sensate

The way things they like to imagine things used to be.

Nostalgic Pushhead

What I always wondered, was...
if liberals want change...
When they finally GET that change...
do they become the conservatives?

Yup. The glory of Rome and all that jazz.

They're comfortable, they don't want change.

Liberal's aren't comfortable, or they empathize with someone's uncomfort. So they want change.

Thats just how I view it. They're conserving their comfort.

There's some tenents of conservatism I agree with, but overall, its pretty backwards.

The Other Michael

Aren't most people who've self-labeled as "conservative" mostly reactionaries instead?

I suspect that conservative, like liberal, is one of those terms that has had the usage stray from the actual meaning.

It seems to me a true conservative would be a very strong proponent for individual liberty, yet that hardly seems the case of the typical "conservative".

cheers,
Michael

capsaicin67

However, it can be fun when talking with someone that considers themselves to be a Republican "conservative", and hasn't really examined what that means, to say that you're "too conservative" to want to destroy the environment and such. It puts a real monkeywrench in their harangue sometimes.

I side with the interpretation that Republican, political, conservatism, is about reluctance toward reforms, conserving the wealth of the wealthy [greed], survival of the strongest[bullying], and mythologizing the way they like to think things used to be even if they weren't [spin/rationalization]...?

Of course, their policies often fly into the face of preserving the "wealth" of nature/resources and responsible stewardship of the planet.

And I guess I'm just too conservative for that kind of irresponsibility and excess!

But that's not to say that I don't think that so-called conservatives ever have a stronger position or point on a particular issue. Pulling out my old saw, I don't find that the so-called liberal label is much more useful in real-world problem-solving nor that it's devotees are much less misguided or locked-in to an ideological bottleneck/dead-end than the former.

meritocrat

Personally I don't believe the ideology of conservatism has ever changed since it first emerged in the 19th century. The notions of gradual change are still relevant today as they were in the 1800's.

dcwolf

Something I don't understand about the religious right. They invoke their faith to support some of their agenda, but conveniently ignore the teachings of St. Francis in order to wreak havoc on the habitats of God's creatures. And the violent hositility towards "tree huggers" seems un-christian to me.

the_seeker

Well, there are the terms "Neo-Con" and "Paleo-Con." It would seem the two are tearing each other apart now.

pug846

Well, if you're going to take all the fun out of it...

I'll be interested to see what "real" conservatives think about Howard Dean.

Sojourner553

But it's so obvious:

They are trying to "conserve" their own pocket books.

The motto of the Republican Party really should be changed to:

"Mine"!

What's fascinating is seeing them twist New Testament radical liberal quotes by Jesus ("Blessed are the meek, the poor etc") to be in line with their ultra-conservatives politics.

My favorite "reinterpreted" verse is where Jesus says it is easier for a wealthy man to go through the eye of a needle than make it to heaven. (Conservatives speculate the "eye" must be a large opening in a rock formation so lots of rich people can really get to heaven....)

Don't get me started on this theme about Bush's interpretation of "compassionate" conservatism...

where one compassionately says "mine" (and still makes it to heaven through that large cavernous "eye")

LOL

m00ner

We're conserving ourselves and our hard-earned income.