Currently there are serious concerns about economic prosperity in a nation that has for so long benefited from tremendous economic growth and stability. Likewise, some are deeply troubled about government proposed solutions and cures for our economic ailments. South Carolina's governor Mark Sanford brings substantial thought and credibility to free-market ideas while articulating the danger of greater centralized power.
Those paying attention to current events will be well aware that Governor San ford has risen to be perhaps the chief voice in opposing bailout and stimulus legislation out of Washington, no matter which political party is pushing more spending. We also add another important dynamic in our interview that you prob ably won't see in other interviews with the governor, and that focuses on his views of faith in the public square and what that means going forward in the current political climate.
S.T. Karnick is the editor of the American Culture website, and we are fortunate to feature a piece by him titled "Busting a Pop Culture Illusion." Karnick explains how Disney promotes the "life-without limits mindset." He also calls this mindset "one of the main progenitors of modern, statist liberalism." He praises the film Marley and Me, calling it "an excellent antidote to the Disney myth and the utopianism of modern liberalism."
Bruce Edward Walker offers some excellent thoughts concerning the conservatism of T.S. Eliot and Russell Kirk. Both men, because of their faith back ground, rightly recognized that the moral order rises above ideological fervor and Walker eloquently depicts the consequences on society and culture when the moral tradition wanes.
Kevin Schmiesing offers a review of Philip F. Lawler's The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston's Catholic Culture and Ray Nothstine reviews Theodore Roosevelt Malloch's Spiritual Enterprise: Doing Virtuous Business. Schmiesing clearly explains the reasons for the breach be tween Boston's Catholic leaders and the laity. He also effectively pulls in "Acton's spin" on Lawler's work for our readers. Nothstine's review of Spiritual Enterprise is valuable in that it recognizes there are moral deficiencies in the business world. Additionally, just as society needs moral reform to be healthy moving forward, moral reform needs to extend to an even greater degree in the commercial sector.
In a Religion & Liberty issue where I believe we have written about and defended a lot of moral truths, it is so appropriate to give a voice to Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who's haunting, timeless, and most importantly, truth telling words were pivotal in crushing Marxist-Leninism. His story and words are forever appreciated by those who cherish the kind of liberty that is fastened with a moral fabric upon the heart.
