When it comes to traditional conservative values, I top the charts. I am fiscally conservative. I am concerned about my community and involved in its improvement. I care for my family, and I take care of my family. I attend my house of worship regularly and read and study the Bible. I am also a strong supporter of a culture of life. For all these reasons I support the Democratic Party. If you also subscribe to these values, I hope you will too.
crossposted from unbossed
My values are those of true conservatives who remember that the root word there is based on conserving. Those who call themselves conservatives now have left those root values far behind.
I am fiscally conservative.
My current house was priced several hundred thousand dollars under what I could afford to pay. I bought it because I do not want to be deep in debt. I want to be able to put some money aside each month in savings so I can have money to weather the sorts of storms that hit us all if we are lucky to live long enough. We will be paying it off soon, about 10 years ahead of schedule.
We also bought it because it was close to our jobs, so we could walk to work. We later learned that there is a bus stop a couple blocks a way. All this means that we save money on gas and wear and tear on the cars, meaning we can go longer before we need to spend money on new cars. We also gain in terms of health and fees to health clubs by walking or biking to and from work.
I saved money so I could pay cash for my current car. I bought it a decade ago or so and paid cash. I have taken it in for regular maintenance and have paid for some major repairs along the way. By now that car has cost me just a bit more than $1000 a year in its price and repairs. Although it has 150,000 miles on it, much of it thanks to some long family vacation trips, it is in good shape, and it should be awhile more before I need to buy its replacement. I don’t care that no one is impressed when they see my car. I have enough confidence in myself and that I am doing the right thing that I don’t depend on others’ opinions.
I bought a high mileage car that would bore the socks off most people. Who cares what they think. I have money in the bank over them for each mile I drive.
I bank at a credit union, because, in my experience, they offer the best credit terms and eschew the predatory practices so common at banks now.
The only way that I would not score 100% on a fiscally conservative scale is that I do use credit and do use a credit card. A credit card - just one. I pay it off each month.
I am concerned about my community and involved in its improvement.
One bonus of walking to work is that it slows me down. I do not whip through the streets with my windows up. Walking gives me an appreciation of our neighborhood and a chance to meet my neighbors.
One more reason I bank at a credit union is because they know me and they are my neighbors. They invest their money locally. My mortgage is through my credit union. They do not sell them off. My mortgage is not one of those that got bundled with others and sold and resold.
I borrow books from my library.
I join community groups and work for the betterment of where I live - as well as the larger world.
I care for my family. and I take care of my family.
My family is like so many families. Some of us are doing well. Many are best by troubles - illness, money, feuds, deaths. I won’t say much on this subject because it is so personal, but when there is trouble, I am there for them.
I attend my house of worship regularly and read and study the Bible.
I have to wonder about what Bible the folks who claim they are living a Bible-based life read. When I read the Bible, what I see is that the major commandment from God, repeated over and over is to care for the widow, the orphan, the poor, the stranger, and workers. There is a lot condemning the rich for their failure to provide for these people. In fact, the failure to pay your workers every night is called a sin. No bones about it. Jesus made it clear that we are to provide for the poor, and he condemned the rich. These commandments are in both the Old and New Testaments.
One wonders why, given what is so clearly set out in the Bible, the current claimants to conservative values also worship the Golden Calf. Those who do are not right with God.
In the Bible, there are only two statements about male homosexuality - none about lesbianism - in the Old Testament. Nothing in the New Testament by Jesus. Sure Paul said some stuff, but he clearly had problems with sexuality in general, and for those who knew Jesus, Paul was no Jesus.
I would note that the statements condemning homosexuality in the Old Testament also apply to eating pork and shellfish. So if you are eating those forbidden foods while condemning homosexuality, you are not right with God and you are not reading your Bible. Now some will say that Jesus said that we are no longer bound by the Old Testament. Well, let’s say that is true for the sake of argument. If it is, then you have to let go on the homosexuality bashing along with bans on pork and shellfish. Otherwise, it’s you talking and not God.
Update: I was wrong about nothing in the New Testament about homosexuality. I have this thing about Paul as usurping and destroying Jesus' message and turning Christianity into a completely different and meaner religion.
I am a strong supporter of a culture of life.
The Bible says to chose life that you may live.
For me, life does not end at birth. If we are to embrace a culture of life, it must address the conditions of the lives we lead after birth. That means we must ensure that all children are provided with – not just adequate food, shelter, and clothing – but with good food, shelter, and clothing.
It means they are all given a good education and that education continues through life.
It means our children and people live in clean, safe neighborhoods.
It means good quality medical care.
My family is mostly hard scrabble poor even though we all are hard workers and mostly pretty smart people (I’m not naming names about the not mostly.) Those of us who have gone on to get higher education have worked hard every step of the way and made it a priority above other things.
But that does not mean I take an I got mine you get yours view. It just should not be that hard to get educated.
And the ultimate necessity for a culture of life is taking care of God's creation and creatures - our environment. We must be good shepherds and stewards of our land, water, air, and all creatures, these gifts from God.
Finally, I am voting Democratic because I believe in democracy.
Democracy comes from two root words that mean "people" and "government". Ours is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. At least it is supposed to be.
If we are to have a democracy, we must have an educated, well-fed, well-housed, citizenry, one that has buy in. These are values that the Democratic Party has demonstrated it supports. If we are to attain these goals, the best party to reach them is the Democratic Party.
These are the true conservative values. I hope you other conservatives out there will join me in voting Democratic.