Conservative

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A '''conservative''' is one who adheres to principles of limited government, personal responsibility and moral virtue.  A conservative would likely agree with the statement in George Washington's [[Farewell Address]] that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" to political prosperity.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/49.htm United States Department of State] George Washington, farewell address, 1796</ref> Conservatism arose in the 19th century as a response to [[liberalism]], particularly as manifested in the [[French Revolution]].<ref>In addition, Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary has the following definition of conservative: "tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions : TRADITIONAL"[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/conservative]  Therefore, a conservative Christian would be one that tends to adhere to the doctrines of the early Christianity and [[Judeo-Christian]] values.</ref>
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Usually mad at the damn [[Liberal]]s.
  
== Conservatives in the United States ==
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While in general terms, a '''conservative''', politically, tends to be for the status quo, consistency, and traditional forms, and against change on the grounds that it might be for the worse, in [[Template:User more than this|America]] today the term has been conflated by many to include very narrow social and religious prescriptions.
  
In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by adherence to limited government, public morality and free enterprise.  Specifically, conservatives tend to adhere to the following principles:
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==American conservatism==
  
* A strong national defense
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Broadly and recently speaking, the conservative movement split along two paths, defined by Barry Goldwater's and Nelson Rockefeller's approaches.  Rockefeller's was a more traditional conservatism, calling for fiscal responsibility and minimal government intrusion into private affairs, both personal and commercial.  Goldwater conservatism, which found its successful avatar in [[Ronald Reagan]], was more reactionary, harking nostalgically for a time that never existed before modern changes that bother some people.  The center of the modern American conservative movement has incestuously been pushed further and further to the "right": with each success, the bar is moved; with each failure, it is likewise moved.  It now incorporates strong elements of fundamental Christianity<ref>Pandering to the fundamentialist Christian Right, on "issues" such as stem cell research and Terry Schiavo.</ref>, [[xenophobia]]<ref>Demonizing undocumented aliens, France-bashing</ref>, whatever racism they can get away with<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Golliwog&oldid=242427</ref>, warmongering<ref>The war in Iraq, threatening Iran, see also [[Chickenhawk]]</ref>, [[willful ignorance]] towards science, and a prideful nationalism, typicaly revealed as a loudly enunciated belief that "America is the greatest country in the World" <ref>http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/homeland/july-4-reagan.htm]</ref> (which leaves residents of other nations, large and small, understandably cheesed off).  While not all conservatives, obviously, embrace all these views, walking away from more than one or two can easily leave a politician "outside" the big tent.
* Return of prayer in school
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* The Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear Arms
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* Economic allocative efficiency (as opposed to popular equity)
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* Stronger law enforcement and anti-crime laws, including the death penalty
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* Parents, rather than school teachers, educating children about sex
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* Choice in education
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* Private medical care and retirement plans
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* Weakening or cancellation of failed social support programs
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* Prohibition of abortion
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* Opposition to same-sex marriage licenses
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* Support of laws against pornography
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* Generally opposed to the United Nations
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* Support enforcement of current laws regarding immigration
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* Support tightening of border security
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* Respect for our military ... past and present
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* Low taxes
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* Opening foreign markets to U.S. products
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About every 20-60 years a conservative has been elected president of the United States. Examples include:
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American conservatism has moved so far in some directions<ref>http://www.aclu.org/safefree/resources/17343res20031114.html</ref> (invasion of personal privacy<ref>[[USA Patriot Act|PATRIOT Act]], warrantless wiretapping </ref> and big government <ref>Transportation Security Agency, Medicare drug programme expansion</ref>for instance), that many traditional conservatives have been stranded in its wake, wondering what happened to the tenets of the movement they used to hold dear.
  
*[[George Washington]]
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==UK [[Tory|Conservative Party]]==
*[[James Monroe]]
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*[[James K. Polk]]
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*[[Grover Cleveland]]
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*[[William Howard Taft]]
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*[[Warren G. Harding]]
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*[[Ronald Reagan]]
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In America, most conservatives tend to align with the [[Republican Party]], but not exclusively so.
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The UK political party of this name would (probably) be defined as [[liberal]] by US conservatives. It supports public funded health care and has many Muslim members - a Muslim stood for  the Conservative Party in a recent parliamentary election (he lost).
  
== Conservative News Organizations ==
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==See Also==
Some of the more notable news organizations which tend to be more conservative are [[Fox News]], [[WorldNetDaily]], [[NewsMax]], and [[Cybercast News Service]].
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*[[Joseph Farah]]
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*[[Politically Incorrect]]
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*[[The South]]
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*[[Neocon]]
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*[[Paleocon]]
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*[[Rightism]]
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*[[Traditional values]]
  
== Conservative Magazines and Blogs ==
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==References and Notes==
Two well known conservative magazines in the United States are The Weekly Standard and the [[National Review]].
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<references/>
  
Some of the more notable [[Conservative political blogs|conservative political blogs]] are Power Line, Captain's Quarters, the blog of [[Michelle Malkin]], Newbusters, the Heritage Policy Weblog, and the Conservative Caucus blog.
 
 
== Neoconservatives ==
 
 
American commentators who ally themselves with the conservative movement but reject its religious or moral underpinnings are generally known as [[neoconservatives]], and they offer their own amoral definition:<ref>Jonah Goldberg, [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZWMxNWNiNDJkY2JmNTExY2E1MzdkYWU3MWU1MTBiOGU= "What Is a 'Conservative'?"], [[National Review|National Review Online]], 11 May 2005</ref>
 
 
In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by the following beliefs:
 
 
# A deep suspicion of the power of the state.
 
# A preference for liberty over equality.
 
# Patriotism.
 
# A belief in established institutions and hierarchies.
 
# Skepticism about the idea of progress.
 
 
==Conservatives in the United Kingdom==
 
 
In the United Kingdom the present parliamentary opposition party is called the [[Conservative Party]] and, as its name suggests, it holds traditional conservative views. Its current leader is [[David Cameron]].  In political policy the UK Conservatives are more closely aligned to the US Democrats, despite them being the most right of the main 3 parties.<ref>[http://www.conservatives.com Conservative party UK]</ref>
 
 
Up until the mid-19th century, the forerunners of the Conservatives were known as [[Tory|Tories]], and the name has persisted as a common nickname both for the political party and those believed to be in agreement with it.
 
 
There is generally a strong bias towards the nuclear family over other forms of cohabitation. Since the late 1970s, UK conservatives have been defined by an advocacy of [[Laissez-faire]] economics, privatization and lower taxation.<!-- Citations needed -->
 
 
Religion as a whole and biblical literalism in particular play only a very minor role in UK politics (arguably with the exception of Northern Ireland).
 
 
In common with conservatives in many other countries, UK Conservatives tend towards a Nationalist outlook, and are traditionally sceptical of the [[European Union]], although it was the Tory Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]] who took Britain into the [[EU|EEC]].
 
 
== See also ==
 
*[[Previous Breaking News/Conservatives|Articles about '''Conservatives''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
 
*[[More News/Conservatives|Articles about '''Conservatives''' from "More News"]]
 
*[[Conservative Links]]
 
 
== References ==
 
{{reflist|2}}
 
 
[[Category:Conservative|Conservative]]
 
 
[[Category:Politics]]
 
[[Category:Politics]]

Revision as of 19:21, 5 December 2007

Usually mad at the damn Liberals.

While in general terms, a conservative, politically, tends to be for the status quo, consistency, and traditional forms, and against change on the grounds that it might be for the worse, in America today the term has been conflated by many to include very narrow social and religious prescriptions.

Contents

American conservatism

Broadly and recently speaking, the conservative movement split along two paths, defined by Barry Goldwater's and Nelson Rockefeller's approaches. Rockefeller's was a more traditional conservatism, calling for fiscal responsibility and minimal government intrusion into private affairs, both personal and commercial. Goldwater conservatism, which found its successful avatar in Ronald Reagan, was more reactionary, harking nostalgically for a time that never existed before modern changes that bother some people. The center of the modern American conservative movement has incestuously been pushed further and further to the "right": with each success, the bar is moved; with each failure, it is likewise moved. It now incorporates strong elements of fundamental Christianity[1], xenophobia[2], whatever racism they can get away with[3], warmongering[4], willful ignorance towards science, and a prideful nationalism, typicaly revealed as a loudly enunciated belief that "America is the greatest country in the World" [5] (which leaves residents of other nations, large and small, understandably cheesed off). While not all conservatives, obviously, embrace all these views, walking away from more than one or two can easily leave a politician "outside" the big tent.

American conservatism has moved so far in some directions[6] (invasion of personal privacy[7] and big government [8]for instance), that many traditional conservatives have been stranded in its wake, wondering what happened to the tenets of the movement they used to hold dear.

UK Conservative Party

The UK political party of this name would (probably) be defined as liberal by US conservatives. It supports public funded health care and has many Muslim members - a Muslim stood for the Conservative Party in a recent parliamentary election (he lost).

See Also

References and Notes

  1. Pandering to the fundamentialist Christian Right, on "issues" such as stem cell research and Terry Schiavo.
  2. Demonizing undocumented aliens, France-bashing
  3. http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Golliwog&oldid=242427
  4. The war in Iraq, threatening Iran, see also Chickenhawk
  5. http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/homeland/july-4-reagan.htm]
  6. http://www.aclu.org/safefree/resources/17343res20031114.html
  7. PATRIOT Act, warrantless wiretapping
  8. Transportation Security Agency, Medicare drug programme expansion
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