Can Conservatives ever be right?

[thom1102]

Yesterday we had a big row about NYC GLBT High School where people were arguing its merits. This morning on the Today show, Katie interviewed the director of the Hetrick Martin Institute (the people who operate the high school), and the leader of the Conservative Party in NY. The Conservative Party leaders used the same (exactly the same) arguments against the school that were used here on DU yesterday.

That in mind, can the conservative ideology ever be right?

[AntiCoup2K4]

1. Sure they can....

Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ike Eisenhower, and other conservatives have all had valid ideologies. John McCain is right some of the time, and even Pat Buchanan, scary as he is, has been correct far more than wrong, in his assessment of the PNAC agenda.

The Bush Criminal Empire & PNAC aren't conservatives, they are fascists.

[thom1102]

2. In Sid Blumenthal's Clinton Wars,

He describes both Lincoln and Roosevelt as Progressive Presidents. I agree with him, since what they sought to do was change government, so that it better represents the people it serves.

[turdinthepunchbowl]

3. 36, from the midwest

And having a family line that is Missouri Democrat, I'm seeing many things that remind me of my grandpa on here. Honestly, I think I hit the conservative mark alot of the time.
Remembering my grandpa talk, in the early 70's, is much like hearing conservatives talk now. He worked two welding jobs to provide for 6 boys. Slept in his car on the side of the road sometimes because of it. He held many values that I think are now held by moderates and even conservatives.
People that need help can get it. Old people are taken care of. I think he would be for means testing if he were alive today. He came through the depression, and knew what it TRULY meant to have nothing.
And as such, he believed that if he didn't need the assistance, that he shouldn't accept it.
I'm at work, so I can't go more in depth right now, but I'm thinking that many democratic values from "back then" are actually conservative values today. Somewhere they flip-flopped.

[whoYaCallinAlib]

5. That is so true . . . the repukes have co-opted so many

democratic values. By the way, welcome to DU!



:hi: :toast: :hi: :bounce: :party: :hi: :toast: :hi:

[turdinthepunchbowl]

8. Thanks

I'm not so sure on the co-opting.
Recently, yes.
But overall, I think in years past, true conservatives, not gov't type people or typers on the innerweb, are the ones who carry on the JFK type values. I've seen "real" conservatives described as "traditional liberals". How's that for confusing? In many ways, JFK would be a Republican by today's defenition of things.

[Drifter]

4. There is nothing wrong with Conservative values ...

I consider myself more liberal than conservative. Not all conservitive values / ideas are bad. I happen to be a Fiscal Conservative. This does not mean emptying the bank account to give to the people I know that don't need it. It does mean spending within my means, and helping others when they need it and I can afford it.

The problem is that the Neo-Cons, have taken these concepts, distorted them, magnified them, dropped some acid, and are now spreading horrible ideas under the guise of Conservativism.

Cheers
Drifter

[JHB]

6. As the hoary old saying goes...

"A broken clock is right twice a day".

"Conservative" covers a wide area, and while certain "patches" of that area are unfathomable to me, I think we share many of the same basic values as (some, mostly small-fry) conservatives, but are at odds with how those values and the law interact. Of course, then there's the "pure evil" types, which they have a lock on...

[bowens43]

7. When they agree with me

they're right ;-)

What amazes me is the people here at DU who accuse you of being anti-gay if your opinion differs from theirs on any issue that they perceive as a gay rights issue.

I am opposed to segregation, voluntary or not. By their logic being opposed to all white or all black schools makes me a racist. We need to solve the problems they face, I just don't believe that a separate school is the way to do it. That makes me anti-gay or believer in conservative ideology?

[thom1102]

9. I just want to be clear here,

I never accused you of being antigay, and I don't want to get back into the gay school argument again. I wanted to question (and this issue posed a good example) whether the other side can have a valid point on an issue, and still be the enemy?