It is increasingly apparent that there is an important ideological conflict going on in the modern conservative movement between supporters of increased state power and supporters of limited government. The conflict pits the Bush Republicans against traditional conservatives. While both groups give lip service to the term limited government and use the same "conservative" label, they are very different creatures.
The Bush Republicans advocate a "neo-con" approach to state power that critics fear is a potential creeping fascist ideology disguised as conservatism. Secret prisons, torture and unlimited detention in prisons without trial are all examples of policies supported by the Bush Republican that outrage both traditional conservatives and civil libertarians.
Traditional conservatives rely on the rule of law instead of personal rule by a strong leader or leadership group. The Bush Republicans seem to believe that anything the Bush Administration wants to do should be permitted because they claim that they should be trusted not to abuse the power of their offices. Traditional conservatives believe that the system of checks and balances should be strong enough to survive good or bad White House or Congressional leaders. The Bush Republicans seem to view the checks and balances system devised by our Founding Fathers as obstacles to imposing their views on our government and nation.
Fear of being branded as dreaded moderates or worst liberals have helped keep traditional conservatives from fighting the Bush Republicans on policy decision after policy decision. The huge budget deficits and exploding national debt is as frightening to traditional conservatives in the Republican Party as it is to liberals, moderates and conservatives in the Democratic Party.
Conservative Democrats like Congressman Lincoln Davis (D- Tennessee) have been effective in gaining support from both traditional conservative Republicans and Democrats of all ideological stripes. Congressman Harold Ford (D- Tennessee) seems to be doing the same in his campaign for the US Senate seat being vacated by Bill Frist. Fiscal conservatism has become a very important element in Democratic election successes. Restricting the invasions of privacy and erosions of freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights is another element of the appeal of many Democratic candidates to traditional conservative voters.
It is clear that traditional conservative need to start ignoring the Democratic or Republican labels when voting. Issues matter. Policy positions and actions matter more than empty words. Traditional conservatives should be looking at the actions and beliefs of the Bush Republicans, "neo-cons", so-called Christian Rightists and greedy Corporatists and deciding if these are the kind of people that should be using the "conservative" label!
Written by Stephen Crockett ( the moderate conservative co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.democratictalkradio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Phone: 443-907-2367. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com .
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