Questions Conservatives Must Ask: Or, Where Will The Diamond Sparkle?
On Saturday, April 30th, the
We the People: First in the Nation Freedom Forum will host two of the most
respected and prominent conservatives in American government, US Rep. Steve
King of Iowa and US Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, in an event being billed
as a “Conservative Conversation.” At Southern New Hampshire University, the two
Republicans will participate in a round table-style discussion about current
national policy and the 2012 presidential campaign, moderated by We the People
founder, Jennifer Horn. Potential presidential candidates Tim Pawlenty, Rick
Santorum and Michele Bachmann will also be making personal appearances, and
there are standing invitations to all others. In addition to the political
celebrities on stage, attendees will also be able to tour a “Liberty Row”
comprised of conservative and libertarian-leaning New Hampshire organizations
introducing themselves and recruiting support. Our Jennifer jokes that the
event will be a “mini New Hampshire CPAC convention.”
Conservatives, of course, have lively
conversations all the time in the aggressive pursuit of truth – while the
leftist insists on ideological conformity and a stifling control of the debate.
Audience members expecting the King/DeMint round table to descend into a syrupy
mutual admiration society will likely be excited to witness first-hand the
breadth and variety found in conservative thought. While the foundational
principles of conservatism are as fixed as human nature itself, the singular
circumstances and regular changes of daily life produce unlimited nuances –
which in turn spark more debate, and thus more refined principles.
Conservatism, then, is a turning diamond, catching one shaft of light after
another and revealing facets never before seen.
Where will the diamond sparkle on April
30th? Here are a few topics worthy of illumination:
1. Military intervention – As is
universally acknowledged, the United States is the world’s last and greatest
superpower. There are conservatives who believe that such immense strength
necessitates immense responsibility, manifested in our intervention in Libya
(to stop Qaddafi’s slaughter of civilians) and Mogadishu (to protect
UN-sanctioned humanitarian aid). Yet there are other conservatives who advocate
an “America First” posture, withdrawing from that responsibility and
concentrating exclusively on domestic issues. Who is right?
2. The sanctity of life – Indiana
Governor Mitch Daniels has famously called for a “truce” on social issues such
as abortion so as to concentrate Republican focus on fiscal and national
security issues. That, however, will not make social issues disappear.
Candidates who are otherwise conservative on many things may still describe
themselves as “pro-choice” under the belief that such a position agrees with the
principle of individual freedom. Others, however, would assert that
conservative commitment to religious faith, moral virtue and the traditional
ideal of the family demands protection of the unborn. In a contest between
individual freedom and traditional virtue, which should win?
3. The environment – Leaving aside for a
moment the question of global warming/global cooling/global anything, since the
days of Theodore Roosevelt, natural conservation is an inherent characteristic
of conservatism. However, conservatives also pledge equal allegiance to free
market capitalism and the commercial development of natural resources. Conflict
between the two is inevitable. What is the best, most comprehensive rationale
for the simultaneous preservation of American ecology and the employment of our
resources for national prosperity?
Other topics are certainly to be brought
up, these are only examples of issues that could generate disagreement between
conservatives who would be philosophically synchronized everywhere else. It is
too much to hope for conclusive answers to be discovered April 30th
but if they exist, there can be no doubt that DeMint and King will pursue them
with integrity and enthusiasm.
