Conservatives

I used to be a moderate liberal, who literally couldn't stand hearing anything coming out of a conservative's mouth - it was all trashy rhetoric and blatant propaganda to me. I hated FOX News, I wanted to buy Glenn Beck's book so that I could burn it, I couldn't stand the Christian right and their disregard for basic rights, and even desperately wanted the public option to pass. I was young in my understanding of things then, even though it was only less than a year ago that I really believed these things. I had my "Libertarian awakening" during my Senior Economics class, when we did a small class activity and proved that prices will meet equilibrium in a free market. That amazed me, and brought my semi-liberal world crashing down upon me. My whole world view changed that day, and turned me into a fiscal conservative.

So, why is it that I still can't stand conservatives? In terms of economics, I very much agree with them and in many cases would like to take the concept of limited government further. I think gun rights need to be preserved and that the health care bill that was just signed will not take us in the direction of lower prices and higher quality, but there is still a lingering dislike for the conservatives in America.

Here's why I still can't stand them: trashy rhetoric and propaganda will always be trashy rhetoric and propaganda whether or not you agree with it. All of this bullshit about Obama being a Kenyan national and the anti-christ, and this other bullshit about a communist takeover of our health care and an Orwellian destruction of our society is just that: bullshit.

All of the negative comments and conspiracies created by conservatives today are just giving liberals negative propaganda to use against them. All they have to do is make an ad hominem attack saying that Glenn Beck is psycho, and all of a sudden to a lot of people the liberal agenda becomes justified. Why would anyone want to vote for a crackpot like him? That must make the people calling him out right!

I am a Libertarian, I believe in limited government and the free market, but I am not a modern conservative by any sense of the word (I like to use the term "classically liberal" to describe my political position. It throws people off). I don't think government should be applied to social policy (which is really the difference between Libertarian and modern conservative), and I sure as hell don't buy into any of their crazy theories. These things only upset me, especially so when I watch the Tea Party protesters brandish their Nazi paraphernalia and then embarrass themselves by declaring that the public option is socialized medicine, but Medicare is not. You see, conservatives have turned themselves into a sort of subset of American culture, where they are regarded amongst idiots and psychotic conspiracy theorists who only exist to entertain the folks over at MSNBC. You want the truth, the key to a successful pro-limited government, citizens revolution? Do you ever want to see America return to its constitutional roots and let the free market thrive? Then the conservatives need to change their attitude. By not doing so, they are ruining the chances for the rest of us who are really concerned about the welfare of America.

Liberals are not communists, not by any stretch of the word. They are not Maoist, Leninist, or any other kind of -ist, including those of the Marx variety. They may be considered socialists, but that is not an offense. They should be able to stand up and say it just as we can say we are capitalists. No political viewpoint or view on life should ever be used as an attack against that person (another of the conservative offenses). They are not evil, they do not want to rob you of your liberties, and they most definitely do not want to bring in a New World Order (another one). They are simply Americans who are concerned, as I and many others are, about the welfare of the country and strongly believe, unlike me, that the solution is regulation and government. There is nothing evil or idiotic about that belief.

Conservatives in this country must alter their rhetoric and try once again not to bring conspiracy to the public forum, but instead bring rational and honest discussion. No more lies, no more propaganda, and no more crazy conspiracy theories. You're making the rest of us look bad, and ruining the conservative/libertarian movement. If you continue, we will never succeed.