I can see why someone would identify as “fiscally conservative”, but not if they actually paid attention to what conservative fiscal policy really does.
The most “reasonable” version I can imagine is the kind where someone goes “things are fine for me, so let’s just go with the status quo, maybe fewer taxes, that’s conservative, right?”
But man… once you know anything about the history of conservatism or what it stands for in the US now… what can I say but yikes.
yeah. though “fiscally conservative” is a myth in two senses. first, those people are usually the ones who have the worst policies for the economy. second, fiscal conservatism can’t be decoupled from social conservatism. that’s the bigger myth. the fact that you can be socially progressive but economically conservative. those policies inevitably result in social hierarchies at best, and oppression at worst.
I can see why someone would identify as “fiscally conservative”, but not if they actually paid attention to what conservative fiscal policy really does.
The most “reasonable” version I can imagine is the kind where someone goes “things are fine for me, so let’s just go with the status quo, maybe fewer taxes, that’s conservative, right?”
But man… once you know anything about the history of conservatism or what it stands for in the US now… what can I say but yikes.
yeah. though “fiscally conservative” is a myth in two senses. first, those people are usually the ones who have the worst policies for the economy. second, fiscal conservatism can’t be decoupled from social conservatism. that’s the bigger myth. the fact that you can be socially progressive but economically conservative. those policies inevitably result in social hierarchies at best, and oppression at worst.
Pretty much, yep.