Civil Disobedience--Conservative Style

As we wait to find out if one of President Obama's supporters will be charged after spitting in the face of a Mitt Romney supporter last week, I hear conservatives say things like "Well, you would never see one of 'our people' doing something like that!"  While that is certainly not true--I'm sure a search of the internet would find a conservative spitting on a liberal somewhere at some time. (Didn't Nancy Pelosi claim that happened as Democrats marched en masse into the Capitol to vote on the [Not So] Affordable Care Act a few years ago?)  It probably happened outside an abortion clinic as well.

Civil disobedience is difficult for most conservatives.  We were raised to believe that police officers and soldiers were to be respected--not attacked.  And that even if you don't agree with a law--you still obey it, because a nation of laws that ignores its laws is just anarchy.  Plus, many of us have jobs that don't allow us to use fake sick notes to miss work in order to attend mass rallies and protests.  In fact, in our circles that would lead to immediate termination--no grievance hearing, no appeal, no lawsuits, no mediation hearings, no collecting a severance package, no collecting unemployment for two years.  And our employers tend to look upon lengthy arrest records and missing work for jail sentences as anything but a source of pride.

So those of us on the right have to be sneaky.  For instance, I have stocked up on incandescent light bulbs.  I hope to continue to use them for as long as possible--even after they are legislated out of existence.  The promise of CFLs lasting longer has proven wrong (we replace ours at least once a year--just like the regular bulbs)--and I enjoy sitting in a well-lighted room without getting a headache.  I also try to fill up my low-miles-per-gallon SUV at stations that sell ethanol-free gas.  I'd rather eat my corn than drive it, thank you.  In addition, I get 3-5% better mileage with the 100% gas.  And if I ever go to New York City again, I'll be sure to order two of the largest sodas possible at McDonalds just to circumvent Mayor Bloomberg's ban on drinks that are "too big for our own good".

But the biggest way that I seek to undermine the liberal agenda being foisted upon us recently is in the area of personal finance and responsibility.  I contribute the maximum amount allowed by the law to my Health Savings Account.  That way, President Obama won't be able to come to Oshkosh and point to me and say "Jonathan Krause here, he had to choose between paying his mortgage or getting reconstructive surgery after blowing out his knee playing basketball because the evil health insurance company didn't want to pay for the procedure--and that ain't fair."

I also contribute 15% of my gross income to my Roth IRA and 401(k).  That way, AARP can't scare me with its "Paul Ryan seeks to end Social Security and Medicare--putting American seniors at risk" TV ads.  (I'm SHOCKED that the "pushing Granny's wheelchair over a cliff" ad hasn't been playing every other break since Ryan was selected as VP.  They must be waiting for closer to election day.) 

Are these acts of civil disobedience going to get me on the national news?  Probably not.  But it's the least I can do to save America.