An Open Love Letter to George F. Will

When I see stuff like this in your columns, it brings tears of joy to this libertarian's calloused and jaded heart:

Farm subsidies, most of which go to agribusinesses and affluent farmers, are just part of the $60 billion in corporate welfare that dwarfs the $29 billion budget of the Department of Homeland Security.

Most contemporary so-called conservatives seem to be exceedingly one-sided, choosing to conserve only those things that preserve their stranglehold on wealth, control and power.

They want to conserve tax give-aways to large corporations, while eschewing wasteful spending on needless luxuries such as school lunches and vaccinations for the poor. They want to conserve the government's ability to invade and monitor what goes on in bedrooms and decisions that rightfully reside with individuals and families. They want to conserve superstitious notions that help control the masses. They want to conserve the rights of corporations to rape the environment (I remember when most of the conservatives I knew were also conservationists—the two concepts went hand-in-hand). And, they want to conserve electoral systems that discourage and limit the turnout in elections.

So, when I see conservatives writing about corporate welfare, and suggesting that theists' proper venue is the church rather than public schools and science books, it's heartwarming. It's high time that someone of conservative stripe rise to the soap box and comment on the collective Emperor's transparent wardrobe, and point out that the root form con in neocon does not come from conservative, but rather from confidence game.

Thanks, George, for not being conned. There's a lot of wind blowing in DC these days, so don't be surprised if someone tries to aim some of it at the candle you're trying to light.

Cheers,

Herb Tyson