Conserving for the sake of conserving is a bad idea.
I was just reading a thread complaining that social issues tend to go like this. Liberals propose Crazy Idea #1. Conservatives oppose it. Liberals propose Crazy Idea #2, which goes even further. Conservatives say, “can’t we just do Crazy Idea #1?”
That does tend to happen too often, but conservatives also have forward-looking ideas. (Think of Newt Gingrich.) They just frame those ideas in the context of the tried and true.
Which raises the question, what is a better term for people who are called conservative?
Too many “conservative” labels and terms are backwards looking. “Originalist.” “Constitutionalist.” “Founding Fathers.”
Conservatism needs a re-branding and a new vision that respects the past, but looks forward.
I’m not saying conservatives don’t do those things, but that the brand doesn’t promote that perspective. Also, a more forward-looking feel might attract more young people.
The word isn’t the “real” problem…it’s what it represents in the current context. So, another term could be used but if what people see remains the same, it will still have the same undesirable associations.
Maybe conservatives need to do some soul-searching and determine what it is that they “really” want to be and then align their behaviors, rhetoric and policies with those ideals/values. As of late, it seems there’s a lot of dissonance between what conservatives “say” and “do”. For instance, they “say” they want to “protect children” but seem to do very little to address issues such as pedophilia in religious organizations or methods to minimize school shootings. People always believe what they see others “do” more so than what they “say”.
Lastly, “if” conservatives really want to rebrand, they might want to focus on core principles that can be associated with the past, present and future. For instance, the following are principles that can be associated with policies/practices from the past but can also add value in the present and future.
*Individual Freedom
*Limited Government
*The Rule of Law
*Peace through Strength
*Fiscal Responsibility
*Free Markets
*Human Dignity