Kevin R. C. Gutzman

August 05, 2009

Over at “The Other McCain,” my article on the Republicans and the Constitution is said to mark me as a “snarky leftist.”  One couldn’t possibly be an originalist (that is, constitutionalist) and criticize the Republicans for not adhering to originalism, natch.  Any criticism of the Republicans must come from the left.

It was this way of thinking that led countless Republicans to walk the plank with George Bush.  Can’t criticize the witless “I’ll leave it to my successor” non-policy on ending the Iraq War, because that would be “snarky leftist.”  Mustn’t vote “no” on the Medicare prescription drug benefit, because to criticize Bush makes one a snarky leftist.  Next thing you know, you’ve voted so often with an actual snarky leftist (Bush) that the country can’t distinguish you from a snarky leftist.

As Paul Gottfried (notorious snarky leftist) has noted, the chief problem in political science for conservatives and libertarians these days is to oppose the massive centralization of government that has occurred since World War II and is occurring even as I type. To deny that, I think, marks one as a flagrant bonehead.  My column’s point was precisely that Republicans are failing to oppose that centralization in every sense in which they are not adhering to originalism.