Bush’s consummation: the end of conservatism

The tragedy and folly of the “social conservative” movement all these years was that they had no larger vision of a society that they were seeking to preserve or restore, but only two hot-button issues, opposition to abortion and opposition to homosexual rights. Yet now, with a president who is supposedly aligned with them, and with 55 Republicans in the Senate, the social conservatives are supporting a Supreme Court nominee who regards Roe v. Wade as settled law and who is pro-homosexual rights. As a reader said the other day, what conceivable reason could the conservatives have for backing such a nominee, other than to maintain their cherished “access” to the president? But what value is their “access” to the president, when, on the only issues that matter to them, he betrays them in deepest consequence? Is access a value in itself, regardless of its actual content or results? It would appear so.

As a result of their shocking, shameful embrace of Roberts, the leaders and the rank and file of the conservative movement no longer appear to be made of solid stuff. They are unreal, meaningless.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 11, 2005 05:23 AM | Send
    


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