What is a Conservative?

Quickly, in 25 words or less, what do you mean when you say, "I'm a Conservative"?

After spending several hours glued to C-SPAN last month, listening to a number of speakers tell their version of political Conservatism at the annual CPAC convention in Washington, I had the idea that the common denominator might be "I Don't Like the Obama Democrat Administration." But then Fox News Tea Party talker Glenn Beck wrapped it up with his hour-long keynoter, and it turns out he is down on Republicans as well, for their apostasy from the gospel of fiscal discipline, just after neocon warhawk John Bolton had finished taking apart President Obama and his fiscal, foreign, and defense policies piece by piece. So, who's there to choose for 2012?

Ahhh! It's Ron Paul, the one-time Libertarian, now Republican Congressman from the 14th Texas District, who made a brave stand for the Republican nomination for President in 2008 and continues to rate applause from the really Conservatives, many of whom would love to see him lead a Third Party movement, just to clear the air. He does know what he believes and how to express it coherently. Gotta admire a man like that.

CPAC (that's Conservative Political Action Conference) cheered for Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck, and a parade of other not-Democrat/Liberal/Progressive stars. But in their straw poll of favorites for Presidential nomination in 2012, it was the real Conservative Ron Paul who led the pack with 33 percent of the ballot, followed by Mitt Romney at 21 percent, Sarah Palin with seven, and a string of others in descending single-digit order, including Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, a couple of other mostly unknowns, and at the end of the parade, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour with one entire percent. Bobby Jindal? Who's he?

With questions of the content of Conservatism rattling around in my head, I decided to do a scientific poll. I began over lunch with Miriam at one of our favorite weekend dining-out spots, at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in West Monroe, where it's easy to think back to my Depression-era raising over a country dinner plate of pretty good turnip greens, country ham, really creamy dumplings, and corn bread. "You're a Conservative Republican, right?" I began. She nodded agreeably, moving into her plate of eggs, ham, grits, biscuit and gravy. "So tell me, what do you mean when you say 'I'm a Conservative'? What principle drives that commitment?" She concentrated on her eggs, sunny side up. "Just one thing . . ." I persisted. "I'm thinking!" she said. She continued thinking, and finally came, in a roundabout statement, to an objection to the government bailout of General Motors. And of the Big Banks. And to her experience as an exile from Communist Cuba, watching formerly wealthy business people, medical doctors, lawyers, politicians, middle and upper class Cubans--men and women--take jobs parking cars, bagging groceries, cleaning houses, waiting tables, gardeners, farm laborers, to make a new start in America. So, Conservative means economic opportunity, to "make it" based on individual effort? Yes. And what about the "illegals?" Find 'em, give 'em a card, let 'em work, and pay income taxes like the rest of us. Is that "Conservative" in today's politics? A shrug.

I continued my scientific poll one morning last week during my 7 a.m. semi-regular coffee break with Andy Anderson across the street at the Corner Quick Stop. "You're a Conservative, right, Andy?" He looked at me suspiciously and did not deny it. He seemed ready to plead the Fifth Amendment when I asked him the question, "What does it mean that you're in favor of to be Conservative?" He shuffled off to refill his coffee cup, and sat down again. Well, anything specific? I asked. Andy allowed that the national debt is getting out of hand--not a good thing--and grumbled that he had not listened yet to the Fox morning news. So, is balanced budget a part of it? Yes.

So, what does it mean to you to be Conservative, if you are? Send me a post card. A scientific poll with two half-hearted responses ain't gonna make the evening news.

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