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Friday, July 20, 2007
Katie Favazza :: Townhall.com Columnist
Wholeheartedly Embracing Conservatism
by Katie Favazza
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I have found that when you present the ideas of conservatism to people, apart from the labels, they embrace them wholeheartedly.  Politicians know this.  Look at the last election cycle and it is clearly visible.  Look at where candidates are aligning themselves for the upcoming Presidential election, and it becomes clearly visible.

Jay started his blog, Conservatively Speaking, just last week to explain why he is a conservative and is already getting attention. He concluded in this particular post that conservative principles are less complicated than some would have you believe. For him, the beliefs seem to speak for themselves—and are the only way to refocus the GOP for big and small victories in 2008:

Either you believe that government should be small or you don't.  Either you believe that taxes are bad, or you don't.  Either you believe that the family is the ultimate institution, requiring the greatest protection, or you don't.  It is precisely this that got the Republican Party in trouble in the last election,and it will get them in trouble in the next if they do not right the ship and return to their foundation.

Things within the Republican Party are not perfect. They never have been and they never will be. In our current defeatist culture,however, it is more important than ever to support those Republicans fighting for conservatives around the country, including President Bush. In a recent column titled “Conservatives Shouldn’t Abandon Bush,” popular radio host Mike Gallagher said that “liberals are emboldened by Republican-fueled criticism” and reminded readers that the Left has enough “hatred and contempt” without the assistance of frustrated conservatives.

Despite the Democrats' and the mainstream media’s best efforts to convince us otherwise, conservatism is thriving within the hearts and minds of the American people—and it will be the source of 2008 Republican successes.

Be sure to visit the Townhall.com Blogatorium at http://townhall.com/youropinion for the latest reader observations or to start your own blog. Your opinion counts at Townhall.com—and you may find your own thoughts featured here in the future.
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About The Author
Katie Favazza is Assistant Editor of Townhall.com. She blogs at http://katiefavazza.townhall.com

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Reply # 1
Date: Jul 23, 2007 - 10:43 AM EST
Seems to me, Katie
that much of the comments here directly or indirectly, represent the larger problem these days with the country.

As you stated so well up front, there is a misplaced (I believe) notion that there is this:
"need for strengthened conservative principles"

We have become so accustomed to the constant onslaught from the media and the left about Republicanism and Conservatism being one and the same, we have actually found ourselves convinced this is so.

Strengthened Conservatism is less the problem than belief IN Conservatism and its tenets and whether this "ideology" is the better of the many out there for solving the problems we face as a nation.

For too long now, every Republican departure from the principles of Conservatism has been touted as the next "perfect example" of the FAILINGS of Conservatism...and nothing could be further from the truth as your quoted blogger "Jay" so correctly pointed out here:

"I have found that when you present the ideas of conservatism to people, apart from the labels, they embrace them wholeheartedly. Politicians know this. Look at the last election cycle and it is clearly visible. Look at where candidates are aligning themselves for the upcoming Presidential election, and it becomes clearly visible."

AND, HERE:

"Either you believe that government should be small or you don't. Either you believe that taxes are bad, or you don't. Either you believe that the family is the ultimate institution, requiring the greatest protection, or you don't. It is precisely this that got the Republican Party in trouble in the last election,and it will get them in trouble in the next if they do not right the ship and return to their foundation."

The problem we face is CLEARLY the lack of belief and conviction on the part of those calling themselves Conservative who find themselves in elective office...and absolutely NOT because of the notions of Conservatism themselves.

Excellent work, and discussion...well done.

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Reply # 2
Date: Jul 23, 2007 - 1:14 AM EST
The GOP and Conservatism.
The GOP has not exactly supported the conservative movement for most of my own life as far back as I can remember (at least the early 70s). There are elitists that are every bit as liberal as the Democrats, more so in many cases, and they certainly didn't appreciate Ronald Reagan or the likes of Rush Limbaugh doing their thing. As much as it brought them power, the mere idea of ingratiating themselves to people outside the beltway who weren't even from the East Coast or from old money was as much sickening. I daresay that the Bush family is very much in the category of Washington elites who just happen to live predominantly in Texas.

So here we are, with a liberal in the White House with an "R" next to his name. So he cut taxes. So did John Kennedy. So he retaliated against al Qaeda and toppled Saddam Hussein. Well, not all liberals are immature idiots. It is interesting to note that the president bent over backward to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iraq through the UN, though looking back we now know that this was a futile effort. Now we've got an Iran begging for retaliatory punishment from us on principle and I don't see our president rattling any sabers.

He can talk a great game, but he does nothing domestically beyond the tax cuts. Perhaps we can thank him from restricting federal spending on embryonic stem cells, but the latest illegal amnesty fiasco revealed, again, his true colors. Conservatives not only believe in limited government and frugal spending, but national sovereignty and American exceptionalism, both of which he rarely speaks about.

And Congress is definitely no better. Only a few GOP congressmen have my respect anymore, and it's as though the rest have given up. Any look to the Democrats for sanity left with Zell Miller.

The idea of looking to the LP or any other third party for leadership is laughable. When the likes of Ron Paul realize what year it is and the nature of the reality we live in, call me. Until then, the LP and other third parties are nothing more than conversation clubs. The LP, in particular, is a joke. They've been around since 1971, and how many governorships have they won? How many Senate seats? How many House seats, aside the one named Ron Paul? At least the Reform Party got one governorship already. Why should anyone invest anything in this party, when the GOP can be better influenced and rebuilt?
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