Political Labels
Some years ago I published The Birth Dearth, about plunging birth and fertility rates around the world. I called for vast pro-natal programs --- tax credits, flex-time, paid parental leave etc. Big government. (Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to do much good, although author Phillip Longman endorse it The Empty Cradle.
Yet the population alarmists called my book a "conservative" book.
Usually, when someone says "labels don't matter" he/she is swinging from the Left side of the plate.
Yet the population alarmists called my book a "conservative" book.
Usually, when someone says "labels don't matter" he/she is swinging from the Left side of the plate.
posted by Ben Wattenberg at 8:11 AM
1 Comments:
I agree that the word "conservative" is frequently misused, particularly by liberals. However, it could be that the common usage of "conservative" is expanding beyond its traditional definition of a small-government philosophy. I attribute this shift particularly to President Bush, who has frequently been quite willing to expand government to accomplish conservative priorities (like promoting families). Still, it probably would have been more accurate to describe your book as "compassionate conservative." On domestic policy, I'm uncomfortable describing President Bush as just "conservative," given that his big-government policies are so far removed from doctrinaire conservatism.
--"BMac" McKenzie
Government Relations
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