Republicans and Conservativism

As I have said earlier, I grew up a Catholic boy in a small town in North Dakota. As I grew up, I embraced many of the ideals that I felt were the best aspects about growing up in a rural conservative place. This, however, does not mean that I am a close minded fool that was brainwashed by my parents. This does not mean that I am uncultured and uncaring for the less well off.

I believe what I believe, not because I just accepted the ideals of my parents and the small town around me. I was not forced to believe in God, even God does not force me to believe. I am a conservative because it is the only school of thought that adheres to what I believe in my heart of hearts to be true. I believe that abortion is the killing of an inocent human for selfish reasons, that we must sometimes go to war overseas to protect our country at home, that welfare is being abused by people who are too lazy to get their own jobs, that tax breaks lead to greater economic prosperity, and that the Republican party agrees on most points with me.

Now, to be a Republican does not mean that you agree with me. The most obvious issue that I raised was the abortion issue. You can indeed agree with me on this issue, and not be conservative at all. Being a conservative and being a Republican both mean much more that disagreeing with Roe v Wade. The appointments to the Supreme court by George W. Bush are about more than Roe vs. Wade. President Bush believes, along with many conservatives, that the Supreme Court needs to reorient itself to constitutionalism. Getting back to the letter of the law that the Constitution outlines. This is why President Bush has put Harriet Miers up for nomination, to stop the court from legislating from the bench. That is how conservatives believe the Constitution should be interpretted. It is about much more than abortion.