Whatever Happened to Small Government Conservatives?

Last updated on: March 24, 2016 at 5:00 am by Libby Anne

Whatever Happened to Small Government Conservatives? 2016-03-23T18:02:25-04:00 Libby Anne

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I recently came upon this on the AP:

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina General Assembly is returning Wednesday to take up legislation that would attempt to override Charlotte’s nondiscrimination ordinance that allows transgender people to use restrooms that align with their gender identity.

Legislative leaders announced Monday night the decision to reconvene a little over a week before the ordinance gets implemented April 1. They say three-fifths of the House and Senate members made the necessary written requests for the House speaker and lieutenant governor to call them back.

So here’s a question. What exactly does it mean to be a conservative? Conservatives typically claim that they are all about freedom and responsibility and limited government. Except when they aren’t, of course. And there are about three million examples of this. In the North Carolina case mentioned here, conservative state legislators are aiming to override a decision made by the city of Charlotte, contradicting conservative rhetoric about local control.

What is small, limited government anyway? One would think that a small government wouldn’t see any need for a state government to create laws about public restrooms. One would think that they would leave that to be determined by individuals, or local governments. And what exactly does restoring “local control” mean? Conservatives often talk about the importance of decisions being made at the local level while acting quickly to override these decisions the moment they disagree with them morally.

Guess what? In the two days since I came upon that link, this has happened:

The North Carolina House voted 83-25 to pass a sweeping bill on Wednesday that would negate all local LGBT nondiscrimination ordinances in the state and ban transgender people from certain restrooms.

Very local control. Much small government.

House Bill 2 mandates that state law supersedes all local ordinances concerning wages, employment, and public accommodations. It would also restrict single-sex public restrooms and locker rooms in publicly run facilities to people of the same sex on their birth certificate.

Further, it would would ban transgender students from school restrooms that correspond with their gender identity . . .

As someone who lives in a progressive area in the middle of an otherwise conservative state—though not North Carolina—this is maddening. My daughter goes to a local elementary student. If we had this law here—and we don’t—a transgender child at her school would not be allowed to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. I cannot imagine the level of shame involved in blocking a child from the bathroom that matches their gender identity—and, presumably, their gender presentation. And now, thanks to this law, local schools and school districts will have utterly no say in these decisions.

This isn’t small government. Not even close.

I actually don’t think you can pair a small government with the social policies conservatives push. You can’t have a small government that dictates who can use what restroom. You can’t have a small government that prosecutes women who have miscarriages. You can’t have a small government that uproots and deports eleven million people, men, women, and children. You can’t have a small government that bans local school employees from using the word “gay.” These things are not things small governments do.

Conservatives’ use of small government rhetoric appears to be incredibly selective. They want the government to end welfare and other programs designed to help the poor, but they also want the government to tell people what they can and cannot do in their own bedrooms. Part of the problem, of course, is that conservatives are in some sense a coalition of different groups with agendas that sometimes differ. But even though social conservatives, specifically, don’t want a small government when it comes to things they consider moral issues, they still use that rhetoric when speaking of things like welfare.

The Republicans are not the party of small, limited government. Sure, there may be some Republicans who actually believe in small, limited government, but in states like North Carolina they’re clearly marginalized by those who apply the principal only selectively, preferring a big, invasive government when it suits them. In North Carolina this week, the transgender community is suffering the consequences of this of this selectivity.

This political season, let’s remember that we’re not looking at one party that supports small government and one party that supports big government, whatever conservatives may argue. Instead, we’re looking at two parties that both want an activist government and simply disagree on what that government should be doing. One party wants the government to go further to cover people’s healthcare costs; the other wants the government to require birth certificate checks at the entrances of public restrooms. Take that to the ballot box.

Previous Post

March 23, 2016

Do Western Lives Matter More? Let's Talk Terrorism.

Next Post

March 25, 2016 Anonymous Tip: The Name Is Bond, James Bond

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atheism Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism Family Feminism Homeschool Meta Parenting Patriarchy Politics Purity Quiverfull Social Justice Uncategorized Worthwhile reads

Select a Month February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which name means "the mother of all living" in Genesis?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sarah Mary Eden Eve