Why do we call republicans Conservative?

Question

It seems excessive spending by the republicans is not conservative in nature .. This is an honest observation please dont bash either party simply give an educated reply ..

Answer 1

You're right, conservatism was always about fiscal responsbility, which meant that the budget must be brought into balance by raising taxes or cutting spending or some combination of both.

This limited the appeal of conservatism. 8^) So in the 1980 election Reagan came up with a better idea, or at least a more attractive one. He said we could balance the budget by spending more and taxing less. Understandably this idea was VERY popular. It was like one of those diets where you lose all the weight you want by eating only chocolate and Mexican food.

But it had the great charm, in those days, of never having been tried. It -was- tried and it failed spectacularly! But well into his second term, after he had tripled the entire national debt, Reagan was still saying that his tax cuts would make revenues rise to make up for the loss. And both Republican presidents since then have tried the same tactic. It's just too easy for a president to spend money as if debt just doesn't matter, and then when the inevitable consequences come a few years down the road, blame them on the next president.

Strangely, today it's the Democrats who are the party of fiscal responsibility and moderation. The Republicans have completely lost sight of what conservatism used to mean. Today they are the party of selfishness and instant gratification, the party of intolerance and exclusion, the party of slimy politics.

Answer 2

I don't. I'm curious every time I read the word. I always wonder just what does this person mean when they say conservative? Other then arguing against anything that helps the American people and would cost tax dollars, I don't see a single area where republicans are conservative. They see no problem with tax dollars on defense spending, the military and war. Their answer to the ever dwindling supply of oil, drill more holes. Global warming, it's a political ploy, a hoax. An expanded and expanding government, a Patriot Act, corruption, lack of accountability, shabby morals, Ted Haggard, Mark Foley, while damning gays and abortion. Tell me, what is conservative about today's republican party?

Answer 3

That is an old label which referred to candidates and party members who no longer exist (eg: Goldwater) or have a legitimate voice in their party (eg: Pat Buchanan, Bill Buckley, or Ron Paul).

There is nothing conservative about running massive deficits and debt, invading other countries without justification or a declaration of war by Congress, increasing federal spending on entitlement programs (NCLB, Medicare Drug Program, etc.), and increasing the size of government by nearly 50%.

The current crop in the White House and Congress are a bunch of liberals in Republican clothing.

Don't be fooled.

near_life_experience- FYI: The national debt was $5.6 trillion when Bush took office and just surpassed $9 trillion. That is $3.4 trillion using conventional mathematics.

Answer 4

Its the same reason why we call all democrats liberals, people forget that "liberal" and "conservative" mean very different things from "republican" or "democrat." I don't know that most Americans know the meaning, honestly.

The media also plays into it. Its the whole red state vs. blue state phenomenon.

Answer 5

Not all Republicans are conservative. Republican is the name of a political party. Conservative is a political philosophy.

Answer 6

Not all Republicans are Conservative.

Answer 7

I sure don't. That is .. automatically associate Republicans with conservative. Hagel, Snowe, Collins, Specter in the Senate. I'd rather have a Democrat in all their places. I'd rather be in minority than have these RINOs wasting valuable office space.

Answer 8

The republicans are normally against abortion and gays.

They agree with the Bible and God.

Democrats are against God and want to murder babies by another name and are for gays. This is not for God.

They are liberal.

I am not bashing, but giving you an honest plain spoken answer.

Answer 9

Most Republicans tend to be conservatives.

Most Democrats tend to be liberals.

However, you can have a liberal Republican. For example: Rudy G.

And you can have a conservative Democrat. For example: Zell Miller

Being a conservative or liberal is just a political philosophy.

Answer 10

Republicans started acting like Commie Democrats.
A Mistake.
The Republican Voters punished them.