THREAD: What is principled conservatism?

We look forward to hearing your ideas at the Summit this Saturday, but our grassroots huddles have been thinking through the answer for a while. Here are some of our principles..

The very first one? Integrity & character matter.

Principle #2. This is a big one for us. All citizens are Americans and none of us is more American than any other. We all deserve dignity and respect and owe both to each other as fellow countrymen.

Principle #3. Conservatism should stand for facts & rationality. Lies and dishonesty have become so commonplace in Washington that our enemies are now using our disregard for the truth against us.

Principle #4. No one is above the law. The Constitution must be defended. These are bedrocks of the American success story. Abandoning either will lead to ruin.

Principle #5. Government can’t be the solution for everything. The powers of the federal government are enumerated in the Constitution & all other powers are left to the states & to the people. Government should be limited.

Principle #6. The separation of powers should be respected, even at the cost of partisan gain. We were not meant to be ruled by emergency declaration or an expansive bureaucracy. Things are out-of-balance.

Principle #7. Subsidiarity. Federalism. Government closest to the people is most accountable. Local and state governments play a vital role in our constitutional system.

Principle #8. We believe in freedom. More can often be accomplished by working together towards shared goals on our own rather than at the state’s direction.

Principle #9. Free and functioning markets work. Crony capitalist policies that pick winners and losers on a whim never go as planned, tariffs chief among them.

Principle #10. Equality of opportunity, not equality of outcomes. Opportunity empowers each of us to push toward better versions of happiness for ourselves and our communities.

Principle #11. Responsible stewardship of our national resources is key. This applies to everything from our fiscal budgets to our natural resources and public lands. Conservation is inherently conservative.

Principle #12. Civic associations, faith communities, and families should be the primary engines of our culture—not the state. America’s pluralism has been a rich source of her strength since the Founding—and it should be celebrated.

Principle #13. Strong families make strong communities and strong societies. They are the chief inputs to a child’s success. Each and every family unit — regardless of its shape — deserves to thrive in America.

Principle #14. Sovereignty is critical to self-government.

Principle #15. America has been and should remain a unique world leader among nations. We are a force for good in the world and can not afford to either be the world’s policeman or a passive bystander. We have a moral duty to lead.

Join us to discuss conservative principles like these this Saturday in DC and help us put #PrinciplesFirst. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-summit-on-principled-conservatism-tickets-89427976485