2004 Election

mostly Midwestern progressives turned against the subsidized housing. When public housing becomes, New Deal when it became a stalking horse for corpo- as it has over the nation, a source of additional ratism and war. Nader’s views are attractive to the Left patronage for local distribution to contractors, but are rooted, at least in part, on the libertarian and repairmen, and tenants, the free expression of populist Right. human beings is thus discouraged. He wasn’t always a leftist icon. One of his first pub- What riled Ralph about the Winsted housing project lished articles appeared in the Oct. 1962 issue of The was that locals were denied access to information by Freeman, a libertarian magazine. The piece, “How the bureaucrats and had to resort to three referenda before Winstedites Kept Their Integrity,” told the story of how they could scotch the plans of political insiders to milk a proposal to build a public-housing project met with private profit from the public teat. It’s the same old opposition in Winsted, Conn., Nader’s hometown. He Ralph, albeit a bit more libertarian than we’re used to. attacked the aesthetic aspect of government housing As he stood on the stage, denouncing corporate projects as symbolic of “the drab, uniform, barrack-type socialism and foreign wars, that calm, clear voice ring- existence” that awaits its tenants. He writes: ing with modest sincerity, I thought: no wonder they’re Living under the government as landlord neither so afraid of him that they’ve hired an army of corporate teaches children the value of property (which is lawyers to deny him ballot status and shut down his one reason why public housing deteriorates so campaign. quickly) nor produces the environment for the I know is supposed to be a man of the exercise of independence, self-reliance, and, above Left, the Eugene Debs or the Norman Thomas of our all, citizenship. Any government intrusion into the times, but as I listen to him on the stump, I keep hearing economy deters the alleged beneficiaries from the voice of the Old Right. voicing their views or participating in civic life. The reason for this goes beyond the stigma of living in Justin Raimondo is editorial director of Antiwar.com. Constitutionally Correct Peroutka

By Howard Phillips

THE CONSTITUTION PARTY, then called the U.S. Tax- tion Restoration Act to prohibit reliance on foreign law payers Party, was established in 1992, with its goal to and deny federal judges the authority to restrict our limit the federal government to its delegated, enumer- acknowledgment of God. Both men favor amnesty for ated, constitutional functions and to restore American illegal aliens and policies that benefit Communist China jurisprudence to its Biblical common-law foundations. to the detriment of U.S. national security. Neither nor George W. Bush shares that You and I know these things, but most “conserva- goal. tives” plan to vote for George W. Bush. Some say the Both President Bush and Senator Kerry have voted reason they plan to vote for Bush is judicial appoint- for or signed into law more money for Planned Parent- ments. But that argument lost its validity when Presi- hood and other pro-abortion groups, more money for dent Bush intervened to prevent the nomination of Con- homosexual activist groups, more money for the United gressman Pat Toomey over pro-abortion Sen. Arlen Nations, more money for foreign aid, more money for Specter in the recent Pennsylvania Republican Senate federal intervention in education, not to mention the primary. If Senator Specter is re-elected on Nov. 2 and biggest budgets and budget deficits in the history of our the GOP holds its majority in the U.S. Senate, Specter Republic. Neither Bush nor Kerry has supported “Ten will become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Commit- Commandments Judge” and his Constitu- tee, situated to act in collaboration with his liberal

LICENSED TO UNZ.ORGNovember 8, 2004 The American Conservative 11 ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED Democrat soul mates to prevent the confirmation of fact that he had cast his vote for Howard Phillips. Of pro-life judicial nominees—and positioned to argue to course, despite conservative support for Dole, Clinton Bush, if he is re-elected, against the appointment of won again in 1996. judges who are comprehensively opposed to abortion. Last time, Al Gore was the Bogey Man and, once For these reasons and others, it is specious to vote for again, conservatives rejected the Constitution Party George W. Bush on the basis of supposed advantages nominee in favor of George Bush the Younger. In 2000, for our side with respect to judicial confirmations. the Bogey Man lost, but what did it profit America to Moreover, just as Senate Democrats have blocked have elected the “lesser of two evils”? Would we have Republican judicial nominees, the GOP majority in the had the unwise, unnecessary, unconstitutional war on Senate can—if they summon the will to do so—block Iraq if Gore had been elected? I doubt it. nominees by a President Kerry. Of course, only three We have traveled farther down the wrong path with a Republican president and Congress than we would have We have traveled farther down the if we had experienced gridlock with a Democratic pres- “ ident and a Republican majority in the House and the wrong path with a Republican president Senate. and Congress than we would have if As president, Michael Peroutka would end federal intervention in education, cut off federal funding of we had experienced gridlock.” Planned Parenthood and homosexual activist groups, withdraw from NATO, the UN, NAFTA, WTO, the World GOP Senators voted to oppose the confirmation of Ruth Bank, and the IMF. He would seal our borders, cancel the Bader Ginsburg. Only nine voted against Stephen Breyer, George W. Bush-Vicente Fox treaty to pay Social Security and no Republican Senator voted against confirming benefits to illegal aliens who have returned to Mexico, either pro-abortion David Souter or pro-abortion Sandra expel illegal aliens, end all foreign aid, withdraw from Day O’Connor. The positions of both of these nominees Iraq, oppose the Patriot Act, fight all forms of socialized were a matter of public record when the Senate placed medicine, and appoint only judges who are 100 percent them on the Supreme Court of the United States. against abortion. Peroutka would abolish the IRS and But there is a greater reason that many conservatives replace the income tax with a revenue tariff. He would are reluctant to vote for the Constitution Party’s Michael recognize the threat posed by Communist China and Peroutka. It is fear of the “Bogey Man,” and John Kerry rebuild the U.S. Navy, which has dropped from 600 ships is the Bogey Man of 2004. George W. Bush is presented under Ronald Reagan to fewer than 250 today. as “the lesser of two evils,” and Bogey Man John Kerry If conservatives don’t vote for what they believe, they is characterized, perhaps accurately, as evil incarnate. will never get what they want. Losing as slowly as pos- Kerry personifies the antithesis of what most conser- sible means we still lose. Going over the cliff at a sup- vatives believe, but he is only the latest in a long line of posedly slower speed still means we are going to crash. Bogey Men who have diverted us from putting our A vote withheld from both the Democrats and Repub- Republic back on a constitutional track. In 1992, most licans weakens that which is wrong and strengthens the conservatives were understandably frightened by cause of that which is right. Any vote cast for constitu- Bogey Man Bill Clinton and voted against me when I tionally sound, Biblically based policies hastens the day offered then, as Michael Peroutka does now, a constitu- when, should God will it, we can witness the restoration tionally correct alternative to both major parties. of the Republic. It is not for us to decide elections, but Despite your votes for Bush the Elder, the Bogey Man rather to determine where we shall invest our precious won in 1992. franchise. God alone determines the outcome, and He Bogey Man Bill Clinton reappeared in 1996 and, once blesses those who trust in Him. again, most conservatives rejected the only candidate Michael Peroutka is the only constitutionally correct who offered a Christian, constitutional plan of action choice in 2004. Let’s not let the Right go wrong again. and invested their votes in Kansas Sen. Bob Dole. There were some exceptions. Jim Dobson declared after the Howard Phillips is the founder of the Constitution Party.

12 The American Conservative November 8,LICENSED 2004 TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 2004 Election

Libertarian Resistance

By Alan W. Bock

FOR THOSE INCLINED to participate in the electoral George W. Bush richly deserves to be punished at the circus—and given the choices presented by the two polls. He got the United States into a war of aggression major parties, especially on the key issue of war and an in Iraq that is likely to be followed, in a best-case sce- increasingly imperial American foreign policy, one can nario, by a long and difficult occupation that will inspire understand an inclination simply to abstain—the ques- increasing hatred of the United States among people tion is what kind of vote will best send a message to the likely to express their hatred in unpleasant ways toward system about the importance of your core political innocent Americans. values. On the home front, Bush has presided over the most I would respectfully suggest that a vote for Libertar- dramatic increase in domestic discretionary spending ian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, and since the Great Society. While he talks of freedom and a for Libertarians running for other offices, is the most government that leaves the people alone, the initial efficacious way to do so. debates show that both his and Cheney’s learned It’s not a perfect way to telegraph a message, and response to problems in American society is to throw Michael Badnarik is not a perfect candidate. But by its taxpayers’ money at them. This record does not deserve nature the electoral system does not offer ideal choices, support or encouragement from even a modestly princi- simply those that have managed to claw their way to pled American conservative. party nominations and ballot status. For conservatives As for Ralph Nader, while some of his statements who treasure the Old Republic and recoil from the inter- on the unwise war in Iraq have been welcome, he is ventionist foreign policies that have led to so much what he has been for many years: an advocate of a American blood being needlessly spilled and treasure comprehensive regulatory state designed to eliminate unnecessarily wasted, while posing an ongoing danger even the whiff of risk—and plenty of freedom—from to constitutional principles, the Libertarian Party is the American life. A vote for him in some battleground best option in 2004. states might hurt Bush or help Kerry. Those who want John Kerry, however tempting it might be to contem- plate a divided government (assuming Republicans The Libertarian Party, whatever its maintain control of Congress) mired in glorious grid- “ lock, simply will not do. His short-term solution to Iraq many shortcomings, has been around is more troops, and while he questions in retrospect the since 1972, running candidates at Bush administration’s decision-making and lack of plan- ning, he is an unalloyed international interventionist every level.” unwilling to question the Wilsonian underpinnings of current American foreign policy. His explanation of his to use their vote for such tactical purposes—under- vote to authorize the use of force if needed is more omi- standing that no matter how sophisticated polling gets nous than if he had supported the enthusiasti- you can’t be sure it will have that effect—might want cally. The president should have that power, he to vote for Nader, but it will not be a vote that sends a explained, whining only that Bush had misused it. message of support for constitutionally limited gov- On domestic policy, of course, his voting record is to ernment. the left of Teddy Kennedy, suggesting a slew of spending Why should a conservative vote for the Libertarian initiatives, not all of which a Republican Congress— candidate rather than one of the American Indepen- especially one conditioned to higher spending by four dent, Patriot, or Constitution Party hopefuls? The years of Bush 43—will resist or block. main reason is the ability to send a coherent message

LICENSED TO UNZ.ORGNovember 8, 2004 The American Conservative 13 ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED