In part I, we looked at the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. We noted that, while they appear to be vastly different, they’re actually quite similar. It’s been said that there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the two. I agree. It’s more like a nickel’s worth. Because the two parties are so much alike, the government seems to grow no matter which party is in power. In this article I want to look at another reason why the U.S. government continues to grow. This time I want look at the two major political philosophies that dominate our land: Liberalism (or Progressivism) & Conservatism.
This article will look mainly at Conservatism because it is more vocal about being for smaller government. Indeed, Conservatism has been for smaller government for many generations now. And yet, government still grows. As we will see, Conservatism cannot stop Liberalism/Progressivism, even when it tries.
Let me give you a little background before I continue. My view of Conservatism comes mostly from listening to talk radio. I’ve been listening to guys like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, etc. for decades. In fact I still tune in to those shows a few times per week just to hear what’s going on in the world. So, I think I know mainstream Conservatism. But the more I read and study the Bible, the Constitution, and the founding of our nation, the more I see Conservatism as being much closer to Liberalism than most would like to admit. Don’t get me wrong, Conservatism is closer to the Bible and the Constitution than Liberalism, but that’s not saying much. So, here are some reasons why I made a break from Conservatism (at least political Conservatism). Please understand, I’m not breaking from Conservatism in order to become a Liberal. I’m breaking from Conservatism because it is too much like Liberalism!
So, here are some reasons:
1. Conservatives can’t stop the Liberals. This should be obvious to all. Over the decades, the country has gotten more and more liberal. Conservatives say that the USA is a “center-right” country, and yet, it keeps going more liberal. If there are so many Conservatives, and Conservatism is a stronger view then Liberalism, than Conservatives ought to be gaining ground, but they’re not.
2. Conservatives are Liberals, just slower. This may sound far-fetched, but it is true. Liberals want to run into socialism, cultural relativism, etc. Conservatives, on the other hand, want to walk into socialism, cultural relativism, etc. You might not be able to see this without studying history, but Conservatism is simply slower Progressivism. Whenever Liberals take two steps forward in their agenda, the Conservatives protest, and demand that we all take one step back. Study a little history, and you will see that today’s Conservatives would be considered Liberals/Progressives a few generations ago.
3. Conservatives don’t really like the Constitution. Liberals say that the Constitution was written so long ago that it can’t really be adhered to in our modern age. Conservatives say exactly the same thing, I mean exactly. When talking about government surveillance, foreign policy, the military etc., Conservatives say that our founders lived in a different age and didn’t face the same challenges we do. Therefore, they say, we shouldn’t obey the parts of the Constitution that pertain to those things.
4. Conservatism is based on the same foundation as Liberalism. Ideas either come from the word of God, or the depraved mind of man (with maybe a little help from Satan). Do Conservatives ever quote the Bible when it comes to monetary policy, economics, the public schools, crime & punishment, foreign policy, the police, the military, etc.? Conservatives don’t get their views from the Bible, they get them from human reason. That’s the same intellectual foundation as Liberalism.
5. Conservatives want smaller government, not small government. When it comes to certain areas of government, Conservatives do want a big government. When it comes to immigration, foreign policy, the military, the police, and things like that, Conservatives believe that the government needs to be stronger. But didn’t America’s founders believe this too? No. Our founding fathers wanted a far more limited government in these areas than today’s Conservatives.
6. Conservatives end up giving more power to Liberals. Many of the policies that Conservatives favor are used against them when Liberals get into office (like surveillance programs). And yet, Conservatives still foolishly want to give more power to some parts of the government when their guy is in power.
7. Conservatives tend to react, not think. Anytime a Liberal wants a Conservative to do something, all the Liberal has to do is pretend to oppose it. Conservatives usually just oppose the Liberals even when the Liberals accidentally do something Constitutional.
8. Conservatives are Liberal when it comes to culture. Conservatives often appeal to “traditional” values (they won’t say biblical values). But the music they listen to and the movies they love promote some very sinful things. Government grows because of a sinful population (Prov. 28:2). Many Conservatives promote movies and music that contain sinful ideologies, and thus, are unwittingly promoting more tyranny.
I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Again, let me be clear, Conservatism is a little closer to the Bible than Liberalism. I can agree with some of what is said by those on talk radio. But, I’ve come to understand that Conservatism is powerless to stop the decline of our nation and the growth of government. I know I’ve been somewhat vague on some of these points, but if you will tuck these points away in your mind, and study the Bible and Constitution for yourself, I believe you will see that Conservatism is not all that it pretends to be. The Bible has the answers to our problems, not Rush Limbaugh.
In Part III of this article, we will look at the only antidote to an overgrown government: the Bible.