I have nothing against REAL conservatives

[Rosemary2205]

A real conservative believes those that can work should have the opportunity to and be expected to do so. They believe people who cannot work should have the basic necessities of life supported first by family, then by the community. They believe in spending within our means, both as individuals and as governments. They believe people half way across the planet are perfectly capable of running their own society without us butting in. They believe Americans should be able to live their lives however they see fit - the only restrictions being those necessary to protect the rights of life, health and liberty of someone else.

The fact is. the so called "conservatives" running the Republican party today have NOTHING to do with conservatism. It's all about sucking the life out of the world and leaving it for dead. They are predators, not politicians. These people are as much a scourge to the Republican party as they are America in general and to the world at large.

The absence of true conservatism in the Republican party leadership has left a void that moderate Democrats are attempting to fill. IMHO it's a difficult dance. On one hand we have Democrats who genuinely believe the pride of America is it's federal government and the support to the citizenry it supplies, and on the other hand we have Democrats who genuinely believe life would be better if free citizens had a modest safety net, but were otherwise free to collectively find their own solutions to their own local problems.

At one time the Republicans stood just slightly on the side of the business owner, and Democrats stood just slightly on the side of the lowly worker. Together they hammered out agreements to problems that benefitted everyone. Now, the Democrats are left to do all this work by themselves because the Republican party leadership has decided to become liars, theives and criminals.

There was a time, not many decades ago, when I leaned just a little Republican because the world was a safe place for individuals to flex their abilities and see what they could accomplish. I voted Reagan the first time - but by the second term I saw the writing on the wall and have never voted a Republican since. Why? Because if this is not a safe place for the individual to shine, then someone has to fight for a safety net for the little people.

People who are still voting Republican - most of them anyway. Still hope to find a Republican politician who will be like the old days. What they have to understand is that the Republican party must be completely destroyed beyond all reason, the criminals run out of any hope of ever having power again, and then rebuilt with a more sensible leadership.

In the meantime, more and more of our Democrats are going to be talking about supporting small businesses, corporations and the little peons who keep them all running alike. It's up to us to move the pendulum back to some sort of balance. When a "corporate dem" talks about business, many of us kneejerk into "fuck you" mode. We've been crapped on for so long, we have developed the idea that our own employers are the enemy and anyone who recognizes our employers are a vital part of what makes America strong must be the enemy too. Granted, we DO have Dems who really do want to give Walmart, Exxon and other predatory corps a free ride while we all starve. Those must be weeded out and crushed underfoot. IMHO. But I hope we will not crucify every single Democrat who discusses ways to benefit both workers and businesses.

Thanks for reading.

[ingac70]

1. There is no such thing as a "real conservative"...

in the Republican party. There hasn't been for a long time.

[AlinPA]

2. Real conservatives: Most are intolerant, driven by hate and hold disdain for the poor;

they hold hatred toward gay people or anyone different in any way. They are xenophobic, arrogant and believe the rest of the world are beneath them.

[Rosemary2205]

3. Real Conservatives are all about "live and let live"

These so called "social conservatives" are not conservatives at all. They are fascists. Just because they want to claim the label doesn't make it so.

[AlinPA]

5. Limbaugh? Hannity? Bush**? Gingrich? Coulter? Savage? Not conservative?

[AlinPA]

6. (Except for the first paragraph I pretty much agree with your post.)

[mulsh]

4. in what way or ways has conservatism advanced society?

Or for that matter, in what way or ways has being conservative improve or fortify society at large.

I don't mean to flame you.

I think that by its very nature being conservative is somewhat regressive. For instance in my personal life I am fairly financially conservative because I don't want to lose what little I have. On the other hand I am willing to pay more taxes for more government services such as medical care since it benefits the greater good.