It was a liberal Democrat, Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, who issued the famous line, “All politics is local.” But it’s a truth that conservatives should reflect on today, when so many Americans have become weary of our hyper-nationalized politics, which thrives on outrage and animosity. Conservatives should embrace the quieter yet undeniably American tradition of localism.
For American conservatives, localism ought to be as fundamental as the ideals of limited government and free enterprise. It is rooted in the American principle of federalism as well as the basic attachments we feel to those places we call home. Even — perhaps especially — in an age of globalization, our closest and deepest associations tend to be local: our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship, the businesses we patronize, the charities we support. These are what conservatives should seek to conserve, first and foremost.
Read Full Article »