My screen name offers some insight into my political views. The writers of the United States Constitution were heavily influenced by the writings of Montesquieu, a French philosopher. Significant contributions by Montesquieu were the establishment of three branches of government and the separation of power. I am a conservative, a largely misunderstood political belief guided by the idea that the government exists to represent the people rather than to rule over them. As the federal government has grown in size, it has become more intrusive and more inefficient. Our current representatives in government have lost sight of their duties and as government programs continue to fail, the only solutions they provide are more government intrusion. When our representatives are no longer bound to live under the laws that they impose upon the populace, our government drifts away from the representative republic envisioned by the founding fathers and towards tyranny. We are no longer governed by "the people" and instead are ruled over by a professional political class.
I have proudly served in the United States Marine Corps for nineteen years. In that time, I have watched as the internet went from a technological novelty to being the most powerful source of storing and sharing information in human history. Prior to enlisting, I earned a Associates degree in drafting and have worked in manufacturing and fast food. I am an avid cyclist and enjoy photography and most outdoor activities. I believe the freedom of speech is essential to a free society and that the most dangerous thing a society can do is suppress that speech because it offends someone. I have observed that when discussing ideas with those who have opposing views, our values are often very similar and it is only the means of achieving those values are different. Furthermore, if an idea is truly outrageous and offensive, we as a society are better off for knowing the idiocy of the individual espousing such views rather than allowing them to hide behind the veil of political correctness.
It was great to see your post here.
ReplyDeleteDo you really think conservatives are largely misunderstood? I wonder if that is just those on the opposing side's difference of opinion? Often these differences of opinion lead to heavy debates, but what is great about a post like yours is that you nicely contextualize your position here, and you show the "why" that explains what you believe. You are right on the money in that those of differing political affiliations often want the same end result. This reminds me of the relationship between Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan. They respected one another although they often didn't agree. I wish we had more politicians who were able to work together like they were: http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/05/frenemies-a-love-story/?_r=0