What is Conservatism?

[Ray From Cleveland]

Under DumBama, we spent ten trillion dollars; more than every other President combined since the beginning of this country. Why was he trying to bankrupt the US?

Hey dumbass...that's true of almost all (if not all ) Presidents

Certainly was true of Bush the Lesser

And yet you didn't answer the question. So one more time: why was DumBama trying to bankrupt the country? Or does bankrupting the country only apply to Republican Presidents?

 

[Lysistrata]

Conservatism to me is constitutionalism. Conservative to me means more personal responsibility and less blame. Conservatism is less government and leaving people alone to do as they please. Conservatism is liberty.

Yes, conservatism is smaller government, but that goes hand and hand with more liberty. The bigger the government--the smaller the citizen. Conservatism is very limited federal government. As Ronald Reagan once said "People forget that the federal government did not build the states--the states built the federal government."

Just wondering then should I be allowed to smoke pot, or get an abortion? I'm all for smaller government and more liberty but to me it seems most people say more freedom/liberty only if they agree with those freedoms.

I think drugs, porn, abortion, guns, and religion (aka muslims) should all be up to the person to decide, but too many people want to claim liberty etc only if they agree with the freedoms.

Those matters you list are the venue of the States, not the federal government.

"Congress shall make no law" means precisely that, and applies throughout the Bill of Rights.

Matters that involve individual liberties are not "the venue of the States."

 

[sparky]

A failed ideology.

Yup. Conservatism can be viewed as simply lack of extreemes , not liking or willing to change.

This is not to be confused with 'centrist' , which one will hear trying to find common ground on the jugguarnaut ride road to perdition

Definitionally, there's very little conservatism in this country right now, we've more a polorized culture than ever , legislature thinks the Fed is their sugar daddy, foreign and domestic policies are raft with radical ideologs

Conservatism and liberalism for that matter are just words that have no real meaning anymore not in D.C. anyway when you cut through all the partisan garbage the only thing either really wants is to get power and keep it at all cost.

The fasade of corruption and collusion cloaked in the guise of conservatist values

sells well , operates poorly

~S~

 

[Mac1958]

I'm just wondering if one of the so called conservatives can inform me of what conservatism is with regard to economic policy.
I was under the impression that conservatism is lower taxes, lower government spending, and balanced budgets. I have never seen a conservative do this though. The era of big deficits and big government spending started with Reagan as he was the first president to say screw it just blow up the deficit.

Actually things might have turned out ok because Bill Clinton actually cut government spending and thus had a government surplus. All that was thrown out the window when Bush another so called conservative passed massive tax cuts that did little to spur economic growth along with massive government spending bills turning a surplus to a massive deficit.

Now we have Trump who has done the same as Bush and has enacted a massive tax cut and massive spending bills leading to a massive deficit 10 years into an economic expansion when deficits are supposed to be at their smallest.

I haven't seen any so-called conservatives criticizing any of this so I am just wondering what they believe in and what is conservatism?

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.
.

.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

I'm just wondering if one of the so called conservatives can inform me of what conservatism is with regard to economic policy.
I was under the impression that conservatism is lower taxes, lower government spending, and balanced budgets. I have never seen a conservative do this though. The era of big deficits and big government spending started with Reagan as he was the first president to say screw it just blow up the deficit.

Actually things might have turned out ok because Bill Clinton actually cut government spending and thus had a government surplus. All that was thrown out the window when Bush another so called conservative passed massive tax cuts that did little to spur economic growth along with massive government spending bills turning a surplus to a massive deficit.

Now we have Trump who has done the same as Bush and has enacted a massive tax cut and massive spending bills leading to a massive deficit 10 years into an economic expansion when deficits are supposed to be at their smallest.

I haven't seen any so-called conservatives criticizing any of this so I am just wondering what they believe in and what is conservatism?

In this country conservatism refers only to where one stands on social issues, fiscal has nothing to do with it any more. Abortion being the major dividing point and one's view of homosexuals the other.

 

[playtime]

conventional conservatism started to break down with reagan when religion became intertwined, & the separation of church & state began to erode. gerald ford was probably the last real classic conservative in high office. there is a difference between fiscal & social conservatism... too bad they aren't mutually exclusive anymore.

a fiscal conservative WILL spend a little money up front to save more in the end.
a social conservative wants to roll back the 14th amendment, outright ban roe v wade, & if they could - put the 2nd amendment above the 1st.

 

[Mac1958]

conventional conservatism started to break down with reagan when religion became intertwined, & the separation of church & state began to erode. gerald ford was probably the last real classic conservative in high office. there is a difference between fiscal & social conservatism... too bad they aren't mutually exclusive anymore.

a fiscal conservative WILL spend a little money up front to save more in the end.
a social conservative wants to roll back the 14th amendment, outright ban roe v wade, & if they could put the 2nd amendment above the 1st.

Y'know, I think it began with Reagan, but my guess is that it was when the entire ideology took his "government is the problem" speech line and turned it into rigid gospel.
.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

Conservatism to me is constitutionalism. Conservative to me means more personal responsibility and less blame. Conservatism is less government and leaving people alone to do as they please. Conservatism is liberty.

Yes, conservatism is smaller government, but that goes hand and hand with more liberty. The bigger the government--the smaller the citizen. Conservatism is very limited federal government. As Ronald Reagan once said "People forget that the federal government did not build the states--the states built the federal government."

Just wondering then should I be allowed to smoke pot, or get an abortion? I'm all for smaller government and more liberty but to me it seems most people say more freedom/liberty only if they agree with those freedoms.

I think drugs, porn, abortion, guns, and religion (aka muslims) should all be up to the person to decide, but too many people want to claim liberty etc only if they agree with the freedoms.

Those matters you list are the venue of the States, not the federal government.

"Congress shall make no law" means precisely that, and applies throughout the Bill of Rights.

Matters that involve individual liberties are not "the venue of the States."

Matters not specifically mandated to the federal government remain with the States, and the people. See Amendment 10.

 

[Lesh]

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.

You miss the point.

The goal is to damage the economy to the point where there is no alternative to cutting social programs.

Every Republican administration is successful in cutting taxes (primarily for their rich buddies). They are not only NOT successful in cutting spending...they INCREASE spending. That is by DESIGN. They can enrich their friends and benefactors while building up the debt to the point where they can eventually do away with the social programs they have always hated.

Grover Norquist was honest about it 40 years ago ( and he was very influential...look it up). He said his goal was to "starve government to the size where you could drown it in a bathtub".

 

[Lesh]

Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an American political advocate who is founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, an organization that opposes all tax increases. A Republican,[4] he is the primary promoter of the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge", a pledge signed by lawmakers who agree to oppose increases in marginal income tax rates for individuals and businesses, as well as net reductions or eliminations of deductions and credits without a matching reduced tax rate.[5] Prior to the November 2012 election, the pledge was signed by 95% of all Republican members of Congress and all but one of the candidates running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.

You miss the point.

The goal is to damage the economy to the point where there is no alternative to cutting social programs.

Every Republican administration is successful in cutting taxes (primarily for their rich buddies). They are not only NOT successful in cutting spending...they INCREASE spending. That is by DESIGN. They can enrich their friends and benefactors while building up the debt to the point where they can eventually do away with the social programs they have always hated.

Grover Norquist was honest about it 40 years ago ( and he was very influential...look it up). He said his goal was to "starve government to the size where you could drown it in a bathtub".

Obviously with that ignorant statement, you didn't look at the chart I posted on page 1.

 

[Votto]

I'm just wondering if one of the so called conservatives can inform me of what conservatism is with regard to economic policy.
I was under the impression that conservatism is lower taxes, lower government spending, and balanced budgets. I have never seen a conservative do this though. The era of big deficits and big government spending started with Reagan as he was the first president to say screw it just blow up the deficit.

Actually things might have turned out ok because Bill Clinton actually cut government spending and thus had a government surplus. All that was thrown out the window when Bush another so called conservative passed massive tax cuts that did little to spur economic growth along with massive government spending bills turning a surplus to a massive deficit.

Now we have Trump who has done the same as Bush and has enacted a massive tax cut and massive spending bills leading to a massive deficit 10 years into an economic expansion when deficits are supposed to be at their smallest.

I haven't seen any so-called conservatives criticizing any of this so I am just wondering what they believe in and what is conservatism?

Conservatism has no place in the Federal government, even though some conservative policies sometimes filter through.

The US Federal government has become a collectivist Leviathan, and as such, has no place for conservatism.

Just look at how the GOP ran against Obamacare and building the wall. They get in power and look what they do, nothing, that's what.

Then they wonder why they are out of work.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.

Which is utter bull because the conservative constituency always screamed out against spending. You talk about ball-less, why don't the Democrats come out and openly say they are Communists? After all, that's what they really are. They will eventually say it, but now they are just taking baby steps towards it. They changed liberalism to Progressive. Now they introduced Democrat Socialism whatever the hell that's supposed to be. Down the road they will drop Democrat and just run as Socialists. Way down the road they will then change it to Socialist Communism.

Of course they can't do it overnight. You need the frog in the pot of water on the stove to think he's just getting a warm bath.

 

[Lesh]

Just look at how the GOP ran against Obamacare and building the wall. They get in power and look what they do, nothing, that's what.

Read above.

The goal has never been to "do something" about any of those issues.

To the extent that they do...it's a "side benefit".

They get tax cuts for the rich (and throw a bone to everyone else...because that to adds to the debt and gets "some" votes)

They get "conservative" Justices and judges...but what they really are...are CORPORATIST Justices...anything beyond that is a "side benefit". How do you think we ended up with something as insane as Citizen's United?

 

[Lesh]

You miss the point.

The goal is to damage the economy to the point where there is no alternative to cutting social programs.

Every Republican administration is successful in cutting taxes (primarily for their rich buddies). They are not only NOT successful in cutting spending...they INCREASE spending. That is by DESIGN. They can enrich their friends and benefactors while building up the debt to the point where they can eventually do away with the social programs they have always hated.

Grover Norquist was honest about it 40 years ago ( and he was very influential...look it up). He said his goal was to "starve government to the size where you could drown it in a bathtub".

I repeat

 

[Mac1958]

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.

Which is utter bull because the conservative constituency always screamed out against spending. You talk about ball-less, why don't the Democrats come out and openly say they are Communists? After all, that's what they really are. They will eventually say it, but now they are just taking baby steps towards it. They changed liberalism to Progressive. Now they introduced Democrat Socialism whatever the hell that's supposed to be. Down the road they will drop Democrat and just run as Socialists. Way down the road they will then change it to Socialist Communism.

Of course they can't do it overnight. You need the frog in the pot of water on the stove to think he's just getting a warm bath.

All the GOP has to do to prove it's serious is to cut spending first.

As long as they don't, they're playing their base for fools.
.

 

[Votto]

Just look at how the GOP ran against Obamacare and building the wall. They get in power and look what they do, nothing, that's what.

Read above.

The goal has never been to "do something" about any of those issues.

To the extent that they do...it's a "side benefit".

They get tax cuts for the rich (and throw a bone to everyone else...because that to adds to the debt and gets "some" votes)

They get "conservative" Justices and judges...but what they really are...are CORPORATIST Justices...anything beyond that is a "side benefit". How do you think we ended up with something as insane as Citizen's United?

I think that politicians in the US are colluding with drug lords abroad.

That is one of the main reasons why they refuse to secure the border.

 

[Theowl32]

I'm just wondering if one of the so called conservatives can inform me of what conservatism is with regard to economic policy.
I was under the impression that conservatism is lower taxes, lower government spending, and balanced budgets. I have never seen a conservative do this though. The era of big deficits and big government spending started with Reagan as he was the first president to say screw it just blow up the deficit.

Actually things might have turned out ok because Bill Clinton actually cut government spending and thus had a government surplus. All that was thrown out the window when Bush another so called conservative passed massive tax cuts that did little to spur economic growth along with massive government spending bills turning a surplus to a massive deficit.

Now we have Trump who has done the same as Bush and has enacted a massive tax cut and massive spending bills leading to a massive deficit 10 years into an economic expansion when deficits are supposed to be at their smallest.

I haven't seen any so-called conservatives criticizing any of this so I am just wondering what they believe in and what is conservatism?

Hey, stupid fuck. Let me ask you about that surplus, since you are a "fucking banker."

Who controls the spending in government? Is it the President or the House? Let me clue you in. The House controls spending. Who controlled the House AND Senate for the last 6 years of clintons Presidency?

Go ahead and take a guess. I will give you a hint. Newt Gingrich.

Hey stupid ass, let me ask another thing, since you are a "smart banker." What did president clinton NOT have to deal with, that every other President had to deal with dating back to February 1945 (Yalta Conference?) Take a wild guess Mr "Banker." Oh, that is right. The fucking COLD WAR where YOUR SIDE LOST. The ussr and their glorious marxist proved to be a failed system. All under the crying commie eyes here.

Did open trade have any impact on our economy? Yes or no?

While you are at it, Mr Banker, tell me who rewrote the Community Reinvestment Act did. Do you know who even rewrote it? When did that happen and what impact did that have on our banks?

Well, Mr "banker" I will be waiting for your explanation. You already showed how ignorant you are in your pathetic post, so I will not be expecting anything from your stupid ignorant ass.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I'm just wondering if one of the so called conservatives can inform me of what conservatism is with regard to economic policy.
I was under the impression that conservatism is lower taxes, lower government spending, and balanced budgets. I have never seen a conservative do this though. The era of big deficits and big government spending started with Reagan as he was the first president to say screw it just blow up the deficit.

Actually things might have turned out ok because Bill Clinton actually cut government spending and thus had a government surplus. All that was thrown out the window when Bush another so called conservative passed massive tax cuts that did little to spur economic growth along with massive government spending bills turning a surplus to a massive deficit.

Now we have Trump who has done the same as Bush and has enacted a massive tax cut and massive spending bills leading to a massive deficit 10 years into an economic expansion when deficits are supposed to be at their smallest.

I haven't seen any so-called conservatives criticizing any of this so I am just wondering what they believe in and what is conservatism?

Conservatism has no place in the Federal government, even though some conservative policies sometimes filter through.

The US Federal government has become a collectivist Leviathan, and as such, has no place for conservatism.

Just look at how the GOP ran against Obamacare and building the wall. They get in power and look what they do, nothing, that's what.

Then they wonder why they are out of work.

If the Republican party had 100% unity, Commie Care would be gone and the wall would be in the making. But unlike the Democrat party, the Republican party is split in two: conservatives vs establishment. The establishment is nothing more than Democrat Lite. Without the establishment, you would be seeing major changes to this country.

 

[Votto]

In its current incarnation, economic conservatism means to cut taxes as far as possible, avoid spending cuts because you'd lose your next election, blame Democrats for all spending (even when you have the power to change that), brag about any growth, and pretend deficits don't matter.

It doesn't need to make sense. It needs to keep talk radio, and therefore the base, on your side, screaming ignorant, simplistic platitudes. That's all that matters. Literally.

If the Republicans had any real balls, they'd cut spending BEFORE they cut taxes, so that voters could see the effects of those cuts. But they don't have the balls, and their followers are ignoring that, too.

Which is utter bull because the conservative constituency always screamed out against spending. You talk about ball-less, why don't the Democrats come out and openly say they are Communists? After all, that's what they really are. They will eventually say it, but now they are just taking baby steps towards it. They changed liberalism to Progressive. Now they introduced Democrat Socialism whatever the hell that's supposed to be. Down the road they will drop Democrat and just run as Socialists. Way down the road they will then change it to Socialist Communism.

Of course they can't do it overnight. You need the frog in the pot of water on the stove to think he's just getting a warm bath.

All the GOP has to do to prove it's serious is to cut spending first.

As long as they don't, they're playing their base for fools.
.

Don't look now, the GOP is out of power.

Now they can take the next two years off in the hopes of getting back into power by making Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters bring them the needed votes.

Wash, rinse, repeat.