Posted by
John Corson on Friday, July 18, 2008 10:47:36 PM
Recently I was asked what I considered to be the hallmarks of a social-economic and political conservative. Today I decided to codify my so-called Conservative Identity Factors listing ten items to which any S-E-P Conservative should subscribe. I print them here for your perusal:
1 - Limited Federal Government (in size and responsibilities). With a limited federal government lower taxes and lower spending resulting in fiscal responsibility would become the rule and not the goal;
2 - Personal Responsibility - self-reliance instead of governmental solutions to problems;
3 - Strong Defense and Homeland Security (that results in a staunch opposition to terrorism, communism and all forms of tyranny);
4 - Free Markets, Competitive Capitalism and Advancing Private Enterprise (this includes opposing capital gains and high corporate taxation that would be passed on to consumers - freedom to maintain private control of economic power and that government not compete with capitalism);
5 - Traditional Values - as espoused by our Founding Fathers (not just Evangelical Christian values only);
6 - Individual Liberties as based on the Bill of Rights;
7 - Elimination or Radical Modification of Entitlement Programs which call for Affirmative Action and Preferential Treatment advancing a quota system (this does not include the elimination of programs which assist the elderly and handicapped, but does include finding ways to Privatize Social Security and Medicare);
8 - Shifting the Control of and major funding to Education, Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Human Services to the states. The Federal Government would render little or no interference in the operation of those programs;
9 - State's Rights - That division of powers granted in the Constitution is summed up in the clause that reserves primacy to the several states, or to the people, in those spheres not specifically delegated to the Federal Government;
10 - Little or no preemptive use of the military or military aggression without due cause.
So far in the 2008 political races around the country, there is only candidate for the House of Representatives - Ron Paul of Texas, not one candidate for the U.S. Senate and only the Constitution Party's candidate for President - Chuck Baldwin - who would adhere to all 10 of these Factors! Are we ready for a new political party? Maybe. Can we rehabilitate the Republican Party to a basic return to the Goldwater-Reagan doctrine of true conservatism which once prevailed in the late 70's, 80's and 90's? Not likely!
For now, I guess the best solution is to solicit men and women which closely align themselves to most or all of these factors, motivate them to run for office and push for their election. This would be the real meaning of "Change" in the political arena.
In our current presidential contest, John McCain would hold fast to the second through sixth principles with a slight bow to the first and ninth. Barack Obama would possibly support only the last of these factors. So, I guess, we have a "somewhat" conservative candidate in McCain and a very liberal candidate in Obama.