"Up to speed"

Is there not a need for conservatives to have a more reliable, efficient means than we have now of bringing new conservatives “up to speed?”

Does the current process not leave new conservatives with a choice between a long, obscure, initially incomprehensible, substantially unrealistic intellectual path and an easier path paved largely with sound-bites, slogans, and intellectual junk-food from the wrong parts of the internet?

Is it not true that even the higher-quality parts of that "easier path," which includes mostly content focused on current events, does not efficiently convey the fundamentals of the conservative philosophy?

As valuable as the volumes of books concerning conservatism are, could any book be so concise and available that its length or unavailability would not limit its usefulness in giving new conservatives a roadmap and a head-start?

Would it not be valuable for conservatives to tout and circulate a concise summary, available online, which introduces its reader to the best of conservatism and could jump-start a new conservative's intellectual journey?

If you answered "yes,"

You Will Like the Twelve Points.

Spread the Word

If you like the Twelve Points, spread the word!

Fair questions, at least until we reaffirm our principles, clarify our objectives, and begin to discuss long-term conservative strategy

Once we, as conservatives, review and reaffirm our principles and clarify our objectives (which the Twelve Points are meant to help us to do), we will be able to properly plan for the future. The following are a few questions for those who question whether this is needed:

• What have we done to ensure that the next attempt at conservative governance will avoid the same fate as the "Republican Revolution" of the mid-1990s, when Republicans fought for a balanced budget, reduced spending, and smaller government, and when their flesh was subsequently scattered by Democrats?

• What have we done to ensure that the next attempt at conservative governance will avoid the same fate as the Republican-controlled government of 2001-2007 (or, arguably, of 2003-2007), whose failures were not limited to the loss of elections?

• Have we firmly agreed which items of federal spending should be cut, in what order they should be cut, and how we will accomplish that, politically, in the real world?

• Do we know what will be required of us to restore the Constitution and the rule of law -- not in theory or in a dream, but in the next several decades?

• Do we know that our fellow "conservatives" agree with and understand the conservative conception of freedom and limited government?

• Do we know that our fellow conservatives understand the myriad arguments for and applications of that philosophy?

• Do we recognize that "big-government conservatism" is a sub-type of conservatism only to the extent that "fool's gold" is a sub-type of gold?

• Have we decided how to ensure that the "conservatives" who we work to elect really are conservative?

• Will our lack of focus and foresight continue to force conservatives to choose between winning elections and governing well?

The Twelve Points -- Just the "Points"

These twelve subjects are the “points” of the Twelve Points – but if you only know these slogans, you're missing the best of it! Read the topics below, then read the Twelve Points in full! www.the12points.com/2009/06/twelve-points.html.

1. Equality and Justice;
2. Individual Liberty;
3. The United States Constitution and the Rule of Law;
4. Life;
5. Private Property Rights;
6. The Free Market and Economic Prosperity;
7. Individuality and Unity;
8. Conservation;
9. Restraint and Reversal of Government Growth;
10. Justice in Taxation;
11. Contemplation and Prudence; and
12. Wisdom and Strength, for Freedom, Security, and Peace.

Conservatism: Many Principles, One Philosophy

The common view of conservatism as two, distinct "economic" and "social" brands of conservatism is mistaken. This nevertheless seems to be the default understanding of conservatism, so it is common to hear those who accept this analysis claim that conservatism has a fractured identity. They rightly observe that conservatism would be incoherent if it favored, as they claim, liberty in economic matters but government intervention in "social" matters. However, theirs is not a proper description of conservatism.

It may be useful to think of conservatives as broken into two "conservative constituencies," as Reagan recommended, and it might be argued that those presently are accurate descriptions of the characteristics of these constituencies. However, we should not confuse conservatism with today's defective popular expression of conservatism. Even if it has been misunderstood by some conservatives, the conservative philosophy survives -- and it is not confounded by such an inexplicable split.

Conservatism integrates and reconciles between five and eight (depending on how they are designated) great conservative themes. To those who know conservatism best, this is the one, true conservatism with which they are familiar -- one philosophy with many principles. It is also the conservatism of the Twelve Points. This conservatism is not yet (or "again," arguably) conscious as a political force, but it draws together a well-developed understanding of liberty and justice, respect and passion for the United States Constitution and the rule of law, an understanding of and a desire to protect and revive economic freedom, an understanding of the dangers of "big government" (which compound as government expands), prudence (or "caution") and a particular unwillingness to abandon our fortunate heritage as Americans: the institutions and traditions of liberty. It also includes "Peace Through [Many Forms Of] Strength" and emphasis on the individual -- including the need to preserve individual responsibility and voluntary association.

A person who believes in one of these conservative principles is not only the natural ally of people who believe in others -- his own philosophy would be better and more complete if he would learn and integrate the other principles into his thinking.


It may be true, as the conventional wisdom holds, that there are now a number of "conservatives" who make senseless categorical exceptions to our principle of individual freedom. It may also be true that their interest in our other principles is lacking. If so, however, there is a fuller, better conservatism waiting to be discovered by them -- or offered to them, if we use the Twelve Points well.

The Twelve Points Are Unique

In the past year, many conservatives have offered their own proposals to explain what they think conservatism should be. The Twelve Points, however, are unique.

• First, the Twelve Points are not a policy agenda or manifesto – they take an important step that is ordinarily overlooked, informing readers about conservative principles and settling matters of principle before attempting to apply those principles. A discussion of end-policy proposals is necessary as well, but the Twelve Points are instead focused on filling an important gap – reinforcing the philosophical framework for approaching the issues.
• Second, the Twelve Points are not (by themselves) meant to sell conservatism to the public; they are meant to reintroduce conservative principles and thought to popular conservatism. This should bolster the popularity of conservatism, but the primary audience of the Twelve Points is conservatives themselves.
• Third, because the Twelve Points encourage a more complete understanding of conservatism, they discourage conservatives from exalting certain, different principles over the rest. This will help to truly reunite conservatism, instead of simply holding a coalition of insular factions together for another couple of elections.
• Fourth, the Twelve Points allow conservatives to demonstrate the extent to which American conservatives believe that the “true,” meritorious conservatism is that which is described in the Twelve Points rather than one of the regrettable anti-liberty, hysterical, or intellectually-anemic mutant variations.
• Fifth, by allowing conservatives the opportunity to clarify and confirm that these are indeed the principles and objectives of conservatism, the Twelve Points lay the foundation for the construction of long-term plans to advance these principles and achieve these objectives.
  

To serve the last three of these purposes (and to a lesser extent, the first two), the Twelve Points rely entirely on the vocal, visible backing of American conservatives themselves. Their existence does not urge or establish a conservative consensus – only the widespread endorsement of conservatives can do this. Their existence alone will not cause their lessons to be learned – only by enthusiastically circulating them can conservatives cause this to be.

For these reasons, the principal question is now posed to you once again:

Do you like the Twelve Points?

Do you like the Twelve Points?

For those who are just now joining us, the standing question is: "Do you like the Twelve Points?"

Read the Twelve Points.

Decide for yourself.

Spread the word!

Tell your conservative friends to visit this site at www.the12points.com, or to jump directly to the Twelve Points page at http://the12points.com/2009/06/twelve-points.html.

Memory

Is it possible that much of what divides these conservative factions is nothing more than blindness -- a heightened focus on one or two conservative principles (or parts of them, or variations on them) that causes a conservative to overlook the remaining principles?

Many "conservatives" do not seem to have been properly familiarized with all of our principles in the first place. The situation, however, is not irremediable. Conservatives, regardless of which of the principles they favor, are already predisposed to understand and appreciate the rest. We can show our fellow conservatives that each of these principles is best served when all of the principles are given attention. Additionally, we can remind them of related considerations that are helpful in properly understanding and implementing those principles.

To unify conservatives, we will not abandon our principles. Instead, we will remember our principles, return lost truths to popular circulation, and continue to develop and build on this solid foundation.

(What are those principles? They are stated at length in the Twelve Points.)

Why the Twelve Points Are Needed -- Very Short Version

The conservative movement has become confused and aimless. Certain essential conservative principles and considerations have faded from memory and lost their influence. The Twelve Points will help to solve this problem by reminding us of conservative thinking that we may not have considered recently, and by making that thinking available to new, developing conservatives.

Do you like the Twelve Points? If you do, then spread the word.

These are not the last days of freedom in America

These are not the last days of freedom in America. The successes and sacrifices of generations of Americans have made the dangers they faced, to us, nothing but a distant memory. We have the luxury of feeling daunted by our mere political challenges only because of the sacrifices they made for victory in the face of far greater threats.

As important as these political matters are, how can we be hopeless when we face them in an America that is, however imperfectly, still substantially free? It is our duty to study, develop, communicate, and ultimately apply the wisdom that has been left to us. If we fail, we will not have failed because success was impossible.