College of Political Knowledge
Professor’s Classroom
2010/2012 Election Series
Lecture #4
After a series of primaries, the never ending primaries and elections, I was watching FOX News and heard Sarah Palin answer a question about the latest primary in Alaska….
In an interview Wednesday, Sarah Palin told Fox Business that while it makes sense that Massachusetts might “put up with Scott Brown,” the new Republican star senator wouldn’t last in Alaska.
“By the way, is Scott Brown on notice? I mean, he’s gone along with the Pelosi-Reid message for the past couple of votes,” the anchor asked.
Palin nodded. “Well, you know, take the consideration, though, that’s Massachusetts, and perhaps they’re not going to look for such a hardcore constitutional conservative there, and they’re gonna put up with Scott Brown and some of the antics there,” she said.
And her answer got me thinking about what a “Constitutional Conservative” really is…not some bastardized definition to fit a certain issue but the whole thing….first of all, it is over-used and seldom understood….this from the Foundation of Constitutional Conservatism…….
The foundation of Constitutional Conservatism stems from four simple ideas, expanding from one core principle — a return to the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. Both major parties ignore the Constitution when it suits them, and this must not be.
- Textual interpretation of the Constitution — The Constitution is not a “living document”.
- Fiscal responsibility — If you spend more than you take in, you’re in trouble. All levels of government must balance budgets each year.
- Charity — It is not the role of government to take care of people. Each citizen has a moral responsibility to help those less fortunate.
- Personal responsibility — It’s time society stops allowing “victims” to shift the blame somewhere else — it’s not the twinkie’s fault[3].
NOTE: The complete article on Constitutional Conservatism is available as PDF.
I am not advocating anything here….I just want people to start talking in realities and leave the political sensationalism in the toilet where it belongs…..
So when people call for a return to Constitutional Conservatism and in the same breath call for part of the Constitution to be repealed….are NOT constitutional conservatives….shall I repeat that for those that are having a hard time grasping the idea…..those people calling for a return to constitutional conservatism call for the repealing of parts of the Constitution are NOT constitutional conservatives!
Shall I go on or have I done my part in making the point?
I would say you’ve made your point quite clearly, but that of course doesn’t mean that those who should will get it.
That said, I don’t like “labels”, particularly political labels. It implies that the person being labelled agrees with everything a particular ideology stands for and anyone claiming that for themselves is clearly unlikely to be one who has thought about or understood the subject with any degree of clarity.
In fact, I would challenge almost anyone to agree with every little part that a particular doctrine demands along with all the implications and all the ramifications in each and every circumstance. Each person who believes utterly and without reservation in a particular ideology and has thought about the subject carefully is in a minority of one – except for the originator, we will all of us have some reservations about almost anything political (or even non-political). In my opinion it’s called being human and exercising free will.
I know…but I keep trying……
I will agree with you somewhat…..but like some dude once said, “if you do not stand for something you will fall for anything”. I too do not believe everything in any one ideology….but my differences are what I call emotional issues like abortion or gays or religion or….pick one……Like I believe that the central government has an obligation to the people….but with that taken away…here in the US we would have 50 serfdoms…….
Can the exercising of free will go hand in hand with good governance? In today’s political climate…I say NO!
Subject to it not interfering with someone else’s liberty and rights, I believe all people have a duty to exercise free will – AND take the consequences for the hot water that may get them into.
“In today’s political climate…” then it’s today’s political climate that is at fault! Period!
Sad to say…yes it is….and does not look like anyone wants it to change…..