(First, let me be clear that this is not a blanket attack on everyone who calls themselves a conservative. The people who identify with the term vary widely. The term as I am using it is applied to the public faces of the Republican Party seeming majority as portrayed by such “luminaries” as Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Santorum, Gingrich, Boehner, and that creepy looking ‘lets turn medicare into a voucher’ guy… Paul Ryan.)
Conservative. Con. Servitude. Stagnation. Stuck.
You hear a lot about how “Conservatives” are all about Freedom, Liberty and the Constitution.
I would challenge anyone to point out a reality based example of a modern “Conservative” actually championing those ideals.
The Right Wing shouts of “Freedom and Liberty” come with a lot of ‘Except’ clauses.
“We value Freedom to make your own choices! Except of course, if you choose to not be the right kind of Christian, to marry someone of the same sex, to have an abortion, to buy alcohol on Sunday, to smoke anything other than tobacco, to heal yourself using products we can’t patent, to organize Labor Unions, to choose your time to have a child, to respect other cultures, protect the environment or regulate any industry in any way.” (my paraphrasing of a conservative mindset)
(I am sure I missed a lot of their ‘excepts’)
Their philosophy is why we can’t smoke Marijuana (would hurt tobacco companies) to ease pain and increase appetite for cancer patients. Their philosophy is why we can’t cure cancer – there are whole industries built around treating cancer… we can’t damage their profitability! I mean, if the market doesn’t allow a product to be available, then its “Free Market” right?
Conservatives seek to preserve (conserve) the status-quo – to keep the rich rich and the poor disadvantaged. They don’t want to give people a hand out nor a hand up – they want to give people a heel on their neck and take the coin from their pockets in the name of the almighty Profit.
The Constitution? Oh, they hate the real Constitution of the United States of America. So much so that they have invented a delusional, revisionist history version to cling to. Most of the people holding up the grand Document at Tea Party rallies haven’t read it (maybe can’t read it). They certainly have not read or studied the History of the United States nor such things as the debates on ratification of the Constitution or works of Thomas Jefferson. ( One must remember, Conservatives opposed forming the United States in the first place! )
Conservatism is a greedy, fear based philosophy that, in the end, ensures its own fears must come true. It collapses economies and destroys civilizations. It creates poverty, hunger and crime. It is one big Con-job by the ultra rich to dismantle Democracy (or our Democratic Republic) and institute a Theocratic Plutocracy.
If you think I am totally off base – read this commentary from a right-wing insider.
“I know what the stakes are. I know from the inside just how deranged,
corrupt and awful the marriage between Wall Street and the unwashed Tea
Party/Religious Right anti-abortion, racist, homophobic and misogynist
mob really is. I know that these people will buy elections then try and
turn America into a theocracy — on matters of personal morality — and
into an Ayn Rand libertarian and heartless swamp where the 1% eat the
rest of us– when it comes to the economy.” – Frank Schaeffer
Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back
Stay tuned for Part 2!