Conservatives put the ‘con’ in ‘constipation’

Conservatism in America used to be defined by several core tenets: the ongoing commitment to prevail in the Cold War over the Soviet Union, minimal taxation, fighting against communism anywhere in the world, capitalism and the promise of economic opportunity for all (white folks, that is), law, order and severe criminal punishment, and protestant faith as the official religion of the USA, regardless of what the Constitution states.

During the Obama years, it dawned on me conservatism was getting dramatically more extreme. Restricting voting access of black and brown folks (voting lines in urban areas suddenly were a 10-hour wait), ignoring and even encouraging overseas tax havens, turning banks into casinos (hence the Great Recession) and tearing down any regulation possible, a revived obsession with abortion, twisted traditional conservatism into something that seemed to work against everyday Americans.

Back then, I came up with a new definition of conservatism:

The ongoing quest, at any cost, to manipulate government, election and financial systems to bestow greater wealth upon the wealthy. All disguised as a religion-driven culture war.

I can see my definition will soon need updating. I don’t know the wording yet, but it will need to include something along the lines of “enabling the corruption of wannabe tyrants in order to retain power.”

And if conservatives put the “con” in “constipation,” liberals put the “lib” in “liberty.”