An example of one of the issues in our movement (the conservative movement) that I would like to get cleaned up: opposition to the Fourteenth Amendment.
I would call myself a Fourteenth Amendment Conservative. I am in favor of the Fourteenth Amendment, and though I am aware that strange things have been done with the Due Process clause, that is no more a reason to repeal that amendment than it is a reason to repeal the Fifth Amendment or to condemn the Magna Charta. The Fourteenth Amendment is one of the best amendments we have.
Even though I am in favor of the Fourteenth Amendment, I doubt that it would bother me nearly as much that some self-described conservatives oppose it but for the fact that their arguments against it suggest that they have not put any thought into their opposition to it. Generally, they dislike that the Fourteenth Amendment ensures that anyone who is born within the territory and jurisdiction of the United States is a citizen of the United States. When that is their reason, at least it can be said for them that they actually have a reason for opposing the amendment, even though so-called "birthright citizenship" is a sensible rule, and was the rule before the Fourteenth Amendment was passed (and was a rule that the United States inherited from the laws of England). At other times, they make argument-like statements (generally not coherent enough to justify calling them arguments) about the Fourteenth Amendment somehow (and most certainly not as a result of any language to this effect in the Amendment itself) replacing our governments with corporations and giving them general, plenary legislative powers. At yet other times, they claim simply that the Fourteenth Amendment turned the Constitution on its head and gave the federal government the kinds of powers that the states used to have, individually. (The Fourteenth Amendment did give the federal government new powers, but nothing even remotely that sweeping. Most of the growth of the federal government has been by the use of provisions from the original body of the Constitution, to the extent that it had anything to do with the Constitution at all.)
For those of us who have actually thought our beliefs through, what kind of unity or common agenda can there be with people who, for example -- and it is only a single example -- oppose the Fourteenth Amendment for no reason or for unreasonable reasons, and who believe that repealing one of our best amendments is one of the most important things that our coalition could be doing? To accept and welcome a range of views within the conservative movement is not at all inconsistent with teaching and promoting conservative principles, and that teaching is needed -- certain views are, at best, a distraction.
The people who oppose the Fourteenth Amendment may not be bad people. They may mean well, and they may even be intelligent, but they are mistaken, and their errant views must not be allowed to derail the conservative movement. Those of us who do understand conservative principles and are familiar with the wisdom of the Founders, among others, need to formally agree on the essential ideas and make that agreement known to ourselves and others.
If there is a better medium than the Twelve Points through which we might do this, then let me know; I would like to support it. However, the Twelve Points were meant to be just such a medium, and I believe that they are fit for that purpose. Until and unless something better is found or made, I need your help in promoting the Twelve Points.
The Twelve Points are the definitive statement of conservative principles and aim to form a usable definition of conservatism. (Also, the Twelve Points are awesome.) Spread the word!
