What Conservatism Is

.
This is a comment on another website. It's brilliant. And the sort of thing that comes in handy when talking to Liberals. They generally don't know what Conservatism is. They believe in the caricature created by the ignorant Left. They are almost always arguing against this straw man while they imagine they are engaged in an argument against Conservatism.

That is why they so often sound, well, insane—and somewhat hysterical. Witness their panic and intense loathing of Sarah Palin. They, literally, have no idea who we are or what we believe in.

This was written by Mountain Man, and can be found among the comments to this article.

His last paragraph relates to the specific discussion he's having, but I think it applies to many of our own acquaintances.

First, what is conservatism? It is the worldview that embraces personal responsibility, the individual as the highest position in society, the family as the core unit of culture, and the free, voluntary exchange of goods and sevices betweeen willing parties.

Conservatism presumes that individuals know best what is good for them. Conservatism asserts that people should receive the rewards and bear the consequences for their own decisions. Conservatism believes that the fruit of one's labor belongs to one's self.

Conservatives are acutely aware that people in governmental power cannot be trusted to do the right thing for anyone but themselves, so power must be as local as possible. That allows the powerful to be held in check. Conservatives prefer the government the Founders conceived of, with limited, specific, ennumerated powers. This government was intended to serve the people, but only within constitutional boundaries. In contrast, our government causes people to serve government and to labor in accordance with its aims.

Conservatives value the tried-and-true traditions, institutions, and practices that made America great. Conservatives believe in progress, but the progress has to earn its place and demonstrate its merit. Anything that attacks the foundations of our culture and attempts to impose its will on the people is not progress.

Conservatives believe that our rights are endowed by the Creator. A religious people is crucial to the success of this nation. Religious influence has been the key to our diversity, our success, our tolerance, and our great strength.

Suzanne will need to understand these concepts before she can undertake an informed debate. She has relied on non-conservatives explaining what conservatism is, so she is in possession of a caricature, a false understanding. When she understands who conservatives are, she then is equipped to discuss ideology.

The Gunslinger
.