Liberal, Not Liberty; Conservative, Not Conservation

A good look at our political parties and platforms shows tenancies that we should be aware of. The main of which is the place for liberal and conservative labels. Younger folks are often of the misconception of the synonymity of Republican and Conservative, of Democrat and Liberal. This can give people funny ideas that the intent of conservatives is to conserve national resource, or that liberal platforms are for the liberty of the common folks.

The fact is there have been long portions of history in which Republican ideas were considered liberal and Democrats were the conservatives. Is that because their platforms used to be different? Well, kinda - platforms have always changed, but the reason for the adjective change for the parties is because conservative and liberal describe the political stance in comparison to the status quo. Conservatives will advocate the conservation of traditional methods, the preservation of the status quo. Liberals apply liberty to possible variation in current politics, advocating a change in the status quo. The Democrat dominance of the presidency for most of the 20th century, for example, did not want any liberty to change the system they had cultivated. Democrats fought hard to conserve the traditions they had applied to government.

In truth, liberals rarely hold governments. Liberal parties are often a minority and when they aren't, their rebellious tenancy fractures their numbers between many very different alternative viewpoints as to how the government should be changed. Conservatives, 9 times out of 10, more accurately represents the traditional thought and direction of the American people.

However, when the traditional paradigm continually fails to handle national or world situations, liberal ideas gain momentum. Some liberal movements attempt to work within the traditional party, attempting to salve the problems with tweeks and maintainence and save the system currently in use. Other liberal factions take advantage of the benefits of a fresh start, advocating scrapping larger elements of the current methods. The more severe the problems, the larger the apparent deficits in governmental ability to cope, the stronger the support for larger form replacement of the status quo.

If the populous has truly given up on current methodologies and the torch is passed on to a wildly different government, then for one moment the liberals are in control.

Then, just as suddenly, they become the new conservatives, preserving the new status quo.

Who knows? In 16 or so years, maybe the liberals will be clamoring for lower taxes for the wealthy, reduced socialization of health care and more money put into the military. Rush Limbaugh would have to change his bumper stickers to "Limbaugh is what's Left".