If you ask average Joe American what conservatism means, some of the answers you’re likely to receive are: Opposition to big government; limiting government spending; and a responsible foreign policy that doesn’t entangle the military in unnecessary foreign conflicts. Judging by his record, President Bush believes in none of these things. During his speech at the Republican National Convention, the president uttered the phrase “conservative values” four times. But this phrase appeared at odds with the rest of his speech, which read like a laundry list of things traditional conservatives normally would scorn.

While conservatives are quick to condemn what they see as big government, President Bush actually embraces the idea. Bush hailed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as one of the triumphs of his administration. Yet the same department that introduced the phrase “terror alert: orange” and told us to fight Osama bin Laden with duct tape represents the largest expansion of government in the past 50 years.

The president’s love for big government doesn’t stop there, though. The Patriot Act gives law enforcement sweeping powers to look in on the private lives of U.S. citizens. Our credit card records, medical history and even books we’ve checked out from the library are suspect to government review. In addition, Bush’s failed amendment to define marriage proves he is willing to allow government to control what goes on in your bedroom.

When it comes to the economy, Bush does not fare any better. This year, under the watch of Republicans, our government projected a national deficit of $445 billion in 2005, the largest in our nation’s history. Incidentally, the 2004 White House budget actually admits that Bush’s (wartime) tax cuts helped create that deficit. What’s more, our national debt, also the largest in history, is at a record $7.3 trillion.

In his speech, the president praised the Medicare bill that was passed with the votes of a majority of Republicans and opposed by a majority of Democrats. However, this bill effectively will cost U.S. citizens more than $500 billion and will represent the largest expansion of the welfare state since its creation by President Johnson more than 40 years ago.

Other proposed spending projects in the president’s speech (which in total would cost somewhere in the trillions) included education reforms, an expansion of Pell grants and an extremely expensive plan to overhaul Social Security. It was enough to make one yearn for the days of former Vice President Al Gore and his lock box.

In the area of free trade, President Bush actually looks more like former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean than staunch free-trade activist President Reagan. In 2002, President Bush imposed protectionist tariffs on foreign steel, essentially undermining the free trade argument made by conservatives. It only was after the European Union and other countries threatened to impose retaliatory sanctions did Bush “flip-flop” on his position and repeal the tariffs.

President Bush also strays from the path of conservative foreign policy. The use of military action for national security purposes only has been replaced by an agenda of pre-emption and nation building. Bush’s speech at the RNC praised the transformation of the military and our continued involvement in the Middle East. However, our history of intervention in Afghanistan, Iraq and even Liberia has essentially turned the United States into the world’s policemen. In the process, the president has spread our military too thin, leaving our country more vulnerable to attack.

If the president’s stewardship of our country has shown us anything, it’s that he is more willing to sacrifice principle for re-election than to adhere to a philosophy of true conservatism. Ultimately, you can call President Bush many things (right-wing, a Republican, a radical, not right in the head, etc.) but whatever you do, don’t call him a conservative.

Eric Naing is a junior in LAS. His column runs Wednesdays. He can be reached at [email protected].