Conservative divide pits anti-left against anti-state

For most Americans, conservatism basically means the stuff Republicans are for, and liberalism means whatever Democrats are for. I don't mean this as a criticism, just a statement of fact.

One of the great things about America is that politics -- never mind political philosophy -- isn't a big part of most people's lives. Associating a body of ideas with the institutions (political parties) that are directly charged with putting ideas into action is a pragmatic