What is a conservative anyway?
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
It’s looking like John McCain may wind up as the GOP presidential candidate, and if so, we may see an unusual phenomenon — some Republicans won’t support him because they don’t believe he is conservative enough.
I think that’s a goofy idea, because McCain was a friend and colleague of Barry Goldwater (aka Mr. Conservative), has been elected over and over again in a strongly Republican state (Arizona) and had a distinguished military career from which he emerged as a hero.
If McCain isn’t a conservative, I don’t know who could be.
What is a conservative, anyway? It is one who believes in tradition and social stability, and in the value of established social institutions. The conservative prefers gradual change over rapid change.
He and she believe in low taxes, limited government regulation, reducing welfare for individuals and businesses, and maintaining a strong and active national defense. Conservatives believe in strong law enforcement and in allowing people to worship as they please. They believe in fewer laws, not more.
Liberals believe in many of those same things, but they also believe government has a responsibility to try to regulate behavior of individuals for the greater good. They believe in taxes, not only to fund government programs, but as a way to punish those whose behavior they intend to change.
Most conservatives generally believe in moral traditions, where some liberals tend to scoff at them. However, conservatism is not a religion. It has no popes or presiding bishops, although some who call themselves conservatives might like to take on that role. It goes against the grain of conservatism to require its adherents to genuflect, for they are not beholden to any leader, but to being free.
That’s the kind of conservative John McCain is.
