TB - "You really need to stay away from political philosophy. You come across like a phlogiston chemist."

I'd appreciate some foundation for that remark. It's true that Buckley read Rand out of the Conservative movement, but that was because Rand continued to reject the "welfare" aspects of the State whereas Buckley thought they had to be accommodated. And Buckley wasn't the measure of the Conservative movement.

Buckley was willing to compromise Conservativism, Rand wasn't. Rand was more Conservative, a purer Conservative than Buckley. I would expect anyone who describes themselves as Conservative and libertarian, who professes an understanding of those principles could miss something so very basic.

"In 1960, the novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand pronounced conservatism dead. The conservatives' refusal to challenge the fundamental ideas behind the welfare state, she argued, would doom them to a policy of appeasement and timidity."

"This approach was explained almost a decade ago by Irving Kristol, in an article titled "A Conservative Welfare State." We must acknowledge, Kristol asserted, "that the welfare state is with us, for better or worse," and all we can seek is "a welfare state consistent with the basic moral principles of our civilization and ... our nation."

"These words were echoed last Friday by another conservative icon, William F. Buckley. "What conservatives are going to have to get used to," he intoned, "is that certain fights we have waged are, quite simply, lost." This means, he continues, that it is necessary to "make prudent accommodations" and use the welfare state for conservative ends."

Arf (He can't admit something so fundamentally, glaringly wrong, Bow. Nope, won't even be embarrassed.)