Republican Victory No Excuse to Relax Vigilance

With the Republican victories in the 2002 mid-term elections, conservative pundits have been crowing about the disarray or even demise of the Democratic party. Republicans are jubilant about the opportunity for a president of their party to appoint federal judges, possibly including one or more Supreme Court justices. They are looking forward to at least two years of pushing Republican legislation through a Congress that is under their control for the first time in many years.

I'll admit that my instincts are as partisan as anyone's. The prospect of getting onto the Supreme Court some new justices who might be interested in overturning Roe v. Wade seems like a dream come true. If there is to be any hope of getting serious cuts in federal taxation and spending, it will have to be under the impulse of Republican congressional leadership. The Republican victories came just in time to improve the chances that the "assault weapons" ban will be allowed to expire. This is indeed a time of opportunity for conservatives to infuse some respect for the Constitution into federal policies.

Unfortunately, a very big word of caution is in order as well. The weakening of gridlock in Washington may allow the government to accomplish some long-sought goals of conservatives. It also increases the danger that unwise presidential proposals will sail through Congress without opposition. Republican presidents have a record of getting away with policies for which any Democratic president would have been pilloried.

Richard Nixon is probably the most egregious example. This Republican president betrayed our anti-Communist ally, the Republic of China on Taiwan, in favor of relations with the Peoples Republic of China. In response to a 4% inflation rate, he instituted wage and price controls. His administration was also responsible for establishing the EPA and OSHA, dramatically increasing the level of regulation of American business. He made peace with Vietnam without ensuring the return of American POWs known to be held by the Communists.

Nixon's Republican successors have followed his sorry example, pushing through tax increases, appointing liberal Supreme Court justices, and generally blindsiding their conservative supporters. Their actions would have triggered impeachment talk if carried out by Democrats. Coming from Republicans, they scarcely stirred the waters of partisan discontent. Somnolent conservatives have excused them because they carried the Republican label and faithfully spouted conservative rhetoric.

George W. Bush presents his own dangers to America. He is continuing the recent tradition of ignoring the constitutional requirement for a congressional declaration of war before engaging US troops overseas. His administration's enforcement of border security is no improvement over that of Bill Clinton. Indeed, he seems even more inclined than Clinton to pardon those who flout our immigration laws.

The president's implementation of the Homeland Security department is likely to be a model of disregard for civil liberties. His goal of establishing a European Union-like "Free Trade Area of the Americas" by 2005 presents the possibility of greater loss of US sovereignty than any of his predecessor's actions.

Clearly this is not a time for conservatives to relax and "let George do it." We need to take advantage of today's confluence of the Republican stars to accomplish what we can toward restoring our republic. At the same time, it is imperative that we take seriously Jefferson's advice: "In questions of power then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."