American Conservative Magazine reports the views of a conservative student who attended the 32nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

It’s an interesting read, and shows a little more of the backlash developing against the narrow-minded crusaders who control the Republican Party.

He suggests that he is dismayed that so-called conservatives think you commit treason if you disagree with Bush.

He suggests that he is dismayed that so-called conservatives think you are Communist if you advocate peace.

He suggests that the modern “conservative movement” is actually a failure, because the movement seems only to be passionate about supporting Bush and his foreign policy, and in getting “Republicans” elected. Meanwhile, not much change occurs that could be called “conservative”.

Party Crashing:

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Neoconservative Marshall Wittmann derisively calls it the Star Trek convention for conservatives. While I have never been to a Star Trek convention (really!), from my second-hand impressions, this description is apt.

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I walked into Miss Coulter’s speech halfway through and within 15 seconds I heard her utter “there’s a difference between free speech and treason” and promptly exited.

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“Sam Francis, who died a few days before the conference, spent the last 15 years explaining why the conservative movement has been a failure. From the mood of most of the attendees at CPAC, you would not get that impression. Rather, they were exuberant, triumphalist. Republicans control both houses of Congress, the presidency, and the majority of the governorships across the country. Fox News and the Internet give the Right a voice alongside the traditionally liberal print and television media. But what very few would admit, or even care about, is that government is still getting bigger, abortion is no closer to being banned than it was 20 years ago, homosexual marriage seems to be inevitable, and immigration is inundating our country at unprecedented rates. If electing Republicans and waging wars is the gauge, then the movement has been a gleaming success. But if that becomes conservatism’s raison d’etre, we can pray for nothing more than its failure.”