“I’m an uninformed idiot.”
Conservatives are fiscally reckless. Look at every conservative president’s deficit spending, and economic crashes. Look at the states most dependent on federal funds.
Even if you had zero morals and voted 100% on fiscal policies, the best choice is very clearly not conservative.
Does the fact that American “conservative” politicians are lying about it make it an invalid position to take?
Look, I think there is something to it, but you really have to give details. I’m good with free access to healthcare, good with people marrying whoever they want (over the age of 18), transgender rights, etc.
All of that. I love it all. But I’d rather not be taxed to hell and have those funds horribly mis managed. I’m okay with taxes but I know there is so much waste with my funds. That’s where I’d like improvement. I suppose in some eyes that would make me slightly fiscally conservative.
“I don’t hate you because you’re a POC, a woman, or queer. I hate you because you’re poor.”
“I’m a prick but I also like to smoke weed”
“I don’t hate women and minorities but I don’t see anything wrong with an economy built off of their exploitation.”
Conservativism, in all forms, is not a real ideology. It’s narcissism. A conservative will redefine conservative values based on their own identity.
So the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” idiot is lying to themselves about who they are. They want fiscal policies that benefit themselves, and they don’t want to be labelled a bigot, but they are fine with bigots in office as long as they get the fiscal policies that benefit themselves.
Ask them what they mean by “fiscal conservative,” and they will probably vaguely gesture and say “lower taxes.” What they mean is “lower taxes for me.” Fiscal conservatives still want to spend government money on programs they like. They want boondoggles in their backyard, earmarks and pork barrel projects, and social safety nets as long as they are the recipient (Medicare, Social Security, Veteran benefits, etc.)
They want to frame it as responsible restraint. Pull funding from programs they don’t understand, like scientific research, or don’t like, like foreign aid (except of course if strong ties to their home country).
And when they say lower taxes, when pressed, they will describe how their property tax or income tax or capital gains tax or death tax is really bad “for the economy.” They want good schools and roads and infrastructure, but they want someone else to pay for it.
Calling themselves conservative gives them license to be as selfish as they want to be without having to admit that they don’t actually have any values.
The hatred of property tax really pisses me off.
I have a mortgage on the house in which I reside. I have to pay property tax on the house in which I reside. My annual property taxes are less than half the minimum monthly payment for my mortgage. If I can afford my monthly payment I can afford my taxes. If I can’t afford my monthly payment the taxes aren’t the problem.
And what do I actually get for that less than half a monthly mortgage payment in annual taxes?
- 2 large parks with miles of walking paths, a playground, a basketball and a soccer court, all maintained and within 2 blocks
- maintained roads to my house that are cleaned regularly
- decent schools nearby
Yes, I recognize I got lucky and am privileged enough to have, not just stable housing, but that which I “own,” but that just makes my distaste of the hatred of property taxes all the greater.
My problem with property tax is that (in the US) it creates a system by which areas with high property tax revenue (rich areas) recieive more money for schools. This is not bad on its face, but in the long term, it creates systems where poor neighborhoods have bad schools, can’t fund improvements, can’t attract good teachers, can’t attract residents, lose on tax revenue… and it cycles.
Hawaii has an interesting sysyem by which residents only pay tiny property taxes IF their primary residence is their only livable real estate.
Either “I hate poor people but I love weed” or “I’m lying because my actual views would scare people off”.
I like weed but hate taxes.
Okay… I hate taxes too, but how else do you propose we pay for things like roads?
That’s that the position for American libertarianism’s.
I don’t particularly hate taxes because I like my government services well funded.
“I don’t actively hunt members of marginalized communities with one of my many obnoxiously customized firearms but I still have a weird kink for giving tax cuts to billionaires in exchange for a worsened quality of life because I have a 12 year old’s understanding of how the world works.”
“I don’t care about minorities enough to sacrifice anything about my way of living.”
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“I’m not gay, but $20 is $20.”
Euro perspective - When I hear fiscally conservative, that means supporting a governmental policy that is frugal with spending and responsible with public assets and finances.
This has several parts, here are some of the most important:
a) Keeping a balanced budget - the government should not be spending more than it is collecting from taxes and income. (A little debt in dire times is fine, but that should be payed off when possible)
b) Responsible management and long term planning - the planning horizon should be counted in decades
c) Focusing on core tasks: national security, infrastructure, healthcare, education etc.
d) Not raising taxes unless strictly necessary, lowering them if it is permissible according to the above.
Socially liberal => supports personal liberties
Now why does government debt even matter? Well, because debt is owed somewhere, and if it becomes large may mean that the government is beholden to other parties for the debt.
If they’re American I would point out that they have no representation for their conservative views because there is no fiscally conservative party in the United States.
I always just reference this article:
https://www.investopedia.com/us-debt-by-president-dollar-and-percentage-7371225
And say the modern Republican party started with Nixon.
“Sure the problems are bad, but the causes? The causes are good.”
They don’t want to pay money for social spending they don’t realize they benefit from while wearing the costume of an ally.
“I’m a republican, and I will consistently, and wrongly, vote in what I think are the best interests of my wallet while paying lip service to liberal social ideals. “
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I will get high with you, and then turn you into the cops when you can’t pay rent.
