Candidates abandoning small-government ideology

THE BOSTON GLOBE:

"For most of the past year, almost every Republican presidential contender tried to present himself as the real Reagan conservative, without questioning whether Ronald Reagan's antigovernment message was applicable in 2008."

Of course Reganism is still applicable today. Reganism is really just pure conservatism. And conservatism is a philosophy - just like liberalism, socialism, fascism, and communism.

Good grief, get a clue. Right now, conservatism does not have someone driving the bus. But that does not mean it's dead. It might have a flat tire, but it's not dead.

For example, take a look at Russia, everyone said the Cold War was over and assumed that it meant that communism was dead in Russia. They were on their way to democracy and capitalism and freedom and everyone lived happily after. Talk about fairy tales.

The communists did not magically disappear along with their philosophy. They took a little detour, maybe "went underground" for awhile.

Then: Hello Putin.

No matter what philosophy you subscribe to and have in place, it will be under attack from those who want to change it to their way of thinking. It is endless battle.

Don't expect some kind of utopia anytime soon.