Fiscally Conservative and Socially Liberal?... Not me!

Apparently the Former National Director of the Fiberal Party of Canada and now Mayoralty candidate for "Hogtown" Toronto doesn't see himself as Left or Right.  He's "Fiscally Conservative and Socially Liberal."  He's apparently a member of the Ignatieff fuzzy brigade of modern day mature statists that now  understand the merits of fiscal prudence... When it's practical of course.

I thought I would experience more help from fellow blogging Tories, but to my dismay Hugh MacIntyre thinks Rocco is spot on.  This is definitely not the post I would expect Hugh to make.  Based on most of the rest of what Hugh writes I agree with completely on almost everything.

Here's the problem with Rocco's statement.  Being fiscally conservative is great, but it's the socially liberal part that has problems.  It's one thing if what Rocco is referring to is a general preference for a state which has respect for individual liberty in all spheres both economic and moral.  That to me would be very Libertarian.

The problem is what those that profess to be "Fiscally Conservative and Socially Liberal" really mean.  They mean that they want balanced budgets only to finance their socialist central planning, top down, anti-family agenda.

Rocco is very clear when he says "I really believe the true progressive of the 21st century knows that unless you get the finances right, you can't pay for the social good you want to do..."  In other words: "When need prudent fiscal management to finance all our great progressive (AKA socialist) ideas."


I have a feeling that Hugh may be either taking Rocco's comment incorrectly as meaning he is libertarian, or he is unfortunately praising Rocco for being something he isn't: Not a Lefty.  The man was after all a senior member of the Fiberal Party of Canada - a party dead set on increasing the size of the federal government for most the past century.

To me Rocco shouldn't be praised for either denying the "left/right" label or accepting the "fiscally conservative an socially liberal" label.  He should be lumped together with the rest of the socialist statists for what they are: the Canadian Left.

To me the label fits.  I guess there are those that disagree.