What a 'Conservative' Really was

President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) was the United States' 26th chief executive and was termed a "Conservative" in his approach to government. The successor of President William McKinley was Republican and was an acknowledged leader in the "Progressive Movement."

As well as being a cowboy and war hero of the Spanish-American War (c. 1898), he was also 'conservationist' in the true spirit of the word. His Presidential Administration was hallmarked by protective tariffs and lower taxes, strong anti-trust laws that challenged monopolies of goods and services, food inspection standards and state parks. Roosevelt was determined to set aside a great number of federal parks all across the country, so that development and mining did not ruin pristine areas of the country through the long march of time.

Though a hunter, Roosevelt understood the need to preserve not only land but also certain wildlife in the U.S., and so he established laws to protect endangered species. Yet, the initiatives he aimed at insofar as his  domestic policy (be it protective tariffs, anti-trust laws, taking on monopolies, ensuring the sale of healthy food) were all truly pointed at preserving the resources of the United States.

He sought to preserve/conserve U.S. lands, indigenous species, jobs, businesses and commodities. And, he was not an international thinker. He believed that it is best for all for Americans to make or grow things in this country, sell them here, have people with adequate pay able to buy those goods and to keep those things that make this country great out of private hands so they would not be destroyed.

It is a misinterpretation of "Conservative" today that narrow-minded thinkers have done to claim relation to any of Roosevelt's ideas. He never would have gone for the North American Free Trade Agreement. The thought would have been ridiculous to Roosevelt's mind. Likewise, the notion of wanting to end employee rights in favor of conceding our entire nation to the hands of business was something he did not brook at the turn of the 20th century and I am sure he would have felt no less strong about it in the 21st century.

The idea of using American resources to bolster other nation states around the world, which leave the U.S. poorer for its philanthropy would never have made it past his desk.

Yet, so-called Conservatives' platform includes: No rights for workers, relaxed anti-trust laws, the sale of more government property for development in the private sector, the reduction of protective tariffs so the goods U.S. companies made overseas (stealing jobs) could be sold in American markets cheaply and relaxed standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

How on earth would a group of people so petty, self-centered and mindlessly greedy come to the conclusion they were "Conservative," given the fact that one of the nation's first real Conservatives was aptly labeled for his work in conserving American resources and markets. Meanwhile, modern Conservatives are preoccupied with destruction and legal violence to American markets, workers and standards.

No. Roosevelt would not have bought into these Conservatives. Because in his time, "Conservative" was linked to "Progressive," not 'Regressive' or 'Oppressive.' It will make no matter to modern Conservatives if they are right or wrong about what they call their standard. They are a group of people who wish to know nothing from other people, much like the old Know Nothing Party (to which they are kindred spirits). Hopefully, one day the modern Conservative meets the same end as the Know Nothingers of days past.