rumitoid

No one can be a conservative. Change and progress are the apparent only two constants in our existence: where is there room for a conservative?

But there are basic moral constants, right? Yes, but not agreed upon; so how to traditionally maintain them as a good conservative? Impossible.

Conservatism is delusional albeit heartfelt. Duck Dynasty a prime example. It has a favorable intellectual forte against unbridled change or progress, a prominent Devil's advocate standing, yet conservatism is just a foil, and nothing more, for clear thinking and rational choices for humanity's progress.

rumitoid

Progress is the flow of humanity, culture, and all other arts and sciences. We advance. To advance means leaving behind previous ways and thoughts. Yes, they may have gotten us to this more enlightened place, but like putting out the garbage, the trash collector finishes the job.

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

I have to say that is a good point. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

rumitoid

Well, thank you very much, and right now I see, as you do, no possible argument against this view.

rumitoid

Think about it: conservatism is not a bent in life but a curve thrown a critical intellect. Sure, there are things we do want to lose about our past yet we do not want to look on those same things with less information or wider perspective. Did you as a Christian just learn that both Easter and Christmas as celebrated are predominantly pagan in origin?

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Rumi, I should not be surprised that it is you opening up this thread. Never let it be said that you are not willing to open up the proverbial "can of worms", and see what happens.

I have always admired your willingness to pursue difficult intellectual subjects/topics.:lol: Be careful what you ask for in this one. You, most likely, will get it, in spades!

Hang on. :wink: And, be respectful. :thumbup:

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Don't take any bets! :mrgreen:

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Here's a question for you. Let's say the democratic party decided to do an end run on the republicans. They decide, over night, to start espousing the EXACT same things the republicans are espousing now. What do you suppose the republicans would do? How would they decide to differentiate themselves? This would never happen, of course, but it sure would be interesting to see.
Political ideology has little reference to values or common sense anymore. It's a game. Should dems start talking about "smaller Gov.", repubs. would feel compelled to brand that liberal. There is actually no difference between the two, it's simply a two sided coin. There are two faces on the coin but it's value is the same.

Liberty Tree

There are moral and free republic principles that never change. They are just ignored by liberals in order to achieve their own selfish ends.

Loki Loc: Georgia

Any argument would necessarily stem from where your progress progresses you to; the destination is not always desirable, or optimal. You have, I believe, spoken about the widening gap between rich and poor, does it not seem conflicting to you that this is happening under the most "progressive" administration we have had in a century? We have "progressed" our way into 17 trillion in debt, more than every other administration in history combined. We have "progressed" our way into the highest and longest unemployment since the Great Depression. We have "progressed" our way into feeding 11 million i******s at the expense of cutting Veterans' benefits. We have "progressed" into the impending destruction of our Health Care, in exchange for an unpopular and inferior "gubmint approved" a******n called Obamacare. Keep your change, keep your progress, I'll keep my money and my doctor. And my firearms.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Thank you, Banjojack,

for a voice of reason and reality.' After reading down this page searching for a legitimate argument or even a point of discussion as a launchpad, and finding nothing but meandering groupings of pseudo-philosophical words and haphazardly assembled partisan buzzwords, you have contributed actual accurate facts, that are historical, researchable occurrences.

bmac32 Loc: West Florida

That does not sound like we have progressed but it does sound like the progressive way. That is hardly progress!

jonhatfield Loc: Green Bay, WI

Since I view Dems as basically the conservatives, the defenders of the basic status quo in government policy the past three quarters of a century and in line with Federalists, Whigs, and original GOP for federal activism, does that make the GOP (which I see as in line with Jeffersonianism and Jacksonian radicalism, the old "liberalism") the instrument for new thinking for humanity's progress?

While obviously there's basis for regarding the matter as Dems as progressive and GOP as regressive and thus Dem liberal versus GOP conservative, perhaps we should leave some room for the idea that the GOP may sometime or sometimes be the instrument of positive change in focus and direction? I personally don't see much in positive contribution possibility from GOP viewpoint at the moment and certainly not from the extreme rightwingnuts as represented on OPP, but I'll admit that opinion is from a degree of prejudice on my part against the Jacksonian side in our republic's past history. At the same time I have to recognize that side has been instrumental in our nation's political developments...easier to see in historical perspective than in present moment of partisanship. ha.

It's somewhat ironic that the "conservative" viewpoint today is reaction against what they see as a wrong and longstanding status quo...somewhat the opposite of "conservative" in advocating major changes in government programs and direction. Thus, perhaps both sides are conservative and both sides liberal in a sense. I v**e Dem because I consider myself a pragmatic Hamiltonian conservative and am perhaps considerably conservative and liberal both (which in rightwingnut trashspeak is l*****t, c****e, marxist, and probably Muslim).

RetNavyCWO Loc: VA suburb of DC

What veterans' benefits have been cut, banjo? In our government contracts, my company labels me as a "military benefits subject matter expert," and I know my job very well. I've been working with veterans since I retired from the Navy in 1992. If anything, I have seen veterans' benefits explode in generosity as we went through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Now the generosity is leveling off, but they are not being cut. Are you referring to the COLA-minus-1% in the retired pay of retirees under age 62? If so, that has nothing to do with the VA. If you believe there are some veterans' benefits being cut, please tell us more specifically what you are referring to. My experience tells me the opposite is true.

For example, the VA recently created a list of medical conditions that they categorize as "presumptive" service-connected by any veteran who stepped even one foot on Vietnamese soil for even one second due to Agent Orange..things such as high blood pressure, diabetes, prostate cancer, and more than a dozen others. (Just google "Agent Orange Presumtive Disability.") Even the widows of veterans can collect benefits if their husbands' service records show that they served in Vietnam, even if just for that one second. How many Americans who never stepped foot out of their little communities experience those same conditions? Lots, obviously. I'd say that the VA is becoming more generous, not less.

And if you know of a Vietnam War veteran or the widow of such a veteran who experienced any of the illness on the list, you would do them a great favor by letting them know about this. Want to know why there has been such a tremendous backlog of VA disability claims? This is one big reason. Newly disabled veterans also contribute to the backlog, but their claims are handled much different. The biggest part of the backlog is from old veterans filing new claims or seeking increases in their disability ratings.

Loki Loc: Georgia

I referred to the COLA. I found it outrageous that it is being tampered with while "wetback welfare" is apparently inviolate.