" Frank Schaeffer: I'm Now a 'Liberal' Because I'm a Conservative " »
Posted By jovial 2 weeks, 2 days ago in Political Opinion
I grew up in a fundamentalist missionary family that in the 1970s and 80s morphed into my father's activity as one of the founders of the Religious Right. We would hobnob with Republican leaders from Ronald Reagan to Gerald Ford and the Bush family, Jack Kemp and many others. One day it dawned on me that the far right of the Republican Party --- in other words its base --- actually hates America.
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jovial
Grew up In Brooklyn. Joined the Navy in 1976 stayed in 10 years. Aircraft Electronics tech. Worked for Major Govt. contractor then settled in California ...
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jovial2 weeks, 2 days ago
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"What is the conservative movement today, and/or the Republican Party?
It's about as far away from conservatism as it can get. It is a party ready to trash its own country in support of nihilistic, selfish market-driven "values" the very opposite of conservative values of family, community and stability. It is in fact what conservatives of the 60s said the hippies were: selfish brats with no sense of responsibility to anyone. It's also a party of armed revolution not so subtly egging on its lunatic fringe to commit violence. It applauds white rubes who show up at public meetings carrying loaded assault weapons "to make a point" and signs reminiscent of Timothy McVeigh and his famous T-shirt; "the tree of Liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants" and the like are held up by Murdoch/Beck/Fox and company --- those profiteers off the unregulated market --- as paragons of good sense and free enterprise and gun rights."-
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hyperbola2 weeks, 1 day ago
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Every country has these kinds of elements. They become dangerous when the "oligarchy" places their own personal power and profit ahead of their country and countrymen and begins to "direct" and "finance" them for the oligarch's own personal power and profit.
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There will always be those who want to feel "important" and "on a mission" by joining a sect. If the "personal fulfillment" of "being part of the mission" is nurtured by the "leaders", then the followers don't care if they are being exploited and abused. We see many of them here.
The best thing we can do is to rescue these people from the clutches of corrupt oligarchs who manipulate them. That means cleaning out corrupt oligarchs and their incestuous occupation of our government should be our highest priority. Both of our political parties need a good purging.
Part of "rescuing" the gullible will be to address seriously some of the issues that are used to enflame them. In fact, some of the "tea party" themes should be of equal concern to all of us.
We should happily recruit them to help us end abuse of our constitutional rights and liberties (and here Obama needs his ears tugged strongly).
We should help the "gullible" begin to understand that most of our "military imperialism" is not really about defending America, but rather about an entrenched system of "defense" corruption kickbacks and the "power and prestige" of the elite class - and above all that they pay the biggest price in lost and ruined lives for the "imperialism" of our elite. (Here also Obama is so far continuing with the "elite" corruption - viz, his defense budget involved increasing spending even further than the wild militarism of Bush).
We should recruit the gullible into helping us end entrenched corruption by oligarchs. (cleaning out many of the "revolving-door" "corrupt wall streeters" in the Obama administration would be a good start)
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jordan112 weeks, 2 days ago
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Religious Right and the Republican Party infected gun-toting America with a chip on its shoulder about a mile wide. This led to the myth that "they" (fill in the blank, gays, Jews, blacks, liberals --- whatever) are "taking away our country from 'us'"...>>>>
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Yeah, that's pretty much what has happened. And it's sad for the people who have been led down this path, as much as for the people (groups) who have to live with their bigotry. It can't be a happy life to carry around so much negativity.-
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ChefEOD2 weeks, 1 day ago
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"This led to the myth that "they" (fill in the blank, gays, Jews, blacks, liberals --- whatever) are "taking away our country from 'us'"
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No, those are just the lies (fear mongering) that liberals tell about conservatives, selecting a few extremists and claiming ALL are like that. What conservatives know and detest is that liberals want to see us all in thrall to a big government that legislates an "anything and everything is acceptable in human behavior with one exception, you cannot disagree with 'anything and everything is acceptable in human behavior' ". -
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miklkit2 weeks, 2 days ago
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This is a good article. Everyone should read it.
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FTA:
In other words to be a conservative today is to be an anti-American, nihilistic libertarian know-nothing who believes in unregulated consumerism and the theology of dominion, and the Rapture that many conservatives also subscribe to along with such "facts" as that Obama is the --- literal! --- Antichrist.-
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frctm52 weeks, 2 days ago
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I think Mr. Schaeffer has put his finger on the pulse of the movement. Truly conservatives have become childish. They no longer argue ideas but engage in name calling and character assassination. A movement that has such infantile values at its core can't lead anywhere constructive, meaningful, or sustainable.
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cowboygrandpa2 weeks, 1 day ago
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"To be an actual conservative today is to be a progressive Democrat.
An actual conservative believes in community and accountability to a moral tradition that puts the greater good of others ahead of oneself. Take a look at the way the very conservative communities of New England's Puritan towns were arranged around the village green known as "the commons."
Shared public spaces were owned by the community, for instance grazing land, and town meetinghouses. People were obliged to show up and participate in the fledgling democracy and vote. Taxes were dispensed by committees for charitable purposes. A duty to government and obligations placed on citizens by other citizens --- when it came to putting the life of the community ahead of the self --- were the norm. The free-market and individual enterprise were strictly curtailed based on not just the needs of the community but, when it came to things like banking and lending, the Old Testament teachings that frowned on "usury" --- in other words banks making more money than they should from ordinary people-- were upheld.
President Obama is a conservative. He believes in the brotherhood of all people. He believes in the freedom of the individual to make moral decisions. He believes that sexuality, religion and skin color should not define us but the content of our characters should define us. He believes that we are our brother's keeper. He believes in loyalty to community and country --- in other words patriotism, whether that's the honor of serving in the military or the honor of paying taxes to support not just national defense but how we treat what the Bible calls the least amongst us.
People ask me why I'm a progressive these days and "changed sides" from being a conservative. I didn't change sides.
What changed --- ironically with my father's and my nefarious "help!" --- was a conservative movement that became an enclave for hate-filled ignorance, anti-American sentiment and nihilistic individualism. What changed was my bare faced self deception as I profited from the God business and the far right even though I knew better. Today I am an independent voter, and an Obama supporter, and a progressive because I am a conservative."
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Frank Schaeffer is the author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back and the forthcoming Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism).
Well I don't care for the religious people who have no clue as to what they are doing.
A lot of so called conservative Christians fill that mold. How can they conserve what they can't contain ???
More legalists than Christians in my eyes.-
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ChefEOD2 weeks, 1 day ago
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"President Obama is a conservative. He believes in the brotherhood of all people. He believes in the freedom of the individual to make moral decisions. He believes that sexuality, religion and skin color should not define us but the content of our characters should define us. He believes that we are our brother's keeper. He believes in loyalty to community and country --- in other words patriotism, whether that's the honor of serving in the military or the honor of paying taxes to support not just national defense but how we treat what the Bible calls the least amongst us."
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If that were true I'd be all on board - but it is not grandpa, you've been conned. The guy is a snake in a man's suit. All you have to do is look at who his friends are and have been, who he surrounds himself with, who he is putting into positions of power.
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Charlson2 weeks, 1 day ago
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Conservatism today is actually not for anything. It is just against everyone but "us" and a few like us bound together by an alternative reality, otherwise known as Fox/NRA/Beck/Palin/Jesus's Return--"News."
Sort of sums up the conservative movement of the republican party. -
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toph19732 weeks, 1 day ago
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It's been apparent for decades the republican party hates America. I can only think of one reason. They are Fascists and loathe our glorious republic, and the freedoms it guarantees. Both Bush's tried to take us down the road to Fascism. Violating the constitution, creating an orwellian society. The republican party should be tried for treason.
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epiphannyy2 weeks, 1 day ago
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The Republican Party hasn't been truly "conservative" since before Ronald Reagan took office. It didn't become fully apparent until George W. Bush took office and implemented everything his father and Reagan had laid the groundwork for, but this movement away from true conservatism has been a long time coming.
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The problem is, there are still quite a few conservatives within the GOP, even as the GOP is migrating away from that core belief by trying to legislate everything, up to and including marriage. They proved their lack of fiscal conservatism when, for six full years, they held control of both the Legislature and the Executive, but ran up a deficit that had never before been imagined, let alone realized. They used their power, not to reign in spending, but expand it beyond logic by funding things like bridges to nowhere. Their whole focus has gone from "small government" to "legislating morals."
The true conservative wants neither government spending nor government interference in his/her everyday life.
Today's conservative wants to interfere in EVERYTHING their neighbor is doing. Who they marry. What health decisions they are making for themselves or their loved ones. The type of education (prayer or not) that everyone else's children receive. The religious choice everyone makes - since Christians are the only "patriotic" Americans today.
The list could go on and on and on, but nothing about today's conservative is actually "conservative" at all. It may be conservative for their own life and choices, but when it is forced on others, it becomes the least possible conservative ideology there is.
But they want to call other people fascists? Riiiiiiiight. -
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chevydog2 weeks, 1 day ago
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Articles like this reconfirm to me the futility of using labels. For my money, terms like "progressive Democrat", "Liberal" and "Conservative" are avenues by which groups try to surpress the individualism of people. You think like we do, and we'll admit you to the group. But don't try to think differently or you can't wear our little button. We don't value individuals; we value conformity; individualism is a threat. Society as a whole, and political parties in particular, have been heading in this direction for a long time.
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People think what they think. And labels like the above are only artificial tags to classify them. Personally, I guess I'm sort of conservative (small c), based on upbringing, temprement, education, and other factors. This often leads me in political directions that some call "Conservative" (big C). But sometimes it leads in directions some call "Liberal". It's not me who has changed (although that has happened some over the years), or my background, but just what people call me. I use labels mostly as a matter of convenience; because to some extent such use is necessary to exist in society. But those who deal with me know that I function in terms of people, not labels.
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