What is a "conservative"?

[kentuck]

Is it someone who follows the doctrine of Ronald Reagan? Or is it anyone who believes in lower taxes and smaller government? Is it possible to be a Democrat and believe in "smaller" government? Or is it anyone who believes in a strong defense? And can "liberals" also believe in a strong defense? What is your definition of a "conservative"??

[Deep13]

1. One who tries to turn selfishness and greed into virtues.

[lonestarnot]

3. Well said!

:applause:

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. One who wants to eat his cake and steal yours, too.

[baldguy]

4. 3 million yrs ago, the ape ancestors of humans descended from the trees for life on the savanna.

The apes that stayed in the trees are ancestors of conservatives.

[davhill]

5. Someone who conserves

All his own power and wealth at any cost

[CrispyQ]

11. Zang! Good one!

:thumbsup:

[CrispyQ]

6. Funny how one of our more popular liberal pieces is

"Joe Conservative" which points out the liberal policies & programs that have contributed to Joe's life. I wish the conservatives had something like that, although I guess it would have to be written from the viewpoint of someone very rich, since pretty much only the rich benefit under conservatives.

To answer your question, I think the crux of the difference between conservatives & liberals is that liberals value community more. Conservatives are more "everyone for themselves" whereas liberals are more "we're all in this together." Liberals realize that when the entire community prospers, everyone prospers. They are willing to share the wealth, knowing they will benefit as well, whereas conservatives want it all for themselves.

[rudeboy666]

16. Not so fast

'Conservatism' is as diverse as 'Liberalism' when considered as a specific political doctrine.

Selfishness vs. Community?

Libertarian-con? Self

Traditionalist-con? Community

Reagan was a combination of both i.e. having allegiance to free market libertarians while pandering to religious conservatives.

[phiddle]

7. The current version: all "con", and no "serve".

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. Well done!

:applause:

[BOSSHOG]

8. I find people who call themselves "conservatives" today

are selfish and hypocritical. Believing constitutional liberties only apply to them, and others not like them must change or forget about constitutional liberties. They rely on the bible to justify their hate of others and yet pass on the parts of the bible which would make their lives uncomfortable to live. They believe its okay to fall off their moral wagon on occasion; because since they are "conservatives" they get a lifetime supply of mulligans. They are deluded into believing that one must be a "conservative," nay a "christian conservative" to call oneself a patriot. That is how I see people who call themselves "conservative" today. I find them reprehensible and a threat to our constitution.

[magellan]

9. Someone who wants to force their morals and ethics on everyone else

...but usually doesn't care to practice them themselves.

[Zambero]

14. Barry Goldwater disavowed them

Even Mr. Conservative himself roundly condemned the actions of those religious zealots and pious hypocrites who defined themselves as espousing conservative values. I didn't agree with some of his positions, but unlike most post-Reagan era (so-called) conservatives, he wouldn't have been caught dead kissing Jerry Falwell's ass.

[Zambero]

10. One who's self-centered and doesn't care one iota about the well-being of others

Unless it doesn't cost them anything. Enter social issues such as gay rights and reproductive rights. A conservative has only to voice opposition to these rights, which earns immediate entry into the wonderful realm of "moral values". And hey, it's totally free. No need to cough up any extra cash to help those in need, improve education, protect the environment, or pay down the debt that's grown exponentially under trickle-down economic policies. Conservatism represents the ultimate in self-serving sacrifice, with essentially nothing sacrificed in the process!

[cali]

12. Here's an example of what a conservative

once was, and should be again. This kind of conservative I have nothing but respect for.


Former Sen. Robert Stafford, a staunch environmentalist and champion of education whose name is familiar to countless college students through a loan program named for him, died Saturday. He was 93.

<snip>


Stafford, who once considered himself conservative, even hawkish, wasn't shy about bucking presidents of his own party. He led a successful effort to override President Reagan's veto of amendments that strengthened the Clean Water Act, and tangled with industry when he believed it was thwarting efforts to clean the environment.

<snip>

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2006/12/24/robert_stafford_93_champion_of_education_the_environment/


Conservatives like Stafford believed in small but responsible government and they weren't bigots, as evidenced by this statement from Stafford in 2000:

"I consider that love is one of the great forces in our society and especially in our state of Vermont," Stafford said days before the election. "It occurs to me that even if a same-sex couple unites in love, what harm does that do anybody or any society? So I felt compelled to come here and say that."

There were actually many republicans like Stafford once. Now the repuke party is solely the purview of reactionaries. They've chased all the Staffords out.

[Ian_rd]

13. I wrote recently how "conservatives" were being replaced by Republicans

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Ian_rd/6

During the Bush administration, conservatives have become an endangered species. You rarely see them on television anymore (Pat Buchanan is one of the few survivors). They have largely been replaced by a cult-like group of Bush worshippers (the current brand of Republicans), who will modify their philosophy as needed to suit whatever President Bush happens to be doing at the current moment.

[opihimoimoi]

15. A CONSERVATIVE....? After years of their shit.....they have evolved into a bunch of CRAP

Far worse than ever imagined....

Nefarious, Selfish, Easily Fooled, Ridgid, Persistent, Deceptive, Manipulative, Underminers, Duplicitous, Abusers, Bullys, Greedy,
Vain, Arrogant, Narrow minded, and many other Negative signs....

The Neo Conservatives have succeeded in making the term CONSERVATIVE a very bad one...the equivilent of being Brainwashed, unable to think and see the Facts, Truth, Common Sense,......all the way to the other side.... up to being assholes....

Look at Danny Hastert....unable to pass the Gavel to Nancy...what a sure sign of being a Conservative ASSHOLE...SORE LOSER

[valerief]

17. Someone who conserves their generosity. nt

[mandyky]

18. See my post about John Dean's book

They think ideology scares the public and are proud they can't be defined.

I think conservatives, esp those in power today are dishonest, win at any cost, and using the Religious Right to undo the Constitution.

Conservatives without Conscience is a great book to look into their mindset.

[MGD]

19. A person with two perfectly good feet that is, never-the-less, unable to walk forward.

Credit to FDR for that one.

[Ian David]

20. Conservative: One who is against (con) service.

[LeftishBrit]

21. I think there are two major, related but not identical, meanings

One is simply a person who is, to a greater or lesser degree, suspicious of change, and wants to preserve the 'status quo'.

The second is a person who feels that policies should favour the 'strong' and powerful in society at the expense of those in a socially, economically or physically weaker position. Conservatives can justify such views on many grounds: religious ("God made them high or lowly/ And ordered their estate"); pseudo-Darwinian ("survival of the fittest"); economic ("We need incentives for people to work hard and produce results"); pseudo-moral ("Welfare demoralizes people and encourages dependency"); "just-world" ("In the long run, people get what they deserve in this world, and the rich and powerful are so for a reason"); blatantly selfish ("I'm all right Jack, and the devil take the hindmost!"); and/or conservative in the first sense ("It's too bad that some people are poor, but interfering too much in the natural order of things will result in chaos!"). The details of such conservativism can vary according to who are in fact the most powerful people in a particular society: feudal lords, yuppie businessmen, Stalinist apparatchiks, religious leaders, generals, top managers, Mafia bosses, 'celebrities', etc. But what they have in common is that they entitle the powerful not only to oppress the powerless but to feel ideologically justified in doing so.

I feel that conservativism of the first sort does play a valuable role in society: not as an ideal major governing force, but as a check to unbridled change. Not all changes are bad; but not all changes are good either. Cars can't run just on their brakes, but they do need brakes, and that is an important function of conservatives. Conservativism in the second sense is a bad thing IMO, but a very pervasive one.

I think it is important, as Cali remarked, to recognize that not all 'conservative' politicians are the same, and they range all the way from moderates, even moderate progressives, to hard-line right-wing fanatics. There is a difference between a Macmillan and a Thatcher, between a Bush and a Chirac, and lumping *all* conservatives together as equally evil may risk failing to spot the most dangerous people. Not that I've ever voted Conservative, I hasten to add.