For decades, the lunatic fringe of American conservatism has tried to sell the idea that liberals want everyone to be dependent on the government so they can maintain power by handing out the goodies. The lunatic left analogue to this absurd theory is that conservatives want to starve widows and orphans and force every American to worship Jesus Christ.
Presently, The Republican Party is in terrible shape. The right wing nuts seem to be running the show. Limbaugh, Coulter, Sowell, and other irrational ideologues are running wild. [Click HERE for a particularly egregious example of conservative stupidity and moral relativism.] Sadly, credible conservative intellectuals, like George Will, seem to be getting pulled into the madness. In a recent Will column, he matter-of-factly asserted that the Obama Administration has a "dependency agenda" intent on "maximizing the number of people and institutions dependent on the federal government."
We need George Will and other credible conservatives to keep their heads while their fellows lose theirs all about them. Analysis that calmly asserts ridiculous claims such as this will not help save America's conservative party. Indeed, this is exactly the type of claim that has sent the Republican Party into an apparent death spiral. Undoubtedly, it is difficult for ideological conservatives like Will to accept that the present condition of our economy and international standing is due in large part to the folly of their dogma, but we cannot forget that part of the reason America lurched too far to the right in the first place was the ineptitude of the minority Democratic Party over the last decade or so.
Without credibility, conservatism will remain in the wilderness for many years, something that would be quite dangerous for the nation. Credible opposition to the majority party in the American system is vital to stability and progress.
George, please, put down the cool-aid, take a vacation and come back ready to espouse credible conservative ideas.