I present you today with both sides of the question of whether or not there is any life left in the small-government philosophy.[Thanks to Crosstitch.com for the cross stitch pattern photo.]We have the optimist's viewpoint expressed by Richard A. Viguerie in today's LA Times article With no sense of humor whatsoever, Mr. Viguerie, author of, expresses his hope that someone with a Reagan touch can revive our somnolent but innate comprehension of the original intent of the Constitution's Founding Fathers.On the other side, and with his usual unique comic flare, we have the pessimist view of P.J. O'Rourke in this Cato article (also published at the Weekly Standard). His humor turns quite black at the end. The title says it all: "We Blew It."These two writers are so eloquent that I won't excerpt them or add superfluous comment here. You'll enjoy the reads.I once asked another proponent of small government, Robert Higgs of the Independent Institute, how he managed to find the courage to continue the battle for the idea of small government. He replied that he had no hope whatsoever for winning the war; but that his motive has become that of "bearing witness" through public condemnation of those who strip us of our liberties, whether anyone cared to take note or not.Honorably said, and I concur. At the moment, as the sky grows prematurely dark at 5:00 p.m. on a December afternoon, I feel the same depressing lack of hope. But tomorrow I will wake up to daylight with enough energy to toll the bell once more.

Labels: economics, P.J. O'Rourke, Richard A. Viguerie, Robert Higgs, small government