Chan Lowe & Conservatism

Chan Lowe

Chan Lowe proves cartoon after cartoon and column after column that he either has no clue as to what conservatives believe or that he doesn't care what they believe and will just make it up to suit his narrow view of the world.  Choose to be a liberal Mr. Lowe, if that makes you happy, but stop misrepresenting conservatism.

In a recent column Mr. Lowe opined on a sex survey distributed by the State of Florida.   I agree with Mr. Lowe that the Florida sex survey is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money.  However, I don't agree it is representative of conservative thinking anymore than I think Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Al Gore, or Gary Hart's treatment of women is representative of liberal thinking.

Whoopi Goldberg

I also don't agree that words spoken by certain candidates for senate represent the views of all conservatives.  If I did then I would also have to believe that Whoopi Goldberg speaks for all liberals when she said of 43 year old Roman Polanski's raping and sodomizing of a 13 year old girl, "I know it wasn't rape-rape. It was something else but I don't believe it was rape-rape."

Larry Flynt

I don't pretend to know, as Mr. Lowe appears to, the level of fascination that conservatives have with the topic of sex.  I don't pretend to know the liberals fascination with the topic of sex either but if the adult entertainment industry is an indication of the satisfaction level then it would be my guess that liberals are the more fascinated ones.  Larry Flynt, to the best of my recollection, never offered a bounty for dirt on a liberal.

The conservative concern on these matters, and all matters, centers around the powers of the Federal government.  The intent of the framers of our Constitution was that our Federal government should have limited powers.  They enumerated the specific powers in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.   Then they added what turned out to be the 10th Amendment that says all other powers not in the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people. Despite Supreme Court decisions to the contrary, the reality is there is nothing in the Constitution about sex, abortion or contraception. There is not an enumerated power granting the Federal government any voice whatsoever on these matters. Constitutionally, each state is responsible for its laws governing sex, abortion and contraception.  The states are not required to make any laws on these matters.   Absent any state laws, sex, abortion and contraception decisions would be left to the individual.

Conservatives don't believe women (and men) are incapable of making these decisions or any decisions about their lives.  To the contrary, conservatives believe in individual liberty and self determination.  People should have the freedom to make their own decisions.   Some of those decisions will turn out to be good, while others may turn out to be bad.  In a civil and moral society the results of those decisions accrue to the individual.  There is no obligation for the individual to share the results of their good decisions with others, nor is there an obligation that others shelter the individual from their bad decisions.   However, we know from experience that Americans freely share their success with others, while others freely provide support to those that are truly in need.  We the People do this better and more efficiently than any government, not matter how large or how small.

Conservatives believe that there is a need for a Federal government but it is not the bloated out of control government that makes laws for abortion, contraception, marriage, light bulbs, shower heads, vending machines and school lunch menus.   Conservatives believe in a responsible and constitutional Federal government with specific enumerated powers.   All powers not enumerated are vested with the States or We the People.

So, Mr. Lowe, if you didn't know what conservatives believe you do now. Please stop with your misrepresentation and dishonesty.   If you want to know more about conservatism might I suggest you put down your National Geographic and pick up the book Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin.