[Adak]

Conservatives believe in the Constitution, as it was written, and support the more limited role it defines, for government. That includes all the Bill of Rights, not just a few of them.

Conservatives believe in a free market economy, rather than an economy tightly controlled and interfered with, by the government. Taxes, should be low, to allow the free market to expand and create jobs, and support a robust economy.

Conservatives believe in citizens supporting themselves, not citizens being dependent on the government for hand outs.

Conservatives believe a smaller government, dedicated to the roles defined for it by the Constitution, is best. Today, our federal government is too large, and spends far too much of the taxpayers money, far too inefficiently.

There are several values that are associated with conservatives:

Pro Life, Pro Family, Pro Business, Pro Strong Military, Con Gay Rights/Marriage, Pro Guns

Some of these are incorrect, and are NOT part of Conservatism, because they are NOT part of our Constitution.

Pro Life - hard to say you're AGAINST life, but it's not a part of the Constitution. I believe the decision to have an abortion is something the parents should discuss, and the woman should decide, in consultation with her doctor. The government should not be involved, PERIOD.**

Pro Family - it's hard to define EXACTLY what this means.

Pro Business - Without business, we lose our free economy, and cripple our country. The Constitution laid down the basics of commerce, but NOTHING like the intrusive governmental and union controls we have for nearly every business, today. Doesn't it just FEEL wrong that in many states, you can't work, unless you join a union first?

I especially loved it when the FAA Air Traffic Controllers all went out on a Union strike -- and Reagan promptly fired every one of them that refused to work.

It's pretty sad when you hear about the firemen on call at a burning house, but just now starting their strike - so they kick back and watch the house burn to the ground, refusing to fight the fire.

Pro Strong Military - Every country needs an adequate military, as we saw during our first war to get free from England. Still, there is no requirement that we have a military that can "bounce the rubble 10 times over". Strong? Yes. Absolutely overwhelming? No. We may get worried, and feel like we should have an overwhelmingly strong military, but that is NOT part of the Constitution, or of conservatism.

Gay Rights/Marriage - Homosexuals are not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution. Therefore, they have the same rights as everyone else. As a practical matter, I believe in Gay Unions with equal rights to Marriages, but saving the term "Marriage" for heterosexual unions. Clearly, a partnership that is sanctioned by law, is a stronger union, and unions of some type, are the preferred state for most people to live and thrive in.

Gun Laws - The right to bear arms has been deemed to include gun ownership by individuals, by the Supreme Court. Conservatives support it, since it's right in the Constitution.

There are a LOT of people in the Republican party, who pose as conservatives. Maybe they're fanatics about one value - something like the abortion issue, or Gun ownership, etc. But one value in common, does not a true conservative, make.

**Let's be clear, Pro-Lifer's have no standing as conservatives, on this value. The Constitution doesn't mention it, AND abortions have been carried out with natural drugs and implements, since before recorded history. Abortions are horrid things, but to take away a woman's right to choose, is even worse.