Why I'm a Conservative (and You Should Be Too)

I'm a conservative, because I care deeply about the individual. I want every individual in America to succeed. I believe that history has proven that the best path to achieve this is by valuing every life and allowing every individual to pursue their dreams. I believe there is no greater role for government than protecting our God-given rights to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe the Constitution and Bill of Rights are sacred, that these rights should never be infringed upon; not by any institution or corporation or government agent, and certainly not for any program designed for the "social collective good."

"This nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." Those words were spoken by John F. Kennedy. I know he's a Democrat, and if Democrats were still following his advice, maybe I wouldn't be voting Republican. But they're not. The Democratic Party has been hijacked by extremists and progressives who are intent on forcing the individual to relinquish his liberties for their utopian vision.

I'm a conservative, because I trust people to make their own decisions, even when those decisions are wrong. I trust them, because I know that we learn from our mistakes, that we succeed or fail in the free market based on our merits. Some of the mistakes I've made have been the best learning experiences of my life. A caged bird never learns to fly. Removing difficult decisions from a person's life only induces a spiritual emptiness that, like a narcotic, leaves a society totally dependent and morally bankrupt.

Like all conservatives, I'm for lower taxes. I believe Americans are the best judge of how to spend and save their own money. I trust every American to earn their entire paycheck, to find jobs that meet their needs and to keep every dime for the needs of their families. I think we are overburdened by unnecessary taxes and big government. The economy keeps shrinking while the government expands. I think it's wrong to make Americans spend four, five, or six months out of the year working for the government. The government should work for the people.

I'm a conservative, because I grew up in a small town where I learned government works best when more decisions are made at a local level. I believe tax dollars are spent more efficiently when you know the person allocating them, when you see him or her at your church or in your neighborhood, and when you have access to their office. I believe for government to work for the people, it has to be held accountable by the people.

When the average American's hard-earned money is sent to Washington, it enters a dragon's lair of greedy lobbyists and special interests. There is too much red tape for anyone to be held accountable. These dollars are taken out of the pockets of families trying to budget for cars and vacations, college and doctors visits, and instead put in the hands of political cronies. The money is no longer playing a contributing factor to the US economy, prevented from being spent at local restaurants, mom and pop stores, and small businesses. It has been stolen from the community that created the job that produced it, kept from improving their neighborhoods, roads, and schools. If by some miracle it gets sent back to them, after accounting for fraud and administrative costs, its worth would likely be cut in half. Only a Democrat would call this efficient.

I'm a conservative, because I believe the best way to help people is to make them independent, not more dependent on government. Too often government handouts simply enslave the recipients, robbing them of their self-worth. I believe in volunteering and giving to charity, not waiting for the government to provide charity through various faceless agencies. A garden requires more than sunlight and water to grow. It needs to be tended to, weeds pulled, with a constant gardener to nurture the seeds into fruit. By creating huge bureaucracies to do the social work that we should all be doing in our own communities, we have removed the human element of "love your neighbor", allowing money to replace spiritual growth and hurting American families in the process. I would rather teach a man to fish for life than give him a fish for a day.

I believe that America is the land of opportunity. I believe in supporting entrepreneurs and encouraging the American Dream. I have seen how the success of my business sends ripples throughout the economy, helping create jobs and allowing my vendors to purchase new machinery, spurring growth in other sectors. Like most conservatives, I believe that out-of-control government spending, overreaching bureaucrats, and burdening regulations often prevent businesses from creating these opportunities for many Americans.

Our forefathers didn't come here because America was the land of tranquil servitude; they didn't come here for welfare or union jobs or because America guaranteed success. No, in fact, they risked everything, including their lives, for the chance to start their own enterprises, for the grand adventure of life, to dream bigger dreams for their children and grandchildren. They came here for the promise of freedom, to live free of the constraints and taxes of authoritarian regimes that so often destroy prosperity and happiness.

I believe America stands for freedom. As Ronald Reagan used to say, we are the shining city on the hill. Our freedoms - the right to bear arms, the right to disagree with our leaders, freedom of the press, freedom to worship, freedom to engage in economic activity by starting our own businesses - they are a beacon of hope, an example for all people and nations to follow. We are exceptional not because of our government or any piece of legislation we might pass, but because we, the people, are the government. It's this guiding principle we must always stand for and always fight to protect. When we retreat from voicing our disapproval of hostile regimes around the world, when we compromise our principles to try and please others, when we fail to stand up for American values, we risk letting others move us away from that light and into the darkness.

I'm a conservative, because I believe this is the greatest nation on God's green earth. I believe there's no need to apologize for it. I believe in American Exceptionalism, which our current Democratic president doesn't seem to comprehend. I believe a man's heart is measured by how much he is willing to help others, not how much he is willing to take from others. I believe the wealth of a nation is measured not by how much the government can confiscate from its citizens, but by how much its citizens freely give of their time and goodwill towards a greater purpose and future.

I believe the spirit of a nation is measured by virtue and valor. How true are we to the principles of our democracy, and how willing are we to die for those principles? A nation without faith in liberty, trust in its citizens, and men of such spirit will surely perish, replaced by a truer nation of virtue and valor.

I vote Republican, because the Republican Party represents the best of conservatism, and conservatism represents the best of America's hopes and dreams. The Republican Party still celebrates the spirit and ingenuity that created the airplane and the personal computer, that gave us television, rock n roll, and put a man on the moon. Our system of free enterprise has brought more people out of poverty, including immigrants from all around the world, than any other nation in the history of earth. We've been the most prosperous nation during the most prosperous century of mankind. We may face new challenges, but our story doesn't end here.

Now is not the time to abandon our principles, to limit freedom and restrict growth, to attempt to contain risks and regulate salaries and free markets, to bind ourselves from exploring new horizons for fear of the future. It's still morning in America. We can make the next century even greater than the last if we stay true to the vision of our founders. If we trust the individual. If we encourage our citizens to dream and dare to let our imaginations soar. If we work for each other, and not against one another. If we limit the scope of government for the greater hope of humanity. This is our cause. Not big government or government bailouts. But freedom, liberty, and opportunity for all.

There's a famous bell in Philadelphia with an inscription on it that says, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." That's why I'm a conservative. I want to spread liberty throughout the land. God bless America.