Saturday, June 20, 2009

Conservative vs. Republican: What’s the difference?

Now I can safely cheer up.

Senator John Thune (R-SD) has introduced a bill he calls the "Government Ownership Exit Plan Act of 2009." At the site he has established to promote public support for the bill, he explains its purpose. "The government has taken unprecedented actions over the past 15 months to stabilize the economy, including taking direct ownership stakes in private companies. This creates a dangerous conflict of interest between the federal government and the private sector. The government shouldn't be an owner of companies it regulates in the private marketplace." The bill aims to prevent further government acquisitions. It sets a deadline of July 1, 2010 for complete divestiture of existing government ownership. It requires the Secretary of the Treasury "to submit a plan within 90 days for how it [sic] will end the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and end government ownership of those entities."

Since I agree with what the bill aims to achieve, I suppose I shouldn't quibble about the rationale Senator Thune gives for it. For better or worse though, my mind has a delicate digestive system. As when food is badly seasoned, so bad reasoning can make an otherwise welcome dish unpalatable. In this case it's hard to stomach the notion that the best reason for opposing the government's takeover of the private sector is that it compromises the integrity of its regulatory efforts. It's as if someone should oppose a government takeover of private homes because it would interfere with the honest collection of property taxes.

Thune's rationale sadly reveals the purblind vision that is destroying the Republican party. While some GM franchisees are seeing the fruits of a whole lifetime of disciplined hard work stolen away in a political vendetta, the Republican Senator laments the effect of the socialist takeover on government administration. In the process he accepts the notion that the current leap into socialism is the incidental by-product of some effort "to stabilize the economy," a lie made completely transparent by the simple fact that government action created the conditions for America's cascade into economic ruin.

I guess the 17th amendment is bearing its ultimate fruit (cf. 3 Cheers for the 10th Amendment Movement.) Even a supposedly "conservative" Republican Senator seems to think more like an appendage of the Federal government than like a representative of the deeply threatened interests of people in the State he's supposed to represent.

For a real conservative, the reason for opposing the socialist takeover of the private sector isn't that it might sully the integrity of the government's regulatory efforts. Instead, like Ronald Reagan at his best, real conservatives oppose specious government regulation because it threatens to undermine the economic independence people need to maintain their political liberty. They oppose it because it precisely gives unscrupulous politicians and bureaucrats the power to manipulate us into disaster, then use the disaster as an excuse to rob us all at once of livelihood and liberty.

How free can a people remain when government bureaucrats and politicians determine their wages, their conditions of work and indeed whether they work at all? How free can a people remain when government bureaucrats and politicians dictate their medical providers, their treatment and even whether they will be treated at all? How free can a people remain when the elected officials who are supposed to represent them become mere appendages of government power, with no thought but about how best to manipulate the people in order to gain and consolidate that power?

Those who wonder why so many conservatives no longer lay claim to or trust the Republican label, should think carefully about what's said here. It's hard to trust what Republicans say or do when their silences and omissions speak so eloquently of their lukewarm or betrayed allegiance to republican self-government.

As for Senator Thune's bill: I would recommend visiting his site to sign the petition that supports it. But while you're at it write him a note reminding him that socialism is bad because it destroys the conditions for liberty, not because it compromises the (mostly fictional) integrity of the government's regulatory schemes. If he ever grasps and effectively advocates the right reasons for his professed convictions maybe someday he'll be able to find the guts to do what he (and his G. W. Bush-led Republican bank bailout buddies) couldn't do last year: hold on to those convictions when the chips are down. They cravenly opened the floodgates to the socialist deluge the Obama faction is inflicting on our nation.

What's the difference between a conservative politician and a Republican? The conservative remembers his principles when he's in office. The Republican only acts as if he remembers when he needs our votes to put him there.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Such has been the influence on the minds of the entire nation. The reasons for the very existence of the United States have become forgotten. We have become a nation who's logic is based on litigation and legalities, rather than right and wrong. In this instance it is only the jeopardy of legalities pertaining to a potential "Conflict of Interest" which provides a motivation to correct the situation.

Within the beltway, and I dare say across the Nation, Sen. Thune's line of reasoning, has become a more compelling argument than protecting freedom.

Even something this "Self-Evident" requires an argument of litigation to support it. ...and the American people have bought into it, engage in it, and even expect it.

God Save the Republic.

...and May God Bless you, Dr. Keyes, for your efforts and your strength.

Call Me Mom said...

The difference is that a conservative wants to get things done according to a set of values defined by character and principle and a republican wants to win the next election.

gilbertabrett said...

Dr. Keyes! Good to see you back! I was beginning to be upset after two or three days and no new article. You and Thomas Sowell keep me guessing...

I went to Senator Thune's site, signed the petition and sent him a polite note asking if he could put something in there so all those companies would not be sold to anyone but Americans. I said it would be awfully sad to see all those companies go a country that hates us, much like the money we owe out now...

Thank you for making us aware, and now, off to my email address book.

GOD bless you and have a good weekend!

Unknown said...

As always, my political mentor hits reality between the eyes; with permission I shall find reason to use the "private homes" analogy- excellent example.
I've said before, the difference between (big R) Republicans and conservatives is their actions when the road gets bumpy.
Bumpy or smooth, Mr Keyes is consistent, earning my continued respect. bruce hedrick
http://sovereignslave.blogspot.com

WingletDriver said...

A good example of your explanation of the difference between a conservative and a Republican is this quote from Jeb Bush: "From the conservative side, it's time for us to listen first, to learn a little bit, to upgrade our message a little bit, to not be nostalgic about the past because, you know, things do ebb and flow."

Lots of good stuff here: Bush is advocating going out and pandering to voters rather than adhering to Constitutional principles; he's talking about upgrading the message, not changing the DC-insider attitude and behavior; he says that Republicans must listen to conservatives, admitting that they've been ignored (actually, what he said is a dangling participle--are conservatives supposed to listen or are Republicans supposed to listen to conservatives?)

In the end, this sounds like Jeb Bush is about winning elections by any means possible. He thinks all he has to do is package himself well. There is no promise of working for conservative ideals, no hopeful statement of succeeding along traditional patriotic lines.

Auntie Coosa said...

Mr. Keyes, I was so impressed that you mentioned the 17th Amendment because one part of my agenda is to hammer home to the Republican leaders in Congress that the 17th Amendment MUST be repealed and the USofA MUST return to Article 1, Section 3 of the US Constitution. Senators spend too much time running for office when they should be spending their time working for their constituents. And having Senators responsible to their own State Legislatures would clearly change the rhetoric and keep the lobbyists at bay. Another part of my agenda is to bring back "part time Congress" with no retirement amenities. The Founding Fathers expected their Congresspeople to have an income separate from their "Civic Duty" in Congress. I know the "part time Congress" is probably not going to occur, but I am hopeful that the 17th Amendment can be repealed. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!

Terry Morris said...

I too appreciate your unapproving mention of the 17th amendment, Dr. Keyes. Many of us have been arguing for years that the amendment needs to be repealed. In point of fact, I can't imagine what prompted the citizenry of the time to lend its support to a constitutional change as destructive of Federal Representative Republicanism as the 17th. But I guess that generation thought they should "have themselves a king" like other Western nations, i.e., more democracy.

tsiya said...

Right on target, Dr. Keyes, thanks for all your untiring efforts.

pbunyon said...

Well, since we are pushing for the divestiture of government ownership in the private marketplace, let's take a hard look at real estate and its baggage. There are by now trillions of tax dollars locked up in federal lands and enviromaniacal regualtions that put it all in a choke hold. Of course that apartment dweller I was talking about in a previous post is happy to keep socialists in power which are most guilty. It feels good to have that control over such "do gooder" issues. Those of use who supply the leftist man with the finest natural products and the otherwise unsustainable living are crushed by heavy regulation and federal overreaching they support. This has been happening to my industry for generations, has all but destroyed it, and now it is looking for any and all to succome to the left.

Freedom is all I want and it is the hardest thing to achieve. I would like to be more eloquent and well defined but I put in another long day in the blazing heat and will soon go to sleep voluntary or not...lol. While Thule's bill may seem like a glimmer of hope, even if it is for the wrong reasons, I feel our only real hope is to FORCE (there are peaceful ways to do this) the return to a constitutional government that has states and individual rights and does not confuse rights with privilages.

When it comes to our "representatives" has anyone given any thought to where their paychecks come from and how and when it change and what affect it has on their loyalty? I am still researching this but I am sure it is very important to our current condition.

Anonymous said...

The 17th amendment is one of those disturbing comments on the ability of the nation to remain free. While there are certainly some State legislatures which did ratify it, it seems that not all of the ratifications were as...unambiguous as would have been appropriate for a Constitutional amendment. Why did those legislatures which ratified it do so? Why did those legislatures which may not have intended to ratify it not protest being counted as having done so?

The answer, perhaps, is that courage and integrity are only necessary to win an election when those lacking them are held in general contempt. When such qualities are not prerequisites for the voter, can we express surprise that they are not always found in the elected?

As long as cowards and scoundrels constitute the majority of the electorate, it is impossible that those chosen to hold office will be honorable.

kid said...

allanhitch said...

Such has been the influence on the minds of the entire nation. The reasons for the very existence of the United States have become forgotten. We have become a nation who's logic is based on litigation and legalities, rather than right and wrong.

_________________________________

Isn't that what Keyes the former Ambassador to formerly racist South Africa is trying to do,sue a legally elected black man out of the Presidency ?

How can the President be born in Kenya when the Mau-Mau rebellion was going on ?YOU HATE HIM BECAUSE HE'S BLACK !The people that want him out are bomb makers and corrupt businesses.If there are no people to bomb they don't get paid.You have to use a bomb in order to run out of them.

Some black people are paid to keep other black people POOR! That's a fact.

Anonymous said...

"Isn't that what Keyes the former Ambassador to formerly racist South Africa is trying to do,sue a legally elected black man out of the Presidency ?"

If he doesn't meet the qualifications for office, then he is not legally elected. All Obama has to do is present the appropriate documentation.

Anonymous said...

"The appropriate documentation IS on his website. There's a 48 year old newspaper microfilm that says it too in Honolulu."

The documentation Obama posted on the web is not appropriate for a wide number of reasons. One of those reasons is part of the document is blacked out, which is something the document itself says disqualifies it.

Terry Morris said...

What kind of answer is that, child? Is there any speculation as to Palin's place of birth? Umm, no; of course not. But even if there was, does she serve in any capacity under the United States? Umm, no. End of story.

Begone child. Your ignorance is insulting.

kid said...

Terry Morris said...

What kind of answer is that, child? Is there any speculation as to Palin's place of birth? Umm, no; of course not. But even if there was, does she serve in any capacity under the United States? Umm, no. End of story.

Begone child. Your ignorance is insulting.
June 21, 2009 3:03 PM
______________________________________________
How dare I insult the word of a white woman. She's exciting and refreshing and new. Sound like a pack of cigaretts.Now who sound like they were born in a manger.When she was announced as McPain's choice, people google her name and racism. Guess what they got a photo of her at a Rat Buchanan rally.Other than blacks , he hates Jews more than Admadinjad.Buchanan's site still have the Nazi literature up.She didn't attend Juneteenth a African American festival . She was the first Alaskan Governor to do so. This winter Inuit and other tribal groups ran out of food and heating oil while she was at a dinner in Washington.Worst of all she had her water break ...on a 12 hour flight! That could have KILLED him.The airlines don't usually let expectant mothers on planes.

But your counterclaim is that he's a Muslim, black nationalist Christian that went to Rev.Wright's church that is the anti-Christ.Racism trumps logic.

gilbertabrett said...

Mr. Kid, you said racists post here, but you keep coming back - implying you are a racist like all of us. You can cry all day long about the past, but you will never have the mental agility to debate Dr. Keyes OR convince anyone that you are a rational and logical thinker as long as your thoughts and writings center on hate and racism.

I thought perhaps you were just some 'drive-by' hater or someone who got thrilled off of provoking thought and discussion, but after reading your posts, which do not stray from the continual hate and racist view, I think you are perhaps in need of some support outside that which you seem to get your views from. Perhaps some professional help. You should be worried that you will not be able to control your actions one day and throw your future away due to your indoctrinated state of mind.

Don't you get tired of being angry over things you cannot, and never will be able to, control? You are just a little too old for that not to have sunk in...

Dr. Keyes gives us a link to take a step in our government's functioning, and all you can come up with is old tired and played out poor little South Africa and people taking advantage of poor black folk here in the USA. By taking advantage, you are referring to "Rev." Jesse Jackson, "Rev." Al Sharpton and "Leader" of the Islamic Nation, Louis Farrakhan, "Rev." Jeremiah Wright and the like. Oh, and don't forget the Kenyan, Indonesian or whatever he is that sits in our White House playing king of the USA. You are their slave, not anyone's here.

Anonymous said...

I get a little tired of picking on George W. Bush. He was a great conservative who accomplished what many thought impossible. He established a Democracy in the heart of Islam. That is the primary reason for the Irani revolt now in progress. All people seek freedom.

Obama is terrified of an Irani revolution because he is afraid that Iran, like Iraq will become a Democracy too. Obama hates Democracy and always has. That is why he is so hesitant to do what MacCain would have done if he had won the election. I hope the Republicans rally behind the Irani people and hold Obama's cowardly feet to the fire for not joining them. This is a golden opportunity to restore soem sanity to our government and reverse the slippery slope to socialism.

It is true that Bush should not have agreed to the initial bailouts but we should remember that he also refused to send good money after bad. He will be remembered as one of our greatest presidents

kid said...

jadavison said...

I get a little tired of picking on George W. Bush. He was a great conservative who accomplished what many thought impossible. He established a Democracy in the heart of Islam. That is the primary reason for the Irani revolt now in progress. All people seek freedom.

Obama is terrified of an Irani revolution because he is afraid that Iran, like Iraq will become a Democracy too. Obama hates Democracy and always has. That is why he is so hesitant to do what MacCain would have done if he had won the election. I hope the Republicans rally behind the Irani people and hold Obama's co

____________________________

Iran is in turmoil because of American meddeling. Admadinajad wants a nuclear bomb to bring the apocalypse. Bush invades Iraq because of Texan bravado and to bring the apocalypse. Admadinjad is the Iranian version of Bush, a religious bigot.

Do you wonder wheere the footage of the Iranian revolution is coming from ? Bloggers on Daily Kos. They said that the President is doing the right thing by not making it look like a American coup.It's their country , America should mind their own business.

pbunyon said...

Kid, you have yet to enlighten anyone in here as far as I can tell. Then, it may be impossible to do so. I'all go ahead and wager that it isn't because we can't be enlightened.

Now then, if you would be so kind, because I know your heart is in the right place, tell us all the one country, the one destination where they have it right or should I say left. Perhaps it doesn't exist so you can simply tell us what nation is closest to your utopian idea.

It is obvious how much you hate the America and/or Americans that you live in/with due to your constant pointing that out. In another forum I may want to discuss with you the nation which seems most correct to you. After that, I may be enlightened after all.

Terry Morris said...

He seems to have some affinity for South Africa. Maybe that's the utopian paradise he's thinking of.

gilbertabrett said...

If that's the case, I have some beachfront property in Arizona to sell him @ $1 an acre. Of course it will take as long as O'Drama's criminulus bill to come into existence and resemble that same tired promise of hope and change... a promise made to hook the poor suckers...

I am waiting to hear if he went to Senator Thune's site and signed the petition yet.

Well, Mr. Kid???

Anonymous said...

Sorry kid, whoever that is. America is the only hope for freedom left on this planet. If it is up to Obama there will be no hope for freedom anywhere.

Anonymous said...

Freedom is a state of mind.

It is not granted by the state. If you are determined to be free, if you will live free or die, then you will live and die free.

"America" is a construct of the dreams of free men. Should it be torn down by those who dream of tyranny, it can be built up again whenever the free have the desire.

There are many things I will not promise. But this I do promise. Tyranny will not endure. No matter the cost in blood and toil, it will be destroyed. You do well to fear the cost, but do not doubt the outcome. Liberty or Death.

Joel Lehman said...

The Kid may not be who you think he is. Looks like role playing and satire.

gilbertabrett said...

The kid sounds like he does not know who he is either... If he is into role playing, he must have been misdirected into this blog my a malfunctioning computer...

Joe of St. Thérèse said...

Thank you again for this brilliant article

larry white said...

Thank you, Dr. Keyes, and thank you, chiu, for "rightly dividing the word of truth".

Unknown said...

You write:

"For a real conservative, the reason for opposing the socialist takeover of the private sector isn't that it might sully the integrity of the government's regulatory efforts. Instead, like Ronald Reagan at his best, real conservatives oppose specious government regulation because it threatens to undermine the economic independence people need to maintain their political liberty. They oppose it because it precisely gives unscrupulous politicians and bureaucrats the power to manipulate us into disaster, then use the disaster as an excuse to rob us all at once of livelihood and liberty."

So essentially, you're saying that the entire conservative platform is based upon a logically-fallacious slippery-slope argument that has no real factual basis to back it up? Nice, an entire party built upon fear, distrust, paranoia, and shoddy reasoning. That's exactly what we need.

Unknown said...

I also find it highly ironic that someone who feels that "gradual repression of political and civil liberty culminating in the open prosecution and suppression of dissident views" is tantamount to communism insists on manually approving comments before they are posted. What is that, if not an attempt to stifle and suppress those who have opposing viewpoints?

Further, throwing around loaded terms like "communist" in places where they clearly do not fit (Obama is definitely not one, I assure you) amounts to little more than persecution of dissident views. The fact that you and Obama may disagree on just about every issue does not make him a communist, and it does not render his views automatically invalid, but by labeling him a "communist", you are essentially trying to silence his viewpoints with the implicit (and also false) argument that no viewpoint held by a communist can be valid.

I submit that you sir, are a hypocrite.

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