What is “conservative“? It depends on whom you ask, but the New World Dictionary defines it this way: “tending to preserve established traditions or institutions and to resist or oppose any changes in these.”
Just what are they trying to preserve? What do these conservatives want and is this what most of us want, or is it what will benefit just a chosen few?
Foremost, they apparently want to cut taxes and limit spending. This may sound familiar because it’s been touted by every Republican administration and Republican-controlled Congress for the last 60 years (and probably longer).
This is what they really mean by “Cutting Taxes“:
-- cutting the “death tax”, (i.e. the inheritance or estate tax), so that those who are rich can pass on to their heirs what they have garnered without having to pay for it;
-- cutting the “capital gains” tax, so that the few who make their money through major investments can continue to escape the burden of paying adequately for what they have accumulated for themselves;
-- substantial cutting at the upper level of the “income tax” rates so those who should be paying more can actually get away with spending less;
-- providing “tax loopholes” so that those with substantial incomes can continue not to have to pay their fair share (just ask Warren Buffet, who said one year that he paid less in income taxes than his receptionist!);
-- granting special “tax incentives” to big and small businesses so that those who want to escape certain costs (labor, health insurance, workers’ comp, etc.) can do so. All of these incentives are “corporate welfare” from the government so the robber barons can invest more, make more, buy more, charge more -- and in the end can continue to compensate their political benefactors through large campaign contributions.
“Limiting spending” to the Conservatives means several different things as well:
-- limit spending on “social” and “welfare” programs and anything that smells of government lending a helping hand to people they think should make do with what they have or who, they believe, should earn their own way;
-- Cut “entitlements” so that Social Security, Medicare, prescription drugs, health care do not have to be supported by the rich (but don’t ever touch over-blown defense contracts!);
-- Say “no” to extending unemployment insurance benefits for millions of people during a major recession (but, at the same time, support extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% without indicating how to pay for it!);
-- Finally, “cut the deficit.” In fact, in the last 60 years (since Eisenhower), every Republican administration oversaw increased deficits during their time in office! It seems that they like to spend, spend, spend once they get into office -- not on those they call the “lesser” people, but on the rich and the military-industrial complex where the big money is! Only President Clinton-- a Democrat-- actually reduced the deficit he inherited!
So, apparently conservatives often mean something quite different than the words they use to solicit your support. Being a Conservative means keeping things the way they are and opposing real change; keeping a certain class in power and others “in their place“; helping those who are “in the bucks” and barely helping anyone else. All of it contributes to the maintenance of the status quo which happens to favor Big Oil, Wall Street, Banks, Insurance Companies and them, not YOU!
And YOU, Dear Voter, are the greatest asset to those who want no change -- because you keep voting for them thinking they will somehow benefit you!! It will never happen because that is not who they are or why they exist. To them, you are a joke: the “lesser people.” They laugh at you behind your back, because YOU help them maintain all that favors the rich and privileged, and enable them to deny entitlements and protections to deserving citizens. You have a real choice this fall. Say NO to going backward to the same old failed, trickle-down, self-serving conservative agenda touted by Republicans and tea partiers -- which does not favor 98% of us!!
