Pardon me if I’m a little skeptical. If you want to protect everyone from every harm, from every injustice, and from every hurt feeling, you aren’t a conservative. If you insist on keeping your favorite government handout, entitlement, loophole, service, regulation, protection, or safety-net perk, you aren’t a conservative. You can’t spend money like you own a printing press, even if you own a printing press.

If you want to call yourself a conservative, you have to believe in and support the following:

1. limited government,
2. free markets,
3. sound money, and
4. personal freedom.

By “limited government” you have to include federal, state, and local governments, and any and all government agencies and enterprises (which would include public schools). Free markets would infer free trade (real free trade, not phony free trade), a minimal amount of government regulation, zero subsidies, no special incentives, and no government-picked winners (lobbyists and cronies) and losers (taxpayers). “Sound money” has to include a balanced budget and an honest, open monetary policy. “Personal freedom” must include freedom of speech, assembly and religion, a right to bear arms, a right to own property, and a tax plan which allows individuals and businesses to keep most of the fruits of their labors.

If you don’t believe in these 4 things, or if you don’t remember what you believe when you are attracted to a new regulation,  a new or higher tax, a new government-sponsored incentive, or more government debt, then don’t call yourself a conservative. Please be honest and call yourself something else, like silly, short-sighted, kind-hearted, or naive.

If there is a chance you might want to become an authentic conservative, then visit often or subscribe to the posts. I can’t promise you will make new friends or become more popular, but I’m hoping you’ll be a little more skeptical of the next wonderful government program.