Labels??

This is a repost from an article that I had published in the Amarillo Globe News in July 2004. It's funny or maybe sad, but this still applies in 2008. and it seems now as well.

This year's presidential election promises to be entertaining, with the old bugaboo of liberal versus conservative. Since Texans now seem to equate "liberal" with bad and "conservative" with good, I think it's important to define the terms as they have taken on new and more passionate meanings. What exactly does it mean to be conservative? A common definition of conservatism, from my trusty dictionary, reads thusly: "disposition in politics to preserve what is established" or "a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change
During the current administration's reign, anything but conservatism has been practiced. Here are some examples: President Bush has issued more executive orders to change the United States Constitution than any other president. It's no great feat to be more fiscally conservative than Pres. Bush. With his spending spree and deficit, he will be remembered as one of the biggest spenders in modern history. Creating and protecting jobs? President Bush's record on jobs is worse than the last eleven presidents combined. President Bush is certainly not conservative when it comes to political showmanship. I don't remember any other president who would spend as much tax-payer money to fly a jet to an air-craft carrier and announce that the war was over, especially since it really wasn't OVER over--just SORT OF over.
Maybe the pundits mean he is socially conservative. Question is, what qualifies someone to be socially conservative? You just go claim it, and there you go? Kenneth Lay was a great conservative leader and activist in the evangelical movement, close friends with the Bush family, and a staunch supporter of Tom "The Hammer" Delay. They are all considered socially conservative. If one is to be considered socially conservative, shouldn't their focus be on maintaining the "Great Society"? Knowing what the population's needs are, and finding a way to improve the standard of living for all Americans, not just the ultra wealthy? I'd bet my bottom dollar that none of the aforementioned leaders could tell you what a gallon of milk costs at their local grocery store. I would imagine that they would be hard pressed to tell you that the average stipend for a retired person drawing social security is only around $500 a month, and with the new Medicare plan in the wings as a favor to the big chemical companies, prescription costs have doubled in the last year. How is that maintaining the society that our parents and grandparents worked so hard for and even fought and died to protect?
Of course the argument that keeps floating around is: "Things are a lot different now than they were before 9-11." True, some people have been awakened by that tragedy, and have started paying closer attention to how the government's function has evolved, but let me ask you this, with all the money spent on homeland security, do you know what to do now in case of another terrorist attack? I haven't received any instruction since the fourth grade in the realm of civil defense. Then the instructions were to "duck and cover."
Growing up in the panhandle I always thought that conservative was to err on the side of less. For example, when the boss said, "Give me a conservative guess on how many bales of hay are left to haul," I would always guess lower than my first impression of at least a million bales. Of course, the hotter that August was, the higher my conservative estimate became. I guess conservatism is pretty much the same. It's not really a fixed thing, not really set in stone, but can be moved up and down the scale depending on the heat in which that particular person is required to operate. But I guess Liberalism is pretty much the same. "Liberal" always meant to me that you got more than you really needed. For example: "The catsup piled on my plate was a more liberal serving than I required." Or "Grandma sure is liberal with her kisses." But now in today's political world the term "liberal" has been demonized to the point that I've witnessed two fellows almost fight because one called the other a liberal. The same dictionary defines liberal as: "a person who . . .is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways." To which I admit being guilty.
Did you realize that outside of politics, "liberal" is considered good! For example, corporate
America demands that we "think outside the box" in order to stay ahead of our competitors. The best teachers teach their students how to think, not WHAT to think, and to have an open mind to any and all possible resolutions. Jesus taught that man had become so caught up in traditions and observances that he was missing God because of his overwhelming concern for following traditional conservative doctrine. All these ideas are what have made our society the greatest in the history of the world.


As the political season heats up, watch for the name calling on both sides. Listen to the ideas, keep an open mind, dismiss the political shysters on either side of the fence, accept the fact that applying labels is just a lazy way of thinking, and then vote your conscience. It's still the best advice you can follow.