Imperial policies …

Christian Century, Dec 18, 2002 by Edwin Homeier

ALTHOUGH I TOO applaud the things that Paul Wellstone (D., Minn.) did and although I regret his untimely death, he was not the only senator up for election who opposed Bush on Iraq ("Liberal in a conservative age," Nov. 6-19). For example, Richard Durbin (D., Ill.) spoke strongly in opposition to Bush's resolution and offered a well-reasoned alternative even though he was running for office. Durbin was overwhelmingly reelected, by the way.

I was also disturbed by the CENTURY's characterization of our age as a "conservative age." We are living at a time when about 20 percent of the electorate determines the policy of the U.S. government, as evidenced in the November election. The views of a man like Wellstone are not well represented in that government. However, I do not believe that the policies and attitudes of the right wing of the Republican Party come close to mirroring the dreams and aspirations of most Americans. Hence, I find your implication that Wellstone was out of step with the majority of Americans conceptually incorrect.

Furthermore, if you insist on evaluating our "age" on the basis of the leanings of the current government, "radical" describes the Bush administration better than "conservative." Real conservatives would be offended to think that the imperial foreign policy of the current administration preserves the ideals of the republic. Clearly, the domestic policies of the government are also radical. For example, as the Republican Kevin Phillips has documented in his book Wealth and Democracy, Bush's fiscal policies are extreme. The U.S. has never experienced such maldistribution of wealth, and Bush is seriously aggravating that problem. Similarly, John Ashcroft's Department of Justice threatens many constitutional guarantees, and upcoming judicial appointments promise radical activism in the courts.

Edwin Homeier
Elmhurst, Ill.