The Bush administration cemented in its philosophy as champion of the welfare/warfare state with its new pharmaceutical welfare bill, the biggest federal "entitlement" in some 40 years. This should end any debate over whether the Republican Party is true to ANY principles of conservativism, let alone classical liberalism. Its only interest is in taking credit away from Democrats for increasing chunks of the welfare state. This was clearly stated by neocon "Godfather" Irving Kristol in his Weekly Standard manifesto two months ago.
The main beneficiaries of this monumental act of plunder are not the "seniors," however, but their baby boomer children. Since mom and pop will have so much of their drug bills paid for by taxpayers, there will be more left over to leave their baby boomer children as inheritance. It's yet another reason to not bother taking care of our own parents and grandparents in their old age, and thus another stake in the heart of civil society. The neocons, and their associated "think tanks" like Claremont, the Heritage Foundation, and the rest, are the enemies of peace, prosperity, and the civil society despite all their propaganda to the contrary.
