Do Conservatives still believe in traditional conservative principles or have many become to partisan?

Question

I am a conservative and I will defend conservative principle to the end. However, current situations relating to the administration, specifically abuses of the Patriot Act and misrepresentations before Congress regarding the firing of federal prosecutors appear to have brought about a blind defense of the administration by many. Conservatives claim to be for equal justice under the law for all and yet many now appear to be holding a partisan position which sounds to me like equal justice only for those we don't agree with.

To Conservatives, I am interested in honest opinions, but please do not post about what the Democrats or liberals do because 2 wrongs do not make a right. You either believe in justice or you don't.

To liberals, again the same standard applies. Please remember people like William Jefferson and Harry Reid and the lack of calls from Democrats for investigation of their potential misdeeds before posting all conservatives are bad.

Answer 1

I also believe in conservative principles, and people continuously label me a liberal because I don't support the present administration. I don't consider Bush a conservative. To me he's more of a liberal who doesn't believe in abortion and gay rights. I think the line between liberalism and conservatism became blurred with Reagan. I also think believing in the politics of the candidate rather than the party started with Reagan also.
Vietnam was an extremely unpopular war. But, the anger over the war was never directed at LBJ nor Nixon, as it is today with Bush. Nixon, as we all know, broke several laws while in office and was held accountable. Reagan, who may have crossed the line with shady arms dealing, faced only a few questions and nothing more.
It is important that people in power be held to a rigid set of rules and abide by the law, regardless of who they might be. People need to stop personifying principles. The man is not the principle.

Answer 2

I think you've hit the nail on the head. People, by and large, don't know or remember what the politics of the party are...they know only what the politics of the candidates are. Arguments are about individuals, for the most part, not the ideologies of their party. And that certainly goes for both Liberals and Conservatives. As well, I think that this forum, by and large, displays the worst of both...and is really just a schoolyard for namecalling and attempts at bullying. But you will also see that kind of ignorant behaviour on certain 'news' broadcasts...so there is lots of proof of your claim out there...