P.J. O'Rourke: How to Explain Conservatism to Your Squishy Liberal Friends: Individualism 'R' Us

Here is a throw-down post. Most conservatives have liberal family/friends/acquaintances who invariably love to debate their views. Get your conservative talking points from P.J.:

The Bill of Rights tries to protect our freedom not only from bad people and bad laws but also from the vast nets and gooey webs of rules and regulations that even the best governments produce. The Constitution attempts to leave as much of life as possible to common sense, or at least to local option. The Ninth Amendment states: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Continues the 10th Amendment, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

It is these suit-yourself, you're-a-big-boy-now, it's-a-free-country powers that conservatism seeks to conserve.

Read it all here.