Let’s see: How well has conservatism worked?

Jerry Bitts, Las Vegas

Monday, April 13, 2009 | 2:01 a.m.

Richard McCord’s Friday letter to the editor creates a false dichotomy between liberalism and conservatism. Then he asks, “Which philosophy do you think serves America and the rest of the world best?”

Mr. McCord sees liberals as sentimental fools who support the failures in society, who have a jealous hatred of the rich, and who are embarrassed by America’s power and wealth. That is false.

Actually, most liberals are workers and tend to favor the underdog because that is who they are. Liberals also believe, as do the people of other democracies, that it is better to provide social safety nets than to pay for overcrowded prisons. In short, liberals tend to see more success for all in cooperation than in social Darwinism.

“Conservatives,” Mr. McCord writes, “think it’s best when people decide to do what’s best for them.” Conservatives “show compassion to innocents,” and they “punish people for interfering with others’ pursuit of happiness.”

That seems to echo our Puritan and Calvinistic philosophy of the powerful father (the elect of God) protecting the innocent and punishing evil. Haven’t we just had eight years of that?

Have we not seen over the past year the fruits of bankers, acting in their own interests, getting Congress, acting in its own interests, to change fraud into lawful business? How, indeed, has this ideology served America and the rest of the world?