How could Classical Conservatism be against helping Americans with the current mortage crisis?

[TheKitten]

Basically, classical conservatives hold the view that markets are always right, even when the system fails to provide for most.

It's an idea that can be traced all the way to Adam Smith. Basically, it states that markets left to themselves are more efficient than anything anyone tries in social engineering or compassionate restructuring to try to "fix" the system. Basically, today's conservatives believe we live in the best of all possible worlds, as long as we let markets be free. In other words, no matter how bad it gets, it's still the best of all possible worlds.

I won't get into a discussion on just how free markets really are under such governments, because I'm in a generous mood, but that's the basic theory.

So they believe helping people in time of need will actually make the system sicker in the long run. That's the basic "official" answer.