Debating Future Conservatism
Issue 101 - February 13, 2008

Editor: Regarding “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” Peggy Noonan appears to have been more or less correct when she noted (in the Wall Street Journal--late Jan 2008) that the Bush presidency has destroyed the Republican Party and that one must know the cause before one can fix the problem.  The voting on 'Super Tuesday' 2008 confirms that the GOP is nothing but followers of George Bush: a rump-party whose entire candidate field received fewer votes in several states than did the Democratic winner alone. John McCain's electoral chances will fall to zero if he fails to impress conservatives with his key advisor selections.  Selecting lousy advisers and cabinet people in 2001 was the critical point of failure for the Bush presidency. Brian Lynch

Editor: ‘Is the conservative movement dead?’  The answer is no, the movement is alive and well.  What we may be witnessing however is the beginning of the death of a political party.  I don’t make that statement lightly or out of a sense of disloyalty. I simply see the handwriting on the wall.  Strange how our political leaders are so oblivious to what is really going on! If this crop of candidates isn’t a bombproof argument for small, strict-constructionist, constitutional government, I don’t know what is. When we allow the federal government to go out of its defined bounds in order to defend some “implicit understanding” of “where America stands on the matter,” we have historically gotten the “implicit understanding” of Earl Warren, William Brennan, and Ted Kennedy, and not of Barry Goldwater, the Founders, or Thomas Aquinas. As for the flag, I see no impediment to any state outlawing flag burning (of the U.S. flag), or requiring that the Confederate Battle Flag be flown above government buildings, for that matter. In that case, if we don’t like it, we can leave. Eight years ago, the Democrat Party was comatose, on its deathbed. To use General Walters’s term. Somehow George W. Bush and the “new” GOP have resuscitated the Democratic cadaver. And they’ve ruined our own party, and movement, and issues, to boot. Chris Manion.

Editor: Regarding “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” I am a young conservative. I believe the IRS should be abolished today. It shouldn’t be replaced with anything because there’s no such thing as a “fair” tax. I believe in the abolition of nearly every federal agency, except Justice, State, War and Treasury. Four years ago, I was still in high school. I saw the mess that is our public school system. Read John Taylor Gatto; it is a mess because the government runs the school. There are no solutions except for wholesale and complete privatization. I am a Christian; I believe in Christian values. I am so dedicated to the tenets of Christianity that Pat Robertson’s moral relativism makes me cringe. I am against abortion, and I do not believe that marriage ought to be a state institution. I believe the 2nd Amendment is the most important. I am tired of fake conservatives telling me that George Bush keeps me safe: the only thing that keeps me safe is my AR-15 in the case under my bed. I believe in a free economy, strong families, and a strong national defense. I do not fear Islamic-fascists. If the abolition of the Patriot Act means we have to fight the terrorists on our soil (though I can think of no reason why it should), I say bring it on. The only thing that scares me more than death is slavery. For these reasons, I support Ron Paul. A country that does not care about the savings of its young, up and coming entrepreneurs like myself, who will print and borrow money until repayment becomes impractical has lost its way. A country that cedes power to Washington in order achieve “safety” has lost its place as the safe harbor of freedom. And a party that treats our greatest living politician – the only man who agrees with me on all of the issues – like a second class citizen has lost its soul. You know exactly who I am talking about. I am a conservative, and I am having a great deal of difficulty finding any of those people on television and radio that claim to support conservative principles. So I ask those of you who do not support Ron Paul the same question that Paul is so often undeservedly asked: When did you become a liberal, and why won’t you admit it, fix it and get on with it? Allan Juranek

Editor: “Echoes of Future Conservatism” is a very well done piece. And good commentary by the editor as well.   Roger Ream

Editor: After reading your excellent on-line website magazine’s "Echoes of Future Conservatism" and many of the responses, I wanted to make a comment or two. I was never really engaged in political activities or even cared much about them before the mid 1980s. I was too busy earning a living and had learned to "trust my government" at a very early age. As I accumulated some wealth I noticed that the folks in government seemed to want more and more of that wealth and did not appear to care if it was wasted or whether I even approved of how it was spent. Furthermore, they were actually making it harder and harder to function in my small business. Needless to say, I became much more interested in political activities. I have read somewhere that you can ignore politics, but politics will not ignore you. After reading some of the replies to your piece on conservatism I was struck by the intellectual blather that is constantly used in an attempt to label people. Every person has a mixture of conservative, liberal, libertarian etc. leanings depending on the subject at hand. Everything considered, there is not a dimes worth of difference between a Democrat or Republican politician today. They are all statists. Reagan did help with economic recovery through the eighties, but he also raised taxes several times, grew the size of government and showed himself to be a gun-grabber. If that is conservative then you've lost me. Oh yeah, the Soviet Union? It collapse under it's own weight as all empires have. You say that Ron Paul has the enthusiasm but not the whole message. What part is he missing? More government force? More intervention in the affairs of other countries? Too much trust in private citizens to run their own lives? Not enough invasion of individuals' privacy? Not spending ourselves into ruin fast enough? Does this mean that he is not conservative enough? Or do you mean Neo-Conservative message? What really got to me was reading criticism of Ron Paul concerning earmarks. Apparently some folks do not understand how an appropriation bill works. A bill can be voted against, but if it is passed there is nothing hypocritical about a representative attaching an earmark to return some of the money to his own district. It increases spending not one bit. I wonder where that money came from in the first place. Support for Ron Paul is growing and the so-called conservatives can argue about the fine points, but as Dr. Paul said to Sean Hannity, "You'll come around". I just hope it's not to late or we will have another Clinton in the White House. Only this time it will be with the new powers accumulated by our last king. God help us. Respectfully, William J. Frerking

Editor: In regard to your editorial “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” at the present time the Republican Party is dead. It has lost its SOUL!!!! Many of the elected Representatives and Senators have gotten a bad case of Potomac Fever. The Fever is a common disease in Washington D.C. Our loss of Congress is greatly due to the Republican party and elected officials forgetting why they were elected and sent to Washington. And the present Republican candidates for the highest office in the world sound and act like Democrats. It is no surprise that interest in the presidential race is less than exciting for Republicans. If the Republican party is to grow and win and stay in office; they are going to have to build grass root organizations on the local levels from coast to coast. We cannot wait every four years and try to find someone to run for office. We cannot rest on our victories. We have to persist in
telling our story of conservatism on a daily basis. And constantly challenge the Democrats' policies.  People must truly know the difference in conservative principles and liberal policy. There is a big difference, but much of John-Q Public does not know the difference and they have to be continuously educated on domestic and foreign issues. In other words we have to tell them over and over how and why conservative policy works the best for America. It is a huge undertaking, but it is worth all the time and effort for the good of our nation. Thank you for your time. Jim Allen, Bremen, Ga.

Editor: Kudos. Excellent article “Echoes of Future Conservatism .” I was saddened by Fred Thompson's late as well as ineffective campaign for he most represented the ideals I support. Ron Paul has some positive stands going for him but his foreign policy and support for legalization of drugs scare me. I believe we will be entering a liberal swing, much like when Jimmy Carter came to power. My only hope is that it will be short lived. Elizabeth Palazzolo

Editor: Re your “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” the only “depressing” issue I see is that once again, we've been offered a so-called conservative candidate and we're swallowing hook, line and sinker the one "whose time has come". He's owed the highest office in the land because he spent time in a POW camp? Mitt Romney towers over John McCain and Mike Huckabee. The fact that people who call themselves Republicans are even considering a man who has annihilated the first amendment during the election period, who has pushed for amnesty for criminal immigrants, who talks a good game about cutting spending but votes for bigger more intrusive government whenever he can, who believes in gay marriage, affirmative action and race quotas, who's so afraid of being tough on terrorists he won't drip water down their noses for information that might save us from being blown up, and who has the temperament of an angry squirrel, is about as depressing as it gets. He may win the nomination thanks to traitors to the conservative movement, but I can tell you he won't win the presidency because the conservatives won't whore themselves again for another candidate who lacks the credentials of honest conservatism. McCain's the nominee? ... the Party's dead. RIP. Linda, Massachusetts

Editor: The OAF (old Americans for freedom) was a good read. It was nice to see in “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” some thoughts of those who also served in the YAF vineyards. As a disappointed Thompson backer, I did want to let you know that I share your observations on the energy and commitment of the new people Ron Paul has been energizing. He's particularly energizing some here in Microsoft land -- we actually see Ron Paul for Pres signs along the roads and in a few yards! Nobody else has any -- though I would have been pounding in Thompson signs right after South Carolina if the vote had gone better. Their energy reminds me of my YAF days. And we matured behind Reagan, so hopefully we can keep their energy to boost the future of the limited government cause. We still have a challenge and a mission ahead. Eric Rohrbach

Editor: Regarding your views on Dr. Ron Paul's ideas on foreign policy in “Echoes of Future Conservatism,” you obviously want to maintain the empire, with hundreds of bases and the massive number of American troops overseas thousands of miles away from our shores. And you want to spend like crazy, money we don't have, to maintain that empire facade, while we at home are horribly vulnerable to invasions, illegal, hostile, and no telling what else, and an economy that is under severe stress, to say the very least, and the huge unbearable expense of both. How much more can we sustain? I'm 60 years old, and I've seen and heard many people who call themselves "conservatives" and Dr. Ron Paul is the only TRUE, constitutional conservative who will look after the best interests of us, working and middle class Americans; a people who have been brutally betrayed by the controlled leaders in both political parties--liberals and alleged 'conservatives' altogether. Disgusted, Madeline K. Carter

Editor: I am sickened by the way this election is playing out. I feel that voting for John McCain is like voting for a moderate Democrat and Hillary and Obama are like radical liberals. I no longer have a dog in this fight unless Mitt Romney can somehow pull an upset. I will probably decide to vote Right to Life or some other third party. J. Lucignano

Editor: I enjoyed reading the musings of many of the old Goldwater supporters from the Young Americans for Freedom. While attending school at the University of Southern California in the early 1970’s, I became acquainted with several of them, including now Congressman Dana Rohrbacher. John McCarthy