Why am I a conservative?

One of my liberal friends told me I was an "Idiot" for my conservative political views. John Kerry recently said to explain the recent conservative trends that we are living in a "period of know nothingism." So why are we conservative anyway? What is conservatism?

Another interesting fact is that polls shows we are a conservative leaning country, and always have been. A recent poll I read showed that 60% of Americans considered themselves at least moderately conservative. So does that mean 60% of people are "idiots."

Let's consider the reasons why people are conservative. Why am I a conservative?

1. I believe that people are smart, and know better than experts at the State Level
2. Likewise, I believe people are smart enough to solve their own problems and don't need to rely on the government to solve their problems for them
   
3. I believe in individual rights of men
4. I believe in a limited government
5. I believe in personal accountability
6. I believe the government is there to protect us from each other, not from ourselves
7. I believe our freedoms come from God or nature and not from a Constitution
8. I believe the U.S. Constitution protects our God given freedoms, or it protects the freedoms that we are born with
9. Being born free, only a government can take those inalienable freedoms away
10. The Bible preaches individualism, and thus encourages us to make our own choices and allows us to be personally held accountable for the choices we make.
11. Thus, I want to make my own decisions, and to learn from my mistakes
12. I believe I am not accountable to the government, the government is accountable to me
13. I don't want my government in my life taking away my personal choice.
14. I don't want anyone running my life and telling me what to do
15. I believe the government should be limited; should have limited power
16. I believe it is better to do nothing than to do something stupid
17. I believe that laws are good, but I know every new law takes away another freedom, and therefore laws should be made with this discretion.
18. I believe given the easy way out, most humans will take the easy route (yet the road to hell has a wide entry way, and the road to Heaven is a narrow opening)
19. I believe that once we have a crutch, we won't want to give it up. Once we create a nanny state, most people won't want to leave the nest for fear of falling. And if you try to take away the nanny, riots will ensue (hence the chaos theory and the NWO)
20. I believe problems are best solved locally rather than by government officials miles away
21. I believe in realism, whereby problems are best dealt with on a case by case matter
22. I believe people are imperfect, and this includes all government officials (including the experts who are supposed to make decisons that are best for us)
23. I believe that once you create a crutch people will become dependent on it and will not allow you to take it away. They will become dependence of the State.
24. I believe if you are making decisions for people, you better know you are right. And since most people are imperfect, it is impossible to make the right decision for all people.
25. I believe tax increases beyond a certain point will result in less revenue to the government, and a diminished incentive to spend and invest (Google Laffer curve)
26. I believe by teaching individualism, the Bible preaches Capitalism
27. I believe Capitalism is the best way to get the most out of the most people
28. Therefore, I believe capitalism results in the best (although still not perfect) economic system.
29. I believe some laws are necessary, but too many laws encourages people to ignore them, and may result in chaos (see what happens when taxes are too high -- people skirt them)
30. I believe a perfect, ideal, Utopian society is not possible
31. I believe in the rights of men as opposed to the rights of man
32. I believe too many government programs results in corrupt people, and wasted money
33. I believe people are better at spending their money than the government
34. I believe people are more likely to give to charities if the government gets out of their way, than the government will give to charities through our tax collections
35. I believe the most important role of government is to defend and protect us, not just from each other, but from other nations pent on destroying us
36. I believe the second most important role of government is to create a good economic environment
37. I believe an honest government breeds confidence
38. I believe too much government breeds dishonesty and corruption and loss of confidence
39. I believe the private sector creates jobs, not the government
40. I believe political decisions must be made on facts rather than feelings and emotion
41. I believe we must study and learn from history so we repeat what works and do not repeat what has never worked
42. I believe in American exceptionalism; that we set the example for others to follow
43. I believe in the rule of law as opposed to the rule of man
44. I believe in the Constitution
45. I believe in Judges must rule based on the laws on the books for the U.S., and not on the ideal standards they want for America (their personal views)
46. I believe those who violate the law should be punished to the full extent of the law in order to set an example to others that if you violate the law you too will be punished
47. I understand the fact that no nation has ever taxed or spent itself into prosperity
48. I believe in the freedom of speech for all people, even for those of whom I disagree
49. I believe we should be humble and tolerant of other people
50. I believe if left alone to their own devices people will prosper
51. I believe people are inherently good, especially those who believe in a higher power
52. I understand a person is more likely to improve his lot in life if he has the incentive to do so
53. That the best incentive to succeed is the ability to keep what one earns by hard work
54. That hard work and determination are the best ways to improve your lot in this life
55. I understand charitable contributions are greater when taxes are lowest
56. I believe conservatism is the same as capitalism
57. I believe competition breeds exceptionalism
58. I believe government is a necessary evil; in it's worse state, and intolerable one. (Thomas Paine
59. That taxation is necessary to build and repair roads, provide a national defense, and to provide the essentials for an international infrastructure
60. I believe minimal laws are needed to protect us from one another
61. I believe the Constitution provides us the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not guarantee us happiness
62. I believe healthcare is not a right, but a privilege
63. I believe in the 10th amendment that prevents the government from making laws on anything not covered in the U.S. Constitution and defends individual and states rights
64. I believe life starts at conception
65. I want the U.S. Constitution to supersede the powers of any other world organization in order to protect my God Given Freedoms.
66. I believe in a color blind society, where people are hired by the content of their character and not the color of their skin
67. I believe less government allows people to create and achieve
68. I believe military strength is necessary to dissuade other nations from interfering with American peace and prosperity
69. I believe compassion is not based on how many people are on the government dole, but by how many people do not need government assistance
70. I believe a government can guarantee equal opportunity, but not equal outcomes
71. I believe money is not a zero sum game, that as one person makes more of it there will be less available for other people; that the more rich people there are, the more poor there will be
72. I believe strong family values are important to the economic and social success of a nation
73. I believe that family values are best learned from virtues taught by a higher power
74. I believe a government must encourage religiosity where virtues and good family values are learned, but should not force it upon the people
75. I believe government programs discourage people from improving their lot in life
76. I believe well intentioned government programs suck discourage virtues and family values
77. I believe well intentioned government programs decrease the dignity, mercy and self worth of a person
78. I believe human life is sacred and man is in a place protect life and nature
79. I believe we must take care of the environment, yet giving into disinformation and hysteria is bad for the country
80. I believe competition between schools is the best way to better education
81. I believe the United States is the Greatest Nation in the world -- ever. And this is not because Americans are better than other people, but, as Rush Limbaugh notes, "because its government was founded on principles which seek to allow maximum individual achievement."

Related links and sources:

Why am I a conservative
A dozen reasons why I'm a conservative
Rush Limbaugh, The Way Things Ought To Be (page 2)

The stage is set for a conservative revolution

Obama is the president, and he still appears to be maintaining his 54% approval rating. Considering he's the most liberal person ever to live within the walls of the Whitehouse, it's surprising that more people aren't becoming liberal.

Yet, according to the latest Gallup poll, the liberalism coming out of Washington D.C. has actually made America even more Conservative.

According to the latest poll:

• 40% consider themselves conservative, up from 38% in 2008 (40% in 1998)
• 36% consider themselves moderate, down from 37% in 2008 (37% in 1998)
• 20% consider themselves liberal, down from 22% in 2008 (18% in 1998)

This is impressive because it is showing that the excessive and unpopular government programs and proposals coming from the liberal White house and Senate and House in Washington are becoming highly unpopular among the American people and driving the public away from the otherwise popular president.

Latest polls show 54% of Americans are opposed to the current healthcare reform bills on the table in Washington, and many of these are extremely scared one of the bills will be passed and make healthcare worse in this country. You have to realize most people -- like you and me -- don't trust the government as much as the liberals we (well not me) put in office.

That, coupled with stimulus and bailout bills passed by Bush and Obama that did not succeed in stimulating the economy (as predicted by this blogger) and pork filled bills that worked not to make liberal tax and spend policies look successful but show once again that liberalism never works.

A similar thing happened in 1976 when a populace ignored the fact Jimmy Carter was a liberal pent on repeating failed policies of the past (which included weakening our national defense) and voted for change instead.

Like in the case of Carter's victory, many people were so caught in being ga-ga over the potential of having the first black president that they ignored the fact he had associations with known terrorists, socialists, anti-American idealists, and the like. They failed to see Obama for what he was.

And, once again, America g0t to see the results of liberalism (a.k.a. socialism).

This poll might set the stage for a real conservative in the ilk of Ronald Reagan to stage another conservative revolution to take over the republican party and get this country back to where most of us Americans want it.

I'm personally rooting for Newt Gingrich, but I'd be happy with any real conservative who puts America first, considers all people as equal instead of targeting individual races, creeds, religions or groups of people, places his or her principles above politics, is a great public speaker, a great voice, is a motivator, and a true conservative.

Will tea on tax day parties spike a movement?

No taxation without representation. That was the plea of the protestors at the Boston Tea Party of 1773. The same still applies today.

I see my blogging friends, like the Right View from the Left Coast, are blogging about the tea parties that will be happening on tax day, April 15. While millions of procrastinators will be rushing to finish filing their taxes, large groups of people who do not want their taxes raised will by joining the "right wing" protests.

I put quotes around right wing there on purpose, as it seems many in the main stream media consider these protests as "the extremest view" to be ignored. And while the press is ignoring these important tea parties, the U.S. government has decided that conservatives who attend them are "right wingers" and should be treated equal to terrorists.

The latest "right wing"blog I've discovered is A Conservative Thinker. He writes today about how the Homeland Security Department now considers

According to a new unclassified document, of which "Right Wing Extrimism" is the topic. The consequence of a prolonged economic downturn... could create a fertile recruiting environment for right wing extrimists."

It also explains that right wingers are capitalizing on the election of the first black president to increase their recruiting efforts. Actually, they should have said capitalizing on the most liberal person ever to sit in the office of the president.

Never the less, the document warns against conservatism. It places conservatives at the same level as terrorists. Wait! Since Obama doesn't perceive terrorists as a threat, this document now places conservatives as a greater threat to this nation than terrorists.

So, watch out! There may be a conservative near you!

Well, hold on. I happen to support the tea parties and I am no terrorist. And I think 99% of those who are attending these tea parties, or who support them as I do, are normal American citizens who don't want to see their taxes go up at the benefit of the rich and the poor who have done nothing to earn it.

The purpose of the tea parties is the same as it was during the Boston Tea party so many years ago, and that is to protest King George's tax on tea for the purpose of funding things the common people of America did not benefit from. The general theme was: why should American colonists pay for wars way over in Europe.

While symbolic, the tea parties resemble the same traditional values of the particpators in the original tea party. That the purpose of coming to America in the first place was to escape tyrany, to escape being forced to be a particular religion, and to escape being forced to pay taxes that incorporate no benefit to those paying them.

This is more than just a protest on taxes, they are also a protest of the large government bailout of big businesses. So, you have the rich who are failures at running businesses getting half our money, and poor who didn't earn it getting the rest.

What about us poor folks in the middle? Wasn't Obama supposed to be the voice of the common folk?

The purpose of the tea parties to provide common tax paying folks like you and me an opportunity to voice our concern. And, quite frankly, I think it's about time the good people on the right side of the isle decided to take action.

As my blogging friends have stated, I hope this movement takes hold and, despite the wishes of the liberals who fear conservatives so much they classify them as a greater threat than terrorists, I pray it grows the conservative movement to the level that won in 1980 and 1994.