Defining Principles while Parsing Rhetoric
As a young man reading the actual definitions of what it means to be conservative vs. liberal, I determined the labels of social liberal and fiscal conservative applied best to my political philosophy and ethical principles. To me, being fiscally conservative in terms of government means doing what is demonstrated to most efficiently and qualitatively accomplish desired social outcomes, while also responsibly handling investments and deficits in such a way that assures long term market and labor stability as well as favorable credit valuation as much as possible.
Economic Realities Trump Popular Assumptions
However, as I further investigated social programs and policy, it turns out in terms of service and structural aspects of society, such as healthcare, education, transportation, communications, and information systems - socialistic models are what continually prove to be the most effective models for quality outcomes (decreased mortality, access, upward mobility, decreased suffering, energy efficiency etc.) while providing these superior outcomes for a lower cost and greater efficiency.
In example after example- but not in all cases- socialistic systems are what is fiscally conservative, while capitalism is either less effective or a horrible failure and detriment. And often, what works best is a hybrid of the two with varying emphasis of one or the other.
Whether one is in America, China, Denmark, or Switzerland, All are hybrid models, and all governments collect taxes through some mechanism or another. There is always some form of social contract - fair or not - perfectly defined or not. SO, people, like John Boehner, claiming taxes are theft are spouting idealistic- anarchic nonsense with no basis in any reality.
You pay taxes for services that you agree upon or influence through a vote and elected representation. You demand they be effective and supply acceptable value to you as a citizen in a way that maximizes your contribution in daily practice while also providing the indirect benefits of a more stable and egalitarian society as well as some form of social safety net allowing you some security.
Distortions and Dirty Words
That is the very model of what fiscal conservatism is, But in America, fiscal conservatism has become merely conserving as much for yourself while trying to exploit disadvantaged citizens and the government by any means necessary. In America, any shared expense for the public good is now seen as socialism - unless of course that person is using that program- then the program is just fine!! ) It doesn't matter if using a socialist model in healthcare is more effective for all citizens or results in greater savings. To many, the very fact we are pooling sources for the common good is looked down upon as socialism even though in a lot of cases it IS what is most fiscally conservative.
As an active democrat, progressive activist, and a leader in the National Atheist Party, it is for this form of fiscal conservatism I fight. This fiscal conservatism must trample the distortions and rhetoric of the selfish, the greedy, and the evidence-adverse babble of tea-party trolls, runaway objectivist-obsessed anarchist-libertarians, and republicans who falsely proclaim themselves champions of "fiscal conservatism" as excavate all that is meaningful and desirable in the concept.