by R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.
American Spectator magazine
April 5, 2006

“Conservatives are now the dominant force in all three branches of the government. The explanation for the conservative ascendancy is that our ideas have proved to be persuasive with growing numbers of Americans, and liberal ideas have declined into mere accumulating angers…America has become a conservative country.

“Conservatives must continue to demand more from our politicians but never to despair. As Grover Norquist is given to saying,”‘The Team’ is winning on all fronts” or at least most fronts. Moreover it is shortsighted to focus our dissatisfaction on the President. He is but one politico, and we have hundreds of others on Capitol Hill who are equally worthy of our diatribes.

“Nonetheless, this administration and this President have accomplished great things. He has made two solid appointments to the Supreme Court and has a team in place to ensure more fine conservative judicial appointments. He has cut taxes and encouraged growth. He has won victories with reform of bankruptcy laws, legislation limiting class action suits, and the Central American Free Trade Agreement. We are winning the war on terror and may be having a far more benign influence on the Middle East and Iraq than we now perceive. Perhaps most important, this is a President who restored a respect for public service that was badly stained (if that is the word) by the previous inhabitants of the White House.”