The conservative blueprint that Barry Goldwater set forth in Conscience of a Conservative 48 years ago called for promotion of small government, lower spending and individual freedoms. Execution of this philosophy by the likes of Ronald Reagan may have made liberals wince, but they had to admit it was based on principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
But then came the administration of George W. Bush and the advent and/or expansion of illegal wire-tapping, secret prisons for suspected terrorists, the overriding of checks and balances, and an imperial presidency. In Reclaiming Conservatism -- How a Great American Political Movement Got Lost -- And How it Can Find its Way Back, Mickey Edwards, for 16 years a conservative Republican congressman from Oklahoma, takes no prisoners in focusing blame for the dramatic transformation:
"...the finger of blame should be pointed directly at those people who call themselves 'conservatives.' If the Constitution and its fervent embrace of citizen rights is lost, they will bear responsibility for its demise." Edwards not only shows conservatives "how far they have fallen" but offers prescriptions for returning conservatism to its original ideals.
