL these things.

I'm not saying it's bad, just not what I expect after seeing how conservatives betray these hallmarks.

god1oak touched of the point I was trying to make.

I have never been a party-line anything. I voted for Clinton, but against Gore and Kerry. I even voted for Reagan once, but I was young.

Answer 1

Just because you're in favor of the tenets of conservatism doesn't mean that you're in accordance with the conservative machine in this country. Even conservatives disagree on some issues.

Further, you need to do a comparison on the tenets of liberalism. You will find that the tenets of both ideologies are deeply ingrained in our culture.

The American public supports conflicting tenets, some in theory and others in practice. For example; Conservatives favor small government and Liberals favor big government (according to the textbooks). Most people would agree that smaller governments are more efficient and save tax payer dollars. But when funds are cut from government agencies like Homeland Security, when military bases are shut down, Liberals and Conservatives rally together. Because big government provides jobs and feeds the economy. We also believe that all aspects of our government perform vital functions in keeping our country running.

Another example is our current conservative Administration. Supposedly, Conservatives favor limited spending while Liberals favor more spending to benefit more people. On the contrary, when Bill Clinton left office there was a surplus. Now, there is a huge deficit. Under Bush II, an entire new government agency was created (Homeland Security) with an brand-new positions and all new beauacracuy. I'm not arguing whether it was necessary or not but its not very conservative. When it comes to gay marriage and abortion, he is very conservative.

Truth be told, American liberals and conservatives are pretty close ideologically. The American political spectrum is to the right of the entire universal political spectrum. We don't have any real policy making Communist and/or Socialist parties in the U.S. while many of out European allys do. Communist and Socialists are the real liberals, not Democrats.

So, it's very possible that you agree with many Conservative ideals but you don't agree with the Conservative machine driving this nation. It is also possible that you agree with some tenets of Conservatism and some of Liberlism. In that case, you would be considered a Centrist (like me).

Answer 2

I had much the same revelation. I used to be a party line liberal democrat. During the Clinton years, liberals in general, and democrats in particular, started to come out in the open with what they REALLY stand for. Their behavior became widely known. At the same time, I started learning what it really means to be conservative and what these people have been doing and why. In a blinding flash of the obvious, I realized that I was actually a conservative (most normal people are) and that I had actually been tricked and manipulated by the left as part of an evil agenda. The more I learn the specifics of this, the more conservative I become and the more I oppose anything liberal, marxist or linked to the democratic party.

I'm an ULTRA-conservative, solely as a reaction to the extreme pathology of liberals. Ironically, nothing about what I stand for has changed. What has changed is my knowledge of who really stands by those values and who does not.

Answer 3

You have mixed traits there. Conservatives don't favor limited government, especially when enforcing traditional values. You have a lot of libertarian traits there.

I used to think I was conservative for wanting fiscal responisbility, but Bush is considerred conservative, and he is the antithesis of fiscal responsibility.

Answer 4

If you support fiscal responsibility and free markets, then you are a Clinton Democrat.

Conservative versus liberal is a stupid distinction to draw anyway. These labels are for feeble-minded people. Just be yourself.

Answer 5

And what's so bad about being conservative?

Answer 6

how do i become a conservative then?

in fact lets all become conservatives... not...

oh! sorry you are not in the uk...

wrong meeting... i'm outta here!

Answer 7

honestly.. do u think all these come under 'conservative' ism or patriotism??? can u please re-check yourself??

Answer 8

Welcome to the club....