So, what's a true "conservative" then? And who decides?

@TyKC
CONSERVATISM is: a political philosophy advocating the preservation of the best of the established order in society and opposing radical change, or simply change for its own sake.

@Lightman Your definition simply begs the question. I presume in a dictatorship it would be the dictator who would determine the "best of the established order in society." So, in that case, a conservative would simply support whatever the dictator dictates. In a communist nation, it would be the party that determines "best of the established order in society." So, in that case, a conservative would simply support whatever the party dictates. In a democracy, it is the majority that decides the "best of the established order in society." So, in that case, a conservative would simply support whatever the majority dictates. A conservative is, then, someone who is simply led around by the nose, someone without principles. Surely, conservatism must be more than that.

@TyKC Oh dear...

@Lightman I think you almost had it right. A conservative tends to view rules as restrictive of their freedoms. So, from that point of view, there should only be those rules that maintain the established order in society and no more. Liberals' tend to view rules as necessary to the proper functioning of the State. They don't view them as restrictive of freedoms necessarily. So, is requiring someone to wear a mask during a pandemic restrictive of freedom or necessary to the proper functioning of the State? It's a conservative vs. liberal question.

@TyKC Oh for God's sake get over the mask thing.
It is medical not political.

@Lightman You might be right about that. But you can't deny that some people are making a political issue out of it.

@TyKC Yes some are aren't they.

Ben Shapiro is a certain kind of conservative. A self-interested statist "conservative". You must keep in mind that he was only a writing tool for Breitbart years back who did his job well and rose in the ranks and helped lead the conservative movement at that time, and was richly rewarded for his contributions.

But attorneys will say and do anything for a buck. He loves debating and loved accumulating information and winning debates for the conservative side with his quick mind. But what happens when that kind of "conservative" recognizes a gain to be had at the expense of others? He goes full throttle reasoning and rationalizing to win his point on the opposite side of the debate, whatever it may be and regardless of any underlying principles.

@CelticRing i doubt this will happen. But if these "vaccines" start killing everybody who had one six months after the fact it will be too late to do anything and Ben will wish--as he lies dying after seeing countless others die--that he had let herd immunity occur naturally.
My Republican brother pushes lockdowns/masks/"vaccines" as the greatest thing ever. Amidst high suicides, homelessness, and food shortages. Why? He works with Big Pharma and has sold crap to Dr. Fauci on occasion. Now he makes a 7 digit income in management with a company that manufactures testing kits for Covid.
Of course he wants to believe it's the deadliest plague ever and the only solutions are the ones his cronies sell.

@REN777 Your brother's story kind of reminds me of Munchausen. Stoking and then believing a matrix that brings prosperity.

Shut up and fix my telly