For people like Joe Scarborough and Cassidy Hutchinson who still call themselves "Conservative"...

Is it small government?

Because that ship sailed DECADES ago. Tracking womens' monthly cycles and punishing doctors for performing life and mental health saving abortions/d&cs is the antithesis of "government so small you can drown it in a bathtub." Which is rich, considering they think it's OK to drown an whole government but you can't abort a fetus or unviable pregnancy; hell, a woman can't even have a fucking MISCARRIAGE in peace.

Is it protection of religious liberty?

Ion know 'bout dat, given the thousands of people who literally died from COVID because their pastors screamed "There is no such thing as COVID!!!!" and guilted them into showing up for in-person church services. Or the Osteens, who make MILLIONS of tax-free $$$$$ per year, but couldn't be bothered to take their own fellow Houstonians, refugees from Harvey into their ENORMOUS domed church. Or the John Hagee and Frances Swaggart types who are allowed to bring up partisan politics on their TV and radio shows, which is a blatant violation of the rules against religious institutions making ugly, aggressive partisan political exhortation in their ex cathedra, not explicitly private citizen roles.

Is it Capitalism?

Because there *literally* is no such thing as Capitalism without government intervention and general oversight; and that evolves over time, whether it means trust-busting to foster fair competition; FED actions to control inflation or stagflation; fair labor practices including unions, a livable minimum wage, fair wages for the job one is hired to do, sanctions for mistreatment of labor, etc. Capitalism as today's Conservatives have seen it since the days of Reagan, is actually unfettered piracy and marketplace Libertarianism. Adam Smith's concept of the "invisible hand" does not mean no hand at all. Mega-corporations like EXXON, Dow, Cargill, Koch, and the like, should not still be receiving government subsidies that were meant to give a hand up to such struggling and/or innovating startups as the early 1900s petrochemical, automobile, and agribusiness industries, not to act as a bar to competition from newer, more innovative businesses.

Is it "rugged individualism?"

Because that ship sailed with Ted Kaczynski. No, really--and we saw the best evidence of that two days ago when several rugged mountain men living in the most inaccessible parts of the NC and TN Appalachians had the fucking GALL to angrily complain about "gubmint not doing nothin' fer us" because "they let us drown while them doctors and National Guards spent all their time evacuating a HOSPITAL!" I still haven't picked my jaw up off the floor, and am still scratching my head about that one.

Yet these are the same types who shrug and laugh when people in urban areas get mugged, robbed, raped, carjacked or murdered, because "that's what they git for wanting the city life."

So, what IS Conservatism, and what ARE Conservative principles in the Year of Our Lord 2024?

Excellent points, R1. I don't think I've ever heard a conservative self-define this in their spoken opinions. It is always "I will always consider myself a conservative." And??? Tell me how so - I might be able to find some areas to agree even as a life-long committed Democrat. And absolutely not speaking about MAGA craziness here.

It's mostly devolved into conservative=racist

What’s there to conserve? Energy? Water? Electricity? White privilege?

carl sagan even asked this question back in the 1980s what are they conserving?

Their socio-economic status, R5.

There's a finite supply of money. If someone else gets more, they have to deal with less, i.e. a smaller piece of the pie.

Ana Navarro on The View is of the same way - calls herself a conservative and Republican, but doesn't seem to have any arguments against Dem policies?

The problem is - I can't think of any proposed legislation by conservative governments that helps the general public. They almost always restrict rights or give pay outs to the wealthy class.

It's meaningless at this point. They've been able to wrap themselves in God and American flag because their actual policies are so terrible for most people.

Anytime anyone talks about God or patriotism and says the other side doesn't, they are trying to manipulate you with a false narrative.

The only common position of conservatives is lack of empathy, selfishness and greed.

Conservative is an oxymoronic term with this batch of assholes! They’ll spend more taxpayer dollars than any liberal would and call it freedom.

[quote]calls herself a conservative and Republican, but doesn't seem to have any arguments against Dem policies?

Well, Dad was.

OP here; thanks for the responses! My question was genuine, because I keep hearing Joe S crowing "I'm STILL a Conservative, but no longer a Republican."

What the FUCK does that mean? Even Michael Steele doesn't say that shit anymore.

I know what Liz Cheney stands for--she's a reactionary, farfarfar Right Republican who actually voted AGAINST the Voting Rights Act renewal. She just hates Trump and wants to see him and his MTG/Gaetz acolytes purged from her daddy's party so she can come back and take it over. So her, I get.

Gaetz/MTG are clowns. Donalds and Scott are 🦝🦝. Romney is... I don't know WHAT Romney is; if he were principled he'd have left the Republican party after Trump made him kiss the ring at Trump Tower, then made a fool of him by giving him NOTHING; if not then, he definitely should've left after that Black Capitol cop grabbed him by the scruff like a mama cat mere SECONDS before the stalking MAGA demon could shoot his goofy ass.

I'm just flummoxed by it all.

Tuesday morning I heard a caller to the Clay Cane Show (if you haven't listened to him, you should--and please read his amazing book, [italic]The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans From the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump[/italic]) tell him about a friend of his who loves Trump. The caller asked his friend, "I can *maybe* understand why you voted for him in 2016, and even in 2020. But in 2024, you KNOW what Trump is all about; why are you still gonna vote for him in November? He's a racist, a cheat and a liar--why do you still like him?"

The man replied, "Because he's an asshole like me. Except he gets away with it."

BOOM.

I’d say it is a belief in individual responsibility for one’s economic security, premised on the idea that people are lazy and will not work or contribute if they can live off the government. Therefore, taxing people who work to benefit people who don’t is morally wrong.

Conserving what they see as the values of the past - family, respect, patriotism. A sense of order. When America really meant something great.

They can’t or won’t accept that it was for many people, a time of shame and discrimination and violence.

My mother is like this. She really wants to believe in a fairytale version of the past that needs to be “conserved”

I can see your mother's perspective, R12; I've no doubt she's a kind and decent person.

But what's Scarborough's thinking--he's on his third wife; both he and the current Mrs. Scarborough were fucking around on their spouses, not caring about their spouses or their young children. What is morally or ethically proper about that?

It's like that odious Congressman from Louisiana, Clay Higgins. Always has something slanty to say about other people, yet he's on his FOURTH wife.

Disgusting.

[quote] What is morally or ethically proper about that?

It’s not about personal behavior. It’s about social attitudes. They want to live in a country that would condemn and punish them for their choices. And would make gay people feel shame and force trans people to live a lie. But most of all, they want a country where white people are on top.

(Not speaking about Scarborough in particular.

For all Scarborough’s liberal leanings in recent years, I recall him saying on the air that he “didn’t give a damn” about Planned Parenthood. One of those stupid pro-life conservatives who is against birth control - for others, not himself.