re: #223 SasyMomaCat

Could you tell us who some of these are? No sarc, seriously curious. Would like to know which current conservative thinkers have earned your respect.

Around today, in the media, in a position of prominence, none.

Once someone goes anti-constitutional - and invading your privacy, reading your e-mails, torturing people or spying in your bedroom is certainly that, I can not support them.

Once someone goes anti-science, I can not support them. Creationists are throwbacks to a less civilized age in all too many ways and AGW deniers are honestly helping to endanger us all.

Once someone thinks that folksy and stupid is better than educated and measured, I can not support them. Find me one “conservative” of note that is actually pro education to the extent that they will put actual dollars behind good public education. The voucher program as a sap to religious schools does not count.

Once someone has no compassion for the poor, I can not support them.

Once someone panders to the base instincts of vengeance rather than justice in the courts, I can not support them. Sorry, but mandatory sentences only means you are making a show for the crowd. It has nothing to do with what is fair, sane of just - and note, I am not at all opposed to harsh sentences for those who deserve them. I am opposed to a system where some 18 year old kid who had sex with his 16 year old HS sweetheart is not on the sex offender registry. I am opposed to a first time non-violent offender getting some 5 year minimum sentence for a crime that did not deserve it.

Once someone tells me that gay people are a threat - of any kind - I can not support them. They are crazy.

Once someone assumes that the only way to fix the economy is to increase spending while cutting taxes - I begin to wonder if they understand the concept of a negative number.

Once someone assumes that all regulation of any kind is bad, it is code for, I am pimping my corporate sponsors more often than not.

Once someone replaces fear with fact and intolerance with reason - nirthers, deathers, black helicopters etc… I can not support them.

And I fucking hate racists.

So the short form is, as soon as someone says any of these things, I really can’t respect them. If they say two or more, I detest them. There are none of them today who do not do this. Most of the “leaders” and mouth pieces of the right do all of these things.

In the past though, there were conservatives I admired. Winston Churchill would be a prime example.