My Tenets Of Being Conservative

It Isn't Commie For Starters.

As always Francis Porretto provokes thought, and inspires comment. His post on how even conservatives smear themselves really made me ask the question of myself, what do I picture a conservative to be, or how should one act? I came up with a list in my head last night of things that I associate with being politically conservative, sure there are few politicians who represent these that I know of, but I guess there is always hope. The left would more than happily portray conservatives as rigid, unchanging, uptight religious zealots, living in trailer parks, shooting at squirrels, but I don't see it that way.

Even among people who describe themselves politically as conservatives, there are those who I find rather repugnant, some I find ridiculous in their snobbery, and even worse, they make me want to disassociate myself from them. The internet has been wonderful for conservatives, although sometimes I find myself embarrassed of some of the stuff people put out there.

I am a conservative:

1. I believe if someone attacks our country, it should not be a question of whether we retaliate or not, but WHEN will we retaliate.

2. I believe people who move here should learn our language, integrate our culture, and embrace our values, or leave. That includes people who were born here.

3. I believe the government would be terrible at the administration of health care, and that we should keep it private. I literally tremble with fear at the idea that someday one of these bozos might actually get that stuff through the government, and toss it on us.

4. I support the police department, however, I revoke support of the police when they start treating law abiding citizens like criminals, or they are used to generate revenue for the state from law abiding citizens in the form of sting operations/set ups and cameras on street lights.

5. I reject the rape of the bank accounts of the producing, working people of this country that is currently enforced by the government.

6. I reject the notion that I somehow owe a portion of my earnings to people that have children they can't afford, or people who do not work period.

7. I believe at least half of all government employees should be fired and made to get real jobs in the private sector.

8. I despise bureaucrats.

9. I believe the U.N. is corrupt, useless, and we should remove membership in the body altogether.

10. I don't believe we should ever grant citizenship to anyone who forces entry into our country illegally and sets up house. Anyone doing so should most certainly not be the recipient of any government hand out program such as food stamps and health care. The fact that the bureaucrats have deemed it appropriate to pay the hospital bills of illegal aliens while milking the paychecks of tax paying citizens shows just exactly how useless our government has become.

11. I believe the biggest communist threat to this country is the political left, who would gladly crawl into bed with the likes of Fidel Castro.

12. I believe in the right to bear arms, and that it is absolutely necessary in this day and age to protect that right, whether I actually own a gun or not.

13. I still believe the U.S. is the leader of the free world, and that this is the best country to be in, but we are not doing a good job of protecting our own inalienable rights.

14. I believe in protecting and preserving natural beauty in places like Yellowstone. I believe in conserving resources and wasting as little as possible, but realize that we might have to use some of our own resources as well. I do think a balance could be struck if extremists were not involved.

15. I believe everything is polarized politically, and I've never seen so many people dig their heels in the way they do these days. I also think people have become extremely hateful about their views, and I suppose I'm guilty of that as well.

I think that is enough for one day.