The American Spectator

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(Page 8 of 18)

We have achieved no meaningful successes in the "culture wars." Abortion on demand is still the law of the land. Scofflaws like Ward Churchill still dominate our universities. Our artistic culture continues to be characterized by immaturity, smut, violence, and cheap anti-American propaganda. Personal responsibility in matters sexual, familial, and financial is still appalling low. Religion (or rather, traditional, Christian religion) is on the defensive in this country, indeed more so than ever.

We have achieved no significant liberalization of the economy. Federal, state, and local regulations continue to pile up, choking entrepreneurship, innovation, and even greater wealth creation. Our domestic energy industry is completely stagnant. A proliferation of labor and employment laws makes the workplace increasingly acrimonious and inflexible. Outrageous tort laws (especially in the areas of products liability and medical malpractice) routinely punish industries that employ thousands of workers and generate billions of dollars, all for the enrichment of a handful of lawyers. The hysteria over global warming and "the environment" continues to build, and will provide a ready justification for even more regulations in the future.

We have not significantly slowed the post-1960s multicultural juggernaut that is eroding American culture and fragmenting the nation into separate groups, regions, and peoples. One symptom of the paramountcy of multiculturalism is the unwillingness of our elected leaders to secure our borders and impose reasonable controls on immigration, despite the backing of the majority of the country for such measures. The recent, and ongoing, demonstrations by illegal immigrants and their supporters does not portend a positive future for this country. Bush's immigration plan promises only more of the same.

And the list goes on and on.

p>So where is this "conservative paradigm" of which Mr. Lord speaks? While we have some conservative-oriented politicians, who occasionally pass some conservative-oriented legislation, the truth is that on the truly big issues, America is still in the grip of the liberal paradigm that came into existence under FDR. Unless and until conservatives, and Republicans, start fighting for their country and culture with the same unyielding vehemence that the Left has pushed for its agenda for the past 40 years, America will continue down the same liberal path leading to socialism at home, weakness abroad, and the end of both the American Dream and the American Century. br> -- Steven M. Warshawsky br> New York, New York /p>

If Republicans lose in 2006 the conservative movement loses even bigger. This is what's wrong with so many tunnel vision conservatives -- the delusional thinking that losing is winning. Does anyone really believe the Democrats won't work feverishly to re-entrench their majority after these last few years in the wilderness? This is the party that dominated Congress for half a century and they're not going to take a chance at being out of power again if they can help it. The fix will be in if the Democrats take power in 2006 along with tax increases, immigration legislation that makes Reagan's 1986 amnesty and immediate citizenship for millions of illegal aliens look conservative and national security is left to the likes John "Cut & Run" Murtha.

p>For that matter why should any Republican trust a movement so infatuated with losing? If the Republicans lose in 2006 the biggest loser will be the conservative movement as Republican politicians begin to embrace the "moderate" banner and John McCain becomes the anointed in 2008. What's Jeffrey Lord's favorite song -- Happy Days are Here Again? br> -- Michael Tomlinson br> Crownsville, Maryland /p>

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