Conservatively Correct

Conservatives have criticized and mocked the left for attempting to silence views that did not meet the litmus test of "political correctness."  Yet, a form of political correctness has invaded the Heritage Foundation, one of the major pillars of the modern conservative movement.  Instead of the left's obsession with race and gender, a desire to silence all criticism of President Bush and the neocons is the animating feature of this right-wing PC. 

First, Heritage fired foreign policy analyst John Hulsman for writing a book questioning whether the neocon crusade for democracy was either good for the nation or representative of a true conservative approach to foreign affairs.  Then, last week, Heritage reneged on a commitment to host the November meeting of the Prosperity Caucus when it leaned the featured speaker was Ryan Sager.  Sager, a moderate libertarian journalist has written a book criticizing the Bush administration for neglecting the libertarian wing of the conservative collation in favor of pandering to the most extreme faction of the Christian Right and attempting to buy votes with new welfare programs and pork-barrel spending.  Finally, it appears Heritage refused to invite Bruce Bartlett to a dinner commemorating the 25th anniversary of Reagan's tax cuts, even though Bartlett worked for Jack Kemp at the time and thus played a major role in the tax cut, because of Bartlett's criticisms of the Bush Administration.  Bartlett's outspoken criticisms of the Bush Administration already cost him his job at the National Center for Policy Analysis. 

To be fair, Heritage is a private organization that can hire and host whoever they please. However, Heritage bills itself the center of conservative thought in DC, a place where conservatives of all stripes can come to together and debate the issues of the day.  For them to continue to claim to be open to all conservatives while attempting to silence those who criticize Bush from the right is a case of false advertising and something Heritage's principled donors might be concerned about. 

Heritage was also outspoken in their criticism of the Bush's Medicare prescription drug plan and his fiscal irresponsibility.  However, opposing the biggest opposition of the welfare state since the Great Society should be a no brainier for conservatives, not a sign of valor.  However, Heritage was also a major source of inspiration and intellectual support for Bush's other major expansion of the welfare state:  No Child Left Behind.   

Considering how political correctness turned the left from a significant force in American politics into a brain-dead national joke the rise of a similar phenomenon on the right does not bode well for the future of the conservative movement.  Especially since this right-wing PC is devoted to denying a platform to conservative and libertarian critics of an increasingly unpopular president. 

The Conservative Thought Police

"Sager BANNED at Heritage?"  Alabama Liberation Front, 11/21/06 

Richard Wilkins