Issues such as welfare and crime, which helped conservatism achieve dominance, are not as potent as they were. And while taxes and spending remain important, stagnant wages and middle-class anxieties, the housing and credit crisis, health care, immigration, energy, and the environment also command domestic attention. Conservatives need to convince the public that they have a compelling agenda to address these issues.
Beyond discrete issues, conservatism needs a governing vision that builds on its commitment to liberty and limited government. Among the most promising is reforming our public institutions to meet the demands of the 21st century.
The massive collapse in confidence in our financial, political, educational and intelligence institutions is among the most important developments of our time; positioning conservatives as the advocates for modern, accountable and responsive institutions would produce a governing blueprint that meets the challenges of this era and begins to win back public confidence.
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