THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
I would like to assure James Laughlin (``Warner no conservative,'' letter, March 7) that plenty of ``conservative'' voters in Virginia applauded Senator Warner's principled opposition to North's candidacy last year and have no intention of ``punishing'' the senator for that stand in 1996.
Perhaps Mr. Laughlin is too young to remember the true basis for the conservative Republican movement, first crystallized by Barry Goldwater's presidential bid: individual responsibility, maximum personal freedom, fiscal responsibility by the government and limited government involvement in each citizen's life. Unwavering party loyalty directly conflicts with those values, because each citizen's ultimate responsibility is to analyze how a candidate's positions impact on those values and vote accordingly.
The mantle in which the GOP currently wraps itself is the antithesis, in many respects, of true Republican values. For example, the GOP is currently promoting tax credits for families with children under 18. How is this different from subsidizing welfare mothers to have additional children? Not only is this the income redistribution that Republicans have railed against for years, it is not fiscally responsible.
I would urge Mr. Laughlin to employ more caution in equating loyalty to the Republican Party with loyalty to conservative principles.
ELLEN C. CARLSON
Virginia Beach, March 9, 1995 by CNB