No, the founders weren't conservatives

Rambling Thoughts:
I was doing my early morning blog reading and in my daily visit to Below the Beltway, a libertarian blog, found this older video of neocon Mark Levin trashing Ron Paul. I’m sure you’re aware of Levin, he’s the guy that Sean Hannity calls “The Great One”.
Levin, in an angry response to a caller who dared to challenge him, pointed out that “the framers were not libertarians, they were conservative.”
What?
I hate to burst that bubble, but the founders of our country and the framers of the Constitution were not conservatives. They were revolutionaries. They were, in fact, radical revolutionaries who took up arms against the ruling class and the conservatives who supported that ruling class. The founders of our nation were products of the age of enlightenment, true liberal thinkers with a vision.
Unfortunately, in our day we have people who label themselves conservative and have no idea what it is that they are trying to conserve, and people who label themselves liberal who have no idea of the true meaning of the word.
Thomas Jefferson said that “Every generation needs a new revolution.”
In our day, the new ‘Tea Party’ movement seeks to fit that mold. I’m afraid that by its nature it is doomed to failure.
Perhaps the Tabaggers should remember that the tea that was thrown overboard into Boston Harbor didn’t belong to the people who dumped it. They stole it. They stole the cargo of three ships belonging to private companies and threw it into the harbor. To throw the politically incorrect meter into a tilt, they also dressed as American Indians when they did it.
Sometimes boldness is called for. As Barry Goldwater said in his acceptance speech in 1963, “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
Why didn’t Barack Obama suffer from shock and awe from the 1.5 million Tea Party marchers in Washington earlier this month? Probably because of the 1.5 million, you would have been hard-pressed to find 100 who voted for him. The march was impressive, but ineffective in achieving its goals.
One recurring theme was the call to stem the tide of socialism, something that they have become keenly aware of since the election of Barack Obama. That's fine, but socialism isn't a new thing. I hope you are all aware that Social Security, Medicare and the Bush Medicare prescription plan are all socialist inventions. If you are ready to lobby for the termination of these, and other, socialist programs I will gladly give you a forum.
I have received criticism in some quarters for having a supportive attitude toward the Tea Party movement. That criticism was directed at me because the Tea Partiers are seen to be largely a republican cheering squad. There is some truth to this, despite their protestations to the contrary. Look at some of the speakers at the larger events and it is quite obvious.
Even with that being the case, I support it. I believe that all protest is good; perhaps that is a remnant of my 60’s upbringing. The true test of the movement will be continued action when we again have a Republican government, and not just protest when we have a Democratic one.
I’ve twisted off onto a different subject, so let’s get back to the original one. The founding fathers were a group of revolutionaries who would, today, be eavesdropped upon and arrested under the provisions of the unpatriotic ‘Patriot Act’. They were not people who would be welcomed in any respectable Washington gathering today.
Keep this in mind when you label yourself – and when you attempt to label others.