
<p>I have long said that anyone can be a Republican or a Democrat. ; Party affiliation or loyalty is something we all have a right to determine for ourselves. ; You can be a conservative Republican or a liberal Republican. ; </p>



<p>Even a person like Congresswoman Liz Cheney has a right to say she is still a Republican even if she has spent the past year doing everything possible to defeat Republicans. ; Party affiliation is just a matter of how a person registers to vote.</p>



<p>Being a conservative, however, is quite different. ; Conservatism is a philosophy of governance. ; It has a set of generally accepted principles – such as adherence to the text of the Constitution, limited government, low taxes, maximum personal freedom, and the individual right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” ; If you do not believe in those principles – and the policies that grow out of them – you are not a conservative.</p>



<p>One of the most egregious examples of a person flying a false philosophic flag is MSNBC’s morning host, Joe Scarborough. ; He often begins a remark by saying, “As a conservative …” ; In some instances, he underscores it by saying, “I really am.” ; </p>



<p>In emphasizing that claim to that degree, one might conclude that Scarborough knows his credibility on that issue is very low. ; If you really follow Scarborough on a daily basis, you will recognize the utter dishonesty and ridiculousness of his claim.</p>



<p>He might have had credibility calling himself a conservative when he was a Florida Republican Congressman – although he might have been better described as a moderate. ; But today, there is no doubt of Scarborough’s philosophic leaning. ;</p>



<p>In the early days of “Morning Joe,” Scarborough was presented as a conservative counterpoint to the very, very liberal Mika Brzezinski. ; That did not endure. ; </p>



<p>Over time, Scarborough evolved into a classic New York progressive. Arguably, it was the influence of his co-host – and now wife –that spun Scarborough to the far left. ; I previously suggested that she took him to “progressive obedience school.”</p>



<p>Being a conservative is about what you believe and propose. ; It is not about merely what you call yourself. ; By any fair measure, Scarborough is NOT a conservative. ; He talks, walks, and quacks like a duck with only a left wing. ; Ergo …</p>



<p>Saying it – even over and over – does not make it so, Joe.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Joe Scarborough a conservative?
