Difference between revisions of "Conservative"

Revision as of 18:43, November 20, 2008

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-A '''conservative''' is one who adheres to principles of limited government, personal responsibility and moral values.  A conservative would likely agree with the statement in [[George Washington]]'s [[Farewell Address]] that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" to political prosperity.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/49.htm United States Department of State] George Washington, farewell address, 1796</ref> Conservatism arose in the 19th century as a response to [[liberalism]], particularly as manifested in the [[French Revolution]].<ref>In addition, Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary has the following definition of conservative: "tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions : TRADITIONAL"[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/conservative]  Therefore, a conservative Christian would be one that tends to adhere to the doctrines of the early Christianity and [[Judeo-Christian]] values.</ref>
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-== Conservatives in the United States ==
-In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by adherence to limited government, public morality and free enterprise.  Specifically, conservatives tend to adhere to the following principles:
-* Checking change on tradition
-* A strong national defense
-* Return of prayer in school
-* The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, as long as such possession does not threaten national security
-* Economic allocative efficiency (as opposed to popular equity)
-* Stronger law enforcement and anti-crime laws, including the death penalty
-* Parents, rather than school teachers, educating children about sex
-* Choice in education
-* Private medical care and retirement plans
-* Weakening or cancellation of failed social support programs
-* Prohibition of abortion
-* Opposition to same-sex marriage licenses and homosexuals
-* Support of laws against pornography
-* Generally opposed to the United Nations
-* Support enforcement of current laws regarding immigration
-* Support tightening of border security
-* Respect for our military... past and present
-* Literal interpretation of the [[Bible]] and rejection of [[evolutionism]]
-* Low taxes, especially in upper income brackets
-* Opening foreign markets to U.S. products
-* Less power for the federal government and more for local and state governments
-About every 20-60 years a conservative has been elected president of the United States.  Examples include:
-*[[George Washington]]
-*[[James Monroe]]
-*[[Grover Cleveland]]
-*[[William Howard Taft]]
-*[[Warren G. Harding]]
-*[[Ronald Reagan]]
-In America, most conservatives tend to align with the [[Republican Party]], but not exclusively so.
-== Conservative News Organizations ==
-Some of the more notable news organizations which tend to be more conservative are [[Fox News]], [[WorldNetDaily]], [[NewsMax]], and [[Cybercast News Service]].
-== Conservative Magazines and Blogs ==
-Two well known conservative magazines in the United States are The Weekly Standard and the [[National Review]].
-Some of the more notable [[Conservative political blogs|conservative political blogs]] are Power Line, Captain's Quarters, the blog of [[Michelle Malkin]], Newsbusters, the Heritage Policy Weblog, Humanevents, Townhall, and the Conservative Caucus blog.
-== Neoconservatives ==
-American commentators who ally themselves with the conservative movement but reject its religious or moral underpinnings are generally known as [[neoconservatives]].<ref>Jonah Goldberg, [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZWMxNWNiNDJkY2JmNTExY2E1MzdkYWU3MWU1MTBiOGU= "What Is a 'Conservative'?"], [[National Review|National Review Online]], 11 May 2005</ref>
-In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by the following beliefs:
-# A deep suspicion of the power of the state.
-# A preference for liberty over equality.
-# Patriotism.
-# A belief in established institutions and hierarchies.
-# Skepticism about the idea of progress.
-However, neoconservatives generally support government power and are indifferent to liberty and equality.
-== Paleoconservatives ==
-[[Paleoconservatives]] are conservatives who are more focused on opposing [[multiculturalism]], and suspicious of both big government and big business. They also lean more towards isolating America from the problems of other continents. Neoconservatives might criticize this as "isolationism", as they believe we can promote [[democracy]] worldwide.
-Among paleoconservatives was Democratic Congressman from Georgia, [[Larry McDonald]]. He was also second Chairman of the [[John Birch Society]], and President of [[Western Goals]]. McDonald was aboard [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] when it was shot down by the Soviets in 1983.
-== Personal conservatism ==
-Because Conservatives often have strong political views, there can be a tendency to see conservatism as a purely political ideology. However, there is also a strong personal side to conservatism - being a conservative is as much about applying conservative values to one's everyday life as it is about campaigning and voting for conservative candidates. In general, conservatives can be characterised by a strong sense of personal [[morality]], a willingness to observe their culture's traditions and customs, and a desire to be respectable and to show due respect to other members of the community.
-==Conservatives in the United Kingdom==
-In the United Kingdom the present parliamentary opposition party is called the [[Conservative Party]]. Its current leader is [[David Cameron]].<ref>[http://www.conservatives.com Conservative party UK]</ref>
-Up until the mid-19th century, the forerunners of the Conservatives were known as [[Tory|Tories]], and the name has persisted as a common nickname both for the political party and those believed to be in agreement with it.  Since the mid-to-late 1970s, UK conservatives have been defined by an advocacy of [[laissez-faire]] economics, privatization and lower taxation. In recent years the Conservative Party has moved away from the social conservatism which once characterised it, and the current party policy includes, for example, support for abortion on demand and gay civil partnership and the Kyoto Treaty and to oppose capital punishment (although it should be noted that such policies have little support amongst the party's grassroots membership) <ref>John Charmley, ''A History of Conservative Politics Since 1830 (Second Edition)'', 2008 </ref>
-Levels of prayer and worship are much lower in the [[U.K.]] than in the [[U.S.]]{{fact}}, and religious issues thereby play less of a role in [[England]]. Religious issues remain a significant factor in [[Northern Ireland]] and in 2008 religious issues were significant during a special election in [[Scotland]].
-In common with conservatives in many other countries, UK Conservatives tend towards a patriotic rather than [[internationalist]] outlook, and are traditionally skeptical of the [[European Union]].
-In the United Kingdom the broadcast media is exclusively liberal in tone. The print media is exclusively liberal in tone.
-== See also ==
-*[[Previous Breaking News/Conservatives|Articles about '''Conservatives''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
-*[[More News/Conservatives|Articles about '''Conservatives''' from "More News"]]
-*[[Conservative Links]]
-== References ==
-{{reflist|2}}
-==External Links==
-*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/conservatives/ What Liberals Say - Category: Conservatives], [[Accuracy In Media]]
-[[Category:Conservative|Conservative]]
-[[Category:Politics]]

Difference between revisions of "Conservative"

Revision as of 18:43, November 20, 2008

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