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Conservatism is aptly characterized by the story of a hypothetical frog that reared up and stood on its hind legs. With its eyes in the back of its head, it strode forward with great confidence -- as it stumbled from each new situation to the next. Conservatism has no answers because it is always trying to go backward and to impede real progress.

wordywalt 9 Feb 10
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1

Labels are a great impediment to progress in general. conservative and liberal often are used as pejorative terms. The intent is to inflame emotions which rapidly displace rational thoughts. The labels also find their best fit at the extremes. Most thinking people tend to the middle, or moderate persuasion. I see little value in staking out an extreme position in a serious negotiation.

0

The way I understand it:

"conservative" = keep what works

"liberal" = change what doesn't

There's a time and place for each. I don't see why we need to choose one or the other. I think that's rather moronic, actually. It's totally a case-by-case, situational thing whether we keep something as is, update/revise, or junk it and reissue. I'm not going to hop on either bandwagon as a matter of course.

And I really don't like caricaturing either side. I think it just reinforces divion, which hinders progress.

I don't mean to throw cold water on your post--just sharing my perspective.

If conservatism were what you say it is, that would be great. But, the truth is, most of the time it simply means keeping what is familiar, even the bad, and rationalizing the choice if it is destructive. Conservative want to claim that they are trying to keep what is good, but most of the time it simply is not true. I understand conservatism, because I was one in my youth, then realized what was happening.

0

Although I'm pretty liberal now, I grew up in a politically conservative family and I don't recognize the conservatism I grew up with in today's political conservatives. Conservatism as it was presented to me was the notion that we don't want change for the sake of change, that prudence and methodical caution and respect for the law of unintended consequences should be the rule of the day. That "things are the way they are because they got that way" so be careful to learn the lessons of history (past experience), etc.

In other words, conservatism used to be about judicious change ... now it's somehow come to be about NO change, ever ... unless it's some form of regression.

The kind of conservative thinking I used to experience is today called "traditional" or "principled" conservatism by most people. Although I think what's left of that sub-group are very much on the outside looking in. Trumpism, sadly, will likely outlive Trump. I'm not sure that Trump is its cause so much as its symptom.

It's also not confined to the Republican party, because Trumpism is not just proto-fascistic white nationalism, it is also elitism. And the Democratic party is shot through with elitist elements too.

I agree that there used to be Republican politicians -- Dole, Danforth, Brooke, Dirkson, etc -- who would put country ahead of ideology and party and get things done. Alas, they are largely gone. Today's Republicans put ideology, party, power, personal political and financial gain, and other vices ahead of duty to our country and people.

0

Very good!!

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