Some Thoughts on Political Conservatism
Posted by TulipGirl | Under Political Concerns Saturday Feb 28, 2009I’m a political conservative. I really am, and it seems to be an unpopular or out-of-step place to be right now. Even among my good friends, being truly conservative is an anomaly. While I usually think I’m okay with that, I do find myself sometimes trying too hard to moderate how I communicate my political beliefs. I wasn’t indoctrinated with conservatism, but it was galvanized when I was younger through my reading, research, and long talks with the then-not-yet-Hubby.
Related to that, I’m not libertarian, though I know we often share common values. I started reading Atlas Shrugged
It’s been interesting to watch how the boys are developing their political beliefs. Yes, they are at an age where they are limited in their understanding of nuance, but still they are grasping some amazingly complex concepts. In the past election cycle, I asked them about which local candidates I should support, because I know they had researched it more than I had.
For “fun” last night, the boys wanted to watch Conservatism 2.0, hosted by PajamasMedia at the CPAC conference. They have the heart of the activist. Maybe that’s why they’ll gather up their “support the troops!” signs to rally down at the corner by the stop sign in our neighborhood. (They stopped waving the “Honk for the troops!” signs, after they realized the neighbors might not like the constant honking waking babies and setting off barking dogs.) I’m glad they are getting involved with groups like YCS, YAF, and LI. They were disappointed that we couldn’t make it to the Sarasota Tea Party yesterday (though our friends made it to theirs.)
I don’t like that taxes are going up. I don’t like that the Bush tax cuts will be allowed to expire. They helped our family and helped a lot of people I know. I think it is unfair that capital gains taxes will be hiked. So many people I know in Florida are retirees and have lost a significant part of their retirement security with the way the stock market has gone crazy. Now, as the stock market recovers and hopefully their retirement nest egg will return to where it was before, they will be taxed more on that. An increase in capital gains taxes will hurt those who have already worked hard, saved carefully, and are now at a time in life when they have many less options for working.
Sometimes I wish that the budget makers in DC and Tallahassee would watch more SNL.
Kindred spirit.
Well, unless you make over 250 grand a year, I think you will be fine as far as when it comes to tax time. However, I was just watching a report where those over the 250,000 mark will be taxed quite heavily–300 extra dollars per 10,000 over the 250,000 mark. Those who make more will also not be able to claim as many deductions and this will hurt the nonprofit world. :(
I’m an in-betweener—not a solid conservative nor a solid liberal (for lack of a better term). I am also growing weary of the 2-party system and truly believe at this point we are stuck between a rock & a hard place. Unfortunately with this new plan, we will just all have to sit tight and wait to see what happens…praying for the best, but ready for the worst…such is life. *sigh*
Your oldest especially is very astute politically; we enjoy talking to him. Besides that, he’s gracious and concerned: he inquired re my health and promised to pray for me. What a guy!
that video was HILARIOUS!
unfortunately, the humor comes from the fact that there really are so many people out there who do not understand the whole “wait until you can afford it” idea of spending. I slipped into that for about 6 months and I am STILL paying for it.
Been enjoying the posts from the conference. Your boys are activists because it is in their genes and has been a formative part of their discipleship… could they be anything else?!
Miss you guys! Many hugs to the (no-longer-little) boys!
Reading Atlas Shrugged?
You are not alone!
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13185404&fsrc=rss
Alexandra, I believe there are more of us out there than you may think. Jeff and I have spoken to a number of people, over the past few months, about the economy, the state of affairs in general, and it’s amazed us by the depth and breadth of political conservatism, which means FAR LESS government and spending than seen under the last ‘conservative’ administration. We know people from many different walks of life, professions, and religious backgrounds, and it’s been fascinating to see how varied political conservatism is.
It’s out there…we just a real voice and a real platform.
I love how you hold and articulate your beliefs. I jumped ship and voted for Obama in the recent election, but I also think it will do good things for the Republican party to sit this one out and regroup.
I used to be very conservative but have changed a great deal, especially after having had a child with a disability. I heard so often that you should live within your means and even that you should not have children that you can’t afford, and suddenly, we have one of these. Her medical problems have overwhelmed us financially. I now support universal health care, and I vote for Democrats, who seem more interested in helping struggling and working families like us. People who think the church can take on needs as intense and expensive as those of my child are living in a fantasy world. Her life cost probably about $250,000 this year alone (about twice my church’s annual budget), and we are median income people. A tax cut doesn’t help too much when up against this sort of thing. If I were one of the tiny percentage of people making $250,000 a year I might not like my taxes going up, either, but I’m not. I think it all depends on where you’re coming from. I think fiscal discipline is a great thing, though, and I think government should be as efficient as possible. I think people should avoid debt (I say this even as we have much debt, mostly because of the aformentioned child). What does this make me?
I’m no fan of Ayn Rand; again, as a Christian and as the parent of someone who may not ever grow up to be one of Rand’s brilliant and beautiful iconoclasts, her perspective on what makes a person worthwhile nauseates me. She is very anti-Christian.
About Atlas Shrugged I recently read on persons reporting on the sales surge who said it was because there are now so many people like James Taggart (one of the villains). I think that sums it up. While Ayn’s general concept of freedom had some attractions, her free protagonists come across like banshee robots. It is her villains who are so amazing because we see them in the news everyday. I don’t mean Obama. I mean Paulson and Geithner and Pelosi. Even the names work. Ayn was lambasted for her villain’s names like “Wesley Mouch.” But with last names now in the news like Kashkari and Carrion, it really is like we are actually living in her book.
I loved the book when I read it in college but have no idea if I wouldn’t find its repulsiveness outweighing its features if I tried again.
I know I’m not a libertarian but I like libertarians mainly because I usually know who they are. But I don’t know what conservative means any more. I have no idea if I am one or want to be one. I’m much more comfortable describing myself as right wing. Though I’m not sure why.
To the anonymous commenter: I totally sympathize with you. But surely a world that becomes progressively poorer will be especially hard for people in your position. And that’s what the Democrats are giving us (thought Bush and the Fed Reserve helped plenty). We are moving into a Third World Planet. There is no way that your family can possibly be better off for more than a decade or so under this regime.
I totally understand why “conservative” rhetoric would make you nauseous, but judging the issues according to rhetoric would be dangerous, IMO.