Conservatism Sweeps the Nation

by Will Hynes

Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Those are the three political groupings into which most Americans identify themselves. The recently heard voices regarding the Government's intervention in areas previously left to the ups and downs of the free enterprise system, and most recently into their personal health plans, seem to go well outside those identities.

People that are being heard loudly and clearly concerning these government infringements have been expressing themselves from a conservative slant rather than from that of any particular party affiliation, as members of all parties are clearly in opposition to any form of government control over their life choices. This has reared up before, when non Republicans, particularly those called "Reagan Democrats" helped sweep Republican Ronald Reagan into office.

Conservatism, the politically opposite of Liberalism, is commonly thought to be the same as Republicanism, but the two are not synonymous. Conservatism, which frowns on Government control and encourages freedom of entrepreneurship and individual decision making and responsibility, has spread through the Nation in our ongoing debate over health care reform. We are witnessing this outpouring of protest from those in the ranks of the so called "Silent Majority" - those who it would normally take much to get involved deeply into a public conversation about legislative doings. The astounding drop in the polls regarding confidence in Obama's handling of health care and other issues indicates that the American populace is keenly aware of the daily variations emanating from the White House.

Liberalism, particularly as expressed by the Far Left, has seemed to have had very little positive influence in this debate and, in fact, has attracted attention to its own basic assault on the traditional American way of life. Conservative Democrats who disagree with the policies of this administration and who find Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's calling dissenters "Nazis", "unruly mob", and "un American" reprehensible, may decide to vote for Republican candidates in the 2010 mid term elections. Conservative Independents who had voted Democratic in 2008 will find it much easier to do likewise.

We want our Country and ourselves to succeed. If we are going to tamper with the successes that have made our country the greatest in the world, we should carefully examine any and all dramatic changes to this system. Our government should proceed slowly, and carefully, with a full consideration of what these major changes would bring. To get a plan through just to get a plan through, particularly one that would be run so completely by the Government, is not only unwise, but is not in line with the efforts we expect from our elected officials.