Musing on the "Big Tent"

As I sit and think on this overcast afternoon, I can't help but ruminate over the political party that calls itself the "Big Tent". This in turn triggers memories of the circus and being young. I like the circus.

Under the self described "Big Tent" are the small gov't, fiscal conservatives; those that advocate little government intrusion into business. In-other-words, they believe in a laizze faire, free-enterprise, free-market, amoral, survival of the fittest, Darwinian economy. They believe that if you can't make it with the big boys, "tough!" And they kick you to the gutter for good measure. True believers of this thinking believe that riches are the reward for those who work hard and in turn that the richest people work the hardest (and thus deserve it).

(Sure they do. And free-market capitalism has served the homeless pretty well over the last decade.)

Also under this tent are the religious conservatives; the faith-filled that believe in aiding the poor, sick, and destitute because it is their Christian moral obligation, because we are all "made in His image". They believe in the importance of all life and take it to the point of advocating for the outlawing of abortion.

(Never mind that the death penalty is taking a life, also. "They are on different 'moral planes'" is how it was explained to me by a conservative Christian who ran out of ways to rationalize her anti-abortion, pro-death penalty stance).

So how is it that these two groups coexist under "The Big Tent"? And an even bigger mystery is how many of these two camps' principles are embodied in the same person? How can one rationalize the contradictions?

In order for this to happen, a conservative would have to rationalize cutting "wasteful", communist social programs intended to help the poor, sick, and elderly like Medicare, Medicaid, WIC, Social security, while still showing genuine concern for the poor, elderly, and destitute at the same time. This person would have to explain how a hands-off amoral capitalistic economic system that rewards the CEOs for increasing profits by keeping workers wages low and reducing benefits while at the same time championing consumerism is better for the "Christian Nation".

Aye-yi-yi... It's difficult to wrap one's head around. Perhaps the conservative's reasoning is that government funded social welfare and genuine concern for the poor exist on "different moral planes". Maybe,...

...under the "Big Tent".

I like the circus.