Conservatism is not an ideology — it's a way of living and looking at the world. It is the wisdom to learn from history, the courage to defend what works, and the conviction to resist what doesn't — no matter how shiny the new idea sounds.
We believe liberty is not accidental. It was purchased, built, and preserved by those who came before us. Our job is to keep it.
1. We Believe in a Moral Order
Truth is not relative. Right and wrong do not change with the political climate. We are accountable to God, to the law, and to one another — and a free people can only remain free when they govern themselves by something higher than self-interest. The family — rooted in the union of husband and wife — is the foundational unit of society. Strong families produce strong communities. No government program substitutes for it.
2. We Believe in Liberty — and What Protects It
The purpose of conservatism is to conserve liberty, and the institutions that protect it. That means defending property rights, limiting government power, and maintaining the checks and balances that prevent any individual, group, or party from seizing unchecked control.
3. We Believe in the Constitution — As Written
The U.S. Constitution is not a suggestion. It is the supreme law of the land, deliberately designed to limit government power and protect individual liberty. We reject the idea that it means whatever courts or politicians find convenient. Original intent matters. The Bill of Rights means what it says.
4. We Believe in Economic Liberty
The freedom to work, build, earn, and keep what you earn is inseparable from personal freedom. We support free markets, low taxes, limited regulation, and fiscal responsibility — at every level of government, including right here in Jasper County.
5. We Believe in People — Not Government Programs
Human nature is a constant. No government program can perfect it. Families, churches, businesses, and voluntary communities — not Washington bureaucrats — are where real life happens and real problems get solved. We trust people over systems.
6. We Believe in the Wisdom of What Has Worked
Traditions are not relics — they are the accumulated wisdom of generations, tested and proven over time. They are the quality control for real progress. We welcome change that builds on what works. We reject change that tears down what has proven itself simply because something new sounds exciting.
7. We Believe in Ordered, Local Liberty
Power concentrated is liberty threatened. We believe in decisions made as close to home as possible — in Jasper County, not in Des Moines or Washington. We uphold voluntary community and oppose top-down, one-size-fits-all mandates that flatten the diversity of how free people choose to live.
8. We Believe Parents — Not the State — Raise Children
Parents are the primary authority over their children's upbringing, education, and values — not school boards, not government bureaucrats, not activist curricula. We will show up, speak up, and hold local institutions accountable when that authority is undermined.
9. We Believe in the Long View
Conservatism is not reactive — it is deliberate. We measure policy not by how it sounds today, but by what it produces over time. We act after reflection, not impulse. And we understand that a society which abandons its foundation in the rush toward the untested does not progress — it collapses.
A Note on Sources
The principles outlined in this document are drawn from two foundational works on American conservatism:
Russell Kirk — The Politics of Prudence (1993), the landmark articulation of conservative first principles that shaped the modern conservative movement.
Rachel Bovard & Jim DeMint — Conservative: Knowing What to Keep (2019), a clear and compelling case for reclaiming the principles that made America free and prosperous.
JCCAT has adapted and applied these principles to our mission and context in Jasper County, Iowa.