Since agreeing to join the political fray I have tryed to educate myself more on all the issues. Some that I was concerned about before or had a more immediate impact on my family I was more aware and informed than on issues that did not. But in talking to people and reading more and through the media, I hear alot about liberal and conservative views. Seems people want to label other views and certainly politicians as one or the other or leaning that way. Certainly in our area it is said you cannot be too conservative. I am not sure I understand what that actually means. I do definitely feel that this is a way to skip over the messy details of an argument, and that alot of times in the media it is a person of a certain political persusion degrading the views of another person, or the political record of a politician by saying they are liberal or not conservative enough. I am not sure all this is in the best interest of our country nor our community efforts.
By my definition conservative would be the point of view that the less government the better, while the liberal view would be a well thought out, well executed government program would be the answer. Kind of like ketchup on a hamburger. Some folks want a lot- a liberal amout, some folks like to be more conservative with their condiments. But the current conservative movement does not fit into that definition when you look at specific issues.
While out campaiging it has surprised how alot of people the first issue they want to talk about when I tell them I am running is gun control. I really dont believe this is an issue that comes before the county commissioners much but its of huge importance to some of my friends and neighbors. To me this would be an issue that the true conservative principles would apply. The "Gun People" as I call them seem to feel that any government control , or laws regulating the buying and selling, of their guns is bad. Less government good more government bad.
Another issue that folks get real upset about is imigration. Seems this is an issue that is very complicated but my conservative friends are all in agreement the government needs to get involved and build walls, hire more boarder patrols, more agents, spend what is neccesary to get those illegal immigrants out. On this issue the conservatives want more government.
The big issue some years is abortion. The current staus of being legal would seem to me to be the most conservative status. To take something legal and generate laws to make it illegal, spend government money to enforce these laws, supply more courts, build more prisons to house convicted abortion providers and abortion seekers does not sound like a less government position to me.
The big national issue right now is the war on terror. The conservative movement seems to support the war at any cost whether human of financial. Not to debate the merits of the war here but to me that would be completly opposite of the definition of smaller government is better.
I am not here in this entry to share my views on these , issues there will be more coming on all that. My point in all this is I think this country and county would be much better served if we all eased up on the labeling and tryed a little harder to educate ourselves on the individual potential solutions to specific problems. Lets take the partisan shrillness out as much as possible. I know I am going to do my best on this issue.