The resident right-wing whackos of this newsgroup
have shown consistent disregard for what is
really "conservative" and what is really
"liberal." It's not likely that most of them will
ever learn anything, much less the following
principles, but at least I have tried.

Conservatives believe:

The gov't should be fiscally restrained.

The country's military should be maintained or
increased in strength to the extent of
being able to defeat any realistic threats.

Criminals guilty of certain heinous acts deserve
the death penalty.

Every right comes at a cost, and every priviledge
carries a corresponding obligation.

Morals are not relative, and principles are not a
matter of inconvenience. In the same light,
hypocrisy regarding morals, ethics, and principle
is one of the most repugnant human failings.

The status quo of social and economic order should
be maintained, or adjusted to
meet certain demands. (Note: the corresponding
liberal belief is that the social and
economic order of society is secondary to the
needs of individuals, and that the
status quo should not be respected.) This is
probably the core divider between real
conservatism and liberalism.

I strongly believe in all these things, and yet am
not a cheerleader for President Bush. Tub thumping
for one's favorite politico is partisanship, not
conservatism.

Regards
Doug King