As we approach the start of a new year, and start looking in earnest, as conservatives, for national political leadership (which includes U.S. Senate), here are a couple quick thoughts:
1) I do not believe in being beholden to a party. Yes, I’m generally a Republican when it comes to politics. I enjoy working with the GOP more than Democrats, or any other political party for that matter, simply because I agree with them more often than not. However, partisanship is not my guiding factor. I believe that we need to be guided by our experiences, education, and great thinkers like Locke, Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, Kirk, & Buckley, We need to be reading Bastiat. We need to explore Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Milton Friedman. And we have to be able to call out conservatives when they err.
Beyond partisan loyalties, we also have to be independent in thought too.
2) The true conservative – at least in my mind – is the radical liberal (talk about a unique philosophy!). My view is that a conservative believes in free markets and free peoples. That means we have the freedom to believe in our God. But that also means that we have the freedom to sin. That means we have the freedom to punish. But we also have the freedom to ensure the punished are not persecuted. That means we have the freedom to speak. But it also means we have to choose our words wisely.
I could go on.
But a true conservative is one who is free in spirit, body, and commerce. And will resist the authoritarian who attempts to shackle him beyond that which is necessary to prevent anarchy and promote peace and stability.
The reality is that I believe in a very imperfect world that is only made perfect by the presence of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who we Christians believe was born in this time frame (Lord, please forgive the Gregorians for their imperfect calendar). However, if you don’t believe in Him, while I religiously feel that you are missing out on something, I am not going to personally force you through the government to capitulate to my faith.
Through that faith, I am ultimately free, no matter the political circumstance. But while I do not believe in imposing that faith on you, the hallmarks of freedom found in that faith should be the goal of everyone.
Regardless, these most basic freedoms must be nurtured and defended, at home and abroad:
* Freedom to believe.
* Freedom to love.
* Freedom to speak.
* Freedom to earn.
* Freedom to be.
That we are facing such divisiveness between those that see these as fundamental truths truly bothers me – between the left and right, and within the right.
We are at a moment where division may force us into a world that we cannot fathom. A world where the America once dreamed of – and once practiced – is an America that becomes long forgotten.
With a significant presidential and senate campaign now in progress, there are candidates that some of us would prefer not to support – and that’s fine. That’s healthy. But, at the end of the day, what’s most important? To most of us, it’s a world where we can live out our hopes and dreams in freedom and prosperity.
In this time of political primaries, a healthy disagreement among friends is o.k., as long as we remember that only when we are united will we truly make progress for ourselves and the future.
The same goes for after the election. We must work vigilantly, regardless of party, to promote our freedom and the freedom of others. If an idea is good, regardless if it gives “the other” party a potential political advantage, we should work united towards that positive goal.
“We the people” is a concept in our hyper-partisan world – including the current inter-partisan discord – we can’t afford to forget.
