Ayn Rand gets it right in “Extremism and the Art of Smearing”:

The safely undefined, indeterminate, mixed-economy, ‘moderate’ middle—with a ‘moderate’ amount of government favors and special privileges for the rich and a ‘moderate’ amount of government handouts for the poor—with a ‘moderate’ respect for rights and a ‘moderate’ degree of brute force—with a ‘moderate’ amount of freedom and a ‘moderate’ amount of slavery—with a ‘moderate’ degree of justice and a ‘moderate’ degree of injustice—with a ‘moderate’ amount of security and a ‘moderate’ amount of terror —and with a moderate degree of tolerance for all, except those ‘extremists’ who uphold principles, consistency, objectivity, morality, and who refuse to compromise.

You either are …or you are not a conservative. There is no such ting as a “fiscal” or “social” conservative …its all or nothing. Paul Helmke does not qualify.

If all that is ever done is preach to the converted, how do you engage with others to exchange ideas and grow as a group? There are other good ideas and observations from folks other than just “conservatives”. I’d be disappointed if so-called conservatives didn’t want to compete in the arena of ideas with others and make an argument. I don’t think “conservatives” have a lock on all the good ideas.