Are Democrats or even "liberals" the real conservatives?

[ColinC]

I told my anarcho capitalist friend the other day that I’m “conservative” and he basically gave me a blue screen error. I was sorta messing with him but kinda not in some ways, as I think the Democratic Party can arguably be considered “conservative” in many of the more technical interpretations of the term.

Not in the modern political sense of the word, of course. But in the more traditional sense. Even in the traditional political sense, Democrats have certainly become the party of fiscal responsibility and smaller government when comparing policies on policing, budgets over the last 40 years and how much government plays a part in our personal lives. It is also the environmentally Conservative Party: prioritizing conservation and environmental protections in the tradition of the old GOP that established national parks. “Conservative” implies at least some type of moral foundation or compass which today’s Republicans are devoid of.

I’m just saying this because trying to equate any of todays GOPs policies as “conservative” in any sense of the word, makes me laughvomit. Right wing? sure. Neofascist? Absolutely. Conservative? When donkeys shit rainbow unicorns.

[Walleye]

1. You would think that,calling themselves conservatives, they would believe in conservation, but nooo

[ColinC]

2. Also I would think they would have some type of moral foundation

Or principles that they adhere to -as the term “conservative” loudly implies. But alas…

[TwilightZone]

5. Conservative doesn't mean in favor of conservation.

One doesn't really have much to do with the other. Someone in favor of conservation would be a conservationist.

Conservative means resistant to change and insistent upon tradition, however they choose to define the latter.

[LastDemocratInSC]

8. Resistant to change to the extent

that they don't want anything to happen for the first time.

[ColinC]

10. I imagine conserving the environment has been a tradition older than most

Which todays “conservatives” refuse to preserve. I mean fossil fuels and industry are relatively new compared to our icecaps and sea levels. Yet the newer thing is prioritized over the old in this case.

[Mister Ed]

3. Aye. There's nothing "conservative" about the modern right-wing radical Republican party. n/t

[Trenzalore]

4. The modern GOP has no discernible governing philosophy

They embrace chaos.

For instance, not authorizing the debt ceiling would bankrupt many of their well-to-do donors. Yet playing chicken with Biden over it seems to be the reality we are in.

They aren't for smaller or limited government but a government that pushes the weekly crazy outrage from their echo chambers.

They are not pro-democracy domestically or abroad.

The party is really about nothing, and the democratic party has become the traditional liberals and the refugees from the GOP that see it for that and where it leads.

[sanatanadharma]

6. The usual dualisms like liberal-conservative do not explain human choices

Rather than using the usual labels like liberal-conservative, left-right, Democratic-Republican, the reality of humanity is best reflected by the terms progressive and regressive.
It is sad to see those whose karmic trajectories are regressing towards bestiality.
It is damn annoying to have the progress of humanity held up by those who are the least human.

[highplainsdem]

7. Modern RWers are REACTIONARIES. A term that used to be pretty common.

Not sure why it isn't used as much now as it was a few decades ago.

[Midnight Writer]

9. "Conservative" also includes the preservation and reverence for traditional institutions.

Something that the modern GOP's "burn it all down" stance belies.