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Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 6:24 pm
I was doing some reading that led me to something interesting. Apparently during the 60s just after Lyndon Johnson crushed the Republicans on the coattails of Kennedy's popularity a large number of hyper religious Democrats left for the Republican party for a number of reasons. This allowed the Republicans to rebuild into a new party basically. However outside of some racism and being super religious these people that came over were not Conservative at all. That got me wondering if the Republicans are really Conservative at all as
- They often initiate wars of aggression where conservatism would dictate isolatism
- They frequently have large governments
- they advocate against civil liberties
- they advocate greater government involvement in people's personal lives
- that oft advocate against the separation of church and state.
So can someone please exain in what way are the Republicans Conservative?
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 6:58 pm
They claim the title.
It is a title like christian. So derogatory that anyone who wants it can have it as far as I am concerned.
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 7:10 pm
By European standards they are rightwing extremists.
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 7:23 pm
(July 17, 2015 at 6:58 pm)Minimalist Wrote: They claim the title.
It is a title like christian. So derogatory that anyone who wants it can have it as far as I am concerned.
I can call myself a duck. Won't make me one
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 7:50 pm
(This post was last modified: July 17, 2015 at 7:55 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Conservatism, held at arms length and assessed only for what it is by it;ls own claim, implies that one should resist change. That's really all there is to it. They seek to -conserve- traditional institutions and conceptions.
The rest is just branding. A conservative can easily be pro-war, pro big government, con civil liberty, pro increased domain, con secularism. All they need to do is point to a tradition of any of these things, and there's no shortage on any count, and they;ve satisfied the basic meaning of the term "conservative". Our parties, btw, have essentially "switched places"...more than once. Used to be that the democrats were the corporate whoring busybodies. The republican party was once the party of the "little man".......Just saying.....
It's so pronounced, that my bigoted grandfather, a lifelong republican -and- deep, deeeeeeep racist....voted for a democrat for the first time in his life.....in Barack Obama......mull that shit over.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Dementia?
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 17, 2015 at 8:03 pm
(This post was last modified: July 17, 2015 at 8:07 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Not in the least.....let me give you a little insight into the mind of the man that;s held down the lady with the those bicep cannons all these years. He'd rather see a [go ahead...fill in the blank] president, than the rest of these sons of bitches. That was his explanation...verbatum. I'm guessing that he was -extremely- disappointed by the republican field.......... three of his four grandchildren were active duty at the time as well..probably played a part (the fourth was too young but already dreaming).
I get my mouth from him, btw, if anyone ever wondered...lol.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 18, 2015 at 1:27 pm
(July 17, 2015 at 7:23 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (July 17, 2015 at 6:58 pm)Minimalist Wrote: They claim the title.
It is a title like christian. So derogatory that anyone who wants it can have it as far as I am concerned.
I can call myself a duck. Won't make me one
Conversely, nearly anyone can claim christianity and not fear being challenged on it, particularly and especially the 'conservatives'.
Christ couldn't be a 'Christian' in America these days, he'd be the only one drummed out of the club for all his 'feed the pooor' bullshit.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 18, 2015 at 2:02 pm
(July 17, 2015 at 7:50 pm)Rhythm Wrote: Conservatism, held at arms length and assessed only for what it is by it;ls own claim, implies that one should resist change. That's really all there is to it. They seek to -conserve- traditional institutions and conceptions.
The rest is just branding. A conservative can easily be pro-war, pro big government, con civil liberty, pro increased domain, con secularism. All they need to do is point to a tradition of any of these things, and there's no shortage on any count, and they;ve satisfied the basic meaning of the term "conservative". Our parties, btw, have essentially "switched places"...more than once. Used to be that the democrats were the corporate whoring busybodies. The republican party was once the party of the "little man".......Just saying.....
It's so pronounced, that my bigoted grandfather, a lifelong republican -and- deep, deeeeeeep racist....voted for a democrat for the first time in his life.....in Barack Obama......mull that shit over.
As long as you point out the traditional orientation in society you can justify conservatism - If your society favors big government, then being a conservative entails supporting big government.
Honestly, given that America has only known classical liberalism as its primary ideological component (and hence the emphasis on individual rights seen with disdain by Europeans) I think American conservatism must consist in supporting the stricter, most loyal and literal interpretation of the constitution - So basically classical liberalism, small governments, individual rights, the 2nd amendment, etc.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
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RE: Are Republicans Conservative?
July 18, 2015 at 2:19 pm
(This post was last modified: July 18, 2015 at 2:31 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Indeed, but since that traditional orientation is, at least in part, comprised of the arguers own opinions of what our culture was predominantly concerned with at some unspecified point in time......it;s a movable feast. Our traditions have (and continue to) change, at what point along that timeframe is a conservative allowed to draw justification? Given the breadth of the field - conservatives have plenty of options to stay true to the letter of the word, even if both you and I think that staying true to the spirit of the word is fairly well confined within those boundaries you just listed (with the caveat that I began this response with, of course.....that's -our- opinion of the status of tradition in this country over -our- preferred timeframe, leaving out those bits we don't want included going forward). A person could advocate for segregation or even slavery and be "conservative" - so what about those individual rights again? A person could argue that our society is traditionally christian (constitution be damned, 2nd and all) - and still be "conservative".
Many conservatives -do- claim to advocate for those things you mentioned, of course, as do many republicans (whether or not they -actually- advocate for them is another issue entirely, lol).
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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