The argument against conservatism

[pcfitz80]

Hi PcFitz80. I didn't see your post before. However, I am at a loss as to know how to respond to it as there is a little in your post which contradicts my own views. You seem to have decided that I am an identikit hard right conservative.

I do advocate curtailing welfare to heroin addicts and replacing it with compulsory rehab, which I admit could be seen as strict. But nowhere have I made any argument against denying unemployment benefit to jobseekers.

I hear what you are saying about not being against unemployment benefits but the point is you are supporting a party that is being controlled by people who are against them. In other words, YOU may not be hard line conservative but the people who you vote for are. I feel bad for you because the party that you think exists (responsible conservatives who are against hand outs for drug addicts but will help out those in need) doesn’t exist. Conservatives have been so successful precisely because they have been able to fool people like you into thinking that they think the way you do and are moral, reasonable conservatives who are “moderates“ and it is the liberals who are way radical - this is how they have gotten more of the swing votes in 2000, 2004 and unfortunately probably will in this years mid terms. In today’s politics in America it is the opposite - right/ republican = radical and liberal = fairly moderate or at least not “wayyyy left“. I tried to explain this to a close friend back in 2000 who was convinced that Bush was the right choice because he was a good man who would lead by good, strong, Christian values and be a “compassionate” conservative. History proved him wrong! As another example just look what happened to McCain between 2000 and 2008. He morphed from a very reasonable moderate conservative into much more of a radcon in order to get the nomination - his change was no accident. See my point? My argument is against the present brand of conservatism that exists today in the U.S. and has for about the past 30 years. As long as more reasonable people like yourself continue to support them by voting republican they will have no reason to move toward the center.