I, Conservative

[Tab]

(or, "How do I conserve thee? - let me count the ways")

This is an expansion of a post I placed on another forum in response to a troll questioning what liberals conserve, if anything.

I think most liberals (myself included) are very conservative, but open to new ideas. For instance, we're fiscally conservative. Republicans used to chastise Democrats for being "tax and spend" but you know what? That was done in the right order - collect the money - THEN spend it. What we're doing now is racking up the national credit cards, and it's not conservative at all - it's reckless. That's nuts. It doesn't work at home, and it doesn't work at a national level.

We're conservative in national affairs. We think we should keep to our own, and CONSERVE our resources (military, defense) for when we NEED THEM, not blow them on some lark that has nothing to do with national defense, like, say, Iraq, which wasn't a problem until we stupidly went in there.

We think we should CONSERVE our youth - not send them out to be blown up, and in fact, try to educate them. We think we should CONSERVE our people, with decent health care and stem cell research to help those who can't get around.

In general, we believe in personal freedom and conservation of general assets that will benefit the common good.

We believe in conserving our pregnancies for when we want them. If an accidental pregnancy occurs, we believe in the right of going ahead with the pregnancy, or delaying it (yes, via abortion) until we are ready to give our personal resources - emotional, financial, etc. to our child. Right to choose doesn't mean abort, it means choose.

We believe in conserving our Constitution. It may need some tweaking here and there, but it should be done carefully and at a very slow and deliberate pace, not wholesale disregard for the spirit of the law.

We believe in conserving our reputation. Political capital, despite what some administration officials believe, is not an either-or proposition between being spent or being wasted. Political capital is to be conserved.

We believe in conserving our resources. Yes, we like to drive cars. Some of us have no choice, because of where we live and where we need to go. And yes, we like luxury. But needless wastefulness is not necessary. We want to conserve our oil, and if higher MPG adds an extra $500 to the cost of a brand new car, so what? We'll make that back in under a year with gas savings. We don't want to turn Maine into Dubai in 30 years.

We believe in conserving our planet. I'd like it to be in roughly the same condition 30 years from now that it is now. I find it very frustrating that not only do I have to defer certain travel until I'm older (and have the free money and time) but now I have to wonder if the damned place is going to be there at all!

And what do "conservatives" conserve? Money? Certainly not nationally - maybe for themselves. Righteous values? Not from what I've seen in the news. Most sex scandals seem to come from those who decry the lack of family values the most. Conserving the Constitution? It seems only when it suits them, mainly the second amendment. The rest of it? Well... not so much.

I don't know... seems like liberals are more conservative than, um, "conservatives".

What do you think?

[pocoloco]

1. They want to keep that "god damned piece of paper"!

[Perry Logan]

2. Conservatives conserve nothing. They destroy everything they touch.

[thoughtanarchist]

3. we're NOT fiscally conservative.

we're fiscally RESPONSIBLE.

Big difference nowadays.

Carry on.

:patriot:

[Democrats_win]

4. Technically,Conservate can also mean a discredited political ideal.

You know the one.

The one that talked about personal responsibility and then irresponsibily put a dolt in the White House.

The one that talked about making the right choices and then proceeded to make all the wrong choices. (Iraq when Osama was in Paki-Afghanistan)

The one that said actions have consequences and then refused to accept the consequences of the failed and crooked Bush presidency. (impeachment anyone?)

What the country really needs now, after the betrayal by our president and corporate America, is kindness. I used to feel sorry for corporations that lost so much money. Now that they are on top, we see how horrible they are. I sincerely doubt if we will see any kindness in this country. Conserervatively, I'm being a little pessimistic.