Frum makes a convincing argument: we need a revamped conservatism that fits our time. A conservatism that is relevant. A conservatism that can win at the polls. Ronald Reagan's 80's brand of conservatism -- the kind that many of us true believers long for -- would be a loser today if it had been adhered to by the Bush Administration, says Frum:
"the evidence suggests that a more consistent, more principled, more conservative administration would have been even more soundly rejected by the public than the unpopular Bush administration ever was." As Frum documents, every Bush policy that conservatives decry is in fact wildly popular. Public support for prescription-drug benefits ranges from 80 to 90 percent. And every Bush policy conservatives favor is regarded by the public with great suspicion. A majority of Americans regard the Bush tax cuts as "not worth it," and would prefer increased spending or balancing the budget to cutting taxes. In the one area where Bush remains unfailingly popular with conservatives—foreign policy—public support has also collapsed. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of Americans who believe that military force can reduce the risk of terrorism dropped sharply between 2002 and 2006, from 48 percent to 32 percent.Before I buy this hook line and sinker, let me say that I agree with Frum, but only to an extent. Who knows how things might have been different had conservatives had a President for the past eight years who could use the bully pulpit like Reagan could. Part of a conservative President's responsibility is to educate the American public about the need for certain policies. Saving Social Security and Medicare for the next generation will take such a skilled leader -- a leader who can communicate the need for prudence, practicality and when necessary, sacrifice.
Now, that said, Frum is right to suggest that the policies of Reagan's time were conservative solutions for their day and age. The world we live in today is decidedly different and as such we are confronted with different problems requiring different solutions.
This, sadly is something a lot of us are missing as we thrash about in our current conundrum and reminisce about glory days past.
Where are the 21st century versions of welfare reform, the laffer curve and supply side economics? These ideas at the time were revolutionary and they fueled a movement. Conservatives today should defend the "wins" we had on these issues, but at the same time be looking forward to solve new problems. Until we do that, we will remain out of sync with an American people who are looking to the future with other issues on their minds.
3 comments:
I agree conservatives need to apply their principles to current problems but sometimes it sounds like you're saying our ideas are outdated. If that's your point, I disagree.
You said "the world we live in today is decidedly different and as such we are confronted with different problems requiring different solutions," but I believe the solutions we need today are pretty much the same as the ones we have relied upon for years. For example, we reformed welfare by giving states more control and individuals more responsibility. She should continue to apply these solutions to everything from entitlements to education to the building of our roads.
When people cry out for the good ol' days of the Reagan years, I don't think they're longing for his specific policy proposals but, instead, for his bold support for conservative principles.
And on that point, you hit the nail on the head. This president has not done enough to educate Americans of the benefits of our values.
What I was getting at is that the policies we champion are outdated, not our philosophy or underlying principles.
Policies are derivatives of our core philosophy that match a time and place.
Low taxes, an efficient lean welfare program that puts people to work and a strong military are good policies. We should never cede the ground we have won on those fronts, but we need to blaze new trails in new issue areas or we will become irrelevant to the voter who frankly, is not clamoring for new tax cuts right now.
Some conservatives are beginning to do this in the health care arena. That is good. We must also come up with conservative solutions for energy and the environment (make sure its conservative).
The liberal answer on all three of those issues is bigger government and a slower economy. If we can offer real solutions here, we will have the basis for a new policy-centered movement that fits our time.
Titus,
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I do wonder how many of our recent failings as a movement are attributable to a failure to articulate timeless principles and how many are attributable to imagine solutions to new problems.
I think, ultimately, it's up to us. I am not sanguine about the next four or even eight years. But I am extremely optimistic about the young leadership of the conservative movement and what we might accomplish some years hence. I think we need to be formulating our message now so that we will be ready when it's our turn.
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