A (former) Conservative's Creed. (Please excuse the length.)

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I believe in many things. I believe, for example, that when you start off on some important course, that you should do so in a wise, fore-learned, open-minded, efficient, effective and thrifty manner -- knowledgeable and respectful of the gravity of the (ever-changing) situation that you will face. I believe that when you deal with other people, that you should do your best to treat them with respect and tolerance -- at least (if not more than) to the degree that they are willing to repay this "kindness". And even when this is not the case, I believe that one should try to use tact and discretion -- if the very weight of the situation does not simply forbid this.

I believe that a national health care system is essential, not because it is our "right", but because it will bring in many kinds of system and process efficiencies -- lowering its cost and making American businesses newly more competitive -- particularly new (and generally small) businesses, in whom we place our hopes (and almost any chance) of free market competitiveness. But I also believe in the right to keep and bear (effective) arms -- to prevent and prepare for that hard day, when resort to arms is the last option to defend our liberties.

I also believe that we need to have some sort of standard for how people operate in, or in effecting, society and our nation -- if not other peoples. And I believe that when our fellow citizens do not hold to this "common" standard, we need to "call them on it" -- and to see to it that such behavior is not widely accepted or repeated.

Indeed, coming from conservative roots, I could live with something very much like this:

LINK.

Of course, I would like to see something beyond this standard take "hold" on our society, but I have learned to compromise and to "settle" -- and to draw upon history to learn what we may, practically, be really able to achieve -- actually acheive, to better our lives and our society, even in a little way.

But having said all this, I am an American. I respect our forefathers' ideals, no matter that sometimes they, themselves, fell short. (After all, they were men, not gods -- men such as we are, with all our weaknesses, fears, vanities and pride. --- Although, atheist that I am, I believe that our forefathers rose to the level of "gods", where their principles, and their principled actions, speak to us through time.)

And, as an American, I believe that we should look after America and Americans, first and foremost.

That we do so to some degree by alliances, "treaties", trade and raising the circumstances of other peoples, is but a lesson of history -- one that the wise would do well to take to heart.

But I would deliberately let others suffer so that American interests do not -- and I would keep America above and beyond other nations as a policy -- if there was no chance of raising those other peoples to that level, without lowering our own.

And I would do this without any qualms of conscience.

And while many of you might suppose that my beliefs are objectionable, frankly, I don't give a damn. And, frankly, neither should you -- neither should you give much of a damn about what I believe. --- What should any of us care about what another man believes -- as long as we can live along side of him and "work" together with him in a courteous, becoming, practical, pragmatic and effective manner to serve our common interests. And on the other hand, if a man cannot work together with us, in a practical, pragmatic and effective manner -- or can't even seem to work together with his own kind in any effective manner -- in this case, what good are this man's beliefs to us -- or to himself, for that matter?

.... And what's so illiberal about believing that?

And whether you like or not, I am proud to stand with that courageous, wise, learned and visionary man, Senator John Kerry, who will prove to be an effective leader and a President that any patriotic, well meaning, principled, American can work together with. (This does not include the "neos", of course. --- And it never will, because discord, disunion and blind, ignorant, incompetent "faith", (and that, in all sorts of patent nonsense), are all that they know --- it is all that they will ever know --- and it is all that they will ever have to offer.)

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1. kicked and nominated n/t