Well, I think that I’ve recovered from Valentine’s Day. Kind of a funny holiday there, but I think everybody else is blogging about “sham drudgery and broken dreams” that could easily be applied to that day. I’ll just say that I’m still coming down from the assorted heart-shaped sugar highs. I’m still sick with the worst cold (and now ear infection) that I’ve had since the one I had last month. So I’m also battling the antibiotics and expectorant-decongestant (you know — the good stuff, complete with pseudoephedrine). You got drugs. Then, there’s the let down of love itself… This might be a theme for the next few days, especially now that we’re collectively getting past the accoutrements of flowers, candy, teddy bears, and (albeit now-a-days exotic, hot, sexy, romantic, AND expensive) pajama sets. Or maybe not — who really gives a shit, right?

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of reading a number of blogs that covered the daily going-ons at the 2008 Conservative Political Action Conference. Of particular interest has been Stephen Gordon’s in-depth coverage at what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite websites — Third Party Watch. A lot of interesting stuff happened at CPAC this year — from Romney dropping out to McCain telling everyone how conservative he is. Oddly enough I had an opportunity to go this year, but declined because I thought that I would’ve felt out-of-place. But would I have been?

A few months ago, I was corresponding with a relative via email. For reasons unbeknownst to me, my relative flipped out and called me “dense” and “a member of the left wing”. Originally, I laughed at such an accusation, then I got angry (since there was a lot more said that I also took offense to). Eventually, I got reflective. Now I think I’m on the attack. Wikipedia cites a number of ideologies and issues that are considered left-wing, such as Communism, Marxism, Progressivism, secularism, trade unionism — a lot of things that I do not necessarily advocate. Now I’m even more confused, so I’m back to my original question about being conservative enough for CPAC.

The easiest way to address this issue is to look at what I do advocate, and possibly things for which I may even be on record. For example, I ran for a county legislative office in Indiana in 2000. As a candidate, I advocated lower local taxes (like none) and dumping some of the money losing programs being run by the government (like all of them). I also supported getting rid of property taxes in my very rural and largely agriculturally-based community. Similarly, I opposed the creation of a planning and zoning board. In my mind, I asked who were the best people to determine how farmland should be used — farmers or bureaucrats? This was all pretty straightforward to me, almost what I would brand “commonsense conservativism”. I was working for these things then, and I am working for them now.

While I am a solid fiscal conservative, some people might be thinking about this time that I’m holding back on a few of the other “legs of the stool” of the conservative movement, namely national defense and social conservatism.

In terms of national defense, I am into just that — defense. Too much of what passes as conservativism now-a-days is advocation of aggression and offense. This isn’t football, and the best defense is not a good offense in the foreign policy arena. It’s counter-productive and makes the world dangerous for Americans both here and abroad. Besides, aggressive military policy lends itself more to things like fascism or communism (which we learned earlier is left-wing) rather than a free and democratic republic.

And regarding social conservatism — you got me — I’m not socially conservative in the least. First, I don’t believe in pushing the way I live my personal life on others. It won’t work for others, and it probably doesn’t suit me well in the end. Secondly, this issue of counter-productivity surfaces again. Doing things as they’ve been done in the past negates new understanding based on things like science. Eventually, doing things just because someone else did them regresses your reason for advocating any particular social policy to tradition, authority, or scripture (also known as “just because”), which is something that a non-believer would never be able to grasp and wholeheartedly get behind.

So would I have felt out of place at CPAC? Yeah, probably, but not because I’m not a conservative. I’m 100% down with fiscal conservativism, I advocate peace, security and the avoidance of entangling alliances in foreign policy matters, and I’m into being polite, open-minded and tolerant in social matters. Hell, I might have been one of the few real conservatives at CPAC — definitely more conservative than Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Maybe next year, I’ll go to CPAC if only to show people what a real conservative looks like.

While I was sick, I got to watch a lot of movies. I finally got to see the  Catwoman movie. It was alright, I guess. Other than the cats, my favorite part was when Halle Berry’s character talks about how she should be an artist but instead followed “the practical version of my passion” and became a designer — you know — in a cubicle. I’ve been there before. I liked computers and web design and went to work doing projects that other people told me to do. Repeating that pattern has been of some concern to me since going back to business school. Fortunately, my leads are getting me to talk to people about projects that I will love working on. Of course, if I like doing it, then it wouldn’t be work.

Speaking of lessons from movies, I also got to see The Great White Hype. That’s a movie I could watch over and over again. Unfortunately, my mind started thinking about the Democratic presidential candidates — Clinton and Obama. I’m just not sure which one’s the hope and which one’s the hype. Anyway we’ll find out soon after the super delegates make their ruling.