Why I am a conservative, who cannot be a Republican

Why I am a conservative, who cannot be a Republican

This will be a long post. Sorry. People often ask me about my personal politics. My standard response is that I am not really political. I say that I know enough to know that my opinions don't matter. That is technically true. But, there is a deeper reason. I have no political home.

I consider myself to be a conservative. That word can have a lot of meanings, so allow me to clarify.

First, for me, a conservative means one who respects institutions. To respect institutions means to place faith in a broader body of people rather than one individual. One can point to a long (world) history of individuals leading people astray. Institutions can do this as well. But, it often takes more work for an institution to screw up than an individual.

Institutions have, by nature, a status quo bias. For me this is generally a good thing. One of the things I find beautiful (and frustrating) about our Congress is its status quo bias. One has to work very hard and get a lot of people on board to make a change. There is something to be said for needing many voices in agreement to change the status quo.

Second, I respect tradition. This builds off the concept of institutions. Tradition means that history is important. Institutions, when running well, respect tradition. The idea that we can learn from mistakes and build on them is appealing to me.

Finally, I live my life in a conservative way. We expect a lot of our kids. We do not curse, and don't allow Samantha to even say the word gosh. There are times where I think I am too conservative on stuff like that. I do not drink, smoke, and I live my life in a generally conservative way. But, that is my choice to do so.

An important caveat here is that I do not place individualism in my definition of conservatism. Allow me to explain. As I will write below, my faith defines a lot my views. In the Christian worldview, individuals are fallen. Institutions can be too. Individuals are selfish by nature (I make that point when my students read Federalist 10 and 51 too). We are myopic and want what is good for us. For these reasons, individualism is not inherently part of my political philosophy. I do not think individualism itself is a good thing. I do not think it often leads to good things. I think it leads to many people doing things that are only good for themselves with no sense of purpose or concern for the collective. If I were forced to pick a binary between individualism and collectivism, I side with collectivism. (http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/individualism-and-conservatism/ )

Because my core views of conservatism are tradition and institutions above individualism, I also value compromise. Compromise is an important part of the political process. It is an important part of marriage, and parenting. One must know what are the fundamental things they will not compromise. But, they must also be willing to sit at a table and discuss. Because I am myopic, I do not understand the life lived by others. I cannot understand what they have gone through. So, for me to value compromise also means to value humility. To treat every issue as paramount and generally being unwilling to compromise makes it hard for institutions to work. Any institution. Check out church history. Or, American history. My general view is that institutions fail when the individuals in an institution fail to compromise and see the picture is bigger than them.

So, I am a conservative under the above definition. I should be a Republican. They are the party who claims to be conservative. They are the party claiming to represent Christians. They are the party that will generally provide me with the most money. But, I have become increasingly unlikely to vote for Republicans. I cannot bring myself to vote for what I see as against my values of conservatism.

I am a white, Christian, straight, male, and well educated.

I am white. I know that surprises you. Okay, moving on from the bad joke. Being white means I don't have to worry about a lot of things that friends of mine do. A few rather silly examples. And, these are just some examples. I could (and people have) write a book on how non-whites are treated differently than whites. My daughter has decided that she likes a boy in her school. This boy happens to be African American. She mentions every now and then that it doesn't matter what color skin he has. Partly, because we have made it clear that all that matters for any person is their heart and whether they are respectful of others. It is also because some kids told her she shouldn't have a six-year old crush on him because of his skin color. Yes. It has already started for her.

Moving to more serious things, I have friends who get pulled over because they aren't white. I have friends who are concerned when they get pulled over that a cop will be trigger happy. These are things I don't have to worry about. Plain and simple. I don't know what it is like to worry about whether or not the police are friendly. I don't have to worry about how my name, or voice, or skin color (check out research on the first two) will impact my chance of getting a job. So, I can't really tell people there isn't a problem with race in America. My experience is different because I am white. I should be willing to listen. If I find there are problems, I should be willing to work to change institutions because our traditions are bad.

I am a Christian. We attend church weekly. I read my Bible daily. We train our children in the Christian tradition. A few points here. The Bible I read makes it pretty clear that I should be extremely careful judging others. I have the right to judge those inside the Church, but not outside (see James 4, Matthew 7, Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 5, Luke 6, and Romans 2 for a few examples).

A little more about this (after some thought and a good comment from a friend). I realize here I am judging Republicans. I realize I am opening myself to scrutiny. By speaking about politics and critiquing the policies of others, I am making myself open for the same criticism (see James 4 and Matthew 7 for that). My own political views are myopic. I could write a whole other post about my issues with Democrats.

But, most people who share my worldview are not Democrats. I am more frustrated by a group of people that I should agree with using rhetoric that should appeal to me. I should be a Republican. But, I see a group of people using the same rhetoric and appealing to the same values, but not living up to them. That is why I feel most compelled to write this about Republicans. Also, for what it’s worth I believe there is plenty of support for challenging those who feel comfortable being Republicans to think deeply about whether the party lives up to the values you think it does.  

So, those who profess Christianity have a worldview to uphold, but part of that is being careful who we judge. We should be especially understanding of our own sin nature. We should also understand how selfish we can be. Are we making political decisions because it is right? Because it is moral? Because it takes care of the least of these? (Note here, the reference to Matthew 25, although there are different interpretations to present here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/march-web-only/what-you-probably-dont-know-about-least-of-these.html?start=1 ) Are we judging those in our faith tradition that are called to live a certain way, or are we judging those who don’t share our worldview?

One more caveat before I return…Part of the reason why we went into foster care is because of this. I know that politics and my voice will never be enough to take care of the least of these (something I feel called to). We believe very much that fostering allows us do a small good on a small level for the “least of these”. We can’t change economic policy. We can’t change education policy. We can’t make the world right. But, we can help one kid. We can help in a small way, and most of the time that is all we can do. It is better than sitting on my hands and saying let others do it.

Point two: Christianity is (still) the majority religion in America. More people identify as not religious than ever before, but most people still claim to be Christian. The institutions and traditions of our culture are built on (at least) judeo-Christian views (thanks Will Herberg 1955). Because I am in the majority faith I have many advantages. One, no one looks at me weird for my faith tradition. Two, anytime someone does something stupid in the name of my religion I am not expected to denounce it (see Dylan Roof). Three, I don't have to explain myself or deal with religious threats. I can practice how I want. No one bothers me regarding my faith. Because of this, I should listen to the experiences of those in minority faiths (https://twitter.com/sikhprof?lang=en). I don't have to agree with them on everything. But, I do need to listen.

I am straight. I don't know what it is like to have my attractions deemed horrendous. Note here, for my socially conservative friends, I am not going to wade into the conversation about being LGBT. My views are pretty nuanced and complex. But, we do know that LGBT children have much higher rates of depression and suicide than other children. We know it is harder for LGBT individuals to succeed in society. I don't know what it is like to feel like I have to live a lie in order to fit in. I don't know what it is like to hear that I am not wanted and know that I can be fired in many states (and maybe federal government now) for my sexual orientation. I need to listen.

I am a man. I don't have to prove my worth because of my gender. I am not worried about sexual violence being done to me. I didn't think about if enough people in my chosen career would respect me. Even as a professor, men receive higher teaching evaluations than women. Samantha often asks, "Can girls do that?" I don't have to ask that. It's ridiculous.

I am well educated. Because of this I have a job that pays me well enough to live a comfortable life. Most importantly (sadly enough), I have a job that provides good health insurance. More than 70% of Americans have less than $1000 in savings. I don't have to worry about what happens if my daughter gets sick. I don't have to worry about spending $10,000 a year on medical costs before insurance kicks in. I am extraordinarily lucky.

I come from a family that taught me not to make stupid decisions. I was trained as a child to think about my actions and see beyond today. Many people do not come from this situation. I think about our foster child. Many people come from families where generations have made bad choices. I don't know what is like to worry about how I will get food. I don't have to worry about whether I will be clothed. I could go to school happy, and well fed. I could learn. What about kids who weren't? I am lucky.

I have to admit that I am about as privileged as one can get. Now, it took a lot of work to get my Ph.D. and secure a tenure track job. But, I am lucky. I said above that I like the status quo. Unfortunately, the status quo often perpetuates bad things for those not in power. I was born into a good situation. Many are not.

If I respect institutions and traditions, but value humility, I must understand how lucky I am. I should also seek to change traditions and institutions that harm others. I cannot simply be happy being a winner.

So, why I am a conservative but not a Republican? Note here, I am not calling myself a Democrat. I have voted Democrat, but don't think of myself as one. Here is why.

I see a Republican Party that does not value institutions or traditions. They complain about rules and procedures being used against them. But, when they have power, they abuse them even worse. So, let's talk about Congress. Republicans in the Senate complained about Harry Reid using the Nuclear Option regarding judicial appointments. Reid did this after several years of Republican obstructionism under Obama. Further, Reid only did this for vacancies of more than a year. There was the largest set of vacancies ever recorded on the federal bench because of Republican opposition to Obama appointments. Now that they control government, what are they doing? Using the nuclear option for every judicial appointment. They don't respect institutions, only power. *This is only one example among many I could pick to discuss a lack of respect for institutions. This is just a simple one.

I see a Republican Party that does not value humility. The standard bearer for the GOP is the president. Whether you like it or not. President Trump has proven, over a lifetime, to value little less than he values humility. Everything he does is about himself. Telling boy scouts we need more loyalty. Trying to push out an Attorney General who is probably more campaign Trump than Trump is himself. There is no humility in President Trump.

There is little humility in the mantra that all it takes is hard work. Yes, hard work is important to success in life. But, talk to my friend with severe medical conditions about hard work. He spends an astronomical amount of money every year on health care, and is lucky to have a job where he can work from home. But, for many, that does not work. The notion that those on medicaid are lazy lacks humility. The idea that people in poverty don't want to be out of poverty lacks humility. It shows a lack of ability to understand what people's lives are like. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/11/23/what-happens-when-your-pregnant-sister-in-law-is-paralyzed-in-an-accident-and-has-no-insurance/?utm_term=.85c335352fe4)

I see a Republican Party that does not value human dignity. They use phrases like life a lot. But, they do not value the intrinsic worth of all humans. It treats my (white, Christian, male, straight) life as more valuable than other lives. It does not get up in arms when we see clear evidence of African Americans being shot at higher rates by police officers. It does not demand better treatment of religious minorities here (or around the world) unless they are Christians. It does not value the experiences of LGBT individuals.

I see a Republican Party that does not value compromise. The secret that is not a secret among political scientists....Republicans can't compromise. Congressional Democrats have gotten no more liberal over the last 50 years. Congressional Republicans have gotten significantly more conservative. It is not a question up for debate. The data are clear. Republicans are increasingly unlikely to compromise. http://rpubs.com/ianrmcdonald/293069

Allow me just one example. President Obama tried to get Republicans on board with ACA in 2009. He even had Republicans voting for the bill in the summer of 2009. But, Republican leadership (taking a page out of Newt Gingrich's playbook) told all members to vote against all versions of the bill. The reason? It is politically better to make it look like this bill is partisan and didn't include you. Now, Republicans haven't even asked Democrats to be involved in the repeal and replacement of ACA. Mitch McConnell even warned that he may have to work with Democrats if all else fails. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-senate-republican-mitch-mcconnell-warns-bipartisanship-health/story?id=48336713

I see a Republican Party that is against intellectualism. I don’t want to imply that being an academic is the only viable alternative to life. I have high respect for my friends who intuitively know how to do things with their hands. For me, it takes many times of watching the youtube video to get it. But, we also see many Republicans mocking those who have spent years studying something and learning as much as possible. I won’t apologize for 7 years of graduate work on religion, and American politics. If that makes me a worthless egghead, then so be it.

But, just as is the case among many Evangelicals (see Mark Noll’s Scandal of the Evangelical Mind), I hear many Republicans mocking science. I hear many Republicans openly questioning what can be done through knowledge, reading, and understanding. I am more judged by Evangelical Republicans than I am by my academic friends. An interesting argument in the political parties literature is that rank and file Republicans are ideological (not all that interested in practical policy), while Democrats are group identity focused (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/09/08/how-different-are-the-democratic-and-republican-parties-too-different-to-compare/?utm_term=.cae1a3a49612). In short, I am trying to say that I see an approach among many Republicans that delegitimizes truth and intellectual rigor for fear and short-term approaches (see your current president and his campaign).

I see a Republican Party that claims Christianity, but does not live it. They use a lot of religious rhetoric. They also use the word conservative a lot. But, they don't live these views. So, I am left with a choice? Vote for a party that says it supports my views, but doesn't really. Or, vote for a party that does not claim to support my views (conservative) but is more likely to compromise and treat people with dignity?

I have lost several "friends" because I do not buy into the Republican rhetoric. Some of them have been pastors or prayed for my soul “because I voted for the wrong person”. I don’t think my salvation depends upon who I vote for. If I did…I wouldn’t vote. While I would love to spend more time discussing my view of church-state relations, that is for another post. I firmly believe in compromise. I firmly believe in humility. I firmly believe we should treat all people with dignity. And, while I think of myself as a conservative, the 'conservative' party does none of those things. So, I am a conservative, but not a Republican.

Finally, if you are still reading this. I am sorry. I could have probably written this a lot better. I could have also done better at making my case. Please hear the most important part of this post: I don’t care what your politics are. I want you to be able to think clearly and articulate your views. Decide what your fundamental values are, and expect them. Expect candidates to live up to them and don’t be happy when you compromise.  

I held my nose as I voted for Hillary Clinton because I believed she would have been a better president than Trump. I also was worried about a unified Republican government (turns out I didn’t need to be too worried about that). I do not think our current politics reflects what I want out of politics. But, we should still use our voice. I don’t think we should be complicit or happy in voting for candidates that go against our values. I voted for John Kasich in the primaries…and would have happily voted for him in the general. Allow this to be an invitation to think about your fundamental political values. Allow this to be an invitation for discussion. Finally, if you want some more reading that resonates with me lately…check out these articles:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-gops-hard-messy-options-for-destroying-trumpism/2017/06/19/d6483a56-5517-11e7-a204-ad706461fa4f_story.html?utm_term=.36d4e30abcfe

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/344703-flake-republicans-in-denial-about-trump

Ben