Why Americans Do Not Need a Conservative in the White House

From my point of view, the old saying is accurate: regardless of where one stands politically, if you give yourself ten years or so you will find yourself on the opposite side-- not because you or your viewpoints have changed, but because the issues have changed. Sometimes this can make it very difficult to cast a vote.

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"Conservative" used to describe such things as tradition, standards, and values. It is not that way anymore. While some candidates label themselves Conservative, they are anything but.

Rick Perry is one example. One reason he is making great strides in his race for the White House is he refers to himself as a Conservative and a Christian. However, whatever Rick Perry claims to have learned as "family values," conservative values were not exactly evident in his history as governor of Texas. When a governor who claimed to be a conservative Christian managed to enrage parents throughout Texas by attempting to mandate Gardasil for sixth-grade children in his state, where were those "Conservative Christian values" he has spoken of?

One reason many liberals dislike conservative politicians is many who label themselves fundamentalist Christians do tend to use their political clout to influence laws in the direction which they, themselves, believe. While many object to politicians influencing everything from using the Bible in public schools to abortion issues, the more-than-slightly hypocritical views on moral issues is as bad, if not worse.

Many parents in Texas strongly objected to ten-year-old girls being vaccinated against something which, more often than not, is considered a sexually-transmitted disease. Evidently, Rick Perry felt ten years of age was not too young to assume these children would soon be sexually active.

"The New Conservative" shows no signs of going away. During the last few years, the American public was treated to endless publicity about Sarah Palin's daughter "choosing" to become an unwed teenage mother rather than to marry, and Ms. Palin's remarks that the only reason she does not smoke marijuana is because she tried it and did not like it. What message does this give to American youth? Teenage pregnancy, illegal drug use, and the concept that everything is about personal choice, are really not the messages today's kids should be hearing-- or believing.

Are there any true conservatives today? There are plenty-- unfortunately, they are average Americans, not politicians. American voters who describe themselves as conservative do not seem to have any options in the upcoming elections.