William F. Buckley, Jr.

What Is a Conservative, Anyway?

By Greg Ganske

January 24, 2024

“A conservative is someone who stands athwart history, yelling Stop!”  William F. Buckley

Many conservative baby boomers like myself picked up our political leanings from two influences.  In 1995, a high school friend loaned me a 115-page book written by L. Brent Bozell, a speech writer for Arizona U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater. When Bozell showed the “Conscience of a Conservative” manuscript to Goldwater it is said the Senator thumbed it for a few minutes and told Bozell to go with it. Regardless of authorship, I and others of my generation were blown away by it. (By the way, “Profiles in Courage” was ghostwritten, too.)

The book spelled out the conservative position on limited government, civil rights, the welfare state, and the Soviet menace. It fused capitalism, anti-communism and Constitutionally–limited government. Though a bit outdated, in the 1960s it was topical and practical. Its fundamental point: is that to flourish, both economic and political freedom are necessary. Without economic freedom we are dependent on the state and without political freedom we are slaves to it.

For many of our generation, the second conservative influence was William F. Buckley and his TV show, Firing Line. In the days before 24/7 news channels and their political panels there wasn’t anything like it. Buckley would debate guests on various political topics. His wit, command of English and gladiatorial style were mesmerizing. Leaning back with his eyes half closed he would skewer his debate opponent in his Mid-Atlantic accent with High Church overtones and Southern drawl. His style was honed at Yale where he and Bozell were national debate champions. Many conservatives today remember him better for his lancinating repartee than for his often libertarian, progressive positions.

In some ways he predated Trump, Buckley, “I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard university.” Through his speeches Buckley brought together the three-post war conservative intellectual currents of traditionalism, libertarianism and anti-communism. He sought to exclude from the Republican Party the John Birch Society, George Wallace, racists, white supremacist and anti-Semites.

At his funeral President George W. Bush praised him simply, “He influenced a lot of people.” Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich added, “Bill Buckley became the indispensable intellectual advocate from whose energy, intelligence, wit and enthusiasm was from whom modern conservatism drew its inspiration. . .Buckley began what led to Barry Goldwater and his “Conscience of a Conservative” that in turn led to the seizing of power by conservatives from the moderate establishment within the Republican Party. From that emerged Ronald Reagan.”

Google search defines a “conservative” as someone who supports a list of policy positions that contrast with “liberal” positions. For example, conservatives prefer smaller government, less regulation, most services to be provided by the private sector in a free market and a literal interpretation of the Constitution. Liberals, by contrast, want more regulation, more government-services like universal healthcare, and policies to prevent global warming and equality of women and minorities.

Economically, conservatives think the government should tax less and cut spending to balance the budget. Liberals think the government should provide more services and increase taxes to pay for it. Liberals think “the rich” should pay a larger share of their income to the state.

The role of the state in social issues is a little confusing in some areas. Conservatives support the right to bear arms, the death penalty and the position of personal responsibility. They are pro-life and oppose embryonic stem cell research. They think sex change treatment in children is wrong and the state should control it as it traditionally controls child abuse.

Liberals think abortion should be “between the doctor and the woman” without state limits. They would limit the right to bear arms. Like abortion they take a somewhat libertarian view and think the government should stay out of sex changes in minors and not restrict gender education in young school children.

If you want to see where you stand, take a “Political Personality Test” or a “Conservative Quiz” on the internet for your score–hard right, moderate right, libertarian, centrist, left or radical left, not to mention “compassionate’ or Neo-con conservatives. The Pew Research Center has shown the positions have hardened in the last twenty years.

We all know friends and family that we just can’t talk politics with. Some researchers have even tried to delineate a conservative and liberal physiology! A psychologist at the University of Virginia, Jonathan Haidt, claims in his “The Righteous Mind” that conservatives are particularly attuned to threats with greater startle reflexes. Apparently, liberals like empathetic dogs while conservatives like loyal and obedient ones.  Supposedly conservative sweat more when they see disgusting images! A physiologic difference is silly except that conservatives’ blood pressures may rise at such wasteful government research funding!

Prof. Patrick Allitt in his Great Courses lectures on “The Conservative Tradition” reviews Anglo-American conservative thought since the Glorious Revolution in England in the mid 17th century.  He calls the American Founding Fathers “conservative revolutionaries.” Most considered themselves loyal Englishmen who initially just wanted the traditional rights of those in England, such as no taxation without representation. Only after over a year of fighting did they declare Independence.

Throughout history the particulars of what was called  “conservative” or “liberal” was different in different situations and at different times.    For instance, in early part of the 20th century, liberals–especially those in England–stood for laissez-faire capitalism. That’s totally the opposite..

What makes conservatism somewhat difficult to define is that it has no specific creed, no Das Kapital.. It’s not an ideology or a particular body of authoritative opinion. It does have authors such as Edmund Burke and Alexander Hamilton and past leaders such as Winston Churchill. Even Abraham Lincoln’s goal was fundamentally conservative while leading a party consisting of radical Abolitionists. Lincoln was for preserving the Union above all else.

At its most fundamental, conservatives favor tradition and stood the test of time. Conservatives favor prudential change. . .if it is for the better. It was GOP U.S. Senator Everette Dirksen who worked with LBJ to break the Democrat Southern roadblock to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Conservatives fear planned societies which are likely to be coercive and are skeptical of the goodness of human nature. The Founding Fathers created a constitution to strengthen the federal government from anarchy while at the same time protecting against the tyrant and the mob.. They picture themselves as the guardians of an endangered society.

Most American conservatives, as did the Founding Fathers, do not believe in the egalitarianism of radical systems but in the equality of opportunity. Reparations for acts that ancestors committed are anathema, the sins of forebears should not be laid on the shoulders of those today.

Conservatives think the right to property was established in ages long past for a reason. The ability to pass property to one’s children is an incentive to industry,  and raises wealth better than collectivism. The more widespread the possession of private property, the more stable the state. Economic leveling by the state causes stagnation. Today most would agree with liberals that capitalism has benefited from some regulation. The struggles in the 19th century for worker protections and a living wage were only slowly accepted by what were then called liberals. Today, conservatives believe in success by merit, not affirmative action by race.

Burke declared that “the individual is sometimes foolish, but the species is wise.” Sudden and slashing reforms are as dangerous as sudden and slashing surgery. As a doctor, I know that change in the body is necessary, but I also know that change has to be orderly, or it becomes cancer.

Not all conservatives agree on everything, but they generally think that nothing in society or politics should ever be radically new or totally old. In the end, being a conservative is a frame of mind. Conservatives are those who think they are.

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Greg GanskeGreg Ganske, MD is a retired plastic surgeon who cared for women with breast cancer, children with birth defects, trauma patients and farmers with hand injuries. He represented Iowa in the U, S. Congress from 1995-2003.  He is a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corp.

 

Comments 31

  2. Thank you for explaining the difference between “Us” and “Them.” While the values of each conservative position should be self evident, I fear that most voters have lost the clarity of vision.

  3. One of the best works of fiction that wrestles with this dilema is William Makepeace Thackeray’s “The History of Henry Esmond.” This historical novel spans the reign of Queen Anne and places the character Esmond on entomologist’s pin as the character questions his Catholic faith and Tory Stuart loyalties.

    Esmond sides with Richard Steele and Joseph Addison as intellectual defenders of tradition, but also recoils from his ally Jonathan Swift due to his misanthropic turn of mind. Swift appears as a Tory Joe Scarborough-like rank opportunist, bully and coward.

    Conservatism via Thackeray’s pen is path that while undogmatic requires great attention to the human heart.

  4. AHHH, I sure miss Buckley’s wit and wisdom. His video log of his journey across the ocean proded me to follow in his footsteps sailing from Maine to the Caribbean twice! Guess that makes me a real conservative….thanx God!

  5. Dr. Ganske thoughtfully reviews the history of American conservative politics. He warms my heart by noting both a great progenitor in Lincoln and the witty wisdom of WFB, Jr. (who once sent a gracious reply to an admiring 14-year-old boy in Glen Ellyn . . . thanks, Mr. Buckley.)

    An important fine-tuning of the liberal-conservative divide was first presented by libertarian David Nolan: a second axis of authoritarian-libertarian politics intersecting liberal-conservative.

    How can a liberal be authoritarian? Just look at the past two Democrat presidencies, which specially alarm those of us who recall traditional, freedom-loving liberals like Eugene McCarthy and JFK. The regimes of Obama, directing the IRS and other federal authorities to hound conservatives, and the White House handlers making tyrannical-government policy for President Magoo are “liberal” only in the sense that Hugo Chávez’ destruction of Venezuela was “liberal.” They’re more significantly authoritarian.

    One more conservative trait could be added to those Dr. Ganske accurately notes, an element innate to Buckley’s famous “athwart history” wisecrack. We value carefulness. Dr. Ganske’s sentence, “Liberals, by contrast, want . . . policies to prevent global warming and equality of women and minorities” could have been constructed more carefully. Even Biden liberals aren’t that nuts.

  6. “I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard university.” Right on Bill Buckley. As a young adult I remember “Conscience of a Conservative” on my dad’s bookshelf and a Goldwater dollar on his dresser. I took the idealistic approach for a while out of college. My first bride always was a liberal. She trekked to Grant Park after BO was elected (we were divorced by that time). But once I owned my dentsl practice I came to understand the reality. I’d always worked from the time I was 12. If nothing more I got a strong work ethic from my parents. Only skipped one semester during dental school because of workload. Hard work deserves rewards. Do I want lots of illegals (imported voters?) here soaking up benefits that should go to our own CITIZENS/VETERANS ? No. Am I compassionate, yes but let me decide how, not the liberal nanny state.
    The pendulum needs swing back towards the center and perhaps a bit beyond. I have to laugh and cry at the Pritzgers. The toilets and COVID travels are prime examples from Illinois’ Oligarch. His sis staunchly defended the Harvard Dean recently till it became politically untenable. Buckley was spot on.
    Thanks Doc for an excellent column.

  7. Excellent column Dr.Ganske. At this point in time in this countrys history I think you could define conservatives as those who want to preserve whats left of normal, civil society. Leftists have already stated their objectives are to tear it down and rebuild it in their image. “Build back better” if you will. Strange how that phrase applies…

  8. Well written!
    You do make a point though: conservatives do evolve. If it makes sense or is better, then change to it. However, in my experience, Liberals lack that capacity: its slash and burn.

  9. Thank you for mentioning “The Conservative Tradition” lectures by Prof. Patrick Allitt. I just purchased them from Audible. This is an excellent column.

  10. Great article Mr Ganske brings back memories of 1968 I had just got out of the Army and watched William F Buckly and Gore Vidal classic debates on TV during the Presidential elections. This was Buckley at his best look it up on Google or Youtube

  11. The problem with Republicans today is that “conservatism” is not defined as former Congressman Ganske mentions Buckley laid out with his “fusionism” of the three pillars that included fiscal restraint, rearmament to assure “peace through strength,” and social conservatism. It’s simply whatever Trump proclaims, which includes spending policies that adhere closely to Biden’s (e.g., no acknowledgment that Medicare and Social Security are careening towards bankruptcy and adamant opposition to any changes); Trump’s isolationist critique of “forever wars,” broadcasting an unwillingness to do what’s necessary “to assure the survival and success of liberty” (as JFK pledged in his inaugural address) while touting his wonderful relationships with Putin (saying how “smart” Putin was to invade Ukraine), Xi, and Kim Jong Un; and Trump’s sharp critique of the heartbeat protection legislation DeSantis signed in Florida as “terrible” coupled with his own playboy lifestyle and bragging about his female conquests. That’s the platform of the Trumpist Republican Party. Yuk!!

    2. Senator Barkhausen, I agree with your arguments. You’ve stated them very well. I loved reading the lead article today, but it would have been even better, as you infer, if it also outlined the distinctions between the WFB brand of conservatism and the inane actions of Trump. He’s hijacked the GOP with the blind allegiance of millions who are unable or refuse to see they’re being conned.

  12. “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny. It’s the only one. It’s based on thousands of years of human experience. There is nothing narrow about the conservative philosophy. It’s a liberating philosophy. It is a magnificent philosophy. It is a philosophy for the ages, for all times.”
    ― Mark R. Levin
    Yeah; it’s like THAT.

  13. Love the photo of Buckley. WRT Lincoln, he unfortunately did not run his party, its radical component ran him – and straight to an untimely death. Just like Obama runs Biden, or the radical left (those very few with the most to lose – like back then) run the Democrat. Exactly the same. Example, Lincoln never allowed himself to directly authorize imprisoning political opponents, or to murder Southern civilians, or for that matter to murder innocent American Indians – like the mass hanging of Lakota Patriots in Minneapolis. His party authorized, moreso. To the contrary, he gifted the Pueblo Indians “canes” which symbolized future autonomy, and when surveying the ruins of Richmond VA in April 1865. said that “this land is so beautiful, so peaceful that I wish to be buried here”. Words I love and that are honored at the Tredegar Iron works ruins in Richmond today.

    If only we could learn from this – he was a Whig, he was conservative indeed, deep down – so much more to this 🙂

  15. I generally agree with my fellow physician but this is rehashed BS.
    We have Socialism for major corporations, ie $885 billion dollars for FY 2024 on so called defense spending most of which is waste with no checks or balances on how and were its spent. CIA budget and its spending is secret, privy to only a few corporate whore elected officials. For the average citizen we have rapious Capitalism. Buckley was an elitist snob, a conservative clown.
    My fellow physician ought to write about the greedy corporate take over of medicine by MAJOR CORPORATE HEATHCARE MONOPOLIES, IE HOSPITAL CHAINS. Soon, you the average chumbolone, will not be able to see your primary care physician. Hospitals are using no nothing ‘nurse practioners’ who will control your medical care. Good luck chumbolones.

    1. Yes, there is much in medicine that needs fixing. Here is one from a prior article on
      johnkassnews.com:
      Beware the Push for Woke Doctors
      John Kass
      https://johnkassnews.com › Read All
      Aug 5, 2022 — By Greg Ganske. August 5, 2022. Let us progress from the petty, but not inconsequential aspects of “woke” changes in American

      1. I am more concerned with WOKE incompetent ‘nurse practioners’ and woke administrators of hospital chain monopolies. At Northestern University Medical Center, my internship/residency Alma mater, the head CEO makes $5mil/yr. His underlings in this monopoly average a $1mil/yr. No administer is worth that money over a physician. Gimme a brake.
        Need to see a MD specialist now? Waits are up to ONE YEAR! Patients who can’t wait are told to go to the ER, WHERE YOU WILL WAIT 6 TO 8HRS B4 BEING SEEN.
        I have a concierge MD. i have his personal cell phone. I got a question or concern I call, he answers.

        1. Your last line is key. So what would medicine look like if it was exclusively “between the doctor and the patient” including all payments? Take it a step further. If your concierge physician tells you you need a cardiac catheterization, how does that work? Do you have the personal cell phone of your concierge cardiologist too? Don’t get me wrong. Much of the problem we face in medicine today is because it is no longer between the “doctor and patient” but an inane middle man and huge bureaucracy as well. But are we heading to a two level system: those who can afford it will pay out of pocket – for everything. Those who can’t will get their care – maybe – from an NHS top down protocol driven system .

  16. I grew up in a Democrat family. My turning point came in my early twenties from reading Pat Buchanan’s weekly column in the Peoria Journal Star. That led to Reagan of course, and I never looked back. I still remember Thanksgiving 1979 when I “came out” as a conservative. The screams still ring in my ears!

  18. One thing that distinguished William F Buckley from present day screamers – both on the Left and Right – was not only his intellect but his commitment to true debate. He would always treat his opposing guests on his show, as a guest and let them have their say – unless of course it was the one man he truly despised – Gore Vidal – and not interrupt them in mid sentence. Look no further than his Firing Line interview of firebrand Saul Alinsky. In fact I thought Mr. Buckley was often too gentlemanly at times, and perhaps should have interrupted on occasion, but as opposed to the screamers and schreikers of today, never did.

  19. I am not a conservative but I have loved listening to several, people who used language beautifully. I used to sneak listening to Paul Gibson on WGN in bed when I was in grade school. I loved his extensive vocabulary. He spoke of his three marriages, which was unusual to my ears. I was a big Buckley fan as well, even complimenting him at a small restaurant on Capitol Hill, He didn’t waste any charm on me, but no matter. When I was quite young, I’d listen to Ronald Reagan speeches when he toured the country for GE (if memory serves).

    1. If it was on WGN during what they called the “overnight” hours, could you possibly been listening to Dr. Milt Rosenberg? He was a brilliant provider of information covering an amazing array of topics, and the perfect voice for that kind of ‘overnight’ work. Many of us felt like we’d received a liberal arts degree just by having spent years listening to Dr. Rosenberg’s offerings. I believe the gentleman to whom you refer spent his career on WBBM and the CBS outlet in the area….part of the time in conjunction with Lee Phillip.

  20. Thank you Dr. Ganske! I enjoyed reading and hearing WFB in college! You do an excellent job describing ke differences between conservatism and other ways of thinking about human politics. I would differ on the idea of liberalism vs. progressivism however. The causes you describe in todays political scene are less liberal and more “progressive” driven and are aimed at tearing down to rebuild in an elitist, egalitarian way.

    I encourage any who read this response to read Russell Kirk’s great book, the Roots of American Order. He got me reading the works of Edmund Burke, John Locke and Montesquieu amongst others to understand the foundations of the way our unique system of government came to be.
    Trump is definitely no conservative, but a true populist. To see a true conservative in our government today, look to Senator Rand Paul from KY!

  21. “A conservative is someone who stands athwart history, yelling Stop!” William F. Buckley

    “A Romney is someone jogging alongside the Democrats, panting ‘Maybe not so fast’…” Fred Scuttle

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