Editor:

I am writing in response to the guest column penned by Drew Conrad, chairman-elect for the U College Republicans (“We must stop liberals silencing conservatives,” March 30). Conrad claims the liberal movement is bent on preventing conservatism from entering the national consciousness. While I’ll grant that the president and congressional Democrats’ agenda doesn’t square with that of the congressional Republicans, there is hardly an attempt from Obama, Pelosi, or Reid to censor the Republicans or prevent them from voicing their ideas.

Congressional Republicans submitted a list of ideas for the economic stimulus back in January. What was included? “Tax deductions for some small businesses, making unemployment benefits tax free and a provision that would let businesses losing money carry the losses over to pay fewer taxes in a different fiscal year.” So…tax cuts? If those are the only ideas that the Republican Party has to offer, they need to consider that their policy of “don’t tax, deregulate and spend like crazy” is what got us into this economic mess in the first place.

I recognize that conservatism is not dead, least of all on the U campus. I would argue, however, that it has reached a point of near-paralysis. Unless and until the conservative movement can offer more than tax cuts and “drill, baby, drill,” they shouldn’t expect to be taken seriously by anyone.

Madson Thompson,
Senior, Mathematics and Economics