Right Wingers are not [i]REAL[/i] Conservatives...

[The Doctor.]

I've had to explain this many times to people who think that they are 'conservative' because Rush told them that that's what being appropriately greedy, driving an SUV, and getting angry is all about.

Real Conservatives are people like my parents (and to a lesser extent, myself).

Dad Eldritch pulls a 60k pension on top of making another 100k or so as a high-level engineer.

What makes him a conservative?

He does not pay anyone else to do any work that he cannot do or learn to do himself.

Despite the fact that he could afford it, he makes the time to fix their cars himself (getting parts mostly from salvage yards), that includes deep engine work, transmissions, and yeah... oil changes. He does all of his own painting, deck building, roofing... anything he can do. He only pays someone to do things he can't... which isn't much in terms fixing stuff.

Ma Eldritch runs a budget so tight she could squeeze a nickle 'till the buffalo poops.
She cuts coupons, and on more than one occasion has brought home nearly a hundred dollars in groceries that the store paid her to take home.

They mark the mileage on their vehicles at every fill up so they know exactly how much they pay to get from place to place, and know when they need to replace parts on the car if the efficiency drops by a certain percentage.

They stay OUT of other people's lives, religion, choices, and business that has nothing to do with them because that's what conservatives do. They not expend unnecessary energy or resources trying to change something which does not effect them or cause any measurable harm to their community.

They know the difference between facts and opinions, reality and perception... and only deal with that which is tangible and necessary.

And they always vote Republican.

Why?

Because they are real conservatives who, unfortunately, haven't realized that their party has abandoned them as I have.

People like my parents have unknowingly fallen victim to the hijacking of the term 'conservative'.

And I am most offended that what we now perceive conservatives to be, and what conservatives really should be, has been mutated into something so non-conservative that people who are real conservatives wouldn't recognize it if they took the time to look up from always doing the best they can with what they have whether they are wealthy or not.

[wryter2000]

1. I got a conservative to agree on this point once

I pointed out that a conservative favors fiscal responsibility, small government, civil liberties, and limited foreign involvement.

[lvx35]

5. Strange but true...

Bush has made me more of a conservative than I have ever been, because now I see through his policies the errors in interventionist foreign policies, lots of government spending, total lack of fiscal oversite, etc. But I am more active as a democrat than ever, because I want to stop him.

[Bouncy Ball]

2. Uh, oh my God, except for the voting republican part

you described my family.

I mark the mileage every time I fill up, I am the Coupon Queen, and while I am not cheap (I love giving the well-thought-out, occasional gift to a loved one), I am a blackbelt frugal woman.

And we don't pay anyone to do what we can do ourselves, either. We've never had a yard or landscaping service, we wash our own vehicles, my husband does the oil changes on both. I even learned to groom our long-haired dog and bought the special clippers and do that myself, although I do take her once a year for other things, like teeth cleaning, etc. I didn't know that was being conservative.

I believe in keeping my nose out of other people's lives. As long as they aren't breaking the law or acting in any other immoral manner (ie: hurting themselves or others), I don't see it as any of my business.

[The Doctor.]

4. Yes, many real conservatives consider themselves 'liberal' because

The term 'conservative' has been stolen by people who are the farthest thing from conservative.

I've had many "what's so conservative about driving an SUV when a minivan will serve your purposes just fine?" with self-proclaimed 'conservatives'.

Invariably they just get mad and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Wetzelbill]

3. I read this on that other post, you are definitely spot on

The terms liberal and conservative have been hijacked by right-wingers.

Liberal has been turned into a derogatory term to denigrate anybody who disagrees with you. Especially a Democrat and even a moderate Republican. It is used in a nasty hate-filled manner.

Conservative has been hijacked by right-wingers to make themselves seem better than they are. Conservative is a way of describing yourself in a reasonable, God-fearing, responsible manner, when you are actually, hate-filled, war-mongering and profiteering, sometimes racist and an advocate of Pharisee Economics.

Real conservatives should be outraged at being equated with the DeLays, Bushes and Limbaughs of the world. The problem is there aren't many true conservatives around anymore.

[The Doctor.]

6. I disagree...

There are MANY true conservatives around. The problem is that they (rightly) consider themselves conservative and don't do enough research to realize that their affiliation and support has been hijacked by their party.

I've been working on my parents for a while now - Ma's starting to get it. Dad has the most sophisticated 'selective cognition' system I've ever seen. (I'm sure that's Ma's fault though...)

[Wetzelbill]

12. What I mean is there aren't many true elected conservatives anymore

[The Doctor.]

13. With the possible exceptions of McCain and others...

Who have been labelled 'commies' due to their more truly conservative leanings...

You are quite correct.

[lvx35]

7. "aren't many true conservatives around anymore."

The problem is there aren't many true conservatives around anymore.

I don't think its that bad...I think these wolves wrap themselves in the cloth because they know Joe and Sally republican DO have those values, and they need Joe and Sally republican...The main problem is that Joe and Sally republican don't see the wolf in sheeps clothing.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. other conservatives are waking up

I know a doctor who is a Republican who has stated, again and again, that Bushco is not living up to the ideals espoused by the Republican Party. That MD didn't vote for the "frat boy" last time. I know some retirees around here who are also conservatives and who spent money and time organizing meetings and putting ads in the local paper telling about the extremism presented by Bush. As one person said, "Barry Goldwater is rolling over in his grave"-and I think they are right. Even though Barry was a conservative, he was a man with principles, and he stuck by them. I have a feeling if he were still around he would have made a call on the White House long before now.

[The Doctor.]

10. How strange it will seem when

the vast majority of people you talk to have either 'come around' or never supported the neo-cons, and somehow they keep winning elections.

The illusion that there are 50 million Bush voters 'out there in other parts of the country' will start to dissolve...

And hopefully it will not be too late.

[BlakeB]

9. Great post.

You make a lot of good points.

[Endangered Specie]

11. nice post, and a side note...

you know youve been on forums too long when your brain replaces <i> </i> html with italized text (in the subject line) :crazy:

[The Doctor.]

14. The sad part is I do it in regular correspondences as well...

Thank God spell check picks that up.