Posted by
Pete Zimmerman on Saturday, February 09, 2008 1:13:21 PM
Regardless of what happens with the outcome of the Republican nomination process, the Conservative movement will live on. Conservatism is not based in a political party, and certainly not the Republican Party. The movement is not based in any one candidate or person; it is not even based in the figure of Ronald Reagan, conservative as he was.
No, conservatism is a state of mind in the lives of those that subscribe to it. It is the inherent belief that big government is a waste and that government exists only to the extent that IT can serve the people. Conservatives don't want government to solve our problems; we know that we must solve our problems ourselves. We don't need John McCain and campaign finance reform to tell us how much money we can spend on campaigns and when we can give and when is too close to the election that we can no longer advocate our positions.
No, conservatism insists that people take personal responsibility for their lives and that we solve our own problems as a community. Conservatism believes in a strong military and a strong deterrent defense. We believe in peace through strength, not pandering to those in the world we disagree with.
No matter what happens this year, conservatives will still be conservatives no matter whom we vote for, or who becomes the next president. We'll be there to point out the good and bad in any administration, and we will only support those who truly support "life, liberty and the [independent] pursuit of happiness."