"It may be inferred again that the present movement for women’s rights will certainly prevail from the history of its only opponent, Northern conservatism. This [Northern conservatism] is a party which never conserves anything. Its history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution; to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward towards perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt hath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard, indeed, to explain. It is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It intends to risk nothing serious for the sake of the truth, and has no idea of being guilty of the folly of martyrdom. It always when about to enter a protest very blandly informs the wild beast whose path it essays to stop, that its 'bark is worse than its bite,' and that it only means to save its manners by enacting its decent role of resistance: The only practical purpose which it now subserves in American politics is to give enough exercise to Radicalism to keep it 'in wind.' and to prevent its becoming pursy and lazy, from having nothing to whip." — R.L. Dabney
American conservatism could never be convicted of conviction. There would not be enough evidence to indict. It would never submit itself to martyrdom. It sees compromised survival as superior to principled sacrifice. Living to fight another day is more important than losing a battle. But in the wisdom of God, a principle that dies is more potent than a compromise that lives.
“The politics of envy is the politics of this commandment: “Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.” It is the politics of two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.” — Gary North
American conservatism is willing to see its allies on the menu as long as it gets a seat at the table. But sitting across from wolves simply means that you're not on the menu yet. You can bring them all the second helpings they like, but eventually the pantry is empty and you're the main course. American conservatism, at its best, strives to be eaten last and at its worst, to see others eaten. It is a sheep trying to convert the wolves to a better diet.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." — Winston Churchill
American conservatism assumes that it is in the right for wanting to use less accelerator as we all head for the cliff. It counters liberalism's motion to move at 60 mph with one condemning that as reckless behavior all before it then comes back and moves that we drive off the cliff at 30 mph.
"Socialism is simply Communism for people without the testosterone to man the barricades.” — Gary North
Communism wants to red line the engine on its way off the cliff, but socialism doesn't have the stomach for that. It would go faster if it dared or if it thought it could get away with it, but it doesn't, so it can't. American conservatism, in its efforts to subdue communism has settled for sucking up to socialism as long as it promises not to become full blown Marxism.
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