Why Do Republicans Consider Themselves Conservatives

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

These aren't republicans...they are obviously democrat lite.

AlphaOmega said:

These aren't republicans...they are obviously democrat lite.

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You voted for them.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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Neither party has ever been concerned with it qhen they are in power. Besides, a balanced budget and illegal abotion would be deadly to the GOP as they would have nothing to run on.

There is no such thing as "fiscal conservatism" anymore, nor is it very plausible for there to be such an ideology in today's political climate, social and economic condition, what have you. Treasury promises of any kind are too much of a commodity to exchange for a vote from someone, centralizing aristocracy.

The term "social conservatism" is nothing more than a euphemism for theocratic intentions by applying the power of governance to force ideological perceptions onto those that disagree, further marginalizing a target minority as a means to isolate them.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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Republicans say a lot of things.

So do Democrats.

They are both just different sides of the same coin.

Since Clinton left office, Federal Spending has doubled.

There is no difference in the stink coming out of Washington DC regardless of which gang of thieves is in control of the purse.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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Prior to the year 2000 the Republican Party was both fiscally and socially conservative. In 5 years they managed to balance the budget that had a $450 billion deficit in 1994. It was also the Republican Party that enacted the major Welfare Reform Act of 1996 with a veto-proof majority. However, all that changed after the 2000 General Election. Newt Gingrich was no longer Speaker of the House and Rep. Kasich was no longer Chairman of the House Committee on the Budget. Since 2000 there has been absolutely no difference between Democrats and Republicans. Both are equally fiscally irresponsible, and have been for the last 20 years.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.
Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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A single data point

rocket88 said:

You voted for them.

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No I didn't.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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...Many Republicans arent', actually, all that conservatives?

Simon W. Moon said:

A single data point

There's a DP poster who told me that having politicians adhere to conservative principles don't matter to them (the poster) any more.
Only winning mattered.
Therefore they were willing to accept politicians who acted like Democrats so long as they (the politicians) won.​

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Is it a question of acceptance or infiltration? Since the Republican Party gained control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years in 1994 thousands of Democrats have jumped ship to become Republicans, while very few Republicans have become Democrats. The question really doesn't matter. Whether by acceptance or by infiltration the Republican Party has become very similar to the Democratic Party, fiscally and socially. In other words, there is no conservative representation in Congress these days.

Glitch said:

Is it a question of acceptance or infiltration? Since the Republican Party gained control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years in 1994 thousands of Democrats have jumped ship to become Republicans, while very few Republicans have become Democrats. The question really doesn't matter. Whether by acceptance or by infiltration the Republican Party has become very similar to the Democratic Party, fiscally and socially. In other words, there is no conservative representation in Congress these days.

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This sounds an awful lot like you are blaming democrats for the poor choices of the Republicans.

Republicans vote for the people who best represent them. When they elect fiscally irresponsible, godless, immoral politicians it is because that is who represents them. If that weren't the case they would be voting differently. Don't blame others for your choices. When It will be a miracle if the Republicans start believing in accountability.

OrphanSlug said:

There is no such thing as "fiscal conservatism" anymore, nor is it very plausible for there to be such an ideology in today's political climate, social and economic condition, what have you. Treasury promises of any kind are too much of a commodity to exchange for a vote from someone, centralizing aristocracy.

The term "social conservatism" is nothing more than a euphemism for theocratic intentions by applying the power of governance to force ideological perceptions onto those that disagree, further marginalizing a target minority as a means to isolate them.

Click to expand...

Actually, social conservatism merely meant abiding by the US Constitution, nothing more. Something the federal government hasn't done since FDR was elected in 1933. The federal government does not have the constitutional authority to be spending appropriated funds on any social program. That is the exclusive authority of the States. Those who advocate for unlimited government spending are actually advocating for the downfall of their own government, and those who vote for them are equally as guilty.

I still want to know what do conservatives conserve?

The GOP is fighting like hell to try to get back to the fifties.

Glitch said:

Is it a question of acceptance or infiltration? Since the Republican Party gained control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years in 1994 thousands of Democrats have jumped ship to become Republicans, while very few Republicans have become Democrats. The question really doesn't matter. Whether by acceptance or by infiltration the Republican Party has become very similar to the Democratic Party, fiscally and socially. In other words, there is no conservative representation in Congress these days.

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Yet conservatives will vote in those "fake conservative" Republicans every time. Makes no sense. Sorry, but every single one of the Republicans that are currently in office have ran that they are CONSERVATIVE. So either conservative voters don't REALLY care about Fiscal conservatism or they are just plain dumb. Take your pick.

Kreton said:

This sounds an awful lot like you are blaming democrats for the poor choices of the Republicans.

Republicans vote for the people who best represent them. When they elect fiscally irresponsible, godless, immoral politicians it is because that is who represents them. If that weren't the case they would be voting differently. Don't blame others for your choices. When It will be a miracle if the Republicans start believing in accountability.

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Then you are not comprehending what I wrote. I clearly state "the Republican Party has become very similar to the Democratic Party." Both are fiscally irresponsible and neither are abiding by the US Constitution. You might want to actually pay attention to what people post instead of making up your own bizarre fantasies.

Praxas said:

Yet conservatives will vote in those "fake conservative" Republicans every time. Makes no sense. Sorry, but every single one of the Republicans that are currently in office have ran that they are CONSERVATIVE. So either conservative voters don't REALLY care about Fiscal conservatism or they are just plain dumb. Take your pick.

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Yes they will. I stopped trying to figure out voters after they elected Clinton in 1992.

I continue to vote for my one and only House Rep., who happens to be a Republican. It will be his 24th term in 2020, and he is most definitely conservative having been elected since 1972. My two Senators, on the other hand, neither are conservative although they are both registered Republicans. I will continue to vote for conservative candidates, as I always have, but I don't expect to find them in the Republican Party any longer unless they have been there for a very long time.

Glitch said:

Then you are not comprehending what I wrote. I clearly state "the Republican Party has become very similar to the Democratic Party." Both are fiscally irresponsible and neither are abiding by the US Constitution. You might want to actually pay attention to what people post instead of making up your own bizarre fantasies.

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And they are continually voted in by CONSERVATIVE VOTERS. So either those CONSERVATIVE VOTERS don't care about fiscal conservatism or they are dumb, take your pick. It is YOU the CONSERVATIVE VOTER that is having a problem reading.

Praxas said:

And they are continually voted in by CONSERVATIVE VOTERS. So either those CONSERVATIVE VOTERS don't care about fiscal conservatism or they are dumb, take your pick. It is YOU the CONSERVATIVE VOTER that is having a problem reading.

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No, they are not. You just want it to be that way. Conservatives vote for conservatives, which means they are not voting for Republicans or Democrats any longer unless they have a very long track record. It is the anti-American leftists who are electing Republicans and Democrats these days, not conservatives. Regardless of the size of the text you immaturely decide to use.

Glitch said:

No, they are not. You just want it to be that way. Conservatives vote for conservatives, which means they are not voting for Republicans or Democrats any longer unless they have a very long track record. It is the anti-American leftists who are electing Republicans and Democrats these days, not conservatives. Regardless of the size of the text you immaturely decide to use.

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LOL so you are trying to sell the BS that those at CPAC that end up voting for NON-CONSERVATIVE candidates are not conservative. :lamo

You will try to do ANYTHING to excuse the conservative voters for voting for non fiscal conservatives. So cute and so pathetic at the same time. Face facts, you conservatives continue to vote in non-conservatives.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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They're not traditional conservatives, but have become neo-conservatives, social conservatives, religious conservatives and any other type I left out. A traditional conservatives believes in fiscal responsibility, basically a balance budget. Spending, outflow matches incoming revenues. A traditional conservative believes if we have to cut spending to get to a balanced budget, do it. If we have to raise taxes to get to a balanced budget, do it. It usually requires both. Today's fiscal conservatives only believe in low taxes, not fiscal responsibility.

Another thing traditional conservatives believe in is small government. Keeping government out of a citizen's private business and lives. This applies to your social issues you mentioned, abortion, gays, religion etc. A tradition conservative believes it is up to the woman when it comes to abortion, not government. Gay marriage, let love decide, not government and so on. Government shouldn't be used to enforce one's agenda on others one way or the other. This also applies to private businesses, which puts traditional conservatives on the hate list of the left due to their desire to use government to force their agenda on private businesses.

Glitch said:

Actually, social conservatism merely meant abiding by the US Constitution, nothing more. Something the federal government hasn't done since FDR was elected in 1933. The federal government does not have the constitutional authority to be spending appropriated funds on any social program. That is the exclusive authority of the States. Those who advocate for unlimited government spending are actually advocating for the downfall of their own government, and those who vote for them are equally as guilty.

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Social conservatism has nothing to do with the US Constitution, never has. That would be "Government Conservatism" and the last bastion of that ideology is Libertarianism.

rickc said:

I have always wondered why they claimed that title while running up trillions of dollars in debt.

Do Republicans just ignore the fiscal side of conservatism and focus on church, abortion, hating gays and other issues. Is that what conservatism means to republicans?

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you have it backwards for a LOT of people

and why do so many of you on this board want to put people in these neat little boxes? as if every liberal and progressive thought alike...not likely

i am a FISCAL conservative....i know a very rarified bird nowadays....i believe in people taking care of themselves for the most part, with government there to lend a helping hand up once in a great while

I have become much more moderate when it comes to social issues over the years....i dont like abortion, or gay marriage, but neither of them bothers me personally....and it isnt my life, so who am i to judge

i am a big proponent of 2A....but i think we could use "sensible" controls when it comes to weapons that can shoot more than a few shots a minute....i dont understand why citizens need or want AR15 or similar type weapons....but i currently own 3 weapons myself....

We need to make adjustments to our spending in DC....we need to reign in lobbyists....and we need to get ALL MONEY OUT OF POLITICS....but that will never happen in my lifetime

We need to make it easier to immigrate legally...too expensive and too long for many....my wife has relatives still on list for over 8 years now....but we need to stop the flow of undocumented coming in, or those overstaying visas

Everify is not going to work by itself to cure the work issue....that only will get 40% which work in actual businesses....the rest work for themselves, or on the shadow economy....in your neighborhoods, and until we stop hiring them to do our lawn care, roofing, and other miscellaneous home repairs, they will continue to thrive in the cash and carry businesses.

Some may call some of my views libertarian....i have voted I, and mostly R my life.....because i dont like big giveaway programs

Not all republicans are conservatives, and not all conservatives care for the GOP

gdgyva said:

Not all republicans are conservatives, and not all conservatives care for the GOP

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Yet so called "fiscal conservatives" continually vote in non Fiscal conservative Republicans. You (general you) can't sit there and complain about government spending when you vote in Republicans and Democrats that are big spenders. It makes no sense. What result do fiscal conservatives think they will get voting in non-fiscal conservatives?

Praxas said:

Yet conservatives will vote in those "fake conservative" Republicans every time. Makes no sense. Sorry, but every single one of the Republicans that are currently in office have ran that they are CONSERVATIVE. So either conservative voters don't REALLY care about Fiscal conservatism or they are just plain dumb. Take your pick.

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two candidates on the ballot

one with a D

one with a R

that is what most people see and know

the fact the the candidates that your party or mine arent exactly what we want to represent OUR party matters little to them

we get one choice D or R

and i will let you be the one to vote for the OTHER party...okay

you be the one to vote for the brave new world