What is a conservative?

Question

This is not a moot question. I see many people here who seek conservative livery and wonder if they really are or just jumping on the band wagon.

Answer 1

Please don't pay any attention to high_plains_drifter. He/she/it is just a-bashing folks he/she/it disagrees with.

In "The Federal Courts, Politics, and the Rule of Law," by John C. Hughes (published 1995), it says:

"In the contemporary political context, those who fear conformity have tended to describe themselves as liberal and have tended to applaud judicial 'protection' of human rights. Those who fear diversity have tended to call themselves conservatives and have been appalled by judicial 'usurpation' of the majority's discretion to form the kind of community it finds most conducive to its own happiness. The former tends to approve of the expansive theories of constitutional interpretation, while the latter tends to prefer the restrained theories of judicial review. These alignments are neither perfect nor inevitable, but the debate has surely been shrill."

Answer 2

Fiscal conservatives are for less government, less government regulation of business, less government spending and most of all LOWER taxes. Fiscal conservatives believe the country flourishes when private enterprise (everyday people) is allowed to flourish. This philosophy also takes on a literal interpretation of the Constitution and believes in ultimate free speech, the right to bear arms and personal financial responsibility (short term welfare only, personal spending accounts instead of social secrity, no affirmative action.)

Social conservatives are generally anti abortion, anti gay marriage, prayer in schools and think that the government ought to legislate morality.

Conservatives may be either, or, or both types though in my opinion the majority of Americans identify with fiscal conservatives. Even if they don't know it or refuse to acknowledge it.

Answer 3

A conservative believes in greed.

Think of a slave owner and you will understand a Conservative. This is not rhetoric, as you observe a Conservative, some might talk nicer than others but their actions always lead to the same thing, a slave owner, except the slaves are EVERYONE, not just blacks.

Thier ACTIONS prove who they really are.