[seanmcdirmid]

Conservative in the sense of personal and societal responsibility and a strong adherence to tradition. Switzerland is the same way, very conservative by European measures, but by the way we (Americans) rate conservatism, not at all. All these countries are socially progressive with strong safety nets, but relatively liberal economically (again, in the real sense of "liberal"). I would think that the American/New world conservatism is the one that's messed up and twisting the meaning of these words.