« Plunging Dollars - Hungry People | Main | PawnLand »
Conservatism vs. Freedom
By John | July 16, 2009
Conservative spokespersons like Rush Limbaugh, Shawn Hannity and Ann Coulter claim that conservatism is the answer to our current economic debacle and that the majority of Americans are conservative. Polls indicate otherwise.
The news media would have you believe that all Americans can be placed neatly in one of two categories: Conservative or Liberal. If there are any left over, they must be Undecided, and still trying to choose into which camp they belong. I believe this perception is more than an over-simplification – it is an outright distortion of the truth.
America’s claim to fame – and its historical tradition – is one of freedom. Freedom is what made our country’s founding unique – the idea that government derived its power from the consent of the governed – the idea that government was to have its authority restricted to only specific functions – the idea that individual citizens were to be allowed to make decisions for themselves, as long as those decisions did not infringe upon the freedom of others – the idea that the individual was to be valued more than the collective. These were the unique characteristics of the American form of government, a form of government that not only flourished for over two centuries, but succeeded beyond the wildest dreams of its creators.
Neither conservative nor liberal can claim to represent this tradition. In fact, both repudiate it in favor of their own vision for America.
Liberals would have an all-powerful government – a nanny-state – that cares for everyone. They advocate government health care, government energy programs, government welfare and government education. In each case, to provide these benefits, the government must take first, before giving, thereby taking away personal freedom. (Freedom from want is not a right.)
Conservatives are more subtle. They constantly advocate less government and more freedom, at least with respect to economic issues. However, conservatives would constrain your freedom with respect to personal issues. They would close our borders (Do you really think they are primarily concerned about terrorists?), outlaw pornography, outlaw abortion, make Christianity the national religion and spend billions of dollars (and fill up the prisons) fighting their war on drugs. (Freedom to make bad decisions, as long as they don’t impact others, is a right.)
What America wants and needs is principled leadership. As a matter of principle (and constitutional requirement), the Federal Government is assigned the primary responsibility of protecting the freedom of its citizens. However, elected officials have abandoned that responsibility, have hijacked the government, and turned that government into the greatest threat to freedom its citizens face.
Liberals hijack the government and, acting on behalf of their constituents, turn the U.S. into a nanny-state. Conservatives hijack the government and, acting on behalf of their constituents, turn the U.S. into a police state.
Polls would seem to confirm that most Americans want the country its founders envisioned. They respect the Constitution. They want freedom. And, given that freedom, are willing to accept personal responsibility for fulfilling their own wants and needs.
Conservativism, in its present form, is not what Americans want.
Topics: Government Excesses |