[goldstategop]

"If we don't hang together we will all assuredly hang separately." The way out of the morrass as I see it, is to apply what we're doing in Iraq at home: shrink government's non-core functions as fast as we can so we can evangelize freedom abroad by the power of example. Wilsonian idealism is really the essence of conservatism but not in the way the Left understands the term. For conservatives, freedom is about individual self-determination and keeping government's encroachment on that sphere of life to the absolute minimum. Its principled, sound policy and a political winner. To put it differently, you can buy votes but you can't keep people free with that practice. If we want people to be free we have to stop promising to do for them what they ought to do for themselves.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Traditional Vet]

For conservatives, freedom is about individual self-determination and keeping government's encroachment on that sphere of life to the absolute minimum

Amen. Now the trick is finding enough R's to buy into that philosophy and unfortunately, there aren't many in either house which adheres thereto and the few that do, have been so frightened by the MSM and cowed by the pseudo-Republicans and the other RINO's that they are practically, impotent. Sad. Very sad and depressing!!!!

[Hawk1976]

You would be surprised how many people will look at you like youjust grew horns when you say something like that.

[freedomdefender]

The trouble with this column - its failure to come to terms with the concerns of small government conservatives - shows in Steyn's failure to acknowledge that Friedman was opposed to the Iraq invasion. (He said so very explicitly in an interview this past July, which is on the internet) Instead of just ridiculing that position, Steyn needs to treat it as something worthy of arguing with, maturely. He's not going to persuade people of the intellect of Prof Friedman by put-downs. Friedman had it wrong, I agree, but he was a brilliant man and he was committed to freedom, so you can't dismiss his positions with snide asides, you have to engage them.