I have been wondering to myself here lately about the exact reasoning behind the modern Conservative Movement. I guess you could also call this, the modern Republican Party,except for the fact that many Conservative's now are outside of party lines. What is the glue that connects certain branch's of the movement together? It's interesting to think that a word used by Russel Kirk to describe himself and his ideas, ("The Conservative Mind from Burke to Eliot) now covers so much ground of idealism. For starter's lets look at the divisions of the modern Republican party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faction...ited_States%29

Know personally I don't fall into any group exactly right. I could call myself a "Old Whig" as Burke called himself. You could, call me a Paleo Conservative on most issues but I am a cautious supporter of the Iraq war. I am also much more of a fiscal conservative and believe more in Adam Smith, then Pat Buchanan when it comes to economics. I'm not a libertarian because I don't believe that pure reasoning alone can be used in order to run the country. I also don't believe that every human being has the ability to makeup there own minds or take care of themselves. I have a tendency to see most modern libertarians as either A. Conservatives of smoke pot. or B Libertines who believe more in Libertines ideas. I still refer to myself as a simple Conservative, I have a mix of Reagan ism and Bur ken ideals that run my personal beliefs. But if you want you could call me a "Old Whig". Know if I had to be put into a little box, I would be somewhere between Neo and Paleo conservative.

Now, what I want to do is see where other people consider them self and to also have debate about the true difference of the fractions of the modern Conservative Movement

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Nobody with open eyes can any longer doubt that the danger to personal freedom comes chiefly from the left. - F.A. Hayek

Where have all the Conservatives Gone?

"Paleo-Conservative" is easier to say than "Traditional Conservative".

The problem with using "traditional conservative", is who traitional ideals are you using? Edmund Burke, the father of the modern Conservative movement was also a support of Adam Smith, although he never lived long enough to see the bad side as well as the good sides of the Free Market. None the less though, Paleo-Conservatism believes more in a traditional mercantile system when it comes to economics. These ideas can be traced from many pass, Buchanan one of the big names in the Paleo-Conservative movement credits Alexander Hamilton. Most Paleo-Conservatives trace there ideological ancestors back to Russel Kirk, Robert Howard Taft, and over members of the "Old Right". Though it is true, that many of Burke's ideas do still exist in paleo-conservatism, with most strains of conservative though with perhaps the exception of Libertarians/Libertines. But Burke's ideas of anti-utopianism, anti-imperialism, nationalism, and pride in the permanent things are a heavy influence in the paleo movement.

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Nobody with open eyes can any longer doubt that the danger to personal freedom comes chiefly from the left. - F.A. Hayek

Where have all the Conservatives Gone?

Reagan era and earlier...thats what most people assume when you use the word "traditional conservative". Buchanan epitomizes the Traditional Conservative IMO.

Neo-Cons are more idealistic versions of Traditional Conservatives. Traditional Conservatives anf Neo-Cons both appear nationalistic...with Neo-Cons being far more aggressive in their nationalism and Traditional Conservatives often being borderline-racist.

IMO Russel Kirk dose.

Agreed, Paleos tend not to trust Utopianism or unrealistic beliefs.

I would agree, that Neo-Cons are much more militaristic and would rather shot first and ask questions later.

This I don't agree with. Although granted Pat Buchanan and others, have a HUGE problem when it comes to race most Paleo-conservatives who actually use the title that I know of aren't. Two are black, 6 are white and one is Hispanic. Russel Kirk, Robert Howard Taft, and others where far from racist.

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Nobody with open eyes can any longer doubt that the danger to personal freedom comes chiefly from the left. - F.A. Hayek

Where have all the Conservatives Gone?