Conservatism vs. pro-federal government

I disagree with alot of people (example, Palladiate's entry) who say "conservatives dislike federal government."  Federal government obviously is a means to an end - whether that end is social change, regulation, equality, etc etc.  Liberatarians dislike federal government.  Conservatives want to retard social change, and as the Bush administration has shown (I'm too young to remember any other Republican/Conservative administration) the Conservative movement will not hesitate to use the means of the federal government to achieve their goals, just as Democrats have done when they have controlled the federal government.

Of course there are Liberatarians in the Republican Party.  But Liberatarianism and Conservativism are different facets of one's political identity - you can be one without the other.

I'm sure many of you who are better educated in American history can show examples throughout the history of our country in which conservative elements have used the federal government to achieve their goals.

Well, that was my first diary entry.