Who Should the Republican 2012 Nominee Be?

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The Problem with Us Conservatives

We make every case we can as to why conservative values are right. However, we often provide ambiguous answers as to why our values will make the world a better place.

I know we don't like to think that we have problems with ourselves. Of course, we'll admit we're not perfect. But when someone points out a specific flaw, we go into defensive mode, which often leads us to point out the flaw in our new enemy and ignore the gnawing weaknesses within ourselves.

This leads us to care about what doesn't matter, and often leaves our weaknesses to slowly destroy ourselves.

I suffer from this. Having flaws identified for me, hurts. Those of us who claim to have a conservative mindset have a shared flaw. We are good at providing a general platform to build off, but we do not do a good job at conveying specific solutions to our society's problems.

The economic claim we make that the Invisible Hand will give us a perfect economy is an example of this. Our claim that small government is better is another.

I believe the economy is best when left unregulated by government, but it is not best when left unregulated by the morals of individuals. The Invisible Hand does not work if we as a people are corrupt or if we allow for corruption. If we are prideful, our economy will become prideful and divisive.

Thus, it is not enough for us to fight for a free economy, we must ALSO fight for a moral mindset that will support a free economy (a mindset that encompasses moral actions). This being the same moral mindset that will support a free government. If not, we are leaving ourselves to revert back to some variation of a non-self-governing government, even one that hides under the name of Democratic.

Those who conservatives consider their antithesis (liberals), provide apparent solutions, albeit ones that haven’t been able to self-sustain themselves. The fact that they can't economically self-sustain themselves for a significant period of time, is why conservatives still have an argument people listen to. If liberals were able to self-sustain their policies the conservative voice in America would be but an ideal dream.

So we must provide solutions. Honest and effect solutions. Solutions to:

Healthcare
Unemployment
Poverty
Depression
Single Parenthood
Economic Division
Hate Crime
Broken Homes
Crime

Our solutions to these and other human needs must maintain the freedom of others AND make this country, and possibly world, a better place to live in.

Our solutions must be specific. Saying we can help people without the need of government help is not enough. We must put those words into action and we must get measurable results. While we still have our freedoms, we still have the ability to do good without the help of taxpayer money.

We must face our weaknesses with an honest attempt to use freedom to better the world around us. The beautiful thing about freedom is that with it there is no limit to the good that can be achieved.

Political New Year Resolutions

It's a new year, and with it comes the chance to use the change in time as a springboard to bring on change in ones own life. It took about three New Years to finally complete my goal to make flossing a daily habit (might need to make that one again). That was one of my better resolution attempts. So with that said, these are my three political resolutions for 2011:

1) Be more thoughtful and fair in my thoughts and discussion of politics and government.

2) Do a somewhat in depth blog series on the U.S. Constitution.

3) Get Keith Olbermann off of MSNBC.

Well, looks like I can check one thing off my list already. This might be a good year for completing resolutions after all.