Conservatism

Government as Parasite

by Sheldon Richman May 1, 2001

The Republicans still don’t get it. They say they want a tax cut because “the surplus is the people’s money,” but their heart isn’t in it. If they truly believed that, they wouldn’t quickly add that we need a tax cut to avert a recession. They supported the tax cut before ...

The Morality of the Welfare State

by Jacob G. Hornberger April 1, 2001

As a compassionate conservative, President Bush wants to give federal aid to faith-based organizations. His plan has drawn attacks from religious leaders on the right and civil libertarians on the left. Religious leaders object to Bush’s plan on the ground that it will lead to governmental interference with religious ...

So Much for Compassionate Conservatism

by Jacob G. Hornberger March 1, 2001

DURING THE CONTROVERSY over Linda Chavezs appointment as secretary of labor, President Bush squandered an excellent opportunity to show some compassionate conservatism toward the tens of thousands of undocumented workers who have risked their lives to live and work in the United States. In the 1960s, I grew up on a farm on the Rio Grande outside of Laredo, Texas, ...

What Happened to the Conservatives?

by Sheldon Richman March 1, 2001

Are conservatives so desperate to have a Republican in the White House that they are ready to toss their principles overboard and become boosters for whatever President George W. Bush hands them? It seems so. Mr. Bush’s two earliest initiatives — education and aid to faith-based organizations — should have ...

Abolish the Nonessentials

by Jacob G. Hornberger February 1, 2001

THE POMP AND ceremony surrounding George W. Bush’s nomination of new department heads is now complete. The discussion and debate now center on the qualifications of each of the new nominees. But who is asking the crucial question: Rather than appointing the best-qualified people to run the various departments, why not simply abolish the departments themselves? After all, wasn’t this ...

Why Not Abolish the Nonessentials?

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 1, 2001

The pomp and ceremony surrounding George W. Bush’s nomination of new department heads is now complete. The discussion and debate now center around the qualifications of each of the new nominees. But who is asking the crucial question: Rather than appointing the best-qualified people to run the various ...

An Echo, Not a Choice

by Sheldon Richman August 1, 2000

Must the Republicans' abandon every semblance of principle in order to save us from a Gore presidency? In the minds of the GOP leaders, the answer seems to be yes. Apparently, a decision has been made that victory is so essential that the party will say anything to avoid offending anyone. ...

What is a Conservative?

by Jacob G. Hornberger April 1, 2000

The race for the Republican presidential nomination reflected the extent to which conservatives have abandoned their own principles. The two leading Republican contenders, George W. Bush and John McCain, waged a fierce fight over who is the true conservative and the real government reformer. But what does conservatism have to ...

Letter #3 to Conservatives

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 1, 1999

Dear Conservatives: There you go again! You're once again trying to use public schooling to require students to submit to religious indoctrination. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Can't you simply leave well enough alone? After all, look at all the damage you have already done to students with public schooling ...

Letter #1 to Conservatives

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 1, 1999

Dear Conservatives, Since you have chosen to enter this web site, you have acknowledged that you suffer from the dread disease known as hypocrisitus. This is a good sign. Admission and confession are important first steps in the treatment of this dreadful disease. We cannot help you if ...

Group of Odd People

by Sheldon Richman September 1, 1999

What a sorry lot the GOP is. The frontrunner, Gov. George W. Bush, bases his campaign on the slogan "prosperity with a purpose." Pardon me? I have no idea what that means, but I don't like the sound of it. A president of the United States, and the irants ...

Justice, Not Compassion

by Sheldon Richman September 1, 1999

If the 2000 presidential race continues as it has begun, we might all best take a long nap and wake up when it's over. It might be so insipid that we could all suffer a terminal case of boredom. How many of us are looking forward to a year and a ...