Post-Reagan conservatism.

The passage below captures conservatism after Reagan: tepid recognition of some vital principle of ensuring liberty (or sovereignty) coupled with feeble efforts to uphold the principle. "Yes, the people have a sacred right to bear arms to protect them from tyrannical government. Evidence of this right can be seen in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. However, even though it's a vitally important right, if a few guys in the District of Columbia think it's a good idea to restrict or deny that right, it's fine by us. When all is said and done, what exercise of governmental power can be a bad thing?"

President George W. Bush apparently disagrees with his executive branch partner [Vice President Cheney]. His administration’s Department of Justice filed their own amicus brief, but for the petitioner, District of Columbia. Appearing to sit on the fence, this brief does recognize that it’s an individual right to keep and bear arms that the Second Amendment was designed to protect, but it expresses this administration’s uncertainty as to whether the D.C. gun ban in particular violates that Amendment.

By all means, let's parse every last comma of the DC law to see if it can be upheld.

When even the leader of the putative party of limited government has got his lips surgically attached to the hind quarters of jerkwater bureaucrats, is it any wonder that the U.S. is mired in ideological confusion? There's currently serious doubt about whether Americans can't make up their minds whether America's a nation or just a cool place where you can make some money and party.

Someone needs to alert Mr. Bush to the fact that rifles are not primarily for shooting ducks. They're for use against tyrants and other human predators. All confused conservatives need to be reminded that conservatism is an attitude that views all exercise of governmental power as presumptively suspect, and all private activity as presumptively more likely to result in internal harmony and the general advancement of society than government activity. They need to be reminded, too, that it is their first duty to preserve the nation from internal disorder and invasion.

The government has no duty and no right whatsoever to disarm citizens.

"Executive Branch Divided over Gun Rights." By Stephen P. Halbrook, The Independent Institute, 3/17/08.