Some readers have said that I should write more about personal finance, and less about the politics of the United States, but I think the two topics are inherently related because the government is a very large part of our everyday lives and it affects financial decisions we make in so many ways. Some commenters have said that they were surprised I am so much of a “conservative” considering that I am from such a liberal part of the country and seem to be fairly intelligent. I thought about this, and I realized that most frugal personal finance writers would be politically conservatives whether they realize it or not.
First of all, being frugal is all about being fiscally conservative with your own finances. So if you are pinching pennies by using coupons and sales, then why would you want your government to spend your tax dollars without any concern to the pricetag of things? I imagine that most frugal people want a frugal government that looks for the best price in every purchase. Unfortunately, this is not happening at all under the current regime, and that is disconcerting.
Second, being frugal is about being responsible for what you have been given in terms of income. Nearly every personal finance blog I have read do not support the housing bailout and other bailouts that have been happening lately because these bloggers including myself think of the bailouts as rewarding the irresponsible. So logically, these frugal bloggers would have voted with the Republicans against the new stimulus bills and bailouts and be labeled as “conservatives”.
Next, a lot of frugal bloggers write about getting rid of debt. This is once again another fiscally conservative ideal. Right now the United States is in $11 trillion dollars of debt, and the new administration wants to increase it by 27%. Granted, the 8 years of Bush was not very conservative, either, and many people believe that George Bush is not a true conservative. For the most part I think most frugal people want the government to get rid of its mounting debt, and again, being frugal is the same as being conservative.
I think it is sad that people think of conservatism as a bad word, but I guess just a few years ago frugality was not very popular, either. Hopefully as frugality and fiscal responsibility becomes more accepted Americans will realize that they cannot afford to have big spenders in their government. After all, more taxes means less savings, and letting the government take more of your own ability to be financially independent is equivalent to giving up your life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Related Posts
The immigrant mentality and homeownership – why it can be a dangerous combinationThis Week’s Carnivals and Festivals
Carnival of Carnivals — End of November Edition
Festivals and Carnivals and The Consumerist
The Baglady
4 comments ↓
I think most people have a poor view of conservatism, because the term is typically applied to Social Conservatives, rather than Fiscal Conservatives.
The Republican party is definitely one of social conservativism, taking stands against Gay Marriage, Abortion etc. However, they are not necessarily a party of fiscal conservatism (six out of the ten largest earmarks in the stimulus package went to Republican districts).
Rather, the difference between the parties is merely spending priorities. Republicans want a big military and supply-side corporate welfare, while Democrats want health care and education. Oddly enough, because of the spending perception, Democratic administrations tend to cut spending, while Republican administrations tend to increase it.
I’ll also point out that in government it’s not so clear cut what is necessary and what is excess. Some may call public education a keystone in providing equal opportunity for all, while others might call it a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Whether they have a “D” or an “R” after their name, those in Washington have stopped listening to those who voted them into office. I have contacted my Rep. and Senators about the current CPSIA issue and received the pat “auto reply” from my Rep. and not a word from my Senators! They want to do whatever they like and damn the rest of the nation. It’s all about going against the other party regardless of the issue.
I find it refreshing that someone in WiseBread is discussing politics and the government bailouts. That makes you my favorite blogger in WiseBread. There is another that contributes about government and our leaders but tends to be politically correct in the discussionwish. I prefer someone that stands on his or her beliefs. Of course, the rest of the bloggers come up with either good lifestyle advice or just blabbing about where to find the cheapest knick knacks. Regarding the R and D party, they are just doing the same thing, making it look that they oppose each other to make it look that there is an opposition but in the end, they are both responsible for our bad economy and our reputation as a country. We need to get rid of the party affiliations and vote on individuals that are qualified.
Thanks JamesT
I agree that the R & D parties are pretty much the same right now. Very few people in government are fiscal conservatives, and it is pretty sad.
Leave a Comment