I've been listening to and reading a lot of right wing pundits lately in their attacks on John McCain, and I've come to the conclusion that apparently I am not a "conservative". (Whatever the hell that term means these days.) Here is a list of reasons why, in many cases in direct responce to what I've seen in the last week or so. I still have plenty of problems with the left, but it's the right that is pissing me off right now. So here is my angry tirade. Many of the things I will point out are things that conservatives claim to believe, but you know what they say about actions and words.
- I believe the purpose of government is to handle the peoples' business. I do care more about "getting things done" than I do about partisan "ideological purity". If you don't agree, look at history and pick out the 10 most ideologically pure regimes the world has seen. Now ask yourself if these are the societies you would want to live in.
- I don't believe it is the purpose of government to push or in any way be involved in the promotion of religion. Especially my religion. And it bothers me to no end that my party has almost become the first religious party in American history.
- I could not care less what consenting adults are doing in their bedrooms.
-I don't believe cells in a petrie dish have the same human rights that I do.
- I believe (in agreement with the overwhelming consensus of scientists not on the oil company payrolls) in global warming. Apparently I'm not supposed to believe in global warming, evolution, gravity, or photosynthesis because it doesn't fit the agenda.
-I'm sick of faux-patriots who wrap themselves in the flag while destroying every constitutional principle it stands for.
- I don't believe the president has the constitutional authority to violate the first, fourth and fifth ammendments under ANY circumstance.
- I have a problem with the fact that we've gone from "give me liberty or give me death" to "take what you want, just don't let them hurt me".
- We have a system of checks and balances for a reason. The fact that the party that says it wants limited government has done more to expand the power of the government than any other in our history bugs the hell out of me.
-I hate euphemisms like "tough interrogation techniques". Yeah, I'm sure we send people to Egypt and Syria for "agressive interrogation".
-If I hear one more member of this administration use the phrase "I have no recollection of that" while testifying before congress about some scandal I am going to puke!
-I don't believe that the bible was intended as a science textbook, and I don't want it used as one in the public schools.
-While we're on that subject, I'd like foreign policy decisions that don't involve Jesus Christ riding out of heaven on a white horse. The child-like understanding of good and evil that pervades our country is also a sure sign that we are most likely living in a new dark age.
-I'm not going to trust what the government tells me without question. I believe the purpose of a free press is to ask the hard questions of those in power.
-I don't believe McCain-Feingold was anywhere near as unconstitutional as the presidents warrantless wire-tapping program and flagrant abuse of "executive privelege" which is worthy of impeachment and prison time.
- I'm not going to defend incompetence on partisan grounds.
-I'm not willing to distort history to obscure the fact that Reagan and George W. Bush have been the two least fiscally responsible debt-growers ever to inhabit the Oval Office. The numbers do not lie. (note: this is not meant as an attack on Reagan, who I respect on the whole. It is more of an attack on those who would make him out to be someone who walked on water and never made any mistakes and had no failings whatsoever.)
-I wish John McCain had stuck to his guns on the Bush tax cuts, saying "I voted against them because I said we would have massive deficits. Guess what we have now? Massive deficits."
-There is a difference between being pro-capitolism and pro-big business. For all the talk of a welfare state, we should start with an end to corporate welfare.
-I would like to see an end to policy being determined by political operatives, rather than experts in particular fields.
-Feel free to fight your "culture war" using means that don't involve government.
-This doesn't constitute a complete list on my part but it's enough for now.
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4 comments:
Being a conservative means surrendering your right to think for yourself these days, which is the exact opposite reason I was drawn to conservatism to start with.
That was an amazingly exhaustive laundry list of the sort so many republicans are hanging out in the wind to dry right now. I'm glad to know there are conservatives like you, and I think there are many many more. I really think you should think about coming over and joining "the dark side"! We liberals are more fun, more organized, and more thoughtful as a whole.
Anyway, I truly am sorry you had such a miserable experience. It's interesting how the Friar juxtaposed our two caucus stories together, eh!?
Sue, you forgot to mention better music on the left. For those of us who can't stand country music, the right has nothing to offer musically. I enjoyed your post about your caucus experience. It helped remind me just how lucky we are compared with most of the world who have no say over who rules over them.
Well this was quiet a laundry list and while I am still a proud conservative, a classic conservative unwilling yet to give up on my party I do understand were you are coming from.
I think part of your problem is that nonconservatives have coopted the conservative title and in some ways movement. I see you as a classic conservative like me.
You want smaller government, a respect for human life, policies that are based on logic and reason, less intrusion in peoples lives ( that means not giving a rip who they choose to love so long as its a consenting adult!)balanced budgets that do not lead to a nanny state, low taxes, a protection of religious freedom with a respect for the seperation between church and state, personal responsibility ( something liberals have long ago adandoned to the government), personal accountablity, a strong military, a foreign policy that is strong, fair, and just.
Conservatives like you and I will take back the movement steve, we will also take back the party. Get it out of peoples bedroom, more worried about compatent governance then about pushing relgion, and remind it of why we have won so often in the past.
I agree with you for the most part about the music on the other side being better. As for your friend who says that liberals have more fun thats none sense, every liberal I know is angry, mad about everything, unable to laugh at themselves or make light of anything for a fear that it might not be politically correct, most have no concept of personal responsiblity.
As I have said before I am a classic conservative because I am a logical rational adult, I base my politics on reason rather then how I "feel" which is what liberals base who and how they vote on. So I disagree with Sue on that one but thats ok.
Now if we can just get McCain elected that will do a good deal to remake the party into what it once was a right of center party that is competent, rational, and right on so many issues. Great post buddy.
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