Why does it seem as though every politician in Collin County claims to be the most conservative and have the most conservative endorsements? Is that really the best credential for an office, that you have the most rigid, narrow view on everything, and that all your friends do too?
The opposite would be just as bad, but isn’t it sad that we’ve been reduced (again) to a short-hand nomenclature that really doesn’t say anything of substance.
Aside from meeting the candidates (check) and listening to them at a forum (check) and reading their policy statements on their websites (check) and reading what the local papers have to say about them (check) what else can you do but follow knee-jerk labels?
Some say: Run for office.
I say: Don’t tempt me.
And we ask: What does it say about the state/communities we live in?
I think it says that only reactionary arch-conservatives are vocal enough to get the attention of candidates. The candidates conclude that all voters are Tea Party toadies.
Alongside the Tea Party, we should have the Coffee Party, which would focus on a fair wage and ownership for labor; and the Lemonade Party, which would empower entrepreneurs the way parents underwrite their kids’ lemonade stands; and the Milk Party, which would recognize that we are mutually dependent on the natural non-human world
And the Eucharist Party, which would live out the tenets of Jesus’ teachings, regardless of the impact they might have on our notions of capitalism, property rights, individuality, democratic process or any other notion of what’s “American” in the context of a post-modern, post-colonial era of global community, 24/7 information media and economy. What if the Kingdom of God were our focus rather than protecting our small fiefdoms that we have deceived ourselves into believing that we built on our own strength and cleverness alone, rather than on the good will of our ancestors and on the backs of underpaid and unpaid labor of generations of indentured servants, company town “employees” and slaves.
I didn’t. On a more careful reading, you will see that I wrote “most conservative…most narrow, rigid”. By definition, conservative is narrow, i.e. it seeks to hold to and conserve what is rather than explore new options. The MOST conservative, therefore, would be the MOST narrow, and also by definition the most rigid, i.e. the most bent on holding to that most narrow position.
That’s why.
My main point with the earlier posts is that labels like liberal and conservative don’t mean much without specific content, and mean even less in a place like Collin County where everyone wants to claim to be the MOST conservative. And I don’t completely fault the folks running for office – they are doing mostly what the system seems to be asking of them, and responding to the folks who are most vocal, which only makes sense from a pragmatic point of view. I just think it is very sad, and not good for our communities. We need to find ways to deepen and broaden the conversation, to slow it down and tone it down. (Yes, I know my previous post could use some toning down too. I admitted it was a rant.) The current system does not leave room for proper discourse, nor does it leave room for true collegiality or compromise, principles upon which our system of government was founded. As it is, things seem more like playground bullying.
Leadership and Life Development Coaching. Ken G Crawford. Synchronous Life. 
Why do you define “conservative” as “the most narrow, rigid view?”
I didn’t. On a more careful reading, you will see that I wrote “most conservative…most narrow, rigid”. By definition, conservative is narrow, i.e. it seeks to hold to and conserve what is rather than explore new options. The MOST conservative, therefore, would be the MOST narrow, and also by definition the most rigid, i.e. the most bent on holding to that most narrow position.
That’s why.
My main point with the earlier posts is that labels like liberal and conservative don’t mean much without specific content, and mean even less in a place like Collin County where everyone wants to claim to be the MOST conservative. And I don’t completely fault the folks running for office – they are doing mostly what the system seems to be asking of them, and responding to the folks who are most vocal, which only makes sense from a pragmatic point of view. I just think it is very sad, and not good for our communities. We need to find ways to deepen and broaden the conversation, to slow it down and tone it down. (Yes, I know my previous post could use some toning down too. I admitted it was a rant.) The current system does not leave room for proper discourse, nor does it leave room for true collegiality or compromise, principles upon which our system of government was founded. As it is, things seem more like playground bullying.