The conservative calm. (Politico).(why conservatives support Pres. George W. Bush )

George W. Bush campaigned as a Reagan conservative and has now signed the liberal campaign finance legislation that assaults our First Amendment, enacted a budget-busting farm subsidy bill, created 20,000 new federal employees by federalizing airport security, and placed stiff tariffs on imported steel. Nonetheless, Bush remains popular with conservative voters and has strong support from conservative leaders. Why?

Three reasons. First, like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush understands the nature and structure of the modern conservative movement. The Reagan Republican Party is a coalition of groups and citizens that want government to leave them alone. Taxpayers, for example, do not want their taxes raised; property owners, likewise, do not want to be told Al Gore now has dominion over their backyards because it turned into a wetland in last night's rain; homeschoolers and people of faith wish to be left alone to raise their children as they see fit.

The President has kept faith with the primary concerns of each of these groups. Yes, the National Rifle Association, the Right to Life Committee, and nearly all national taxpayers groups opposed the campaign finance bill he signed. But these constituencies vote primarily on their main issues of guns, abortion, and taxes, not campaign finance.

The Bush administration, in other words, has disappointed his base on secondary and tertiary topics of concern, while holding true on the primary issues. Our current President's father, by contrast, alienated nearly every part of the Reagan coalition on its primary issues. Bush the Elder raised taxes, undermined property rights, signed a ban on so-called "assault weapons" and poured regulatory burdens on the business community to please environmental and disability activists. Ultimately, he kept faith only with the pro-life groups.

When coalition members are crossed on a secondary issue, they are disappointed. But they generally remain loyal. Crossed on a primary issue, they drift away.

The second reason that the current Bush administration's deviations from ideological purity have not led to open revolt is that the conservative movement and its leaders are more mature, patient, and competent than they once were. In 1980, Ronald Reagan ...