Survey

The Heritage Foundation sent a survey to my home a few days ago. I'm going to fill it out and return the completed form.

I also think I'm going to route the cash formerly earmarked for the RNC to The Heritage Foundation itself.

The letter accompanying the survey reads, in part:

Dear Fellow American:

Are you satisfied with the performance of President Bush and Congress?

Here at The Heritage Foundation, we've generally supported the President's policies. But we think he's made some critical mistakes, and we've been very open in telling him so.

BZ: As do I; failure to admit that the GOP or President Bush has made some tactical errors does little for Conservatism. Believing that all is well does nothing to 1. identify the errors and then 2. craft solutions and then 3. enact them.

We think conservatives in Congress went off the track in many areas when they were in the majority.

BZ: they made some major mistakes. Whilst power was in the hands all the ready for wielding, they failed, failed to use that power and instead bent against many of the core tenets of Conservatism.

And now that they're in the minority, they need to return to basic conservative principles in order to take an effective stand against the liberal majority.

BZ: agreed. In spades!

Conservatives and Republicans have been hesitant to criticize President Bush and congressional conservatives in public -- because we don't like to give ammunition to the radical Left. But you probably have a lot to say about what you think they are doing wrong, and what they need to do differently.

BZ: do I ever. And no, I did not then and do not now agree that it is wrong to publicly disagree with President Bush or various Republicans when they deviate from the path that brought them to their elected positions and when that path deviates from the true Conservative philosophy or platform.

That's why we've prepared the enclosed SURVEY FOR CONSERVATIVES AND REPUBLICANS ONLY. It's your opportunity to tell President Bush and conservatives in Congress what you think about their policies, and what you think they need to do now.

We believe the surveys you see in the media are often inaccurate, because they don't ask the right questions.

BZ: in any survey, it's HOW you phrase the questions that can skew them from the first step.

For example, they tell us that a majority of Americans do not support the war in Iraq. But they don't tell us how many people want us to surrender, and how many want us to fight harder and develop a better strategy to win the war against radical Islamists. They don't tell us how many think eavesdropping on foreign suspects is a threat to our civil liberties, and how many think we should be doing more listening in.

BZ: dingdingdingdingding! BINGO. The Heritage Foundation just summarized, in one paragraph, how MANY of the true Conservatives are thinking these days -- myself included! The point is not to leave; the point is get MEDIEVAL in Iraq and make our soldiers real soldiers instead of cops with cop-rules. The point is to PROTECT OUR PEOPLE and use whatever tools are at our disposal.

How do you think we should deal with illegal immigration? BZ: build the wall; build it now, build it completely. Is the government taking the war on Islamic terrorism seriously enough? BZ: let's call our enemies our enemies and STOP frisking little old black ladies with walkers, my 87-year-old father, and concentrate on MIDDLE EASTERN MEN and WOMEN, BOTH of whom have been historically utilized as terrorists against us and as Homicide Bombers. What do you think about the enormous, pork-laden federal budget? BZ: pork, you ask? How about my last two posts? How about the federal budget growing MORE in Bush's two terms than any other President in our history? Should the government promote traditional values? BZ: yes, yes and yes, as much as lawfully allowable -- and this includes the proper appointments to the SCOTUS.

But better yet, check this out:

We will not release the results of this survey to the media. It is strictly for the eyes of the Bush administration and conservative members of Congress. We don't think CBS or The New York Times care what you think. Neither do Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi.

A few paragraphs later:

You might be discouraged because so many of our hopes are not being fulfilled. I'm here to tell you that we need to keep fighting. We need to tell our elected officials what they are doing wrong, and what we expect from them.

Amen, Heritage Foundation. Amen.

Which is why I believe then and now that glossing over the errors made by the Bush Administration and our Republican leaders is a LARGE MISTAKE. They are not perfect and blind support can do nothing but lead to blind obedience when, in truth, as I have written time and again (and is now confirmed clearly by the respected Heritage Foundation):

WE NEED TO TELL OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHAT THEY ARE DOING WRONG, AND WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THEM.

Some people call those who support our President, no matter what, "Bush Bots." I dislike labels. I prefer, instead, to continue with my prevailing philosophy:

• We need to point out errors;
• Once identified, we need to make plans to correct them;
• Without knowing our errors, identifying our mistakes, we run the risk of complete collapse and a stultifyingly-immoral complacence and political stagnation;

I can see this survey as nothing but a GOOD thing. I'm mailing it tomorrow morning.

And by the way, I cut a check for $500 to The Heritage Foundation an hour before I wrote this post.

BZ