William F. Buckley Jr.Thinkers

Conservatism is a fellow standing athwart history yelling stop.

Conservatism is a rebellion against the dominant intellectual elite. As such, it would be far prefereable to be governed by the first 2,000 names in the Boston telephone directory than by the Harvard faculty.

Conservatism is an admiration for the free market, a strong policy of anti-communism, and a respect for traditionalism.

Conservatism is the tacit acknowledgement that all that is finally important in human experience is behind us, that the crucial explorations have been undertaken, and that it is given to man to know what are the great truths that emerged from them.

Conservatism is the politics of reality.

A Liberal is one who abhors man's injustice to his fellow man only slightly less than he abhors the thought of being engaged in physical labor.

A Liberal is one who claims he wants to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.

A Liberal is primarily a man who is infatuated with the state. He turns to the state to settle all of the problems that libertarians or conservatives would prefer for man to settle for himself.

A Liberal is someone who wants to reach into your shower and adjust the water temperature.