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nikto

(3,284 posts)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 05:31 AM Apr 2014

Is present-day American Conservatism right about ANYTHING?

There once was a time when Conservatism in the US actually was pro-environment (read Barry Goldwater's 1971 book, and related statements), and stood for actually conserving some things (being frugal with the budget, avoiding too many foreign intanglements, etc).

Nowadays, it is clear that Conservatism has become mere Corporatism and a set of knee-jerk rationalizations
that mainly support banking/investment and corporate interests with no exceptions.

Conservatism has morphed from a legitimate philosophy into a hi-jacked vehicle for blind support of wealth
and economic elites. It is self-serving for elites now and has no legitimate general applications
to the actual common good of the Nation as a whole.

It lies about science; It supports every war with no distinctions; It mis-represents what is Constitiutional and what is not;
It criticizes the separation of church and state; It supports predatory financialism and lopsided trade; It is racist, and uses racism to achieve its goals; It suppresses voting rights, it pursues secrecy in government, pushes the Drug War, crony capitalism, etc etc etc etc.

Conservatism, as preached nowadays by the GOP, Tea Party, Heritage Foundation, Koch Bros, Jamie Dimon, David Brooks, Fox, Limbaugh, etc etc etc, is wrong about everything.

If there are exceptions, please list them and empirically justify them here.

I'd really like to hear some, honestly.

While it may be true that for many people. FDR Liberalism isn't what it was, it at least still stands for something.
The term, Progressivism, still has meaning and makes distinctions that are sincere.

Present-day US Conservatism--Illegitimate, IMO.

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Is present-day American Conservatism right about ANYTHING? (Original Post) nikto Apr 2014 OP
Right to carry issues madville Apr 2014 #1
There is nothing the modern conservate movement is on the correct side of. baldguy Apr 2014 #2
no Skittles Apr 2014 #3
Can't think of a thing. Scuba Apr 2014 #4
The folks claiming to be conservatives today malaise Apr 2014 #5
So much to recommend about this thread. n/t countmyvote4real Apr 2014 #6
And when you point out how wrong it is and they are . . . HughBeaumont Apr 2014 #7
On some issues (immigration reform, trade, some budget issues) tea party & corporate conservatives pampango Apr 2014 #8
sheesh, weren't you watching C-span 2 this weekend? Conservatism is GREAT!! librechik Apr 2014 #9
So, it looks like it's a wash nikto Apr 2014 #10
Well, we do have a budget deficit. Tommy_Carcetti Apr 2014 #11
Gun rights. Nothing else comes to mind. Jgarrick Apr 2014 #12
I agree nikto May 2014 #13

madville

(7,397 posts)
1. Right to carry issues
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:07 AM
Apr 2014

The only things I ever agree with modern conservatives on are some firearms issues. I have a concealed weapons permit and carry a handgun almost all the time unless it's prohibited.

Everything else is pretty much opposite of what is right or should happen.

 

baldguy

(36,649 posts)
2. There is nothing the modern conservate movement is on the correct side of.
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:08 AM
Apr 2014

And when individual conservatives find themselves on the correct side of a particular issue, it's invariably for all the wrong reasons.

malaise

(267,455 posts)
5. The folks claiming to be conservatives today
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 06:28 AM
Apr 2014

have no idea of the meaning of the word and most of them can't spell it either.

HughBeaumont

(24,461 posts)
7. And when you point out how wrong it is and they are . . .
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 07:16 AM
Apr 2014

. . . they just devolve into the most ugly ad-hominems, false dilemmas, victim blaming and victim denying. There's never a logical reason given as to why we should continue policies that have so blatantly failed everyone except the upper 5% of this country . . . it's all about "Because I said so" and talking to you like YOU'RE the idiot.

You'd have to go back close to 4 and a half decades to find something worthwhile and useful that came from conservative policy.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
8. On some issues (immigration reform, trade, some budget issues) tea party & corporate conservatives
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:18 PM
Apr 2014

are at odds. I suppose one group or the other must be right about something though undoubtedly for all the wrong reasons.

librechik

(30,659 posts)
9. sheesh, weren't you watching C-span 2 this weekend? Conservatism is GREAT!!
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:26 PM
Apr 2014

We got worshipful wall to wall coverage of all their little gatherings and publishings. What great Americans!!!

Didi I say this last weekend? Sorry, I meant EVERY weekend.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,053 posts)
11. Well, we do have a budget deficit.
Wed Apr 30, 2014, 09:32 AM
Apr 2014

Unfortunately for conservatives, it's Republican presidents who have created that deficit, and Democratic presidents who have reduced or eliminated it.

 

nikto

(3,284 posts)
13. I agree
Thu May 1, 2014, 02:57 AM
May 2014

Gun rights is all they've got.

And they tend to be absolutists on that issue, with no realistic flexibility.

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