Conservatism Out Loud, and At Home!

The following article is my debut article in an new conservative on-line magazine called Houston Grind. Let me know what you think, and be sure the visit the new site!

In what is often described as a 5,000 year leap, the United States Constitution was a unique and inspired document that dared declare something no other treaty had before: that as people we have certain inalienable rights, that those rights are endowed by our Creator, and that in fact no governmental authority comes between that connection. Then the writers penned just 18 specific limited powers delegated to the government. All else was to belong to states or to the people.

Conservatism, according to the Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is defined in simple terms as the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change. In terms of disposition, conservatives desire to preserve what is established, with a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions. Specifically, conservatism calls for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs. As conservatives, we are confident that judicial interpretation of the Constitution supports those specifics.

For quite some time in our country’s history following the established independence and framework, the electorate sent people to Congress who were interested in liberty and the laws of nature. An un-distracted people were concerned with confining their government, to be sure that it didn’t interfere with our civil liberties, our property rights or our natural rights as given by nature’s God. They recognized their called-upon responsibility to stay engaged with those the elected to the represent them. In time, as we grew to accommodate hundreds of diversions that constantly grab our attention, we found that we had perpetuated a huge distance between ourselves and our elected public servants.

Bridge the above-referenced definition a desire to preserve what is established with the intentional framework set forth by the Founders and the uniqueness of the document that so boldly declares the unalienable rights, we become conservatives. This is stated explicitly in the 9th Amendment to the Constitution: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Herein lies our standard by which we measure most things: we believe the individual prevails over the government: the government of the country, the state, the county, the city. The magic of that 5,000 year leap is that it is brought subjacent to the most local levels of dominion. Conservatives believe this, they want it known and voiced at a place to share.

I am, in my disposition and political philosophy, a conservative individual. Houston is full of these conservative people. Welcome to Houston Grind, a place where the conservative voice will be heard.