What kind of Conservative are you?

[The Bubba Effect]

During this difficult chapter in our country's history, I find myself taking an inventory of my values and political beliefs and wondering where I fit in, politically. Some of the things I value most are family, defense of the innocent, right to self defense, right to self determination, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, small government, control over one's own body and perhaps the most important, personal freedom.

In contemplating these values and my place in the Conservative tradition, I try to put a fine point on exactly what kind of conservative am I.


I looked up different types of conservatives: Regan Conservatives, Jeffersonian Conservatives, Paleo Conservatives, Fiscal Conservatives, etc, etc. None of these really "felt right" to me. Many had pieces that I agreed with, but most also had bits that made me shudder and wonder how they got so far off track.

Then, while listening to my Waylon Jennings station on Pandora, it hit me.

I think I am a "Charlie Daniels" conservative (Charlie Daniels' letter to Obama). If you listen to "Long Haired Country Boy" and "Simple Man", you get a decent representation of probably 90% of my political stance in just those two songs.

So that's me, I'm a "Charlie Daniels Conservative". What kind of conservative are you?

 

[Tombs]

Well I believe to get there a different path will be necessary, but ultimately I'm the type of conservative that believes any action or state of being that doesn't infringe on the rights of others is your right as a human being.

It'll be a long road before that kind of thinking has any practical application though. Kind of hard to just slap a label on yourself with political ideology, especially if you believe in pragmatism before ideology.

 

[rob63]

I listened to Simple Man... so, you believe you should have the right to hang people conducting business deals that you disagree with? I know some anti-gunners that feel the same way.

I am being facetious and don't really mean to pick on you; I would guess that Charlie Daniels was thinking more in terms of the violent drug gangs when he wrote those lines about hanging drug dealers, but it illustrates a point about trying to classify yourself. We seldom consistently stick to the principals we espouse. Jefferson was a small-government Jeffersonian Republican except for when he was offered the chance to purchase all of that Louisiana territory and then he abandoned every principal regarding the limits of executive power that he had ever argued for. He wrote the most elegant words ever written about individual liberty, but owned slaves.

Like him, I am an advocate of small-government and individual liberty, except for when I'm not.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Just to the right of Dirty Harry.

 

[Kutnupe14]

During this difficult chapter in our country's history, I find myself taking an inventory of my values and political beliefs and wondering where I fit in, politically. Some of the things I value most are family, defense of the innocent, right to self defense, right to self determination, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, small government, control over one's own body and perhaps the most important, personal freedom.

In contemplating these values and my place in the Conservative tradition, I try to put a fine point on exactly what kind of conservative am I.


I looked up different types of conservatives: Regan Conservatives, Jeffersonian Conservatives, Paleo Conservatives, Fiscal Conservatives, etc, etc. None of these really "felt right" to me. Many had pieces that I agreed with, but most also had bits that made me shudder and wonder how they got so far off track.

Then, while listening to my Waylon Jennings station on Pandora, it hit me.

I think I am a "Charlie Daniels" conservative (Charlie Daniels' letter to Obama). If you listen to "Long Haired Country Boy" and "Simple Man", you get a decent representation of probably 90% of my political stance in just those two songs.

So that's me, I'm a "Charlie Daniels Conservative". What kind of conservative are you?

In the letter from CD, he takes issue with the president because he hasn't taken action on the "small army of thugs and criminals." A couple of days ago Kirk Freeman indicated he would potentially have issue with CD's thinking. Since you have similar views, what do you expect the president to do? I ask, because of noteworthy current events, people have said that the best thing the president could've done, was not say anything at all. I guess I'm asking what you think a president should do.

 

[indiucky]

I'm a "guard the coast, tote the mail, stay the &*^& out of everything else" kind of conservative...

 

[edporch]

I'm closest to a constitutional conservative/classic liberal (not to be confused with liberals of today which are tyrants and socialists).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism

 

[snorko]

I'm a "guard the coast, tote the mail, stay the &*^& out of everything else" kind of conservative...

I had an appraisal instructor years ago who espoused that. Of course, he was from Texas.

I'm closest to a constitutional conservative/classic liberal (not to be confused with liberals of today which are tyrants and socialists).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism

Close as it gets for me too.

 

[historian]

I'm a classical liberal for the most part. I believe, unlike many on this board, that the government does have a role to play in the ordering of society. I believe that those places the government has a very specific task and should do them well. I think that the federal government has a job to maintain infrastructure, whether that be through the building of roads, ensuring that there is fair access to essential functions, and ensuring that trans-state issues are resolved. I think that currently there is too much federal government and largess, and too little state responsibility. I oppose the trend of coercive or cooperative federalism and believe that the federal government should be responsible for what it builds, and the states responsible for what they build (thus the federal government runs the interstate system completely, and the states run their local roads accordingly). I also believe, as a Republican, that the job of the Federal government is to prevent the infringement of liberty by the states (thus I support the 13-15th Amendments).

 

[T.Lex]

What kind of conservative am I?

Frustrated.

 

[PaulF]

I don't even know if I am a conservative anymore.

I agree with historian, largely...the federal government has a place, but it needs to be precisely defined, and limited to those ends.

I have always thought that one of America's great strengths is our diversity...we have the potential to be a "marketplace of ideas and ideals" when it comes to public policy and government...but we aren't really living up to that potential.

With 50 different states, we have the oppurtunity to have 50 vastly different socio-economic and political realities competing for sunlight at the same time...we could, potentially, use this to determine what works best in various situations, and allow people to choose for themselves under what type of government they would like to live.

New Yorkers, for instance, could be free to turn their state into a socialist paradise, and see what the resulting outcomes are. By contrast, Idaho could choose full anarchro-capatilism and see what happens. The rest of us would be free to choose what system in which to participate, or to mold our own systems more closely to those that function in ways we find appealing.

Our Federal government, however, has largely gutted our ability to realize this diversity in practice, in the name of equality and "fairness"...two concepts that are almost entirely academic in nature.

Personally, I believe sovereignty resides fully within the individual, Liberty is the natural order, and all government requires active consent of the governed...

...I don't know, what kind of conservative am I?

 

[rob63]

Personally, I believe sovereignty resides fully within the individual, Liberty is the natural order, and all government requires active consent of the governed...

...I don't know, what kind of conservative am I?

Considering the way things are I would guess that you are probably this kind...

What kind of conservative am I?

Frustrated.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Not surprisingly, I would consider myself a Christian conservative. The Declaration of Independence got it right: we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. You have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because God, the highest authority/Creator, gave mankind those rights.

Probably my favorite scene in a movie is at the end of V for Vendetta when she's about to send off the bomb to blow up Parliement. Mr. Government shows up with a pistol and says something to the effect of, "Stop, take your hand of that lever." She very calmy turns to him and says, "No." It's a very small thing, but a very powerful thing.

Basically, I agree with this:
Declaration of Independence - Text Transcript

 

[The Bubba Effect]

In the letter from CD, he takes issue with the president because he hasn't taken action on the "small army of thugs and criminals." A couple of days ago Kirk Freeman indicated he would potentially have issue with CD's thinking. Since you have similar views, what do you expect the president to do? I ask, because of noteworthy current events, people have said that the best thing the president could've done, was not say anything at all. I guess I'm asking what you think a president should do.

With respect, I refuse to answer this question honestly in an open public forum, or even privately except among people who I expect to understand the logic of my proposals. I would also rather not lie or hem and haw about it, so I respectfully decline to answer the question.

 

[Kutnupe14]

With respect, I refuse to answer this question honestly in an open public forum, or even privately except among people who I expect to understand the logic of my proposals. I would also rather not lie or hem and haw about it, so I respectfully decline to answer the question.

That's fine. I respect your decision to do so. As a matter of fact, I respect you MORE, for being honest, and not feeding me a line.

 

[MindfulMan]

I'm a "guard the coast, tote the mail, stay the &*^& out of everything else" kind of conservative...

I like the way that you think, indiucky ...... and I'm right there with your sentiments !

 

[Leadeye]

Being semi retired and living in the woods gives me the benefit of living life on terms that I set myself and easily staying out of the way of others.

 

[MisterChester]

I don't really consider myself to be conservative but I do share some positions. I'm not socially conservative, but I'm fiscally conservative. If conservatives as a group evolve their social platform towards more freedom I can get on board.

 

[SSGSAD]

Well, FIRST, I am a CHRISTIAN
then I am an AMERICAN,
I am a MARINE,
Soldier .....

Politacally, I am a

RIGHT WING, CHRISTIAN, CONSERVATIVE,

Ronald Reagan Republican,

and a PROUD VOTING MEMBER of the TEA Party .....

Because we are all Taxed Enough ALREADY !!!!!

 

[Kutnupe14]

Well, FIRST, I am a CHRISTIAN
then I am an AMERICAN,
I am a MARINE,
Soldier .....

Politacally, I am a

RIGHT WING, CHRISTIAN, CONSERVATIVE,

Ronald Reagan Republican,

and a PROUD VOTING MEMBER of the TEA Party .....

Because we are all Taxed Enough ALREADY !!!!!

I probably would've left out the Ronald Reagan part. His legacy isn't holding up too well.