Frank Watson: Proudly Conservative

I have been asked about my political affiliation on several occasions.

The question is usually if I am a Republican or a Democrat.

When I respond that I am a conservative, I either get funny looks or blank stares.

Those who offer funny looks generally say, “OK, but are you a conservative Republican or a conservative Democrat?” When I respond that I am neither, “I am simply a conservative”, they look alarmed and back away as if I am some sort of terrorist.

Those with blank stares seldom say anything, but their spouses ask what a conservative is.

When I explain that a conservative generally wants government to be smaller and less intrusive than liberals, someone back in the crowd who hasn’t been keeping up with the conversation throws in, “Why don’t you trust our country?” At this point I try to find the exit and get some fresh air.

In order to avoid these conversations, I have been keeping a diary of examples to illustrate why I am a conservative.

I served fifteen years on a town council in rural Whitman County.

When I first joined the council, one pressing issue was the aging sewage system.

At that time, a replacement plant was estimated to cost a little less than a million dollars; a significant sum for a village of less than a thousand souls.

The council began setting aside money to eventually replace the treatment system.

While we were saving, state restrictions and mandates increased our estimated costs six-fold.

Five years ago, representatives from the state EPA and Department of Health came to one of our meetings and said a study was needed to determine whether or not we needed a new plant.

We politely told them that we knew we needed a new plant and had been saving toward that end for ten years.

They ignored everything we had to say and directed that we commission a study.

It took me only a few minutes to realize that they needed the study to justify their existence.

The $100,000 study determined what we already knew and pushed the expected date to replace our aging treatment plant another year into the future.

The state auditor called our town office last year and told us that we had been selected for an audit, and that they would have representatives at our next council meeting to outline their requirements.

The first thing on their docket was to make sure that we knew we had to pay for the audit.

I asked what choice we had and was told,”None.” We either paid voluntarily or they would deduct the cost from our support funds.

I asked how the taxpayers of our town would benefit.

The auditors responded that the tax payers would be informed of any discrepancies in the management of their tax dollars.

After the audit was completed, finding no discrepancies, and we received the $14,000 bill; I again asked how our citizens benefited.

The auditor said that the town now has increased confidence in the ability of their council.

I respectfully disagreed.

Those who thought we were incompetent before the study still think we are incompetent and wasted $14,000 of their money to fund the office of the state auditor.

The State Department of Health recently mandated that our water system plan be updated. The updated plan earned the engineer $60,000 but did nothing to update our water system. Had the Department of Health left us alone, we would have used that $60,000 to upgrade our system. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Those are only a few examples to show why I am a conservative.

(FRANK WATSON is a retired Air Force Colonel and a long time resident of Eastern Washington. He has been a free lance columnist for over 18 years.)