[Vision2020] Changing (Political) Labels: Republicanism DOES NOT Equal Conservatism

[Saundra Lund]

A friend who has been jumping all over me for the past couple of years each
time I use "conservatism," Republican Party, and GOP synonymously sent me
the following blog link last week so that I would hopefully Get It as to why
I’m wrong.  Interesting reading.



22 October 2008

Changing labels (jumping ship).



(Warning: election-season emotional reaction ahead. Probability of craven
reversal in a month or so: moderate to high.)



When I read something like this
<http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/22/congressman-admits-saying-l
iberals-hate-real-americans-2/> , it makes me realize: there are only so
many times I can tell people that I'm a conservative, but not that kind of
conservative before it becomes clear that I'm using the wrong word. Like all
words, the meaning of “conservative” emerges from a complex communal
process. It's not mine to control. So do I spend the next few years putting
the word in dissociative quotation marks? Or do I just let it go free,
knowing that if the word does not come back, then we were never meant to be
together in the first place?

It might be fun to try to keep the word for contrarian purposes, or just out
of sheer stubbornness, but: what's the point?

>From here on out, if you have to reduce me with your political labels, man,
use a phrase like “centrist, with some conservative sympathies.” Or maybe
“small-government liberal.” Or “traditionally-inclined pluralist.” Even
“center-right” seems like a decent enough label, as it makes intuitive
sense to people further left than me, politically, and signals people to the
right of me that I am secretly liberal.

Goodbye, conservatism. I'll keep reading your brightest, but I'm getting
sick of your movement.
http://williamwrites.blogspot.com/2008/10/changing-labels-jumping-ship.html





I was mulling that over when I read the following from one of my favorites:



The Atlantic

The Daily Dish

Andrew Sullivan

26 Oct 2008 08:13 pm



Republicanism ≠ Conservatism



William Randolph prepares
<http://williamwrites.blogspot.com/2008/10/changing-labels-jumping-ship.html
>  to jump ship:

When I read something like this
<http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/22/congressman-admits-saying-l
iberals-hate-real-americans-2/> , it makes me realize: there are only so
many times I can tell people that I'm a conservative, but not that kind of
conservative before it becomes clear that I'm using the wrong word. Like all
words, the meaning of “conservative” emerges from a complex communal
process. It's not mine to control. So do I spend the next few years putting
the word in dissociative quotation marks? Or do I just let it go free,
knowing that if the word does not come back, then we were never meant to be
together in the first place?

It might be fun to try to keep the word for contrarian purposes, or just out
of sheer stubbornness, but: what's the point?



John Schwenkler urges Randolph
<http://johnschwenkler.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/dont-go/>  to not take the
plunge. I face the dilemma every time I go to a college campus and speak
about conservatism. When you use the c-word among the next generation, they
no longer associate it with small government, individual freedom, humble
faith, balanced budgets, respect for tradition or a strong but prudent
foreign policy. They think of religious fanaticism, big spending, massive
debt, and social intolerance. When I give my stump speech in defense of the
conservatism I lay out in my
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=as2&path=ASIN/00609343
79&tag=wwwandrewsu0a-20&camp=1789&creative=9325>  book, there is
considerable interest, but it sounds nothing like the current GOP. I come
close to washing my hands of the word as Randolph is.



But remember: we had this word first. We can and must reclaim it.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/republicanism-c
.html



Perhaps there’s hope yet!

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