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Well it seems to me that conservatism isn't about unchanging ideas but unchanging values. I don't know much about the American context but do put up with a little prattle...

The free market to be truly free must be an informed market. In other words people purchase items which acts through supply and demand as a vote, Now, we have to be aware of what it is we are buying. If conditions are sweatshop and abusive, the consumer can vote by not buying that product.

This means there must be good information available - thus the free market is tied up with free speech and an investigating media.

Now very often things CAN GET BETTER IN THE SHORT TERM, by bigger government. But it is the law of diminishing returns - in other words it is an illusion - but a persuasive one. Rules and regulations are rarely abrogated so the bureaucracy grows and stifles wealth creation.

From a neo-con viewpoint, (if I understand it) the issue is not the size of government in any absolute sense but he ability of government to protect freedoms and promote enterprise.

kind regards,