Conservatives have something to contribute to pluralistic dialogue in our country. We do better as a nation when we’re able to incorporate good ideas into policy no matter where on the spectrum they originate.
Unfortunately, conservatism is dead. What passes for conservatism in America is obstructionism, blind rage, and hypocrisy. You could see this in the health care debate. We had conservative Senators voting against provisions of the bill that they actually endorsed. We saw a conservative former Vice-Presidential candidate get worked up about “death panels” that no elected official of any party would ever support. We even had a conservative former presidential candidate railing against the health care bill which is very similar to the one he passed as a governor.
It’s not just elected officials that demonstrate the death of conservatism. The other day I saw a woman walk out of a car with a bumper sticker that read, “Don’t steal. The government hates competition.”
“Ha ha,” I though, “but kudos for being a conservative in SE Portland.” Then I noticed that the car had one of those premium “save the salmon” license plates. Also on the dash were some Oregon scratch-off lottery tickets. What’s the message here? When the government taxes you, it’s theft, but if they ask you to spend money on stuff you don’t need, spend away!
The car’s owner could have contributed money to a non-governmental pro-salmon charity. She could have also gambled at an Indian casino, where the proprietors have a legitimate claim to government theft. Instead, she decided to voluntarily give money to the same entity that she claims is stealing from her.
That’s the problem with democracy. People with incoherent and idiotic understandings of government can vote, and their votes count the same as mine.
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