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The current crisis in the conservative movement is embodied in a GOP presidential-primary season in which the two front runners used to support the health care mandate that is supposedly the ultimate sign of Barack Obama's third-world socialist tendencies. Conservatives never really believed in shrinking the size and scope of government, at least not when they were running the show. That's why we are $15 trillion in debt and are poised to re-elect a President whose stimulus was an utter failure by his own predictions, whose extrajudicial killings of American citizens are justified by Bush Administration dicta and whose health care plan has increased premiums even before it has been put into practice.
The next President needs to provide stability in an unstable world by pushing through a budget that betrays at least a passing acquaintanceship with reality. Knowing that the feds are not about to start bold new programs or invade new countries or transform whole industries would allow Americans to start planning for a future in which we might have not just a stake but a say.
Gillespie is the editor in chief of Reason.com and Reason.TV
Crisis, What Crisis?
BY ANN COULTER
Is there a crisis in the conservative movement? No! This is our moment of triumph! At long last, Rockefeller Republicans are only a bitter memory. Even as recently as 2008, Republican candidates for President included one avowedly proabortion candidate (Rudy Giuliani), one candidate who had opposed Bill Clinton's impeachment (Fred Thompson) and one who supported amnesty for illegals, backed federal laws to combat nonexistent global warming, opposed the Bush tax cuts, wanted to shut down Guantnamo and called waterboarding "torture" (our nominee, John McCain). The only danger now is that some small number of Republicans seem to be adopting the mob characteristics of the left: worshipping political figures as gods (Ronald Reagan ... who does his dentist support?), being mesmerized by catchphrases and slogans ("Kenyan colonialist!" "RINO!") and showing a susceptibility to self-promoting charlatans more interested in getting a gig on Fox News than saving the country.
Coulter is a commentator, author and syndicated columnist
Only Halfway There
BY RAMESH PONNURU