Flying the White Flag

Conservatives show the rearward yellow stripe over the "pay-for-play" nonscandal:

Conservatives have shown a surprising degree of naïveté in the recent controversy over "pay for play" op-eds. The Left has driven this story, and I fully expected the great use they would make of it; but I have been surprised at the reaction of some supposedly thoughtful conservatives.

I have strong opinions on this matter. And, frankly, as the president of the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) — an organization that has been at the heart of this issue — I believe my thoughts ought to be heard and considered. I fully expected that most conservatives would see this controversy for what it is: an attempt by the Left to isolate conservatives from their natural allies in the business community. But after seeing a smattering of silly columns and blogs by conservatives on this issue, I thought I had to weigh in with some much-needed context.

Just as we on the right have observed that the Left is funded by labor unions and by left-wing foundations like Ford, Rockefeller, and MacArthur, the Left understands that the Right gets funding from the business community. The Right doesn't always agree with the business community, and the Left doesn't always agree with the labor unions. But it is only right and natural and proper that free people be able to support with their own wealth those with whom they agree. It shouldn't be any other way, and any other way is the road of more regulation and less freedom.

And just as we on the right have tried various strategies to weaken the impact of union funding on the leftist political agenda, the Left would do anything they could to weaken the relationship between the business community and conservative organizations. The Abramoff scandal presents them with their latest opportunity. They see the Abramoff scandal as the opportunity to drown as many conservatives as possible in its vortex, guilty or not.

As the Iron Lady once said, "This is no time to go wobbly."

Democrats crying "culture of corruption" is like Bill Clinton inveighing against adultery. Or draft-dodging. Or drug use. Take your pick.