Conservatism vs. Republicanism

I listen to a fair amount of talk radio (check out Jason Lewis) and every so often a progressive/liberal/democrat will call in to argue with a talk show host. I actually enjoy when this happens, but there is one caller out of Minnesota that clearly illustrates what is wrong with American politics today (aside from all the other problems that I always point out, of course). He calls in to argue with Jason Lewis and is unable to distinguish between conservatism and Republicanism (big "R" for the party). Every time this caller calls in, he tells Jason, "You Republicans..." or "Bush said...". This is a complete misunderstanding.

A conservative (or classical liberal, as a better description) is not the same as a Republican. It is true that many Republicans can be conservatives and many conservatives can be Republicans, but they are not the same. A Republican is a politician who supports a Republican president even when that president does things that are not conservatism in nature (Congressional Republicans and Bush's expansion of Medicare, for example). A conservative is someone who supports classical liberal positions, such as individual rights (even in relation to law enforcement), limited government (even in those "conservative" departments such as Homeland Security, the FBI, and the CIA), and avoidance of subsidies (including welfare, farm bills, and special tax privileges).

There are essentially two problems with this confusion about Republicans and conservatives. The first is that anytime a Republican does something that Democrats don't like, they criticize it and talk about the problems with conservatism. That argument is horrible if what Republicans did was not a conservative idea. Bush bailed out the auto companies, signed off on the stimulus, increased spending, and created new federal agencies (Homeland Security). Whatever one may think about those actions, they are NOT conservative. For that matter, international interventionism is NOT a conservative principle, though it may be a Republican one.

The second problem is similar. People like me are conservatives. When the two terms are confused, I am somehow required to answer and defend everything that Republicans have ever done and said. I should not have to, and will not defend all Republicans. For that matter, I will not even defend all conservatives. I WILL, however, defend conservative principles and ideas.

It is the ideas that I support; not the party, and not the politicians. So, if you want to discuss politics with me, do not argue politicians or parties; argue political ideas and theories.