I agree strongly with your recent comments about the near-deification of President Bush, and the need to stifle all criticism from within the “right.” Your posting of recent threads from Lucianne remind me of why I ceased posting there last year. I was a regular poster there from the very early days of the forum until last spring, when it seemed to me that criticism of our President, be it ever so civil and genteel, was answered harshly by the usual claque of cheerleaders. Call me slow on the uptake, but it took me some time to realize that many Republicans and “conservatives” are just as much in thrall to Political Correctness, and just as prone to the cult-of-personality tendencies that are characteristic of the Left.

As to the administration’s recent comments about the “racist” nature of those of us who are skeptical about bringing democracy to Iraq, I believe the President had said something very similar months ago, and of course the cry was taken up by many L-dotters whenever anyone expressed skepticism about the prospects for Iraqi democracy. About this time, I began to feel very much at odds with most of the L-dot crowd, as well as most Republicans I encounter in real life.

Incidentally, I only recently discovered VFR, via a link on another site, and after spending many hours reading through the archives, I have concluded that I am likely a “traditionalist conservative”, since my views seem to coincide with the consensus at VFR. Previously I had wondered where I fit, since I was uncomfortable with many Paleocon ideas, especially the anti-Zionist rhetoric, while I disagreed even more strongly with the ubiquitous neocon cheerleaders and Bush groupies. VFR has helped to clarify my own position.

Thanks for your work.