Cutting To The Core

Some of you probably expected something thought provoking, well written, and exciting this weekend. Unfortunately, as I have done so many time before, I am disappointing you. This weekend needs to be devoted to some family business. So I thought it might be worthwhile to give you some foundation on how to view the nonsense that I write.

Those of you who have been reading these posts have by now probably figured out that my political philosophy is more conservative than not. (Those who have not been able to figure this out can feel free to make an appointment for a check up, your medication needs to be adjusted.) Being of a conservative view does not mean that I am a mean-spirited, cruel, and heartless bastard (Actually I am, but not because of my conservative philosophy). 

In fact, I am have been exploring some of the philosophy of the Libertarian Party recently, and I must tell you that I am impressed. I find that I may actually be more Libertarian than conservative in my core beliefs from these studies. While this school of thought resonates with me however; the term seems to have become equated with the concept of "nut bag fringe group", and I already have enough things placing me in such company, so I will stick with the conservative tag. I would therefore list the following as my core beliefs. Please feel free to use them as an excuse to pigeon-hole me, write me off, or simply as a source of reference when reading anything that I write

• Government needs to have as little involvement or interference in the daily lives of its citizens as possible. If it is functioning to optimum form, it should be neither seen nor heard from.
• Subsidizing farmers, auto companies, steel mills or any other business is just wrong. A free market economy will find ways to help the strong survive and allow the weak to fail of their own accord. Protection of businesses should be limited to keeping it a level playing field so that the free market can operate effectively.
• Government regulations are no replacement for common sense or personal responsibility. They will only add to the confusion and eventually to a loss of freedom.
• The government bureaucracies that create and enforce these regulations are the most dangerous people in this country and the most serious impediment to real progress in the lives of its citizens.
• The Founding Fathers were very concerned with enumerating our rights in the "Bill of Rights". They felt that if they did, that some idiot in the future would attempt to limit those rights to only those listed. It turns out that they were right to be concerned and we need to be constantly vigilant to protect ourselves from such limits. So too, there is no need to add to them. We do not have the right to: a smoke free environment, freedom from trans fats, health care, or any of the other things that our current "nanny state" would like to protect us from.
• Taxes are a necessary evil required by a government to provide for essential infrastructure (roads, sewers, etc.) and defense of the people governed. They are not methods of wealth redistribution or government sponsored freeloading.
• People know what to do with their money better than governments do, so there is no need to give them money to create programs to take care of me. If I want insurance, I will buy it. If I want to invest, I will do it for myself.

I have been unable to track down the reference to this quote, but have been reliably informed that it is attributed properly, if not entirely accurately: 

"Those who are not liberals in their youth have no heart. Those who are not conservatives later in life have no brain." 
- Winston Churchill