True Conservatives

I detest the label “true conservative” because not many “true conservatives” fit the Reagan definition.

“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals — if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.” – Ronald Reagan Reason Magazine July 1975

Most of the “true conservatives” favor a different brand of meddling than the liberals. But what they have in common is that they favor government intervention to “solve” the social problems they care about. Forgetting the one truism about government. It doesn’t solve problems. It perpetuates them in order to keep the cash flowing.

And yet when I bring up the libertarian idea (sensible on foreign policy differentiates them from Libertarians) I get nothing but derision from “true conservatives”. Just ask a “true conservative” about the Constitutional justification for Drug Prohibition and watch what happens. Oh. They may concede on the Constitution part. But that does not make them want to abolish the DEA despite Drug Prohibition’s Progressive origins. You would think that the Constitution and Progressive origins would be enough to change a lot of “true conservative’s” minds. You would be wrong.

I look forward to the day when “true conservatives” become truly conservative.

Cross Posted at Power and Control


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5 responses to “True Conservatives”

  1. […] I look forward to the day when "true conservatives" become truly conservative. […]

  2. Stan Avatar
    Stan

    I tend to think conservatism is moving toward libertarianism. And I hope that one day soon, being a “true conservative” would mean being virtually indistinguishable from mainstream libertarianism. I mean more conservatives are against drug prohibition than ever before, more are for gay marriage than ever before. It would be a shame for that to mean they are no longer conservative.

  3. Ian Avatar
    Ian

    One thing I cannot wait for is when politicians learn of the Progressive Origins of the Constitution and take immediate action by amending it such that the Government has less opportunity to invade the peoples’ rights. Most of the amendments are rubbish.

    Also, the Supreme Court is stacked with Liberal Progressive Left Wing nuts. Once we have a true Libertarian in office, we can begin to eliminate those Activist Hack Justices.

    I am ok with Drug Prohibition however. There are many ills and negative consequences of Drugs, so I believe it is within the narrow responsibilities of Government to Regulate Narcotics.

  4. dr kill Avatar
    dr kill

    I hope you aren’t holding your breath.

  5. Simon Avatar
    Simon

    Ian,

    Very funny. If you were trying to be funny. And if you weren’t? Funnier still.