What’s the difference between a Republican and a conservative? That’s a question I was asked recently, and my short answer was that the former is a political label and the latter is a policy label. I spend most of my mental energies on policy, but indulge in politics because it’s fun and garners a bit of attention.
Daniel Henninger nails it when he says that voters vote on ideology. There is no such thing as a mainstream Democrat these days, as far as I can tell, and there are too few revolutionary Republicans. Mr. Henninger predicts that the sleeping giant of ideology is awakening for this election and will be the driving force in 2008.
Let’s hope. Why? Conservatives generally win the empirical argument and for the past 10+ years they also win elections. Liberals sometimes win elections but I believe their fundamental platform -- identity politics -- is a fraud, and can be demonstrated as such. Theirs is the rhetorical argument.
Ideologue has become a dirty term, but I am willing to be described that way. A much dirtier term? Politician.
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