PicassoCT wrote:
Forb try to understand, that most of the other democratic countrys discuss US Matter not to bash them, but because they are afraid US-Influence may shrink even further after this desastrous neoconservative 8 years.
Let me point out something that needs to be made abundantly clear...
GEORGE BUSH IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE NO MATTER HOW BADLY HE WANTS TO WEAR THAT BLANKET!!!
I think you may have your terms mixed up picasso...
Picasso, conservatives have not been in power for the past 8 years... FAR from it. The repubicans (In case you don't know, a derogatory word for stupid republicans). These idiots, raised taxes, spent like drunk sailors, expanded government to epic proportions. All this is the exactl opposite of what a "Conservative" would do.
This is a good description of neocons, not written by me:
One of the things that distinguishes them is that, often (but certainly not always), they are conservatives by virtue of foreign policy alone, and are not necessarily social or economic conservatives. My dad, for example, considers himself something of a neo-con, and I understand he is strongly considering voting for Bush. However, he is actually quite leftist on damn-near every domestic policy issue, and aknowledges that whatever affiliation he has with the republican party is entirely about middle-east policy (he's pro-choice, pro-socialist health care, pro-gun control, indifferent on gay marriage, supports rolling back the tax cuts, etc.). In that sense, so called neocons are often (but not always) closer ideologically to hawkish liberals (as represented by, say, 'The New Republic') than to main-line republican conservatives, are represented by 'National Review.'
By this definition, the people that were in power were not neocons per se (as in, not as extreme as a true neocon), but acted a lot like neocons would.
A conservative is a completely different view. Small Government, Power of the individual, low taxation, low government intervention, heralding small business, Individualism (as opposed to Community-ism
lolcommunism?)...
A Conservative cherishes and defends the founding documents of the American Republic ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Accordingly, a Conservative defends free expression ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ in speech, the press, assembly ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Additionally, a Conservative insists upon due process and protection of the individual from excesses and abuses of law enforcement. In particular, the Conservative opposes ├óÔé¼┼ôunreasonable searches and seizures├óÔé¼┬Ø (Fourth Amendment), double jeopardy, and self incrimination (Fifth Amendment), and ├óÔé¼┼ôcruel and unusual punishment (Eighth Amendment). In addition, the Conservative affirms ├óÔé¼┼ôthe right to a speedy and public trial├óÔé¼┬Ø and the right to confront accusers and ├óÔé¼┼ôto be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation├óÔé¼┬Ø (Sixth Amendment).
While respecting the doctrinal differences amongst religions, the Conservative endorses ├óÔé¼┼ôtraditional values├óÔé¼┬Ø that are taught by all the great world religions: tolerance, mercy, charity, compassion, moderation, peacemaking.
A Conservative believes in free markets and free enterprise
A Conservative believes in maximum personal liberty, consistent with ├óÔé¼┼ôlike liberty├óÔé¼┬Ø for all.
A Conservative is suspicious of ├óÔé¼┼ôbig government,├óÔé¼┬Ø and thus insists upon a separation of powers, a legislature that represents the interests of the public rather than campaign contributors, and restraint of government assaults upon personal liberties along the lines prescribed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Accordingly, a Conservative insists that it is not the business of government to promote particular religions, or to interfere in the private lives of citizens.
A conservative believes that it is the function of the courts to interpret established law with due regard for legal precedent (stare decisis). Nowhere in the Constitution or in the body of law is the Supreme Court entitled to appoint the President of the United States, nor is it permitted to make law from the bench and then announce arbitrarily that the decision of the Court "limited to the present circumstances," as was the case in Bush v. Gore (December 12, 2000).
A Conservative demands responsibility and accountability ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ of persons, of corporations, of institutions, and of government. There are no exceptions allowed for ├óÔé¼┼ôwell-placed individuals├óÔé¼┬Ø (e.g., Ken Lay, Dick Cheney), or firms (Enron and Global Crossing), or governing administrations (regarding, for example, access to information, fiscal responsibility, etc).
A Conservative opposes offensive and "pre-emptive" wars ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ a sentiment unequivocally endorsed by George Washington, who counseled against ├óÔé¼┼ôunusual antipathies├óÔé¼┬Ø toward other nations. This is a sentiment fully endorsed by Jefferson, and Madison, among other founders. This does not mean waiting for something to happen before doing something about it though. Obviously this would depend on the situation at hand.
A Conservative is time-conscious ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ of history and its bestowals, and of responsibility to future generations. Thus a Conservative will not, through budgetary deficits and through unsustainable environmental policies, mortgage and despoil the future for the generations that follow.
A Conservative cherishes the legacy of the past ├óÔé¼ÔÇ£ in science, literature, the arts, and communal institutions -- and seeks to preserve them through education accessible to all, and through public facilities such as museums, concerts, libraries, and media. Thus a Conservative does not dismiss science and learning when ├óÔé¼┼ôinconvenient├óÔé¼┬Ø to special interests, or contrary to uninformed ├óÔé¼┼ôgut feeling.├óÔé¼┬Ø Moreover, a Conservative regards the burning of library records and the looting of museum collections, which, for example, took place in Baghdad in 2003, as catastrophic losses to civilization, and not merely "stuff" that "happens."
A Conservative respects language, as a means of encoding knowledge and conveying information, and thus refrains from distorting language in order to employ its as a tool of manipulation, mendacity and evasion.
I believe that a lot of you really don't truly understand conservative values. I hope this helps a bit. Most of the stuff is "Common Sense".
Edit: THere is a lot more than just this of course, but this is the meat of things.
