You haven’t reprinted George Will’s column from The Washington Post lately, and I’ve wondered why.
Although I confess to being a liberal, who suffers from the disorder called bleeding heart (as did Jesus, by the way), I enjoy reading Mr. Will and other conservative columnists, like your own Jim Fossel. They provide stimulation and present views I often disagree with but whose merits I can appreciate, and they broaden my understanding. More liberal writers then provide reassurance that my own beliefs are the correct ones.

I do wish that conservatives would try applying their time-honored, traditional principles to current problems identified by progressives, among the most pressing being the climate crisis, childhood poverty and the deficiencies in our health care system. Today’s conservatives – at least to the extent they are represented by the Republican Party – have become so opposed to change, and so opposed to using government for any purpose, that they ignore problems or deny they exist, the supreme example being climate change denial. Their Senate leader has stated flatly that they have no agenda. It is irresponsible and makes it hard to think of a reason to vote Republican.

Progressives alert us to problems we may wish to ignore but must attend to, and they offer solutions. They may sometimes ignore political realities and may sometimes fail to prioritize (see Build Back Better), but they care. Conservatives could, if they wished to be of service, offer alternative solutions and help with prioritization. It would show that they care, too.

Michael Bacon
Westbrook

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